SESSION WATCH
Became law SENATE · SESSION 2026 · CHAPTER 2026-17

No. CS/CS/CS/SB 212

Sexual Offenders and Sexual Predators
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SPONSOR
Rules; Judiciary; Criminal Justice; McClain
FILED BY
Stan McClain — District 9, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026

Filed under Criminal Justice.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Sexual Offenders and Sexual Predators; Revising residency restrictions for persons convicted of certain sexual offenses occurring on or after a specified date; revising the prohibition of specified offenders from coming within a specified distance of a place where children congregate; requiring a person who has been convicted of specified offenses to provide notice to a school or child care facility under certain circumstances; authorizing the warrantless arrest of a person if a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe the person committed specified offenses, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Adds public pools to sex offender residency and contact bans.

The bill adds public swimming pools to the list of places where certain convicted sex offenders may not live within 1,000 feet. This restriction applies to new convictions and to anyone who moves their permanent residence on or after July 1, 2026.

It expands the places where registered sex offenders are banned from contacting or approaching minors. The ban now includes public swimming pools, and the distance for loitering near children is increased from 300 to 500 feet.

Law enforcement officers may now arrest a registered sex offender without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe the person violated the new contact or school presence rules.

Courts and the state commission must impose new conditions on probation, community control, and conditional release. These include bans on living near or working at public pools, and restrictions on visiting them without approval.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 New 1,000-foot residency restriction for specific sex offenders majors. 775.215(4)(a)

AICreates a mandatory ban on living within 1,000 feet of schools, child care facilities, parks, playgrounds, and public swimming pools for people convicted of specific sex offenses against victims under 16, effective for new convictions and those who move after July 1, 2026.

“may not reside within 1,000 feet of any school, child care facility, park, playground, or public swimming pool” bill text, line 82 →
§ 2 Warrantless arrest authority for specific violations moderates. 901.15(9)(h)

AIAuthorizes law enforcement officers to arrest a person without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe the person violated the new contact or school presence prohibitions.

“A law enforcement officer may arrest a person without a warrant when: (9) There is probable cause to believe that the person has committed: (h) A violation of s. 856.022(4)(a)” bill text, line 224 →
§ 3 Mandatory background checks for pool and child care employment moderates. 943.04351

AIRequires state agencies and governmental subdivisions to search sexual offender registration databases before appointing or employing anyone at public swimming pools, child care facilities, or other places where children congregate.

“must conduct a search of that person's name or other identifying information against the registration information regarding sexual predators and sexual offenders” bill text, line 249 →
§ 4 Mandatory probation and conditional release conditions moderates. 947.1405(15)

AIRequires courts and the Department of Corrections to impose conditions prohibiting living within 1,000 feet of public swimming pools and working there, and requires supervisory approval for visiting pools for certain offenders.

“the court must impose the following conditions: (a) A prohibition on living within 1,000 feet of any public swimming pool” bill text, line 314 →
§ 5 Expanded loitering and contact prohibitions near children majors. 856.022(3)

AIIncreases the prohibited distance for loitering from 300 to 500 feet and bans contacting or approaching minors in parks, playgrounds, and public swimming pools, with a new exception for family members.

“knowingly contact, communicate with, or approach with the intent to contact or communicate with a person younger than 18 years of age in any park building or on real property”
§ 6 Mandatory school and child care facility notification majors. 856.022(4)(b)

AIRequires registered sex offenders to provide written notice of their conviction and intent to be present, notify upon arrival and departure, and remain under direct supervision when entering schools or child care facilities.

“Provide written notification to the school board, superintendent, principal, or child care facility owner that he or she has a conviction specified in subsection (1)”
TIMELINE
4/1/2026
Chapter No. 2026-17
3/31/2026
Approved by Governor
3/30/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
3/17/2026
Ordered enrolled
3/11/2026
CS passed; YEAS 103, NAYS 9
3/11/2026
Read 3rd time
3/11/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
3/11/2026
Read 2nd time
3/10/2026
1st Reading (Engrossed 1)
3/10/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/11/2026)
3/10/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/26/2026
In Messages
2/26/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 463
2/26/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 31 NAYS 6 -SJ 457
2/26/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 457
2/26/2026
Amendment(s) adopted (786080) -SJ 457
2/26/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 457
2/23/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/26/26
2/19/2026
CS/CS/CS by Rules read 1st time
2/19/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/19/2026
Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/18/2026
CS/CS by Judiciary read 1st time
2/17/2026
CS/CS/CS by- Rules; YEAS 19 NAYS 5
2/12/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/17/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
2/12/2026
Now in Rules
2/12/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/10/2026
CS/CS by Judiciary; YEAS 10 NAYS 1
2/5/2026
On Committee agenda-- Judiciary, 02/10/26, 12:00 pm, 110 Senate Building
1/22/2026
CS by Criminal Justice read 1st time
1/22/2026
Now in Judiciary
1/21/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
1/20/2026
CS by Criminal Justice; YEAS 7 NAYS 1
1/15/2026
On Committee agenda-- Criminal Justice, 01/20/26, 3:30 pm, 37...
1/13/2026
Introduced
11/3/2025
Referred to Criminal Justice; Judiciary; Rules
10/16/2025
Filed
30 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 775.215
+611 / −1
s. 856.022
+336 / −71
s. 901.15
+98 / −0
s. 943.04351
+7 / −4
s. 947.1405
+355 / −0
s. 948.30
+366 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES
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