The Florida Senate

838.014  Definitions.

838.015  Bribery.

838.016  Unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior.

838.021  Corruption by threat against public servant.

838.12  Bribery in athletic contests.

838.15  Commercial bribe receiving.

838.16  Commercial bribery.

838.014  Definitions.--For the purposes of this chapter, unless a different meaning plainly is required:

(1)  "Benefit" means gain or advantage, or anything regarded by the person to be benefited as a gain or advantage, including the doing of an act beneficial to any person in whose welfare he or she is interested.

(2)  "Pecuniary benefit" is benefit in the form of any commission, gift, gratuity, property, commercial interest, or any other thing of economic value.

(3)  "Harm" means loss, disadvantage, or injury to the person affected, including loss, disadvantage, or injury to any other person in whose welfare he or she is interested.

(4)  "Public servant" means any public officer, agent, or employee of government, whether elected or appointed, including, but not limited to, any executive, legislative, or judicial officer; any person who holds an office or position in a political party or political party committee, whether elected or appointed; and any person participating as a special master, receiver, auditor, juror, arbitrator, umpire, referee, consultant, administrative law judge, hearing officer, or hearing examiner, or person acting on behalf of any of these, in performing a governmental function; but the term does not include witnesses. Such term shall include a candidate for election or appointment to any such office, including any individual who seeks or intends to occupy any such office. It shall include any person appointed to any of the foregoing offices or employments before and after he or she qualifies.

(5)  "Government" includes the state government and any city or county government or any branch, political subdivision, or agency of the state, county, or city government.

(6)  "Corruptly" means done with a wrongful intent and for the purpose of obtaining or compensating or receiving compensation for any benefit resulting from some act or omission of a public servant which is inconsistent with the proper performance of his or her public duties.

History.--s. 59, ch. 74-383; s. 317, ch. 96-410; s. 1824, ch. 97-102.

838.015  Bribery.--

(1)  "Bribery" means corruptly to give, offer, or promise to any public servant, or, if a public servant, corruptly to request, solicit, accept, or agree to accept for himself or herself or another, any pecuniary or other benefit with an intent or purpose to influence the performance of any act or omission which the person believes to be, or the public servant represents as being, within the official discretion of a public servant, in violation of a public duty, or in performance of a public duty.

(2)  Prosecution under this section shall not require any allegation or proof that the public servant ultimately sought to be unlawfully influenced was qualified to act in the desired way, that the public servant had assumed office, that the matter was properly pending before him or her or might by law properly be brought before him or her, that the public servant possessed jurisdiction over the matter, or that his or her official action was necessary to achieve the person's purpose.

(3)  Any person who commits bribery is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--s. 60, ch. 74-383; s. 35, ch. 75-298; s. 44, ch. 91-110; s. 1314, ch. 97-102.

838.016  Unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior.--

(1)  It is unlawful for any person corruptly to give, offer, or promise to any public servant, or, if a public servant, corruptly to request, solicit, accept, or agree to accept, any pecuniary or other benefit not authorized by law, for the past, present, or future performance, nonperformance, or violation of any act or omission which the person believes to have been, or the public servant represents as having been, either within the official discretion of the public servant, in violation of a public duty, or in performance of a public duty. Nothing herein shall be construed to preclude a public servant from accepting rewards for services performed in apprehending any criminal.

(2)  It is unlawful for any person corruptly to give, offer, or promise to any public servant, or, if a public servant, corruptly to request, solicit, accept, or agree to accept, any pecuniary or other benefit not authorized by law for the past, present, or future exertion of any influence upon or with any other public servant regarding any act or omission which the person believes to have been, or which is represented to him or her as having been, either within the official discretion of the other public servant, in violation of a public duty, or in performance of a public duty.

(3)  Prosecution under this section shall not require that the exercise of influence or official discretion, or violation of a public duty or performance of a public duty, for which a pecuniary or other benefit was given, offered, promised, requested, or solicited was accomplished or was within the influence, official discretion, or public duty of the public servant whose action or omission was sought to be rewarded or compensated.

