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HB0485 • 2026

Petitions for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence Containing Allegations of Marriage Fraud

Petitions for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence Containing Allegations of Marriage Fraud

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee ; Daniels ; Jacques ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Smith
Last action
2026-03-13
Official status
House - Died in Judiciary Committee
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill passed both chambers but died in a committee according to metadata; however, the text provided is from an enrolled version (CS/HB), creating uncertainty about final enactment.

Adding Marriage Fraud Questions to Domestic Violence Petitions

This bill changes Florida's domestic violence petition form to include a section for alleging marriage fraud by non-citizens and requires courts to send these specific cases to the State Board of Immigration Enforcement.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new question to the standard court form asking if the petitioner is a victim of marriage fraud by someone who is not a U.S. citizen.
  • Requires petitioners alleging marriage fraud to describe how they were deceived and what harm resulted from it.
  • Orders the clerk of court to electronically send copies of these specific petitions to the State Board of Immigration Enforcement within a specified time period.
  • Mandates that a representative from the State Board of Immigration Enforcement must contact the petitioner after receiving the documents.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People filing for protection against domestic violence in Florida who believe they were tricked into marriage by a non-citizen.
  • Clerks of court who process these specific legal forms.
  • The State Board of Immigration Enforcement, which must review the documents and reach out to petitioners.

Terms To Know

Petition for Injunction
A formal request filed with a court asking for legal protection from domestic violence.
Marriage Fraud
When someone uses deception to get married, often to break immigration laws or gain benefits not meant for real marriages.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill text does not specify the exact number of days courts have to send documents or how long officials have to contact petitioners.
  • It is unclear if this new section applies only when marriage fraud is the main reason for filing, or just as one part of a larger case.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-13 House

    • Died in Judiciary Committee

  2. 2026-02-12 House

    • Favorable by Justice Budget Subcommittee • Reported out of Justice Budget Subcommittee • Now in Judiciary Committee

  3. 2026-02-10 House

    • Added to Justice Budget Subcommittee agenda

  4. 2026-02-06 House

    • Referred to Justice Budget Subcommittee • Referred to Judiciary Committee • Now in Justice Budget Subcommittee

  5. 2026-02-04 House

    • Reported out of Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee • Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a) • CS Filed • 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)

  6. 2026-02-03 House

    • Favorable with CS by Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

  7. 2026-01-30 House

    • PCS added to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee agenda

  8. 2026-01-13 House

    • 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)

  9. 2025-11-24 House

    • Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee • Referred to Justice Budget Subcommittee • Referred to Judiciary Committee • Now in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

  10. 2025-11-19 House

    • Filed

Official Summary Text

Petitions for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence Containing Allegations of Marriage Fraud ; Revises petition for injunction for protection against domestic violence; requires clerk of court to electronically transmit certain documentation to State Board of Immigration Enforcement within specified time period; requires representative of State Board of Immigration Enforcement to initiate contact with petitioner within specified time period.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
CS/HB 485 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Hb485-01-c1
Page 1 of 7
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 petitions for injunction for 2
protection against domestic violence containing 3
allegations of marriage fraud; amending s. 741.30, 4
F.S.; revising a petition for injunction for 5
protection against domestic violence; requiring the 6
clerk of court to electronically transmit certain 7
documentation to the State Board of Immigration 8
Enforcement within a specified time period under 9
certain circumstances; requiring a representative of 10
the State Board of Immigration Enforcement to initiate 11
contact with a petitioner within a specified time 12
period; providing an effective date. 13
14
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
16
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 17
741.30, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (e) is added 18
to subsection (8) of that section, to read: 19
741.30 Domestic violence; injunction; powers and duties of 20
court and clerk; petition; notice and hearing; temporary 21
injunction; issuance of injunction; statewide verification 22
system; enforcement; public records exemption.— 23
(3) 24
(b) The verified petition shall be in substantially the 25

CS/HB 485 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Hb485-01-c1
Page 2 of 7
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

following form: 26
PETITION FOR 27
INJUNCTION FOR PROTECTION 28
AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 29
The undersigned petitioner ...(name)... declares under penalties 30
of perjury that the following statements are true: 31
(a) Petitioner resides at: ...(address)... 32
(Petitioner may furnish address to the court in a separate 33
confidential filing if, for safety reasons, the petitioner 34
requires the location of the current residence to be 35
confidential.) 36
(b) Respondent resides at: ...(last known address)... 37
(c) Respondent's last known place of employment: ...(name 38
of business and address)... 39
(d) Physical description of respondent:.................... 40
Race........ 41
Sex........ 42
Date of birth........ 43
Height........ 44
Weight........ 45
Eye color........ 46
Hair color........ 47
Distinguishing marks or scars........ 48
(e) Aliases of respondent:................................. 49
(f) Respondent is the spouse or former spouse of the 50

