Bill > S1598

Introduced Session

An act relating to elections; amending s. 20.10, F.S.; requiring that the Secretary of State be elected, rather than appointed, and serve a specified term; specifying when such election must occur; amending s. 20.32, F.S.; requiring the Florida Commission on Offender Review to develop and maintain a database for a specified purpose; specifying database requirements; requiring specified entities to provide specified information to the commission on a monthly basis; requiring the Department of Management Services, acting through the Florida Digital Service, to provide technical assistance to the commission in developing and maintaining the database; authorizing the Department of Management Services to adopt rules; requiring the commission to make the database publicly available on a website by a specified date; requiring the commission to update the database monthly; requiring the commission to publish certain instructions on the website; requiring the commission to submit a certain comprehensive plan to the Governor and the Legislature by a specified date; specifying requirements for the comprehensive plan; providing that certain persons who register to vote may not be charged with certain violations as a result of such registration or voting; requiring the Division of Elections and the supervisors of elections to complete the necessary steps to reregister individuals under specified conditions; requiring the division and supervisors to send certain mail to individuals under specified conditions; requiring the information in the statewide database to be updated weekly rather than monthly during a specified timeframe; requiring the commission to adopt rules; amending s. 97.021, F.S.; defining terms; revising the definition of the term “election”; providing construction; repealing s. 97.022, F.S., relating to the Office of Election Crimes and Security; repealing s. 97.0291, F.S., relating to prohibiting the use of private funds for election-related expenses; creating s. 97.0556, F.S.; authorizing a person who meets certain requirements to register to vote for the early voting period or election day at an early voting site or his or her polling place and cast a ballot immediately thereafter; amending s. 97.057, F.S.; authorizing the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to preregister certain individuals to vote; providing that driver license or identification card applications, driver license or identification card renewal applications, and applications for changes of address for existing driver licenses or identification cards submitted to the department serve as voter registration applications; providing that an applicant is deemed to have consented to the use of his or her signature for voter registration purposes unless a declination is made; requiring that specified applications include a voter registration component, subject to approval by the Department of State; providing requirements for the voter registration component; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to transmit voter registration information electronically to the Department of State within a specified timeframe; requiring the Department of State to provide such information to supervisors of elections; deleting a provision prohibiting persons providing voter registration services for a driver license office from making changes to an applicant’s party affiliation without the applicant’s consent and separate signature; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to ensure that all registration services comply with state and federal laws; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, as soon as practicable, to notify the Department of State of any change to a driver license number or identification card number; requiring the Department of State to transmit such changes to the appropriate supervisor; requiring such supervisors to update registration records and provide notice by mail of such change to the registrant; prohibiting a change in a driver license or an identification card number from being the sole basis that prevents an otherwise eligible citizen from casting his or her ballot; deleting obsolete language; making technical changes; amending s. 97.0575, F.S.; revising the information a third-party voter registration organization is required to provide to the Division of Elections of the Department of State; deleting a provision that provides for the expiration of such organization’s registration at the conclusion of the general election cycle for which the organization is registered; deleting provisions requiring such organizations to provide a specified receipt in a uniform format to applicants; revising the timeframe within which such organizations must deliver completed applications to the division or a supervisor of elections; revising certain penalties; revising the aggregate limit of such penalties; requiring that fines be remitted to specified supervisors of elections; requiring such supervisors to expend monies collected from such fines for specified purposes; deleting criminal and administrative penalties; deleting provisions requiring the division to adopt certain rules; deleting provisions that prohibit providing applicants a pre-filled voter registration application and the specified fine for such action; deleting provisions for retroactive application; creating part III of ch. 97, F.S., entitled “Florida Voting Rights Act”; creating s. 97.21, F.S.; prohibiting local governments, state agencies, and state officials from implementing, imposing, or enforcing election policies, practices, or actions that result in, will result in, or are intended to result in specified disparities or impairments; providing that it is not a violation if such entities demonstrate, by a specified evidentiary standard, certain conditions; providing that it is always a violation if specified circumstances exist; prohibiting local governments