DeSantis signs bill passed in response to murder of 5-year-old Florida girl

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed two bills that would increase penalties for certain sex offenses and dangerous crimes.

At a news conference in Tampa, DeSantis criticized other states for their criminal justice policies and said Florida would not “turn the criminals loose to be able to victimize you.”

Here’s what he signed.

‘Missy’s Law’

DeSantis signed legislation designed to keep people who commit dangerous crimes in custody.

The legislation, HB 445, is named “Missy’s Law” in honor of Missy Mogle, a 5-year-old Tallahassee girl who was murdered last May.

Mogle’s mother and her stepfather were charged with murder over her death. At the time, her stepfather, Daniel Spencer, was out on bond while awaiting sentencing after being convicted of traveling to meet a minor.

The legislation would require people who plead guilty or are found guilty of dangerous crimes, as defined in state law, to be held without the option of bond while awaiting sentencing.

“You don’t release the convict just because you haven’t done sentencing yet,” DeSantis said.

Dangerous crimes include things like aggravated assault, child abuse, homicide and sexual battery. Lawmakers also added computer pornography and child abuse offenses to the list — which would have covered Spencer’s charge.

DeSantis also called for the Florida House to impeach Circuit Judge Tiffany Baker-Carper, who let Spencer out on bond, calling her decision “a total dereliction of judicial duty.”

Baker-Carper’s judicial assistant did not immediately return an email and call asking for comment.

Increasing minimum penalties for sexual offenses

Lawmakers increased mandatory minimum penalties for people convicted of certain sexual offenses that victimize children.

That includes increasing the penalty for lewd or lascivious molestation to 15 years, up from 10 years, and increasing the penalty for people who force children to perform sexual acts to 30 years, up from 20 years.

The law, HB 1159, also changes all references to “child pornography” in state law to “child sexual abuse material.”

The legislation also increases the penalty for child sexual abuse material that was created or modified using artificial intelligence or other means.

Currently, creating those graphic depictions of children is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.

The legislation would make the crime a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Bill sponsor Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Largo, said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri encouraged him to up the penalties for child pornography.

Gualtieri at the news conference said over the last year in Pinellas, his department has arrested 188 people on about 1,360 counts of possessing child pornography.

This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 2:07 PM.