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Florida and other states that have signed bills to protect homeowners against squatters

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Florida and other states that have signed bills to protect homeowners against squatters

Every state has taken a different approach to dealing with squatters unlawfully living in resident’s homes. 

Squatters often cause extensive damage to the properties they reside on, an expense that commonly falls on the shoulders of the homeowner. 

Many states have laws in place that tend to favor squatters in these situations by putting homeowners through lengthy and costly legal battles in order to get the squatters removed from the property. 

States around the country, like Florida, have begun to pass bills protecting homeowners against squatters. (Gov. Ron DeSantis/FB)

6 WAYS HOMEOWNERS AND LANDLORDS CAN PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST SQUATTERS 

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There are certain states throughout the country which have signed bills that put the rights in the hands of homeowners by helping them remove unlawful residents from their property quickly. 

States, like Pennsylvania, for example, have introduced proposals to protect homeowners. In Pennsylvania, Donna Scheuren, who represents the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ 147th district, introduced the Homeowner Protection and Squatter Eviction Act in April, saying she was inspired by Florida’s legislation to do so. 

In Texas, a relator previously told Fox News Digital that he spoke at a May Senate hearing in Austin to talk about the squatter situations he has dealt with over the years. He told Fox News Digital in an email that the state seems serious about creating laws to make the process of dealing with squatters easier for homeowners. 

Below are three states that have taken strong stances on squatting by passing legislation to protect homeowners. 

  1. Florida
  2. Georgia
  3. Alabama

1. Florida 

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in March 2024 that eliminated squatters’ rights in the state of Florida.

“You are not going to be able to commandeer somebody’s private property and expect to get away with it. We are in the state of Florida ending the squatter scam once and for all,” DeSantis said during a press conference on the signing in Orlando.

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FLORIDA SHERIFF WARNS SQUATTERS HE WILL BE THEIR ‘WORST ENEMY’ AND HAS A PLACE FOR THEM IN JAIL

Under the law that will go into effect on July 1, property owners will be able to immediately request the assistance of law enforcement to remove a squatter from their property if the individual is not a current or former tenent in a legal dispute and has unlawfully entered and remained once they are asked to leave by the owner. 

There are harsh penalties for squatters under this law, which include a first-degree misdemeanor if an individual provides false documentation to prove their residency and a second-degree felony for those who occupy or trespass in a residential property and cause $1,000 or more in damages intentionally. 

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in March that helps residents to remove squatters quickly from their property. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Before this law was passed in Florida, property owners would have to go through long legal battles in order to remove squatters from their homes. This is how the process remains in many U.S. states. 

The squatter stories that came straight from those living in the state of Florida helped the bill get passed. 

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One example is Patti Peeples, a Florida resident who found herself a victim to a squatter situation. After squatters took over her property, it took 36 days for them to be evicted, and thousands of dollars of damage was left behind. 

Sharing her story led her to provide powerful testimony before the Florida Senate and House committees while the bill was still under consideration. 

Her testimony contributed to the ultimate passing of the Florida bill.

ANTI-SQUATTING ‘PROFESSIONAL’ CELEBRATES FLORIDA BAN, AS OTHER STATE LAWS FRUSTRATE HOMEOWNERS

“I certainly would have never anticipated that my personal experience would have motivated a state law change and, in fact, movement around the United States, with regard to criminal charges against squatters,” Peeples previously told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. 

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“I’m amazed, surprised, and really, really encouraged that this particular case of mine showed me and I hope shows others that our legislatures can listen to everyday citizens and sometimes actually seek to efficiently make new laws to address common everyday problems.”

2. Georgia

Georgia is another state that has passed a bill to protect homeowners against squatters. 

The Georgia Squatter Reform Act was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp at the end of April. 

This bill speeds up the eviction process and increases the penalties for those who squat in homes. 

Brian Kemp

The Georgia Squatter Reform Act was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp at the end of April. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Unfortunately, bad actors have figured out ways to take advantage of this, exploit, really the process that goes through the local government. So we’re passing legislation that I’m going to sign right after this interview to stiffen the penalties, to go after these folks, to also speed up the eviction process. But, also, allow the property owner to go after these squatters for damages,” Kemp said on “Fox & Friends.” 

