Florida HB 91: Probation for Misdemeanor Offenses

Bill Text

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CS/HB 91, Engrossed 1 2026 Legislature

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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

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An act relating to candidate qualification; amending 2
s. 99.021, F.S.; specifying that a person seeking to 3
qualify for office as a candidate must be a registered 4
member of a political party, or registered without any 5
party affiliation, for 365 consecutive days preceding 6
the beginning of qualifying for an election; 7
specifying that such person may not have legally 8
changed his or her name through a specified petition 9
during such 365-day period; providing applicability; 10
providing that compliance with specified requirements 11
is mandatory; providing construction; authorizing 12
qualified candidates or certain political parties to 13
challenge compliance with specified provisions by 14
filing suit in a specified circuit court; prohibiting 15
a person from being qualified as a candidate for 16
nomination or election and appearing on the ballot 17
under specified circumstances; providing an effective 18
date. 19
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 21
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Section 1. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) of 23
section 99.021, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraphs 24
(f) and (g) are added to that subsection, to read: 25

ENROLLED
CS/HB 91, Engrossed 1 2026 Legislature

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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

99.021 Form of candidate oath.— 26
(1) 27
(b) In addition, any person seeking to qualify for 28
nomination as a candidate of any political party shall, at the 29
time of subscribing to the oath or affirmation, state in 30
writing: 31
1. The party of which the person is a member. 32
2. That the person has been a registered member of the 33
political party for which he or she is seeking nomination as a 34
candidate for at least 365 consecutive days preceding before the 35
beginning of qualifying before preceding the general election 36
for which the person seeks to qualify. 37
3. That the person has paid the assessment levied against 38
him or her, if any, as a candidate for said office by the 39
executive committee of the party of which he or she is a member. 40
4. That the person has not legally changed his or her name 41
through a petition pursuant to s. 68.07 during the 365-day 42
period preceding the beginning of qualifying. This subparagraph 43
does not apply to any change of name in proceedings for 44
dissolution of marriage or adoption of children or based on a 45
change of name conducted with a marriage certificate. 46
(c) In addition, any person seeking to qualify for office 47
as a candidate with no party affiliation shall, at the time of 48
subscribing to the oath or affirmation, state in writing that he 49
or she is registered without any party affiliation and that he 50

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CS/HB 91, Engrossed 1 2026 Legislature

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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

or she has not: 51
1. Been a registered member of any political party for at 52
least 365 consecutive days preceding before the beginning of 53
qualifying before preceding the general election for which the 54
person seeks to qualify. 55
2. Legally changed his or her name through a petition 56
pursuant to s. 68.07 during the 365-day period preceding the 57
beginning of qualifying. This subparagraph does not apply to any 58
change of name in proceedings for dissolution of marriage or 59
adoption of children or based on a change of name conducted with 60
a marriage certificate. 61
(f) The statements in subparagraph (b)4. and subparagraph 62
(c)2. constitute substantive requirements for the person 63
completing the statement, and compliance with those requirements 64
is mandatory. The sole method to enforce compliance with such 65
requirements is contained in this paragraph. Compliance with 66
subparagraph (b)4. and subparagraph (c)2. may be challenged by a 67
qualified candidate or a political party with qualified 68
candidates in the same race by filing an action in the circuit 69
court for the county in which the qualifying officer is 70
headquartered. A person may not be qualified as a candidate for 71
nomination or election and his or her name may not appear on the 72
ballot if in an order that has become final, the court 73
determines that the person seeking to qualify has legally 74
changed his or her name through a petition pursuant to s. 68.07 75

ENROLLED
CS/HB 91, Engrossed 1 2026 Legislature

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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

during the 365-day period preceding the beginning of qualifying, 76
unless such change of name occurred in proceedings for 7