Florida Senate - 2026                              CS for SB 156
       
       
        
       By the Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice;
       and Senator Leek
       
       
       
       
       604-01947-26                                           2026156c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to criminal offenses against law
    3         enforcement officers and other personnel; providing a
    4         short title; amending s. 776.051, F.S.; revising a
    5         prohibition on the use or threatened use of force to
    6         resist arrest or detention; defining the term “acting
    7         in good faith”; amending s. 782.065, F.S.; providing
    8         for enhanced punishment for manslaughter when
    9         committed against specified officers; revising
   10         applicability; amending s. 784.07, F.S.; revising the
   11         definition of the term “law enforcement officer”;
   12         revising provisions concerning assault or battery upon
   13         specified officers and other personnel; amending s.
   14         843.01, F.S.; revising a provision concerning
   15         resisting, obstructing, or opposing specified officers
   16         or legally authorized persons; amending s. 921.0022,
   17         F.S.; increasing the level on the offense severity
   18         ranking chart for committing battery on law
   19         enforcement officers and other specified personnel;
   20         providing an effective date.
   21          
   22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   23  
   24         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Officer Jason
   25  Raynor Act.”
   26         Section 2. Section 776.051, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   27  read:
   28         776.051 Use or threatened use of force in resisting arrest
   29  or detention making an arrest or in the execution of a legal
   30  duty; prohibition.—
   31         (1) A person is not justified in the use or threatened use
   32  of force to resist any an arrest or detention by a law
   33  enforcement officer, or to resist a law enforcement officer who
   34  is engaged in the performance of his or her official duties as
   35  described in s. 943.10(1) execution of a legal duty, if the law
   36  enforcement officer was acting in good faith and he or she is
   37  known, or reasonably appears, to be a law enforcement officer.
   38  As used in this section, the term “acting in good faith” means
   39  to make sincere and reasonable efforts to comply with legal
   40  requirements, even if the arrest, detention, or other act is
   41  later found to have been unlawful
   42         (2)A law enforcement officer, or any person whom the
   43  officer has summoned or directed to assist him or her, is not
   44  justified in the use of force if the arrest or execution of a
   45  legal duty is unlawful and known by him or her to be unlawful.
   46         Section 3. Section 782.065, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   47  read:
   48         782.065 Murder; law enforcement officer, correctional
   49  officer, correctional probation officer.—Notwithstanding ss.
   50  775.082, 775.0823, 782.04, 782.051, and chapter 921, a defendant
   51  must shall be sentenced to life imprisonment without eligibility
   52  for release upon findings by the trier of fact that, beyond a
   53  reasonable doubt:
   54         (1) The defendant committed murder in the first degree in
   55  violation of s. 782.04(1) and a death sentence was not imposed;
   56  murder in the second or third degree in violation of s.
   57  782.04(2), (3), or (4); attempted murder in the first or second
   58  degree in violation of s. 782.04(1)(a)1. or (2); or attempted
   59  felony murder in violation of s. 782.051; or manslaughter in
   60  violation of s. 782.07(1); and
   61         (2) The victim of any offense described in subsection (1)
   62  was a law enforcement officer, part-time law enforcement
   63  officer, auxiliary law enforcement officer, correctional
   64  officer, part-time correctional officer, auxiliary correctional
   65  officer, correctional probation officer, part-time correctional
   66  probation officer, or auxiliary correctional probation officer,
   67  as those terms are defined in s. 943.10, who was engaged in the
   68  performance of his or her official duties as described in s.
   69  943.10 lawful performance of a legal duty.
   70         Section 4. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) and subsection
   71  (2) of section 784.07, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   72         784.07 Assault or battery of law enforcement officers and
   73  other specified personnel; reclassification of offenses; minimum
   74  sentences.—
   75         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   76         (e) “Law enforcement officer” includes a law enforcement
   77  officer, a correctional officer, a correctional probation
   78  officer, a part-time law enforcement officer, a part-time
   79  correctional officer, an auxiliary law enforcement officer, and
   80  an auxiliary correctional officer, as those terms are
   81  respectively defined in s. 943.10, and any county probation
   82  officer; an employee or agent of the Department of Corrections
   83  who supervises or provides services to inmates; an officer of
   84  the Florida Commission on Offender Review; a federal law
   85  enforcement officer as defined in s. 901.1505; and law
   86  enforcement personnel of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
   87  Commission, the Department of Environmental Protection, or the
   88  Department of Law Enforcement. The duties and responsibilities
   89  of these respective positions are described in s. 943.10.
