Florida HB 257: Higher Educational Facilities Financing

Bill Text

HB 257 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb257-00
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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to penalties for prostitution and 2
related acts; amending s. 796.07, F.S.; increasing the 3
penalties for certain offenses; amending ss. 456.074, 4
480.041, 480.043, and 480.046, F.S.; conforming 5
provisions to changes made by the act; providing an 6
effective date. 7
8
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 9
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Section 1. Paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of subsection (5) 11
of section 796.07, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 12
paragraphs (a), (b), and (c), respectively, subsection (4), 13
paragraph (a) and present subsection (d) of subsection (5), and 14
subsection (7) of that section are amended, and subsection (2) 15
of that section is republished, to read: 16
796.07 Prohibiting prostitution and related acts.— 17
(2) It is unlawful: 18
(a) To own, establish, maintain, or operate any place, 19
structure, building, or conveyance for the purpose of lewdness, 20
assignation, or prostitution. 21
(b) To offer, or to offer or agree to secure, another for 22
the purpose of prostitution or for any other lewd or indecent 23
act. 24
(c) To receive, or to offer or agree to receive, any 25

HB 257 2026

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person into any place, structure, building, or conveyance for 26
the purpose of prostitution, lewdness, or assignation, or to 27
permit any person to remain there for such purpose. 28
(d) To direct, take, or transport, or to offer or agree to 29
direct, take, or transport, any person to any place, structure, 30
or building, or to any other person, with knowledge or 31
reasonable cause to believe that the purpose of such directing, 32
taking, or transporting is prostitution, lewdness, or 33
assignation. 34
(e) For a person 18 years of age or older to offer to 35
commit, or to commit, or to engage in, prostitution, lewdness, 36
or assignation. 37
(f) To solicit, induce, entice, or procure another to 38
commit prostitution, lewdness, or assignation. 39
(g) To reside in, enter, or remain in, any place, 40
structure, or building, or to enter or remain in any conveyance, 41
for the purpose of prostitution, lewdness, or assignation. 42
(h) To aid, abet, or participate in any of the acts or 43
things enumerated in this subsection. 44
(i) To purchase the services of any person engaged in 45
prostitution. 46
(4)(a) A person who violates any provision of this 47
section, other than paragraph (2)(f), commits: 48
(a)1. A felony misdemeanor of the third second degree for 49
a first violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 50

HB 257 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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775.083. 51
(b)2. A felony misdemeanor of the second first degree for 52
a second violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 53
775.083. 54
(c)3. A felony of the first third degree for a third or 55
subsequent violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 56
775.083, or s. 775.084. 57
(b) A person who is charged with a third or subsequent 58
violation of this section, other than paragraph (2)(f), shall be 59
offered admission to a pretrial intervention program or a 60
substance abuse treatment program as provided in s. 948.08. 61
(5)(a) A person who violates paragraph (2)(f) commits: 62
1. A misdemeanor of the first degree for a first 63
violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. 64
2. A felony of the third degree for a second violation, 65
punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 66
3. A felony of the second degree for a third or subsequent 67
violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or 68
s. 775.084. 69
(c)(d)1. If a person who violates paragraph (2)(f) uses a 70
vehicle in the course of the violation, the judge, upon the 71
person's conviction, may issue an order for the impoundment or 72
immobilization of the vehicle for a period of up to 60 days. The 73
order of impoundment or immobilization must include the names 74
and telephone numbers of all immobilization agencies meeting all 75

HB 257 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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of the conditions of s. 316.193(13). Within 7 business days 76
after the date that the court issues the order of impoundment or 77
immobilization, the clerk of the court must send notice by 78
certified mail, return receipt requested, to the registered 79
owner of the vehicle, if the registered owner is a person other 80
than the defendant, and to each person of record claiming a lien 81
against the vehicle. 82
2. The owner of the vehicle