SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/SB 32

Injunctions for Protection
Send via email
SPONSOR
Criminal Justice; Sharief
FILED BY
Barbara Sharief — District 35, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Messages

Filed under Criminal Justice.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Injunctions for Protection; Defining the terms “serious violence by a known person” and “serious bodily injury”; creating a cause of action for an injunction for protection in cases of serious violence by a known person; prohibiting the clerk of the court from assessing a fee for the filing of such injunction for protection; requiring the clerk of the court to electronically transmit copies of specified documents within a certain timeframe after a court issues such injunction for protection; requiring law enforcement officers to accept a certified copy of such injunction for protection from the petitioner and immediately serve it upon a respondent, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Creates new injunction for serious violence by known persons.

Victims of serious violence by a known person can now seek a court injunction. This expands protection beyond existing categories like domestic or dating violence.

Courts must issue these injunctions without charging a filing fee. This removes a financial barrier for people seeking legal protection.

Law enforcement officers must accept and immediately serve certified copies of these new injunctions. This ensures rapid enforcement of court orders.

A statewide verification system will electronically transmit information about these injunctions to criminal justice agencies. This allows quick access to protection status.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 New Injunction Category majors. 784.046(2)

AICreates a new cause of action for an injunction for protection against serious violence by a known person, expanding the types of violence covered under the statute.

“there is created a separate cause of action for an injunction for protection in cases of serious violence by a known person” bill text, line 118 →
§ 2 Definition of Serious Violence majors. 784.046(1)(c)

AIDefines serious violence by a known person as an act of violence between known individuals that causes serious bodily injury, establishing the threshold for the new injunction type.

“"Serious violence by a known person" means an act of violence between individuals who are known to one another, when such violence causes serious bodily injury” bill text, line 110 →
§ 3 No Filing Fee moderates. 784.046(3)(b)

AIProhibits the clerk of the court from assessing a fee for filing a petition for protection against serious violence by a known person, removing a financial barrier for victims.

“the clerk of the court may not assess a fee for filing a petition for protection against repeat violence, sexual violence, or dating violence, or serious violence by a known person” bill text, line 177 →
§ 4 Law Enforcement Service Duty moderates. 784.046(8)(a)

AIRequires law enforcement officers to accept a certified copy of the injunction from the petitioner and immediately serve it upon a respondent who has been located but not yet served.

“A law enforcement officer must accept a copy of an injunction for protection against repeat violence, sexual violence, or dating violence, or serious violence by a known person,” bill text, line 383 →
§ 5 Statewide Verification System moderates. 784.046(8)(b)

AICreates a statewide verification system within the Department of Law Enforcement to electronically transmit information about serious violence by a known person injunctions to criminal justice agencies.

“A Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Violence, Repeat Violence, and Serious Violence by a Known Person Injunction Statewide Verification System is created”
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Messages
2/19/2026
In Messages
2/19/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 356
2/19/2026
CS passed; YEAS 38 NAYS 0 -SJ 341
2/19/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 341
2/19/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 341
2/17/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/19/26
2/12/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/12/2026
Favorable by- Fiscal Policy; YEAS 19 NAYS 0
2/9/2026
On Committee agenda-- Fiscal Policy, 02/12/26, 9:00 am, 110 Senate Building
1/21/2026
Now in Fiscal Policy
1/21/2026
Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil...
1/16/2026
On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Criminal and...
1/13/2026
CS by Criminal Justice read 1st time
1/13/2026
Introduced
11/20/2025
Now in Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
11/19/2025
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
11/18/2025
CS by Criminal Justice; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
11/10/2025
On Committee agenda-- Criminal Justice, 11/18/25, 10:00 am, 37...
10/6/2025
Referred to Criminal Justice; Appropriations Committee on Criminal...
9/8/2025
Filed
15 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 784.046
+423 / −49
s. 44.407
+10 / −1
s. 61.13
+2 / −2
s. 61.1825
+10 / −1
s. 394.4597
+8 / −1
s. 394.4598
+8 / −1
STAFF ANALYSES
2 MORE →