'The Closest Thing to the Devil': Florida Child Groomers Could Face a Second-Degree Felony

TALLAHASSEE, FL---A new bill defining and punishing child-grooming passed House committee Friday afternoon, branding offenders with a second-degree felony. If the bill becomes law, it would make Florida the first state to have a criminal definition of grooming.

"The closest thing to the Devil in human form are the people that do this." The sponsor of HB 1135, Republican Rep. Taylor Yarkosky said. "We are sending a message that in Florida at no point can you come to this state and attack our children, because we are going to take you down, we are going to arrest you, we are going to punish you, and ultimately, we are going to put you to death if you rape a child under 12."

The bill sponsor referenced a Florida law enacted last year which extended the death penalty to rapists who violate a child under the age of 12. Yarkosky said he considered the 2023 law and his bill the two "bookends" in defending Florida's children from predators.

Grooming, as defined by the bill, is "a preparatory process in which a perpetrator selects a victim, gains access to and isolates the victim, develops trust with the victim and often other adults in the victim’s life, and desensitizes the victim to sexual content and physical contact". It is considered the first step in future sexual abuse.

Democratic Reps. Michele Rayner and Bracy Davis were joined by the LGBTQ group Equality Florida in their wariness of the legislation, citing fears that the vague language could prevent sexual education teachings in schools, and be used to further stigmatize LGBTQ communities.

"Our fear is that it could threaten to restrict information crucial to preventing STDs and unwanted pregnancies for minors, and threaten to deny them certain access to that information," Equality Florida's Jon Harris Mauerer said in public testimony.

"I just want to make sure there are no unintended consequences specifically with the grooming piece, and specifically with LGBTQ families and children, and specifically that language having been used by folks to weaponize and criminalize a sub-sect of our citizens here in the state of Florida." Rep. Rayner said, pointing at how the word "grooming" has been used against gay communities in recent years.

"This is about protecting innocence. Innocence once lost can never be restored," The co-sponsor, Rep. Doug Bankson, responded, "This isn't about stopping people who have the good intent to protect our children through education, through good health. This is about helping the good guys stop the bad guys."

The bill, which has an identical counterpart in the Senate, passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee with a 15-2 vote. It now heads to the Justice Appropriations Subcommittee.