The bill amends Florida Statutes to expand the grounds for the reclassification of crimes evidencing prejudice. It includes acts based on the gender or gender identity of any person, specifying that reclassification must occur if the crime is based in whole or in part on these characteristics. The definitions of "gender identity" and "disability" are also revised, with "disability" replacing the term "mental or physical disability." The bill mandates that the reclassification of certain crimes must occur if they are based on a person's disability, and it clarifies that the victim's status must be recognized by the defendant.

Additionally, the bill amends the Hate Crimes Reporting Act to require the Governor to collect and disseminate data on incidents of criminal acts that evidence prejudice based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, color, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. This data collection will be reported monthly by law enforcement agencies to the Department of Law Enforcement. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 271 Filed: 775.085, 775.0863, 877.19