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GEORGIA POLICE REMOVE SQUATTERS ALLEGEDLY OCCUPYING HOME SINCE CHRISTMAS 

“This is insanity, that people just think they can come in and take over somebody’s home. I mean it’s just outrageous,” Kemp said. “It really points to, as we’ve seen around the country, the lawlessness that’s gone on under the Biden administration.”

Under the law, individuals will need to present proof that they are authorized to be on the property. If they are unable to do so, they are subject to arrest and possibly misdemeanor charges. 

3. Alabama

In May, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill strengthening homeowners’ rights against those who squat on their property. 

House Bill 182 gives harsher penalties to those who illegally occupy a home and increases penalties for those who provide false documents such as a lease or deed to prove their residency. 

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This law also allows law enforcement to remove individuals from a home they do not own quickly. 

This law started to become enforced on June 1. 

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law a bill that strengthens the rights of homeowners against squatters who illegally occupy their property. (Governor Kay Ivey/X)

“It has been said that a person’s home is their castle, yet after a national rise in illegal occupations of homeowner’s private property, it is apparent that more must be done to halt criminals from commandeering people’s homes,” Ivey said in a statement. 

 

“In Alabama, private property rights are paramount. This new law puts would-be squatters on notice that any attempt to hijack and take over someone’s home will be met with swift action by law enforcement. The best dwelling for an illegal squatter is a jail cell, and we in state government should never rest easy until all Alabama homeowners’ rights are fully protected.”

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Southeast

Drone mishap during Orlando holiday aerial show sends child to hospital

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Drone mishap during Orlando holiday aerial show sends child to hospital

A child was hospitalized on Saturday after being hit by a drone that was part of an Orlando, Florida holiday drone show.

According to the Orlando Fire Department, a 7-year-old boy was transported to the hospital because of injuries sustained from the falling drones, FOX 35 in Orlando reported. 

In a video posted online by X user MosquitoCoFl, hundreds of drones being used as part of an aerial light show appeared to be flying into position before several started falling from the sky before slamming to the ground.

A man could be heard saying to children nearby, “Oh no! I don’t believe they’re supposed to be falling.”

MYSTERY DRONES COULD BE IDENTIFIED FASTER USING NEW DETECTION TOOL, BUT FAA LACKS RESOURCES

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Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)

Geese also appear on the water, flapping their wings to try and get out of the way of the chaotic scene.

City officials told the station the holiday drone show was permitted by the FAA.

Still, after one drone show went wrong, the city chose to cancel the second that night at 8 p.m. due to “technical difficulties.”

DRONES SPOTTED ACROSS NORTHEAST LIKELY COMING FROM ‘INSIDE THE US,’ MILITARY EXPERT SAYS

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several drones crashed during an aerial show in orlando, florida (2)

Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)

The FAA told Fox News Digital it will investigate the cause of the drone show malfunction.

“Several small drones collided and fell into a crowd during a holiday drone show over [Eola] Lake in Orlando, Florida,” the FAA said. “The incident occurred around 6:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, December 21.”

According to the agency, drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulations and typically require a waiver to a regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time.

For each drone show application, the FAA looks at things like the software controlling the drones, procedures for setting up safe and restricted areas to keep people a safe distance from the show, procedures if drones fail, and procedures for when an aircraft gets too close to the show.

DRONE MYSTERY: NEW JERSEY HOMEOWNERS THREATEN TO TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS IF GOVERNMENT DOESN’T ACT

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several drones crashed during an aerial show in orlando, florida (1)

Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)

Additionally, the FAA reviews how the operator will keep the drones inside a confined area using Geofencing, and whether the operator has an adequate number of people to run the show.

For the second year, the City of Orlando used Sky Elements Drones as its vendor to operate the drones, the station reported.

Sky Elements Drones did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.

In a statement to Fox 35, the vendor said, “Sky Elements Drones wants to extend our sincere hope for a full and speedy recovery to those impacted at our Lake Eola show in Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 21.

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“The well-being of our audience is our utmost priority, and we regret any distress or inconvenience caused,” the company continued. “We are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and are committed to establishing a clear picture of what transpired. Millions of people see our shows annually, and we are committed to maintaining the highest safety regulations set forth by the FAA.”

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Florida boy has open heart surgery after being hit by drone at holiday show, parents say, NTSB investigating

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Florida boy has open heart surgery after being hit by drone at holiday show, parents say, NTSB investigating

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an accident in which a 7-year-old Florida boy was struck by at least one drone at a holiday airshow over the weekend, resulting in him having to undergo open-heart surgery.

