This bill establishes new eligibility requirements for individuals seeking to qualify as candidates for political parties or as candidates with no party affiliation in Florida. It creates a new section, 99.013, which mandates that candidates must be registered members of their respective political party for at least 365 consecutive days prior to the qualifying period for the general election. Similarly, candidates with no party affiliation must be registered without any party affiliation and must not have been a member of any political party for the same duration. Additionally, the bill allows political parties or other candidates to seek declaratory and injunctive relief if they believe a candidate has not complied with these requirements, and it stipulates that a person found non-compliant by a circuit court cannot qualify for election or have their name appear on the ballot.

The bill also amends section 99.021 to align with these new requirements, specifying that candidates must affirm their party membership status and the duration of their registration when subscribing to the candidate oath. The language clarifies that candidates must confirm they have been registered for at least 365 consecutive days preceding the qualifying period, replacing previous wording that was less precise. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.