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 or registered without party affiliation for at least 365 consecutive days prior to the qualifying period for the general election. 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. If a court finds that a candidate did not meet the eligibility criteria, that individual will be prohibited from qualifying for election and their name will not appear on the ballot.

The bill also amends section 99.021 to align with the new eligibility requirements, specifying that candidates must affirm their party membership status and the duration of their registration at the time of subscribing to the candidate oath. The effective date for this act is set for July 1, 2025.