Florida bill would make lewd or obscene grooming a felony

A Florida bill intends to make lewd or obscene grooming a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for first-time offenders.

The one-page bill was introduced last week in the Florida House of Representatives by Republicans Taylor Yarkosky and Douglas Bankson. The law would criminalize the act of preparing or encouraging a child to participate in sexual activities through openly sexual communication.

HB 1135: Lewd or Lascivious Grooming by Williams Perdomo on Scribd

"The bill similarly applies to instances where a child 'observed' such sexual communications without permission from the child’s guardians. 'Habitual' offenders of second-degree felonies may face up to 30 years in prison," explained The National Review.

Although the bill does not mention the LGBT community, various organizations and personalities assure that the bill targets this group. "One does not need to hypothesize what the intent is of the bill, however. The bill’s sponsors and organizations pushing it have made it clear that the intent is to target LGBTQ+ content and drag shows," transgender journalist and activist Erin Reed wrote on her website.