(4)  Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--s. 60, ch. 74-383; s. 36, ch. 75-298; s. 1315, ch. 97-102.

838.021  Corruption by threat against public servant.--

(1)  Whoever unlawfully harms or threatens unlawful harm to any public servant, to his or her immediate family, or to any other person with whose welfare the public servant is interested, with the intent or purpose:

(a)  To influence the performance of any act or omission which the person believes to be, or the public servant represents as being, within the official discretion of the public servant, in violation of a public duty, or in performance of a public duty.

(b)  To cause or induce the public servant to use or exert, or procure the use or exertion of, any influence upon or with any other public servant regarding any act or omission which the person believes to be, or the public servant represents as being, within the official discretion of the public servant, in violation of a public duty, or in performance of a public duty.

(2)  Prosecution under this section shall not require any allegation or proof that the public servant ultimately sought to be unlawfully influenced was qualified to act in the desired way, that the public servant had assumed office, that the matter was properly pending before him or her or might by law properly be brought before him or her, that the public servant possessed jurisdiction over the matter, or that his or her official action was necessary to achieve the person's purpose.

(3)(a)  Whoever unlawfully harms any public servant or any other person with whose welfare the public servant is interested shall be guilty of a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(b)  Whoever threatens unlawful harm to any public servant or to any other person with whose welfare the public servant is interested shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--s. 61, ch. 74-383; s. 37, ch. 75-298; s. 1316, ch. 97-102.

838.12  Bribery in athletic contests.--

(1)  Whoever gives, promises, offers or conspires to give, promise or offer, to anyone who participates or expects to participate in any professional or amateur game, contest, match, race or sport; or to any umpire, referee, judge or other official of such game, contest, match, race or sport; or to any owner, manager, coach or trainer of, or to any relative of, or to any person having any direct, indirect, remote or possible connection with, any team, individual, participant or prospective participant in any such professional or amateur game, contest, match, race or sport, or the officials aforesaid, any bribe, money, goods, present, reward or any valuable thing whatsoever, or any promise, contract or agreement whatsoever, with intent to influence him or her or them to lose or cause to be lost any game, contest, match, race or sport, or to limit his or her or their or any person's or any team's margin of victory in any game, contest, match, race, or sport, or to fix or throw any game, contest, match, race or sport, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(2)  Any participant or prospective participant in any professional or amateur game, contest, match, race or sport; or any umpire, referee, judge or other official of such game, contest, match, race or sport; or any owner, manager, coach or trainer of, or any relative of, or any person having any direct, indirect, remote or possible connection with, any team, individual, participant or prospective participant in any such professional or amateur game, contest, match, race or sport, or the officials aforesaid; who in any way solicits, receives or accepts, or agrees to receive or accept, or who conspires to receive or accept, any bribe, money, goods, present, reward or any valuable thing whatsoever, or any promise, contract or agreement whatsoever, with intent to lose or cause to be lost any game, contest, match, race or sport, or to limit his, her, their or any person's or any team's margin of victory in any game, contest, match, race or sport, or to fix or throw any game, contest, match, race or sport, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--ss. 1, 2, ch. 28024, 1953; s. 1010, ch. 71-136; s. 1317, ch. 97-102.

838.15  Commercial bribe receiving.--

(1)  A person commits the crime of commercial bribe receiving if the person solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept a benefit with intent to violate a statutory or common-law duty to which that person is subject as:

(a)  An agent or employee of another;

(b)  A trustee, guardian, or other fiduciary;

(c)  A lawyer, physician, accountant, appraiser, or other professional adviser;

(d)  An officer, director, partner, manager, or other participant in the direction of the affairs of an organization; or

(e)  An arbitrator or other purportedly disinterested adjudicator or referee.

(2)  Commercial bribe receiving is a third degree felony, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--s. 1, ch. 90-301.

838.16  Commercial bribery.--

(1)  A person commits the crime of commercial bribery if, knowing that another is subject to a duty described in s. 838.15(1) and with intent to influence the other person to violate that duty, the person confers, offers to confer, or agrees to confer a benefit on the other.

(2)  Commercial bribery is a third degree felony, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--s. 2, ch. 90-301.