from employing methods of election that have the effect, will likely have the effect, or are motivated in part by the intent of diluting the vote of protected class members; providing the requirements to establish a violation; providing relevant factors to evaluate the totality of circumstances related to voter suppression and vote dilution; providing construction; providing that such factors are most probative under a specified condition; providing circumstances used to determine whether elections in the local government exhibit racially polarized voting; providing construction; providing circumstances that are never relevant to violations of specified provisions; providing that a state interest in preventing voter fraud or bolstering voter confidence in the integrity of elections is relevant under specified circumstances; providing that evidence concerning the intent of electors, elected officials, and public officials is not required to prove such violations; providing that voting habits of protected class members may be relevant to certain violations; requiring a prospective plaintiff, before filing a certain action against a local government, to send a notification letter, by specified means, to the local government; prohibiting a party from filing an action under specified circumstances; authorizing a local government to adopt a specified resolution within a specified timeframe; providing that, under certain circumstances, a proposed remedy in such resolution may be approved by the Florida Voting Rights Act Commission if certain conditions are met; authorizing a party that sent a notification letter to submit a claim for reimbursement from the local government under specified circumstances; providing requirements for such claim; authorizing the party or local government to file an action for declaratory judgment for a clarification of rights under certain circumstances; authorizing a party to bring a cause of action for a specified violation under specified circumstances; requiring certain local governments to take certain action; requiring the commission to post notification letters and resolutions on its website under certain circumstances; authorizing the commission to adopt certain rules; prohibiting local governments from asserting specified defenses; authorizing specified entities to file certain enforcement actions; prohibiting certain entities from being compelled to disclose the identity of a member; providing construction; creating s. 97.22, F.S.; creating the Florida Voting Rights Act Commission within the Department of State; providing that the commission is a separate budget entity and must submit a budget in accordance with specified provisions; requiring the commission to have its own staff; providing that the commission is not subject to control, supervision, or direction by the Department of State; providing for the composition of the commission; providing that commissioners serve staggered terms; requiring that commissioners be compensated at a specified hourly rate; requiring the formation of a nominating committee; providing for the appointment and removal of nominating committee members; requiring the nominating committee to select a chair; requiring that commissioners be selected using a specified process; requiring that upon initial formation of the commission, a specified number of commissioners be selected by lot and randomly assigned term lengths for purposes of achieving staggered terms; providing for filling vacancies on the commission; authorizing the commission to take specified actions in any action or investigation to enforce specified provisions; authorizing the commission to hire staff and make expenditures for a specified purpose; authorizing the commission to adopt rules; creating s. 97.23, F.S.; requiring the commission to enter into agreements with one or more postsecondary educational institutions to create the Florida Voting and Elections Database and Institute for specified purposes; requiring the parties to the agreement to enter into a memorandum of understanding that includes the process for selecting a director of the database and institute; requiring the database and institute to provide a center for specified purposes; authorizing the database and institute to perform specified actions; requiring the database and institute to make election and voting data records for a specified timeframe available to the public at no cost and to maintain such records in an electronic format; requiring the database and institute to use certain methodologies when preparing estimates; specifying the data and records that must be maintained; requiring state agencies and local governments to timely provide any information requested by the director of the database and institute; requiring local governments to transmit specified information to the database and institute within a certain timeframe; requiring specified entities to provide data, statistics, and other information annually to the database and institute; authorizing specified entities to file enforcement actions; providing construction; prohibiting certain entities from being compelled to disclose the identity of a member for a certain purpose; providing that enforcement actions may be filed in accordance with the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure or in a specified venue; requiring the database and institute to annually publish a certain report within a specified timeframe; requiring the database and institute to provide nonpartisan technical assistance to specified entities; providing that a rebuttable presumption exists that data, estimates, or other information from the database and institute is valid; creating s. 97.24, F.S.; defining terms; requiring the Florida Voting Rights Act Commission to designate languages other than English for which language assistance must be provided by a local government, if certain conditions exist; providing the circumstances