Screenshot, Gov. Ron DeSantis press conference , Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proclaimed that “squatting” is a scam that violates private property rights and signed a bill Wednesday that aims to help protect the property rights of Orlando's homeowners.

“We are in the state of Florida ending this squatters scam once and for all. And momentarily I'll be signing HB 621, which will give the homeowner the ability to quickly and legally remove a squatter from a property and which will increase criminal penalties for squatting,” DeSantis said during the Wednesday press conference at the Orange County State Attorney's Office.

The bill, HB 621, is set to take effect on July 1, 2024, and empowers homeowners with the ability to request for a sheriff’s officer remove to boot an invading person from residential properties.

“What the squatters know is, even when they're in the wrong, it's a massive process many times before they can be evicted and a lot of times that process is very expensive,” noted DeSantis.

The bill summary explains that “The property owner must pay the sheriff the civil eviction fee plus an hourly rate if a deputy must stand by and keep the peace while the unauthorized person is removed.”

Any person who is incorrectly kicked out of a home could sue for up to three times the fair market rent, damages, costs, and attorney fees, according to Fox News.

“We don't want the law to have the thumb on the scale in favor of people that are violating the law. We want the law to have the thumb on the scale and in favor of law-abiding property owners,” said DeSantis.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.