The NTSB on Wednesday said it was investigating the Saturday night malfunction at an aerial light show in Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando.

Adriana Edgerton and Jessica Lumsden, parents of Alexander, said one of the red and green-lit drones struck him and knocked him out upon impact, causing a chest injury, Fox Orlando reported.

Hundreds of drones being used as part of a Saturday night aerial light show in Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando appeared to be flying into position before several started falling from the sky before slamming to the ground, according to videos posted online. 

DRONE MYSTERY: NEW JERSEY HOMEOWNERS THREATEN TO TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS IF GOVERNMENT DOESN’T ACT

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Alexander, a 7-year-old boy, has undergone heart surgery after he was struck by a falling drone during a holiday airshow in Orlando, his parents said.  (Fox Orlando )

“Before they went down, the green one went straight at us. I went to the left. My son went to the right, and it hit my son,” Lumsden told the news outlet. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the boy’s parents. 

The city canceled the show after the drones crashed.  

“Due to technical difficulties, the 8 p.m. Holiday Drone Show at Lake Eola has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience,” the city posted on X. 

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MYSTERY DRONES COULD BE IDENTIFIED FASTER USING NEW DETECTION TOOL, BUT FAA LACKS RESOURCES

several drones crashed during an aerial show in orlando, florida (2)

Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)

It was not clear what led to the drone difficulties. 

The vendor for the drone show, Sky Elements Drones, told the news outlet it wanted to extend “our sincere hope for the full and speedy recovery to those impacted” at the show. 

“The well-being of our audience is of the upmost priority, and we regret any distress or inconvenience caused,” the company said. “We are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and are committed to establishing a clear picture of what transpired. Millions of people see our shows annually, and we are committed to maintaining the highest safety regulations set forth by the FAA.”

several drones crashed during an aerial show in orlando, florida

Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the malfunction. 

Drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulations and typically require a waiver to a regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time, the agency said. 

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report. 

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Hero officers and good Samaritans who went above and beyond in 2024

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Hero officers and good Samaritans who went above and beyond in 2024

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While the world can often feel like a discouraging place, there are plenty of people – both those who have sworn to protect and serve, as well as regular citizens – who are willing to go above and beyond for others. 

Here are some examples of law enforcement officers and good Samaritans taking heroic action over the past year. 

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Arkansas police officer saves boy who fell through ice on pond

Last January, a police officer in Jonesboro, Arkansas, sprang into lifesaving action after a boy fell through the ice on a frozen pond. 

Body camera footage shared by the department showed Officer Troy Ellison running through the snow and jumping a fence before getting on his hands and knees to help the boy. 

HERO POLICE OFFICER SAVES TERRIFIED BOY FROM FROZEN POND

Jonesboro police officer rescues child who had fallen through ice into freezing pond in Arkansas. (Jonesboro Police Department)

“I gotcha, I gotcha,” he is heard saying in the footage. 

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Soon after, another officer and a fire official arrived and helped Ellison pull the boy out of the pond with a rope. 

The boy was taken to a hospital to be checked for any cold weather injuries. 

“’Great Job’ goes to one of our officers who responded to a call about a child falling through ice on a local pond,” a Facebook post from the Jonesboro Police Department, who shared the video, read. 

“Officer Troy Ellison sprung into action when he arrived on the scene. He quickly located the child, crawled onto the ice, and pulled the child to safety with the help of Lt. Shon Morris and members of the Jonesboro Fire Department.”

WATCH: 

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Arizona officers save baby being held hostage

In May, a team of officers in Surprise, Arizona, entered a barricaded home where a 7-month-old baby was allegedly being held hostage by his father and had been shot. 

“I thought that one of us or multiple of us would get hurt going inside the house,” Surprise Officer Carlton Williams told “FOX News @ Night” in October. “The fact that the gentleman had already shot at officers multiple times, there was no doubt in my mind that we had to make entry into the home.”

The department had received a 911 call about a woman and her baby being held hostage by the baby’s father. The mother escaped, but the child was still inside when the team of officers forced their way in after hearing gunfire. 

They found the baby at the back of the house and one officer took him to safety while the others provided cover – all without firing any shots.

