The bill amends section 775.085 of the Florida Statutes to include political ideology as a basis for reclassifying offenses that evidence prejudice. Specifically, it adds "political ideology" to the list of characteristics—such as race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, and advanced age—upon which penalties for felonies and misdemeanors can be increased. The reclassification process remains the same, with specific penalties outlined for various degrees of misdemeanors and felonies.

Under the new provisions, a second-degree misdemeanor would be reclassified to a first-degree misdemeanor, a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, and so forth, culminating in the potential for a life felony for a first-degree felony. The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 143 Filed: 775.085