Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that will prohibit "picketing and protesting outside of a person's place of residence," following a weekend full of abortion rights protests, including some outside the homes of Supreme Court justices.
"Sending unruly mobs to private residences, like we have seen with the angry crowds in front of the homes of Supreme Court justices, is inappropriate," DeSantis said in a news release. "This bill will provide protection to those living in residential communities and I am glad to sign it into law."
The Florida law says that protesters will be given a warning by law enforcement if they are outside of a person's private residence.
"Once this law takes effect, law enforcement officers will provide a warning to any person picketing or protesting outside of a dwelling and will make arrests for residential picketing only if the person does not peaceably disperse after the warning," the news release said.
The new law will make it a second-degree misdemeanor to protest with the intention of harassing or disturbing a person at their home. Those who are arrested for violating the law face 60 days in jail and fines of up to $500, according to CBS News.
It will take effect starting on Oct. 1 this year.
Last week, a group of about 150 protesters were outside of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's house for roughly 20 minutes, according to NBC News. Alito authored the leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, causing protests and outrage around the country.
Abortion rights protesters have also gone outside of Justice Brett Kavanaugh's and Chief Justice John Roberts' homes in the last week.
On May 9, the Senate passed a bill that extended protection from Supreme Court police to the immediate family members of Supreme Court justices, according to Axios. It will need to pass in the House before President Joe Biden would make an official decision on it.
"The events of the past week have intensified the focus on Supreme Court Justices’ families, who are unfortunately facing threats to their safety in today’s increasingly polarized political climate," Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said in a statement on May 5. "We must act to ensure Justices and their families are protected from those who wish to cause them harm by extending Supreme Court police security to family members."
Attorney General Merrick Garland has also directed the U.S. Marshals Service to provide additional support and safety for the justices, according to CBS News.
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