PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – The Florida State House of Representatives passed on Friday one of this session’s most controversial bills.
Part of what HB-1 does is amp up enforcement and penalties to violence and vandalism, specifically during protests.
It was one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ top priorities for the legislative session, and it passed along party lines.
It now heads to the state Senate, where it’s future is uncertain.
Two of the leading voices in the debate over HB-1 joined This Week in South Florida hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg to discuss.
State Senator Jason Pizzo is a Democrat from Northwest Miami-Dade who chairs the Criminal Justice Committee where the bill has been bottled up.
State Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin is a Republican who represents a portion of Southwest Miami-Dade and he’s been one of the bill’s prime sponsors. He delivered the closing arguments for it on Friday.
Their conversation on This Week in South Florida can be viewed at the top of this page.