THE BILL ITSELF
SB 1688
Penalties for Prostitution and Related Acts
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1688 By Senator Leek 7-00860-26 20261688__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to penalties for prostitution and
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related acts; amending s. 796.07, F.S.; revising
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penalties and criminal penalties for certain offenses;
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amending ss. 456.074 and 480.041, F.S.; conforming
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provisions to changes made by the act; providing an
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effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsection (4), paragraph (a) of subsection (5),
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and subsection (7) of section 796.07, Florida Statutes, are
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amended, and subsection (2) of that section is republished, to
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read:
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796.07 Prohibiting prostitution and related acts.—
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(2) It is unlawful:
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(a) To own, establish, maintain, or operate any place,
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structure, building, or conveyance for the purpose of lewdness,
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assignation, or prostitution.
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(b) To offer, or to offer or agree to secure, another for
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the purpose of prostitution or for any other lewd or indecent
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act.
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(c) To receive, or to offer or agree to receive, any person
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into any place, structure, building, or conveyance for the
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purpose of prostitution, lewdness, or assignation, or to permit
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any person to remain there for such purpose.
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(d) To direct, take, or transport, or to offer or agree to
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direct, take, or transport, any person to any place, structure,
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or building, or to any other person, with knowledge or
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reasonable cause to believe that the purpose of such directing,
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taking, or transporting is prostitution, lewdness, or
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assignation.
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(e) For a person 18 years of age or older to offer to
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commit, or to commit, or to engage in, prostitution, lewdness,
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or assignation.
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(f) To solicit, induce, entice, or procure another to
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commit prostitution, lewdness, or assignation.
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(g) To reside in, enter, or remain in, any place,
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structure, or building, or to enter or remain in any conveyance,
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for the purpose of prostitution, lewdness, or assignation.
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(h) To aid, abet, or participate in any of the acts or
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things enumerated in this subsection.
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(i) To purchase the services of any person engaged in
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prostitution.
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(4) (a) A person who violates any provision of this section,
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other than paragraph (2)(e) or paragraph (2)(g) (2)(f) , commits:
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(a) 1. A misdemeanor of the first second degree for a first
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violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
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(b) 2. A felony misdemeanor of the third first degree for a
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second violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 , or s.
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775.083 , or 775.084 .
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(c) 3. A felony of the second third degree for a third or
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subsequent violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.
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775.083, or s. 775.084.
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(b) A person who is charged with a third or subsequent
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violation of this section, other than paragraph (2)(f), shall be
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offered admission to a pretrial intervention program or a
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substance abuse treatment program as provided in s. 948.08.
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(5)(a) A person who violates paragraph (2)(e) or paragraph
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(2)(g) (2)(f) commits:
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1. A misdemeanor of the second first degree for a first
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violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
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2. A misdemeanor felony of the first third degree for a
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second violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or , s.
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775.083 , or s. 775.084 .
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3. A felony of the third second degree for a third or
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subsequent violation, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.
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775.083, or s. 775.084.
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(7) If the place, structure, building, or conveyance that
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is owned, established, maintained, or operated in violation of
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paragraph (2)(a) is a massage establishment that is or should be
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licensed under s. 480.043, the offense shall be reclassified to
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the next higher degree as follows:
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(a) A misdemeanor of the first second degree for a first
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violation is reclassified as a felony misdemeanor of the third
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first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 , or s.
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775.083 , or s. 775.084 .
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(b) A felony misdemeanor of the third first degree for a
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second violation is reclassified as a felony of the second third
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degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
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775.084.
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(c) A felony of the second third degree for a third or
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subsequent violation is reclassified as a felony of the first
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second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
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or s. 775.084.
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Section 2. Paragraph (l) of subsection (4) and paragraph
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(q) of subsection (5) of section 456.074, Florida Statutes, are
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amended to read:
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456.074 Certain health care practitioners; immediate
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suspension of license.—
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(4) The department shall issue an emergency order
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suspending the license of a massage therapist and establishment
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as those terms are defined in chapter 480 upon receipt of
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information that the massage therapist; the designated
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establishment manager as defined in chapter 480; an employee of
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the establishment; a person with an ownership interest in the
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establishment; or, for a corporation that has more than $250,000
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of business assets in this state, the owner, officer, or
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individual directly involved in the management of the
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establishment has been arrested for committing or attempting,
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soliciting, or conspiring to commit, or convicted or found
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guilty of, or has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere
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to, regardless of adjudication, a violation of s. 796.07 or a
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felony offense under any of the following provisions of state
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law or a similar provision in another jurisdiction:
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(l) Section 796.07(4)(c) 796.07(4)(a)3. , relating to a
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felony of the second third degree for a third or subsequent
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violation of s. 796.07, relating to prohibiting prostitution and
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related acts.
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(5) The department shall issue an emergency order
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suspending the license of any health care practitioner who is
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arrested for committing or attempting, soliciting, or conspiring
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to commit any act that would constitute a violation of any of
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the following criminal offenses in this state or similar
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offenses in another jurisdiction:
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(q) Section 796.07(4)(c) 796.07(4)(a)3. , relating to a
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felony of the second third degree for a third or subsequent
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violation of s. 796.07, relating to prohibiting prostitution and
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related acts.
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Section 3. Paragraph (l) of subsection (6) of section
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480.041, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
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480.041 Massage therapists; qualifications; licensure;
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endorsement.—
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(6) The board shall deny an application for a new or
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renewal license if an applicant has been convicted or found
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guilty of, or enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to,
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regardless of adjudication, a violation of s. 796.07(2)(a) which
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is reclassified under s. 796.07(7) or a felony offense under any
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of the following provisions of state law or a similar provision
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in another jurisdiction:
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(l) Section 796.07(4)(c) 796.07(4)(a)3. , relating to a
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felony of the second third degree for a third or subsequent
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violation of s. 796.07, relating to prohibiting prostitution and
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related acts.
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Section 4. This act shall take effect October 1, 2026.