Florida Senate - 2026                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 536
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì556058?Î556058                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  01/12/2026           .                                
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       The Committee on Criminal Justice (Martin) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 15 - 46
    4  and insert:
    5         (3) "Gang-related language" is any verbal or written
    6  statement that signals gang affiliation, supports gang activity,
    7  or uses recognized gang codes, symbols, or terminology
    8  associated with criminal organizations. Written statements
    9  include any digital or electronic statements, including
   10  statements made on any online platform or social media.
   11         (4) “Criminal gang member” means is a person who meets two
   12  or more of the following criteria:
   13         (a) Admits in person or on an online platform or social
   14  media that he or she is a criminal gang member.
   15         (b)(a) Is identified or claimed by a Admits to criminal
   16  gang as one of its members membership.
   17         (c)(b) Is identified as a criminal gang member by a parent,
   18  or guardian, or spouse living with the person.
   19         (d)(c) Is identified as a criminal gang member by a
   20  documented reliable informant.
   21         (e)(d) Adopts the style of dress of a criminal gang.
   22         (f)(e) Adopts the use of a hand sign identified as used by
   23  a criminal gang.
   24         (g)(f) Has a tattoo identified as used by a criminal gang.
   25         (h)(g) Associates with one or more known criminal gang
   26  members.
   27         (i)(h) Is identified as a criminal gang member by an
   28  informant of previously untested reliability and such
   29  identification is corroborated by independent information.
   30         (j)(i) Is identified as a criminal gang member by physical
   31  evidence.
   32         (k)(j) Has been observed in the company of one or more
   33  known criminal gang members two four or more times. Observation
   34  in a custodial setting requires a willful association. It is the
   35  intent of the Legislature to allow this criterion to be used to
   36  identify gang members who recruit and organize in jails,
   37  prisons, and other detention settings.
   38         (l)(k) Has authored any communication indicating gang
   39  affiliation or gang activity or accepting responsibility for the
   40  commission of any crime by a the criminal gang member.
   41         (m) Uses gang-related language on an online platform or
   42  social media.
   43         
   44  
   45  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   46  And the title is amended as follows:
   47         Delete line 3
   48  and insert:
   49         874.03, F.S.; defining "gang-related language";
   50         revising the definition of the term