Offenses Evidencing Prejudice

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

HB 143: Offenses Evidencing Prejudice

This bill proposes to treat crimes as more serious if they show prejudice against a victim's political ideology, among other traits.

What This Bill Does

• Adds 'political ideology' to the list of reasons that can make an offense count as evidencing prejudice under Florida law.
• Requires courts to reclassify misdemeanors and felonies into higher levels when this prejudice is proven.
• Increases penalties for second-degree misdemeanors by moving them up to first-degree misdemeanors.
• Moves first-degree misdemeanors up to third-degree felonies if the crime shows bias against the victim's political ideology or other listed traits.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who commit crimes that show prejudice based on a victim's race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, advanced age, or political ideology.
• Courts and judges handling cases involving offenses evidencing prejudice.

Terms To Know

Reclassified

Changing the legal category of a crime to make it more serious under this bill.

Offense Evidencing Prejudice

A crime committed because of bias against specific traits of the victim, including their political ideology.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill text does not explain how courts will prove that a crime was motivated by prejudice.
• This version of the bill died in committee and did not become law at the time of this record.

Official Summary Text

Offenses Evidencing Prejudice; Requires reclassification of offenses evidencing prejudice based on political ideology of victim; provides penalties.

Current Bill Text

HB 143 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb143-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to offenses evidencing prejudice; 2
amending s. 775.085, F.S.; requiring the 3
reclassification of offenses evidencing prejudice 4
based on the political ideology of the victim; 5
providing penalties; providing an effective date. 6
7
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
9
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 10
775.085, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 11
775.085 Evidencing prejudice while committing offense; 12
reclassification.— 13
(1)(a) The penalty for any felony or misdemeanor shall be 14
reclassified as provided in this subsection if the commission of 15
such felony or misdemeanor evidences prejudice based on the 16
race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, 17
national origin, homeless status, or advanced age, or political 18
ideology of the victim: 19
1. A misdemeanor of the second degree is reclassified to a 20
misdemeanor of the first degree. 21
2. A misdemeanor of the first degree is reclassified to a 22
felony of the third degree. 23
3. A felony of the third degree is reclassified to a 24
felony of the second degree. 25

HB 143 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb143-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

4. A felony of the second degree is reclassified to a 26
felony of the first degree. 27
5. A felony of the first degree is reclassified to a life 28
felony. 29
Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2026. 30