Governor Ron DeSantis has had enough of the dangerous “swatting” trend that’s targeting conservatives across America.
The Florida Governor took decisive action that should make criminals think twice.
And Ron DeSantis just made Florida the last place anyone would want to make a swatting call.
DeSantis signs bill to crack down on dangerous swatting calls
On Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 279, a bill that significantly increases penalties for making false 911 calls – commonly known as “swatting” – at a signing ceremony held at Winter Haven High School.
“If you swat, you are going to get hit with serious criminal offenses,” DeSantis declared during the press conference.
For those unfamiliar with the dangerous practice, swatting involves making a false emergency call to 911 that triggers a substantial police response to a target’s location.
Perpetrators typically claim a violent crime or emergency is taking place, often mentioning weapons to ensure a heightened response from law enforcement.
The new law establishes severe consequences for offenders.
If a swatting call leads to a death, the perpetrator will face a second-degree felony charge.
If the false report causes serious injury, it will be classified as a third-degree felony.
“Swatting has no place in the State of Florida,” DeSantis emphasized. “And I think when you have swift penalties, strong penalties, and you administer them swiftly, you will deter it from happening in the future.”
Conservative figures and public officials targeted in swatting incidents
The legislation comes at a critical time as swatting incidents have increasingly targeted conservatives and public officials across the country.
DeSantis noted during the signing that “recently, they have targeted people who are influential in conservative media,” highlighting the political nature of many recent swatting attempts.
Conservative personality and podcast host Benny Johnson, who was recently targeted by a swatting call in Tampa, expressed his gratitude for the new law.
“I speak on behalf of a dozen other Florida-based independent journalists and creators who have been swatted in thanking [DeSantis] for passing the harshest anti-swatting laws in America,” Johnson wrote on X. “Thank you. This saves lives.”
I speak on behalf of a dozen other Florida-based independent journalist and creators who have been swatted in thanking @GovRonDeSantis for passing the harshest anti-swatting laws in America. Thank you. This saves lives. https://t.co/8tmSKJhfpD
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 21, 2025
The problem has become particularly pronounced following President Donald Trump’s victory.
In November 2024, several of Trump’s Cabinet nominees were targeted by swatters, including Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who was Trump’s pick for U.N. ambassador, and EPA chief Lee Zeldin.
“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and administration appointees were targeted in violent, un-American threats to their lives and those who live with them,” Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement at the time.
New law increases accountability for swatting offenders
The new legislation builds upon a 2021 law that established felonies for swatting offenses resulting in damage, injury, or death.
However, DeSantis acknowledged that the earlier measure “has not been fully sufficient” as incidents continued to rise.
Florida’s Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. reported “a huge uptick in false 911 reports this year across the state,” with several recent prosecutions.
The law includes multiple provisions to ensure offenders face justice, including:
- Lowers the threshold for felony penalties from four to two swatting incidents;
- Mandates courts to order restitution from convicted individuals to cover costs incurred by public safety agencies;
- Requires compensation for any material damages to victims; and
- Holds offenders accountable for prosecution and investigation costs.
The measure also addresses technological advances that have made swatting easier, as pranksters can now disguise their voices and hide their IP addresses and phone numbers.
Real victims of false emergency calls
Beyond the waste of police resources, swatting creates real victims and potentially deadly situations.
Just last year, South Miami resident Julie Miller experienced police showing up at her house at least 11 times due to false emergency calls, with a woman allegedly calling 911 nearly two dozen times reporting shootings and dead bodies at Miller’s home.
“It was intense, and to this day, looking back, we didn’t realize how wild it was, really, and now looking back, it was so crazy, so I don’t wish that on anybody,” Miller said. “With those kind of calls, there’s always a risk involved.”
Miller praised the governor’s action, hoping it will deter future incidents.
“Especially if you’re young and stupid and think it’s funny, definitely not funny, (it’s) a big deal, it costs money at the end of the day,” she said.
The new anti-swatting law will take effect on July 1, 2024.