The baby was taken to a hospital to recover and was reunited with his mother. The father later died after barricading himself in the home and lighting it on fire. 

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“This is as close as it gets to a perfect operation,” law enforcement expert Aaron Cohen said. “They’ve got to get to the end of that structure and get to that kid, and they have no idea what’s laying behind that door.”

ARIZONA BODYCAM HEROES SAVE WOUNDED BABY BEING HELD HOSTAGE INSIDE HOUSE

California police officer saves choking boy

In June, a police officer in El Monte, California, saved the life of an 8-year-old boy who had fallen unconscious after choking on a piece of candy. 

“I just saw him purple, he was already unconscious, so… neighbors and I were trying to do compressions on his chest, breathe through his mouth, but nothing seemed to be working,” the boy’s mother, Vanessa Becerra-Aguayo, told “Fox News @ Night.” “He was unable to talk to me, so he was unconscious the whole time until the police arrived.” 

Officer Raul Vega said he used his LifeVac “anti-choking, rescue device” to clear the boy’s airway. 

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“It’s basically like a plunger, like a foam plunger, and you place the device over the person’s mouth, and you press to get, you know, suction in and while you’re holding it down, you pull it up, and that allows the object to become dislodged and the airway to open up,” he said. 

After two tries, the candy came out of the boy’s throat, and he later woke up in the ambulance. 

HEROIC POLICE OFFICER SAVES CHILD CHOKING ON CANDY: HE WAS ‘PURPLE’

Indiana police officer saves boy with autism from drowning in pool 

In September, an Indiana police officer was hailed as a hero after he saved a 3-year-old boy with autism from drowning in a neighbor’s pool.

After responding to a report that the boy was missing when his parents realized the door had been left unlocked and he had gotten out of the home, Fort Wayne Police Officer Evan Myers began to search the area with other officers. 

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After seeing the boy swimming in the neighbor’s above-ground pool, he ran over and got the boy out. 

“He’s breathing and is conscious,” Myers is heard saying in body camera footage. “Are you OK, buddy?”

“I want to personally thank him deeply for just being able to find my son,” the boy’s mom, Savannah Ybarra, told local station WPTA.

WATCH: HERO INDIANA OFFICER SAVES MISSING AUTISTIC BOY, 3, FROM DROWNING IN POOL

WATCH: 

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Georgia passerby saves homeowner from house fire 

In October, a passerby saved a Winterville, Georgia, homeowner who woke up from a nap to find his house engulfed in smoke and flames. 

David McConnell told FOX5 Atlanta he could hardly see and he tried to leave his house through his front door but his storm door – a secondary door installed over the door – was locked. 

Dylan Betts, who was driving home from work when he saw the smoke, raced to McConnell’s house and “ripped it off and then kicked it in,” he said. 

Betts said he stepped inside the home through a “thick wall of black smoke” and called out.

GEORGIA PASSERBY SAVES MAN FROM BURNING HOME BY KICKING DOWN STORM DOOR

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David McConnell’s house went up in flames on Oct. 29. (Athens-Clarke County Fire Department)

“Mr. David, luckily, heard my voice, and he came right to me,” Betts told FOX5. 

When the outlet asked Betts why he risked his life to save a stranger, Betts responded, “Why not? That’s America.”

McConnell said his family calls Betts “our hero,” and even gave Betts tickets to a Georgia/Tennessee football game as a small thank you for saving his life.

Oklahoma police officer and good Samaritan save sleeping man from rolling off bridge

In November, a quick-thinking police officer and a good Samaritan teamed up to save a man who said he fell asleep on a guardrail of a bridge about 40 feet over the Oklahoma River. 

An Oklahoma City police officer identified as Officer Reyes went to check on the sleeping man lying on the bridge’s guardrail when the man turned and slipped. 

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Reyes grabbed the man by his hoodie as he dangled over the waters below.

SLEEPING MAN SAVED FROM ROLLING OFF BRIDGE BY POLICE OFFICER, GOOD SAMARITAN IN DRAMATIC VIDEO 

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A good Samaritan jogger then ran over to help Reyes grab the man’s arms and pull him to safety. 

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The man wasn’t hurt in the incident. 

Oklahoma City Police Msgt. Gary Knight told News9, “It’s a real hero type thing when you see an officer spring into action – save someone’s life with the help of a citizen.” 

Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, Maria Lencki, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report. 

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