under which the commission must designate languages other than English for voting and elections; requiring the commission to publish specified information annually on its website and distribute such information to local governments; requiring local governments to provide language assistance for specified purposes if the commission makes a certain determination; requiring that certain materials be provided in such language; requiring that certain information be given orally to voters; requiring that translated materials be of a certain quality, convey a specified intent and meaning, and may not rely solely on automatic translation services; requiring that live translation be used if available; requiring the commission to establish a specified review process; providing requirements for such review process; authorizing specified entities to file enforcement actions; prohibiting certain entities from being compelled to disclose the identity of a member for a certain purpose; providing construction; requiring that enforcement actions be filed in accordance with the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure or in a specified venue; creating s. 97.25, F.S.; providing that the enactment or implementation of a covered policy by a covered jurisdiction is subject to preclearance by the commission; specifying actions by a local government which are covered policies; requiring that if a covered jurisdiction does not make changes to its method of election, such method is deemed a covered policy that must be submitted to the commission; specifying which local governments are covered jurisdictions; requiring the commission to determine and publish annually on its website a list of local governments that are covered jurisdictions; requiring a covered jurisdiction, if seeking preclearance, to submit the covered policy to the commission in writing; requiring the commission to review the covered policy and grant or deny preclearance; providing that the covered jurisdiction bears the burden of proof in the preclearance process; providing that the commission may deny preclearance only if it makes certain determinations; providing that if preclearance is denied, the covered policy may not be enacted or implemented; requiring the commission to provide a written explanation for a denial; authorizing a covered jurisdiction to immediately enact or implement a covered policy if granted preclearance; providing that such determination is not admissible and may not be considered by a court in a subsequent action challenging the covered policy; providing that a covered policy is deemed precleared and may be implemented or enacted by the covered jurisdiction if the commission fails to approve or deny the covered policy within specified timeframes; requiring the commission to grant or deny preclearance within specified timeframes; authorizing the commission to invoke a specified number of extensions of a specified timeframe to determine preclearance; providing that a denial of preclearance may be appealed only by the covered jurisdiction in a specified venue; authorizing specified entities to enjoin the enactment or implementation of specified policies and to seek sanctions against covered jurisdictions in specified circumstances; authorizing specified entities to file enforcement actions; prohibiting certain entities from being compelled to disclose the identity of a member for a certain purpose; providing construction; specifying that enforcement actions must be filed in accordance with the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure or in a specified venue; requiring the commission to adopt rules; creating s. 97.26, F.S.; prohibiting a person from engaging in acts of intimidation, deception, or obstruction, or any other tactic that has the effect or will reasonably have the effect, of interfering with another person’s right to vote; specifying acts that are deemed violations; providing a rebuttable presumption; providing an exception; authorizing specified entities to file a civil action alleging a violation of specified provisions; prohibiting certain entities from being compelled to disclose the identity of a member for a certain purpose; providing construction; specifying that actions must be filed in accordance with the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure or in a specified venue; requiring the court to order specified remedies; creating s. 97.27, F.S.; providing construction; providing applicability; creating s. 97.28, F.S.; requiring the court to order appropriate remedies for violations of the act; specifying appropriate remedies; requiring the court to consider remedies proposed by specified parties; prohibiting the court from giving deference to a remedy proposed by the state or local government; providing that the court is empowered to require local governments to implement certain remedies under specified conditions; requiring the court to grant a temporary injunction or other preliminary relief requested under specified conditions; requiring the court to award attorney fees and litigation costs to the prevailing party in actions to enforce specified provisions; providing that a party is deemed to prevail if certain conditions are met; prohibiting the court from awarding costs for the prevailing party under specified circumstances; amending s. 98.045, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 98.255, F.S.; revising the standards the Department of State is required to prescribe by rule for nonpartisan voter education; requiring that supervisors provide public facing voter information in plain language to be understood by certain persons; amending s. 100.371, F.S.; providing that a certain notice may be returned to the supervisor of elections instead of the Office of Elections Crime and Security; requiring that such notice contain specified information relating to the supervisor of elections; requiring supervisors to transmit a copy