   90         (2) Whenever any person is charged with knowingly
   91  committing an assault or battery upon a law enforcement officer,
   92  a firefighter, an emergency medical care provider, hospital
   93  personnel, a railroad special officer, a traffic accident
   94  investigation officer as described in s. 316.640, a nonsworn law
   95  enforcement agency employee who is certified as an agency
   96  inspector, a blood alcohol analyst, or a breath test operator
   97  while such employee is in uniform and engaged in processing,
   98  testing, evaluating, analyzing, or transporting a person who is
   99  detained or under arrest for DUI, a law enforcement explorer, a
  100  traffic infraction enforcement officer as described in s.
  101  316.640, a parking enforcement specialist as defined in s.
  102  316.640, a person licensed as a security officer as defined in
  103  s. 493.6101 and wearing a uniform that bears at least one patch
  104  or emblem that is visible at all times that clearly identifies
  105  the employing agency and that clearly identifies the person as a
  106  licensed security officer, a security officer employed by the
  107  board of trustees of a community college, or a utility worker
  108  engaged in work on critical infrastructure as defined in s.
  109  812.141(1), while the officer, firefighter, emergency medical
  110  care provider, hospital personnel, railroad special officer,
  111  traffic accident investigation officer, traffic infraction
  112  enforcement officer, inspector, analyst, operator, law
  113  enforcement explorer, parking enforcement specialist, public
  114  transit employee or agent, security officer, or utility worker
  115  is engaged in the lawful performance of his or her official
  116  duties, the offense for which the person is charged shall be
  117  reclassified as follows:
  118         (a) In the case of assault, from a misdemeanor of the
  119  second degree to a misdemeanor of the first degree.
  120         (b) In the case of battery, from a misdemeanor of the first
  121  degree to a felony of the third degree. Notwithstanding any
  122  other provision of law, a person convicted of battery upon a law
  123  enforcement officer committed in furtherance of a riot or an
  124  aggravated riot prohibited under s. 870.01 shall be sentenced to
  125  a minimum term of imprisonment of 6 months.
  126         (c) In the case of aggravated assault, from a felony of the
  127  third degree to a felony of the second degree. Notwithstanding
  128  any other provision of law, any person convicted of aggravated
  129  assault upon a law enforcement officer shall be sentenced to a
  130  minimum term of imprisonment of 3 years.
  131         (d) In the case of aggravated battery, from a felony of the
  132  second degree to a felony of the first degree. Notwithstanding
  133  any other provision of law, any person convicted of aggravated
  134  battery of a law enforcement officer shall be sentenced to a
  135  minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years.
  136         Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 843.01, Florida
  137  Statutes, is amended to read:
  138         843.01 Resisting, obstructing, or opposing by offering or
  139  doing violence to legally authorized person, police canine, or
  140  police horse.—
  141         (1) Whoever knowingly and willfully resists, obstructs, or
  142  opposes any officer as defined in s. 943.10(1), (2), (3), (6),
  143  (7), (8), or (9); member of the Florida Commission on Offender
  144  Review or any administrative aide or supervisor employed by the
  145  commission; parole and probation supervisor; county probation
  146  officer; personnel or representative of the Department of Law
  147  Enforcement; or other person legally authorized to execute
  148  process in the execution of legal process or engaged in the
  149  performance of his or her official duties as described in s.
  150  943.10 lawful execution of any legal duty, by offering or doing
  151  violence to the person of such officer or legally authorized
  152  person, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as
  153  provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
  154         Section 6. Paragraphs (d) and (e) of subsection (3) of
  155  section 921.0022, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  156         921.0022 Criminal Punishment Code; offense severity ranking
  157  chart.—
  158         (3) OFFENSE SEVERITY RANKING CHART
  159         (d) LEVEL 4
  160  
  161  FloridaStatute             FelonyDegree        Description        
  162  104.155                        3rd     Unqualified noncitizen electors voting; aiding or soliciting noncitizen electors in voting.
  163  499.0051(1)                    3rd     Failure to maintain or deliver transaction history, transaction information, or transaction statements.
  164  499.0051(5)                    2nd     Knowing sale or delivery, or possession with intent to sell, contraband prescription drugs.
  165  517.07(1)                      3rd     Failure to register securities.
  166  517.12(1)                      3rd     Failure of dealer or associated person of a dealer of securities to register.
  167  784.031                        3rd     Battery by strangulation.  
  168  784.07(2)(b)                   3rd     Battery of law enforcement officer, firefighter, etc.
  169  784.074(1)(c)                  3rd     Battery of sexually violent predators facility staff.