CS/HB 485 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Hb485-01-c1
Page 3 of 7
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

petitioner or is any other person related by blood or marriage 51
to the petitioner or is any other person who is or was residing 52
within a single dwelling unit with the petitioner, as if a 53
family, or is a person with whom the petitioner has a child in 54
common, regardless of whether the petitioner and respondent are 55
or were married or residing together, as if a family. 56
(g) The following describes any other cause of action 57
currently pending between the petitioner and respondent:......... 58
59
The petitioner should also describe any previous or pending 60
attempts by the petitioner to obtain an injunction for 61
protection against domestic violence in this or any other 62
circuit, and the results of that attempt:........................ 63
64
Case numbers should be included if available. 65
(h) Petitioner is either a victim of domestic violence or 66
has reasonable cause to believe he or she is in imminent danger 67
of becoming a victim of domestic violence because respondent 68
has: ...(mark all sections that apply and describe in the spaces 69
below the incidents of violence or threats of violence, 70
specifying when and where they occurred, including, but not 71
limited to, locations such as a home, school, place of 72
employment, or visitation exchange)... 73
................................................................ 74
................................................................ 75

CS/HB 485 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Hb485-01-c1
Page 4 of 7
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

....committed or threatened to commit domestic violence 76
defined in s. 741.28, Florida Statutes, as any assault, 77
aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, 78
sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false 79
imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical 80
injury or death of one family or household member by another. 81
With the exception of persons who are parents of a child in 82
common, the family or household members must be currently 83
residing or have in the past resided together in the same single 84
dwelling unit. 85
....previously threatened, harassed, stalked, or physically 86
abused the petitioner. 87
....attempted to harm the petitioner or family members or 88
individuals closely associated with the petitioner. 89
....threatened to conceal, kidnap, or harm the petitioner's 90
child or children. 91
....intentionally injured or killed a family pet. 92
....used, or has threatened to use, against the petitioner 93
any weapons such as guns or knives. 94
....physically restrained the petitioner from leaving the 95
home or calling law enforcement. 96
....a criminal history involving violence or the threat of 97
violence (if known). 98
....another order of protection issued against him or her 99
previously or from another jurisdiction (if known). 100

CS/HB 485 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Hb485-01-c1
Page 5 of 7
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

....destroyed personal property, including, but not limited 101
to, telephones or other communication equipment, clothing, or 102
other items belonging to the petitioner. 103
....engaged in a pattern of abusive, threatening, 104
intimidating, or controlling behavior composed of a series of 105
acts over a period of time, however short. 106
....engaged in any other behavior or conduct that leads the 107
petitioner to have reasonable cause to believe he or she is in 108
imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence. 109
(i) Petitioner alleges the following additional specific 110
facts: ...(mark appropriate sections)... 111
....A minor child or minor children reside with the 112
petitioner whose names and ages are as follows:.................. 113
114
....Petitioner needs the exclusive use and possession of 115
the dwelling that the parties share. 116
....Petitioner is unable to obtain safe alternative housing 117
because:......................................................... 118
119
....Petitioner genuinely fears that respondent imminently 120
will abuse, remove, or hide the minor child or children from 121
petitioner because:.............................................. 122
123
....Petitioner is a victim of marriage fraud by a person 124
who is not a citizen of the United States and who, by deception, 125

CS/HB 485 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Hb485-01-c1
Page 6 of 7
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

induced petitioner to enter into a marriage for the primary 126
purpose of evading state or federal law or obtaining benefits 127
other than those inherent to marriage, and such marriage fraud 128
has resulted in the following harm:.............................. 129
130
(j) Petitioner genuinely fears imminent domestic violence 131
by respondent. 132
(k) Petitioner seeks an injunction: ...(mark appropriate 133
section or sections)... 134
....Immediately restraining the respondent from committing 135
any acts of domestic violence. 136
....Restraining the respondent from committing any acts of 137
domestic violence. 138
....Awarding to the petitioner the temporary exclusive use 139
and possession of the dwelling that the parties share or 140
excluding the respondent from the residence of the petitioner. 141
....Providing a temporary parenting plan, including a 142
temporary time-sharing schedule, with regard to the minor child 143
or children of the parties which might involve prohibiting or 144
limiting time-sharing or requiring that it be supervised by a 145
third party. 146
....Designating that the exchange of the minor child or 147
children of the parties must occur at a neutral safe exchange 148
location as provided in s. 125.01(8) or a location authorized by 149
a supervised visitation program as defined in s. 753.01 if 150

CS/HB 485 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Hb485-01-c1
Page 7 of 7
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

temporary time-sharing of the child is awarded to the 151
respondent. 152
....Establishing temporary support for the minor child or 153
children or the petitioner. 154
....Directing the respondent to participate in a batterers' 155
intervention program. 156
....Providing any terms the court deems necessary for the 157
protection of a victim of domestic violence, or any minor 158
children of the victim, including any injunctions or directives 159
to law enforcement agencies. 160
(8) 161
(e) Within 24 hours after the court issues an injunction 162
for protection against domestic violence in which the petitioner 163
alleged to be a victim of marriage fraud by a person who is not 164
a citizen of the United States, as provided in paragraph (3)(b), 165
the clerk of the court must electronically transmit a copy of 166
the petition; temporary injunction, if any; and a certified copy 167
of the order of injunction to State Board of Immigration 168
Enforcement for investigation. A representative from the State 169
Board of Immigration Enforcement must initiate contact with the 170
petitioner within 30 days after receipt of the certified copy of 171
the order of injunction. 172
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 173