The bill CS/HB 1049 amends Florida Statutes to enhance protections for court officials by establishing criminal penalties for misconduct directed at them. It introduces definitions for terms such as "administrative assistant" and "court official," and specifies that individuals who knowingly and willfully threaten or harass court personnel, including judges and magistrates, will face misdemeanor or felony charges based on the severity of the offense. The legislation also creates new sections outlining penalties for tampering with court officials and retaliating against them, with enhanced penalties if such retaliation results in bodily injury.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing statutes to ensure consistency in definitions and penalties throughout the law, particularly addressing the consequences of tampering with or harassing court officials. It adds new language to Section 918.12, which now includes provisions for these offenses while deleting references to jurors. The bill also amends the definition of "racketeering activity" in Section 895.02 to cover a broader range of crimes and updates the offense severity ranking chart in Section 921.0022 to include new offenses related to noncitizen voting and high-speed chases involving law enforcement. The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 1049 Filed: 918.12, 772.102, 895.02, 921.0022
H 1049 c1: 836.12, 918.12, 772.102, 895.02
H 1049 e1: 836.12, 918.12, 895.02, 921.0022
H 1049 er: 836.12, 918.12, 895.02, 921.0022