The proposed bill introduces new legal provisions regarding the age of victims in certain criminal offenses, specifically creating Section 787.001 of the Florida Statutes. This section stipulates that ignorance of a victim's age, misrepresentation of a victim's age, and a bona fide belief regarding a victim's age are not valid defenses for offenses where the victim's age is a critical element. An exception is noted for Section 787.30. Additionally, the bill amends Section 787.025, raising the age threshold for luring or enticing a child from under 12 to under 16 years, and reclassifies the associated penalties from misdemeanors to felonies, thereby increasing the severity of the consequences for such offenses.

Furthermore, the bill revises the affirmative defense related to luring or enticing a child, specifying that it is only a defense if the individual lured or enticed the child for a lawful purpose. The bill also updates the offense severity ranking chart in Section 921.0022, assigning new rankings for offenses related to luring or enticing a child, with increased penalties for repeat offenders and those with specified prior convictions. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1136 Filed: 787.025, 921.0022
S 1136 c1: 921.0022