Bills of Interest to the FCCB
Bills passed by the legislature are presented to Governor DeSantis for final action. From the date the governor receives a bill, he has 15 days to either sign, veto, or let the bill become law without his signature. Bill texts and all legislative actions can be found on the websites of the Florida House and the Florida Senate.
BILLS THAT PASSED
Death Penalty Expansion: OPPOSE
FCCB recognizes that the following bills address grave and tragic crimes but opposes the death penalty as a remedy. It is possible for the state to punish the offender and protect the public without taking a human life. The alternative of life in prison without the possibility of parole protects society from further harm and is a severe punishment. These bills were Catholic Days at the Capitol priorities. Catholic Days Backgrounder
~ Aggravating Factor - Victims Gathered
HB 693 (Redondo) / SB 984 (Gruters)
Adds a new aggravating factor for a jury to consider when determining a death sentence if the victim was gathered with one or more persons for school activities, religious activities, or public government meetings. Letter to bill sponsor
House: Passed 96-10; Senate: Passed 32-5
~ Aggravating Factor - Head of State
HB 653 (Holcomb) / SB 776 (Ingoglia)
Adds a new aggravating factor for a jury to consider when determining a death sentence if the victim was a head of state, or bystander in an attempt to kill a head of state. Letter to bill sponsor
House: Passed 99-13; Senate: Passed 25-12
~ Capital Felony for Human Trafficking
HB 1283 (Jacques) / SB 1804 (Martin)
Makes sex trafficking of children under 12 or persons who are mentally incapacitated a capital felony, which could result in a death sentence. Letter to bill sponsor
House: Passed 95-17; Senate: Passed 27-11
Protection from Notary Fraud: SUPPORT
HB 915 (López, J.) / SB 846 (Polsky)
Addresses notary public fraud by prohibiting a notary public from using specified terms, such as “notario público,” or any designation or title, in any language, which conveys or implies that he or she possesses professional legal skills in immigration law. The measure creates a civil cause of action for aggrieved parties to seek damages and legal fees. Some immigrants have become victims of fraud by those who have misrepresented themselves as immigration attorneys or consultants, often paying them large sums of money.
House: Passed 114-1; Senate: Passed 36-0
Compensation of Victims of Wrongful Incarceration: SUPPORT
HB 59 (Koster) / SB 130 (Bradley)
Removes barriers preventing wrongfully incarcerated individuals from receiving compensation. Among the bill's provisions, it expands the filing window for compensation petitions from 90 days to two years following a conviction dismissal or acquittal, removes exclusions for exonerees who were previously convicted of certain felonies, and ensures wrongfully incarcerated persons receive monetary compensation, tuition waivers, and payment for fines and legal expenses, with a cap of $2 million.
House: 116-0; Senate: Passed 38-0
Affordable Housing: SUPPORT
HB 943 (Lopez, V.) / SB 1730 (Calatayud)
Aims to increase affordable housing across the state by expanding existing requirements for counties and municipalities to authorize developments which set aside at least 40% of their housing units for affordable housing for at least 30 years, expanding this requirement to flexibly zoned areas. The bill also contains provisions that will permit counties and municipalities to approve affordable housing on church properties, making it easier for ministries of the Church to develop such housing. Catholic dioceses in Florida are already engaged in using available land to offer housing to low-income Floridians.
House: 105-0; Senate: 37-0
Instruction in Embryology: MONITOR
HB 1255 (Trabusy) / SB 1618 (Calatayud)
While the measure passed, a Catholic Days supported provision regarding health education in grades 6-12 that addressed human embryologic development was amended from the bill in the final days of the session. The provision would have required instruction to include a high-definition ultrasound video showing the development of the heart and other organs and movement of the limbs and head and a medically-accurate video showing and describing the process of fertilization and various stages of human development inside the uterus. Providing exposure to this scientific information enhances students' understanding of human biology and fosters a deep appreciation and sense of wonder for the beauty, complexity, and inherent dignity of human life. Catholic Days Backgrounder
House: 100-0; Senate: 30-0
Amendments to the State Constitution: MONITOR
HB 1205 (Persons-Mulicka) / SB 7016 (Ethics and Elections)
Reforms the citizen-initiative amendment process by imposing stricter requirements and penalties on sponsors and petition circulators, revising verification procedures, and expanding enforcement and oversight. The bill addresses documented cases of fraud and forgeries during petition initiatives to place amendments on the November 2024 ballot.
House: 81-30; Senate: Passed 28-9
Sexual Images: MONITOR
HB 757 (Redondo) / SB 1180 (Gaetz)
Establishes new offenses and penalties for possessing, soliciting, and creating lewd or lascivious images involving minors or altered sexual depictions without consent.
House: 115-0; Senate: 37-0
Boating Safety: MONITOR
HB 289 (Oliver) / SB 628 (Martin)
Focused on enhancing boating safety, revises the definition of "vessel homicide" to include the death of an unborn child caused by injury to the mother and establishes penalties for such homicides.
House: 93-1; Senate: 31-0
BILLS THAT DIED
Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of an Unborn Child: SUPPORT
HB 1517 (Greco) / SB 1284 (Grall)
Would have allowed parents to recover medical and funeral expenses as well as payment for mental pain and suffering for the wrongful death of their unborn child. The wrongful act could occur, for example, during a car accident, due to an incident of medical malpractice, or by other careless and neglectful actions. The bill would have prohibited wrongful death actions against the mother of the unborn child or medical providers offering lawful services that meet the standard of care.
House: Passed 79-32; Senate: Died in committee
Assisted Suicide: OPPOSE
HB 471 (Casello) / SB 1700 (Berman)
Catholic Days participants urged opposition to this measure that would have allowed a patient to actively end their own life. Physician-assisted suicide devalues the lives of the elderly, seriously ill, and disabled because it encourages and sanctions these weak and vulnerable individuals to deliberately end their lives. Catholic Days Backgrounder
House: Died in committee; Senate: Died in committee
Office of Faith and Community: SUPPORT
HB 293 (Bankson) / SB 820 (Yarborough)
Would have formalized the Office of Faith and Community within the Executive Office of the Governor to connect government infrastructure and resources with faith-based and community-based organizations. The measure recognized the significant role of faith and community networks in supporting vulnerable groups and the value of enhanced collaboration with governmental programs. The new office would have provided administrative support to the Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Advisory Council, of which FCCB Executive Director Michael Sheedy serves as a member.
House: Died on calendar on 2nd reading; Senate: Passed 27-9