  170  784.075                        3rd     Battery on detention or commitment facility staff.
  171  784.078                        3rd     Battery of facility employee by throwing, tossing, or expelling certain fluids or materials.
  172  784.08(2)(c)                   3rd     Battery on a person 65 years of age or older.
  173  784.081(3)                     3rd     Battery on specified official or employee.
  174  784.082(3)                     3rd     Battery by detained person on visitor or other detainee.
  175  784.083(3)                     3rd     Battery on code inspector. 
  176  784.085                        3rd     Battery of child by throwing, tossing, projecting, or expelling certain fluids or materials.
  177  787.03(1)                      3rd     Interference with custody; wrongly takes minor from appointed guardian.
  178  787.04(2)                      3rd     Take, entice, or remove child beyond state limits with criminal intent pending custody proceedings.
  179  787.04(3)                      3rd     Carrying child beyond state lines with criminal intent to avoid producing child at custody hearing or delivering to designated person.
  180  787.07                         3rd     Human smuggling.           
  181  790.115(1)                     3rd     Exhibiting firearm or weapon within 1,000 feet of a school.
  182  790.115(2)(b)                  3rd     Possessing electric weapon or device, destructive device, or other weapon on school property.
  183  790.115(2)(c)                  3rd     Possessing firearm on school property.
  184  794.051(1)                     3rd     Indecent, lewd, or lascivious touching of certain minors.
  185  800.04(7)(c)                   3rd     Lewd or lascivious exhibition; offender less than 18 years.
  186  806.135                        2nd     Destroying or demolishing a memorial or historic property.
  187  810.02(4)(a)                   3rd     Burglary, or attempted burglary, of an unoccupied structure; unarmed; no assault or battery.
  188  810.02(4)(b)                   3rd     Burglary, or attempted burglary, of an unoccupied conveyance; unarmed; no assault or battery.
  189  810.06                         3rd     Burglary; possession of tools.
  190  810.08(2)(c)                   3rd     Trespass on property, armed with firearm or dangerous weapon.
  191  810.145(3)(b)                  3rd     Digital voyeurism dissemination.
  192  812.014(2)(c)3.                3rd     Grand theft, 3rd degree $10,000 or more but less than $20,000.
  193  812.014 (2)(c)4. & 6.-10.      3rd     Grand theft, 3rd degree; specified items.
  194  812.014(2)(d)2.                3rd     Grand theft, 3rd degree; $750 or more taken from dwelling or its unenclosed curtilage.
  195  812.014(2)(e)3.                3rd     Petit theft, 1st degree; less than $40 taken from dwelling or its unenclosed curtilage with two or more prior theft convictions.
  196  812.0195(2)                    3rd     Dealing in stolen property by use of the Internet; property stolen $300 or more.
  197  817.505(4)(a)                  3rd     Patient brokering.         
  198  817.563(1)                     3rd     Sell or deliver substance other than controlled substance agreed upon, excluding s. 893.03(5) drugs.
  199  817.568(2)(a)                  3rd     Fraudulent use of personal identification information.
  200  817.5695(3)(c)                 3rd     Exploitation of person 65 years of age or older, value less than $10,000.
  201  817.625(2)(a)                  3rd     Fraudulent use of scanning device, skimming device, or reencoder.
  202  817.625(2)(c)                  3rd     Possess, sell, or deliver skimming device.
  203  828.125(1)                     2nd     Kill, maim, or cause great bodily harm or permanent breeding disability to any registered horse or cattle.
  204  836.14(2)                      3rd     Person who commits theft of a sexually explicit image with intent to promote it.
  205  836.14(3)                      3rd     Person who willfully possesses a sexually explicit image with certain knowledge, intent, and purpose.
  206  837.02(1)                      3rd     Perjury in official proceedings.
  207  837.021(1)                     3rd     Make contradictory statements in official proceedings.
  208  838.022                        3rd     Official misconduct.       
  209  839.13(2)(a)                   3rd     Falsifying records of an individual in the care and custody of a state agency.
  210  839.13(2)(c)                   3rd     Falsifying records of the Department of Children and Families.
  211  843.021                        3rd     Possession of a concealed handcuff key by a person in custody.
  212  843.025                        3rd     Deprive law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation officer of means of protection or communication.
  213  843.15(1)(a)                   3rd     Failure to appear while on bail for felony (bond estreature or bond jumping).
  214  843.19(2)                      2nd     Injure, disable, or kill police, fire, or SAR canine or police horse.
  215  847.0135(5)(c)                 3rd     Lewd or lascivious exhibition using computer; offender less than 18 years.
