Florida Senate - 2026                                    SB 1624
       
       
        
       By Senator Bracy Davis
       
       
       
       
       
       15-01269-26                                           20261624__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to harassment and cyberstalking;
    3         amending s. 784.048, F.S.; revising the definitions of
    4         the terms “harass” and “cyberstalk”; reenacting ss.
    5         784.0493(1) and 1006.147(3)(e), F.S., relating to
    6         harassment or intimidation based on religious or
    7         ethnic heritage and bullying and harassment prohibited
    8         in public K-12 education, respectively, to incorporate
    9         the amendment made to s. 784.048, F.S., in references
   10         thereto; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (1) of
   15  section 784.048, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   16         784.048 Stalking; definitions; penalties.—
   17         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   18         (a) “Harass” means to engage in a course of conduct
   19  directed at a specific person, whether such person is
   20  specifically named or described in sufficient detail as to be
   21  clearly identifiable, which causes substantial emotional
   22  distress to that person and serves no legitimate purpose.
   23         (d) “Cyberstalk” means:
   24         1. To engage in a course of conduct to communicate, or to
   25  cause to be communicated, directly or indirectly, words, images,
   26  or language by or through the use of electronic mail or
   27  electronic communication, directed at or pertaining to a
   28  specific person, whether such person is specifically named or
   29  described in sufficient detail as to be clearly identifiable; or
   30         2. To access, or attempt to access, the online accounts or
   31  Internet-connected home electronic systems of another person
   32  without that person’s permission,
   33  
   34  causing substantial emotional distress to that person and
   35  serving no legitimate purpose.
   36         Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
   37  made by this act to section 784.048, Florida Statutes, in a
   38  reference thereto, subsection (1) of section 784.0493, Florida
   39  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
   40         784.0493 Harassment or intimidation based on religious or
   41  ethnic heritage.—
   42         (1) As used in this section, the terms “credible threat”
   43  and “harass” have the same meaning as in s. 784.048(1).
   44         Section 3. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
   45  made by this act to section 784.048, Florida Statutes, in a
   46  reference thereto, paragraph (e) of subsection (3) of section
   47  1006.147, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
   48         1006.147 Bullying and harassment prohibited.—
   49         (3) For purposes of this section:
   50         (e) Definitions in s. 815.03 and the definition in s.
   51  784.048(1)(d) relating to stalking are applicable to this
   52  section.
   53         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.