of such notice to the Division of Elections; requiring supervisors to notify the Department of State instead of the Office of Election Crimes and Security if a specified percentage of petition forms are deemed invalid; requiring the department instead of the Office of Election Crimes and Security to conduct a certain preliminary investigation; authorizing the Secretary of State instead of the Office of Election Crimes and Security to report findings to the statewide prosecutor; making conforming changes; creating s. 100.51, F.S.; establishing General Election Day as a paid holiday; providing that a voter may absent himself or herself from service or employment at a specific time on General Election Day and may not be penalized or have salary or wages deducted for such absence; creating s. 101.016, F.S.; requiring the Division of Elections to maintain a secure election equipment reserve for specified purposes; requiring that such reserve include specified equipment; authorizing the division to contract with specified entities rather than physically maintain such reserve; providing contract requirements; requiring the division to annually submit a specified report to the Governor and the Legislature, beginning on a specified date; repealing s. 101.019, F.S., relating to the prohibition against ranked-choice voting; amending s. 101.048, F.S.; providing that a voter may cast a provisional ballot at any precinct in the county in which the voter claims to be registered; making technical changes; amending s. 101.572, F.S.; deleting provisions on the public inspection of ballots and ballot cards and notification to candidates; amending s. 101.62, F.S.; providing that a request for a vote-by-mail ballot is valid until the voter cancels the request; revising the timeframe during which the supervisor must mail vote-by-mail ballots before election day; deleting requirements for a person designated by a voter to pick up the voter’s vote-by-mail ballot; providing for extension of deadlines under certain conditions; amending s. 101.64, F.S.; requiring supervisors of elections to enclose a postage prepaid mailing envelope with each vote-by-mail ballot; providing that vote-by-mail ballot voter certificates may be signed with the last four digits of the voter’s social security number; making technical changes; amending s. 101.65, F.S.; revising the instructions that must be provided with a vote-by-mail ballot; amending s. 101.68, F.S.; requiring supervisors of elections to compare the signature or last four digits of the social security number on a voter’s certificate with the signature or last four digits of the social security number in the registration books or precinct register when canvassing a vote-by-mail ballot; requiring a canvassing board to compare the signature or last four digits of the social security number on a voter’s certificate or vote-by-mail ballot cure affidavit with the signature or last four digits of the social security number in the registration books or precinct register when canvassing a vote-by-mail ballot and to determine the validity of such ballot; deleting the authorization for certain persons to file a protest against the canvass of a ballot; revising the instructions on a cure affidavit; amending s. 101.69, F.S.; deleting a provision providing that specified secure ballot intake stations be used only during specified timeframes and be monitored by an employee of the supervisor’s office; requiring that secure ballot intake stations be monitored by the supervisor’s office during specified timeframes instead of continuously monitored in person by an employee; deleting a provision authorizing a certain civil penalty; making technical changes; repealing s. 104.0616, F.S., relating to violations regarding vote by-mail ballots and voting; amending s. 104.155, F.S.; deleting a provision prohibiting a person from raising his or her ignorance regarding citizenship as a defense to specified violations; amending ss. 104.42 and 921.0022, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; providing effective dates. WHEREAS, Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore were the first true civil rights activists of the modern civil rights era in this state, and WHEREAS, the Moores, and the organizations they helped found and lead, were instrumental in registering more than 100,000 black voters in this state, and WHEREAS, the Moores paid the ultimate price for the freedoms they fought to secure for their community when members of the Ku Klux Klan bombed their home in Mims on Christmas Day in 1951, and WHEREAS, at the time of their death, Florida had the most registered black voters, outpacing any other state in the South, and WHEREAS, the purpose of this act is to encourage maximum participation of all eligible voters in this state’s electoral process, and WHEREAS, electoral systems that deny race, color, or language minority groups an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice and influence the outcome of an election are inconsistent with the right to equal treatment before the law as provided in Articles I and II of the State Constitution, as well as protections found in the 14th and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution, and WHEREAS, this act expands voting rights granted under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and reaffirms the well established principle of “one person, one vote,” and WHEREAS, following decisions by the United States Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 has been severely diminished in its ability to protect the freedom and opportunity of black and brown voters to participate fully in the political process of our democratic republic, and WHEREAS, this act builds on the historical work of the named and nameless Floridians who fought for their right to the elective franchise, NOW, THEREFORE,

AI Summary

LaVon Bracy Davis (D)*, 

Introduced (on 01/22/2026)

Official Document