  216  870.01(3)                      2nd     Aggravated rioting.        
  217  870.01(5)                      2nd     Aggravated inciting a riot.
  218  874.05(1)(a)                   3rd     Encouraging or recruiting another to join a criminal gang.
  219  893.13(2)(a)1.                 2nd     Purchase of cocaine (or other s. 893.03(1)(a), (b), or (d), (2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c)5. drugs).
  220  914.14(2)                      3rd     Witnesses accepting bribes.
  221  914.22(1)                      3rd     Force, threaten, etc., witness, victim, or informant.
  222  914.23(2)                      3rd     Retaliation against a witness, victim, or informant, no bodily injury.
  223  916.1085 (2)(c)1.              3rd     Introduction of specified contraband into certain DCF facilities.
  224  934.215                        3rd     Use of two-way communications device to facilitate commission of a crime.
  225  944.47(1)(a)6.                 3rd     Introduction of contraband (cellular telephone or other portable communication device) into correctional institution.
  226  951.22(1)(h), (j) & (k)        3rd     Intoxicating drug, instrumentality or other device to aid escape, or cellular telephone or other portable communication device introduced into county detention facility.
  227         (e) LEVEL 5
  228  
  229  FloridaStatute             FelonyDegree        Description        
  230  316.027(2)(a)                  3rd     Accidents involving personal injuries other than serious bodily injury, failure to stop; leaving scene.
  231  316.1935(3)(a)                 2nd     Driving at high speed or with wanton disregard for safety while fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement officer who is in a patrol vehicle with siren and lights activated.
  232  316.80(2)                      2nd     Unlawful conveyance of fuel; obtaining fuel fraudulently.
  233  322.34(6)                      3rd     Careless operation of motor vehicle with suspended license, resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
  234  327.30(5)(a)2.                 3rd     Vessel accidents involving personal injuries other than serious bodily injury; leaving scene.
  235  365.172 (14)(b)2.              2nd     Misuse of emergency communications system resulting in death.
  236  379.365(2)(c)1.                3rd     Violation of rules relating to: willful molestation of stone crab traps, lines, or buoys; illegal bartering, trading, or sale, conspiring or aiding in such barter, trade, or sale, or supplying, agreeing to supply, aiding in supplying, or giving away stone crab trap tags or certificates; making, altering, forging, counterfeiting, or reproducing stone crab trap tags; possession of forged, counterfeit, or imitation stone crab trap tags; and engaging in the commercial harvest of stone crabs while license is suspended or revoked.
  237  379.367(4)                     3rd     Willful molestation of a commercial harvester’s spiny lobster trap, line, or buoy.
  238  379.407(5)(b)3.                3rd     Possession of 100 or more undersized spiny lobsters.
  239  381.0041(11)(b)                3rd     Donate blood, plasma, or organs knowing HIV positive.
  240  440.10(1)(g)                   2nd     Failure to obtain workers’ compensation coverage.
  241  440.105(5)                     2nd     Unlawful solicitation for the purpose of making workers’ compensation claims.
  242  440.381(2)                     3rd     Submission of false, misleading, or incomplete information with the purpose of avoiding or reducing workers’ compensation premiums.
  243  624.401(4)(b)2.                2nd     Transacting insurance without a certificate or authority; premium collected $20,000 or more but less than $100,000.
  244  626.902(1)(c)                  2nd     Representing an unauthorized insurer; repeat offender.
  245  784.07(2)(b)                   3rd     Battery of law enforcement officer, firefighter, etc.
  246  790.01(3)                      3rd     Unlawful carrying of a concealed firearm.
  247  790.162                        2nd     Threat to throw or discharge destructive device.
  248  790.163(1)                     2nd     False report of bomb, explosive, weapon of mass destruction, or use of firearms in violent manner.
  249  790.221(1)                     2nd     Possession of short-barreled shotgun or machine gun.
  250  790.23                         2nd     Felons in possession of firearms, ammunition, or electronic weapons or devices.
  251  796.05(1)                      2nd     Live on earnings of a prostitute; 1st offense.
  252  800.04(6)(c)                   3rd     Lewd or lascivious conduct; offender less than 18 years of age.
  253  800.04(7)(b)                   2nd     Lewd or lascivious exhibition; offender 18 years of age or older.
  254  806.111(1)                     3rd     Possess, manufacture, or dispense fire bomb with intent to damage any structure or property.
  255  810.145(4)                     3rd     Commercial digital voyeurism dissemination.
  256  810.145(7)(a)                  2nd     Digital voyeurism; 2nd or subsequent offense.
