TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill curtailing citizen oversight of police misconduct by requiring civilian oversight boards to be made up of members appointed by a sheriff or police chief.
The bill was signed at a news conference on Friday morning. DeSantis framed the bill as protecting law enforcement officers, but the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has criticized the bill as a waste of tax dollars and said it undermines democracy.
HB 601 mandates that "Civilian Oversight Boards" must be made up of three to seven members who are all appointed by a sheriff or police chief. One of the members must be a retired law enforcement officer.
"HB 601 invalidates the work local communities have put into attempting to increase trust between residents and law enforcement," NR Hines, policy strategist at ACLU of Florida, said in a statement in February after the bill passed a house committee. "Having a community that feels empowered to hold law enforcement in their area accountable is better for all Floridians."
"[Civilian review boards] pose no threat to law-abiding officers and are designed to have a specific scope of work," Hines continued.
A news release from the governor's office said the purpose of the bill is to "prohibit localities from using political entities like Civilian Oversight Boards to drive an anti-police agenda."
"Unfortunately, the only solution the legislature sees is to once again remove local power, while they continue to waste our tax dollars on bad policies that restrict our freedoms and undermine our democracy," Hines said.
The ACLU of Florida has not yet responded to a request for a new statement now that the bill was signed into law. It's unclear if the organization plans any legal challenges to the bill.
DeSantis also signed another bill that sets up "restricted" zones around first responders,
HB 184 bans people from coming within within 25 feet of a first responder if they've been given a warning to back up.
"I am proud to support the men and women of law enforcement throughout the state," DeSantis said in a statement. "[This] legislation will ensure law enforcement can do their jobs without the threat of harassment. While blue states vilify and defund the police, Florida will continue to the be the friendliest state in the nation towards our law enforcement community."
HB 601 goes into effect on July 1, while HB 184 goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.