House Bill 1101 amends Florida's stalking laws by introducing two new offenses: aggravated stalking and sexually aggravated stalking, both classified as third-degree felonies. Aggravated stalking involves nonconsensual entry onto the victim's property or interference with their property, while sexually aggravated stalking includes specific sexual conduct directed at the victim, such as lewd acts or the transmission of unsolicited sexually explicit materials. The bill also revises the offense severity ranking chart within the Criminal Punishment Code to incorporate these new stalking offenses and updates the definition of "qualifying offense" related to probation violations, enhancing legal protections for victims.

In addition to the stalking provisions, the bill addresses violent felonies and sexual offenses by defining "violent felony offenders of special concern," which includes individuals on felony probation or community control who have committed serious offenses like kidnapping or sexual battery. It mandates that individuals arrested for qualifying offenses while on probation must be held in custody pending case resolution unless deemed not a danger to the public. The bill emphasizes the need for a recorded hearing before dismissing warrants against these offenders and outlines factors for courts to consider regarding the danger posed by an offender's release. These changes are set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 1101 Filed: 948.06