  257  810.145(8)(a)                  2nd     Digital voyeurism; certain minor victims.
  258  812.014(2)(d)3.                2nd     Grand theft, 2nd degree; theft from 20 or more dwellings or their unenclosed curtilage, or any combination.
  259  812.0145(2)(b)                 2nd     Theft from person 65 years of age or older; $10,000 or more but less than $50,000.
  260  812.015 (8)(a) & (c)-(e)       3rd     Retail theft; property stolen is valued at $750 or more and one or more specified acts.
  261  812.015(8)(f)                  3rd     Retail theft; multiple thefts within specified period.
  262  812.015(8)(g)                  3rd     Retail theft; committed with specified number of other persons.
  263  812.019(1)                     2nd     Stolen property; dealing in or trafficking in.
  264  812.081(3)                     2nd     Trafficking in trade secrets.
  265  812.131(2)(b)                  3rd     Robbery by sudden snatching.
  266  812.16(2)                      3rd     Owning, operating, or conducting a chop shop.
  267  817.034(4)(a)2.                2nd     Communications fraud, value $20,000 to $50,000.
  268  817.234(11)(b)                 2nd     Insurance fraud; property value $20,000 or more but less than $100,000.
  269  817.2341(1), (2)(a) & (3)(a)    3rd     Filing false financial statements, making false entries of material fact or false statements regarding property values relating to the solvency of an insuring entity.
  270  817.568(2)(b)                  2nd     Fraudulent use of personal identification information; value of benefit, services received, payment avoided, or amount of injury or fraud, $5,000 or more or use of personal identification information of 10 or more persons.
  271  817.611(2)(a)                  2nd     Traffic in or possess 5 to 14 counterfeit credit cards or related documents.
  272  817.625(2)(b)                  2nd     Second or subsequent fraudulent use of scanning device, skimming device, or reencoder.
  273  825.1025(4)                    3rd     Lewd or lascivious exhibition in the presence of an elderly person or disabled adult.
  274  828.12(2)                      3rd     Tortures any animal with intent to inflict intense pain, serious physical injury, or death.
  275  836.14(4)                      2nd     Person who willfully promotes for financial gain a sexually explicit image of an identifiable person without consent.
  276  839.13(2)(b)                   2nd     Falsifying records of an individual in the care and custody of a state agency involving great bodily harm or death.
  277  843.01(1)                      3rd     Resist officer with violence to person; resist arrest with violence.
  278  847.0135(5)(b)                 2nd     Lewd or lascivious exhibition using computer; offender 18 years or older.
  279  847.0137 (2) & (3)             3rd     Transmission of pornography by electronic device or equipment.
  280  847.0138 (2) & (3)             3rd     Transmission of material harmful to minors to a minor by electronic device or equipment.
  281  874.05(1)(b)                   2nd     Encouraging or recruiting another to join a criminal gang; second or subsequent offense.
  282  874.05(2)(a)                   2nd     Encouraging or recruiting person under 13 years of age to join a criminal gang.
  283  893.13(1)(a)1.                 2nd     Sell, manufacture, or deliver cocaine (or other s. 893.03(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(d), (2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c)5. drugs).
  284  893.13(1)(c)2.                 2nd     Sell, manufacture, or deliver cannabis (or other s. 893.03(1)(c), (2)(c)1., (2)(c)2., (2)(c)3., (2)(c)6., (2)(c)7., (2)(c)8., (2)(c)9., (2)(c)10., (3), or (4) drugs) within 1,000 feet of a child care facility, school, or state, county, or municipal park or publicly owned recreational facility or community center.
  285  893.13(1)(d)1.                 1st     Sell, manufacture, or deliver cocaine (or other s. 893.03(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(d), (2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c)5. drugs) within 1,000 feet of university.
  286  893.13(1)(e)2.                 2nd     Sell, manufacture, or deliver cannabis or other drug prohibited under s. 893.03(1)(c), (2)(c)1., (2)(c)2., (2)(c)3., (2)(c)6., (2)(c)7., (2)(c)8., (2)(c)9., (2)(c)10., (3), or (4) within 1,000 feet of property used for religious services or a specified business site.
  287  893.13(1)(f)1.                 1st     Sell, manufacture, or deliver cocaine (or other s. 893.03(1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(d), or (2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c)5. drugs) within 1,000 feet of public housing facility.
  288  893.13(4)(b)                   2nd     Use or hire of minor; deliver to minor other controlled substance.
  289  893.1351(1)                    3rd     Ownership, lease, or rental for trafficking in or manufacturing of controlled substance.
  290         Section 7. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.