House Bill 953 amends various sections of Florida Statutes to enhance regulations and penalties related to gambling and drug trafficking. The bill introduces new legal language that establishes stricter penalties for offenses such as agents or employees of a keeper of a gambling house, 3rd or subsequent offense, renting a house for gambling purposes, and manufacturing, selling, or possessing a slot machine by a person of authority with five or more machines or two or more prior convictions. It also addresses false statements regarding the legality of slot machines, imposing penalties for five or more machines. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for bookmaking; second or subsequent offense and enhances penalties for recruiting minors into criminal gangs. Moreover, the bill modifies the definitions of "criminal activity" and "unlawful debt" by deleting references to certain gambling-related statutes, specifically removing sections 849.23 from the definitions of unlawful debt in both sections 772.102 and 895.02. It also addresses penalties for sexual offenders who fail to comply with reporting requirements, increasing the consequences for non-compliance. The proposed changes are set to take effect on October 1, 2025, reflecting a legislative effort to tighten regulations surrounding gambling and improve accountability among sexual offenders.

Statutes affected:
H 953 Filed: 16.71, 838.12, 843.08, 849.01, 849.02, 849.03, 849.08, 849.11, 849.13, 849.14, 849.15, 849.23, 895.02