In a sequel to his stringent anti-squatter law signed last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a pair of bills targeting squatters at hotels, motels, and commercial businesses on Monday.
DeSantis lauded the Sunshine State's massive strides in property rights at a bill-signing ceremony hosted in Sarasota Monday morning, where he greenlit SB 322, "Property Rights," and SB 606, "Public Lodging and Food Service Establishments."
"If you don't have property rights, you don't have a free society," the governor said. “Under current law, the remedies to remove unauthorized applicants or occupants of a commercial property can unfortunately be lengthy and time-consuming, which then incentivizes people to take advantage of the situation.
“And we’re not going to allow that to happen.”
SB 322 allows business owners to submit anti-squatting forms to local sheriffs, asking that they remove illegal invaders from the property. Similarly, SB 606 makes it easier for hotels, motels, and other hospitality vendors to kick out squatters—specifically legalizing a squatter's arrest if they haven't checked out after receiving written notice.
A squatter is someone who illegally occupies a building or home without permission.
These bills expand on a first-in-the-nation measure approved last year, which removed reference to "squatters' rights" from Florida statute. It allowed police to immediately remove squatters from Floridians' homes and made it a felony for an invader to inflict $1,000 worth of damage.
The sweeping law was inspired by two back-to-back incidents resulting in a homeowner's arrest for changing locks to keep out squatters and another's murder by two teen squatters.
"We'll be the first state in the country to be leaning in on this issue—that's typically the way it works on a lot of issues," DeSantis said at the time.
