SESSION WATCH
Superseded — its companion passed HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/CS/HB 45

Sexual Offenders and Sexual Predators
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SPONSOR
Judiciary Committee; Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Plakon; Bankson
FILED BY
Rachel Plakon — District 36, Republican [search donations]
Douglas Bankson — District 39, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
COMPANION
CS/CS/CS/SB 212 — CS/CS/HB 45 was set aside and its companion carried the policy

Filed under Criminal Justice.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Sexual Offenders and Sexual Predators; Revises residency restrictions for persons convicted of certain sexual offenses occurring on or after specified date; provides applicability; revises distance required for specified offender to commit specified offense of loitering or prowling; prohibits such offender from knowingly contacting, communicating with, or approaching with intent to contact or communicate with certain children at certain locations; provides exception; requires such offender to provide notice to school or child care facility; authorizes warrantless arrest of person if law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that such person has committed specified offenses; revises requirements for search of sexual predator or sexual offender registration information by state agency or governmental subdivision before appointing or employing person to work at specified locations; revises special conditions for certain sexual offenders subject to conditional release supervision for offenses committed on or after specified date; revises conditions of probation or community control for certain sexual offenders for offenses committed on or after specified date.

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 sex offenders may not live within 1,000 feet. This restriction applies to new convictions and to offenders who move their permanent residence on or after July 1, 2026.

It makes it a crime for covered offenders to knowingly contact or approach children in parks, playgrounds, or public pools. It also requires them to notify schools or child care facilities before entering those locations.

Law enforcement officers may arrest these offenders without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe they violated the new contact or presence rules.

The bill requires state agencies to check sex offender registration records before hiring or appointing anyone to work at public pools or child care facilities.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Residency restriction expanded to public swimming pools majors. 775.215(4)(a)

AISexual offenders convicted of specified offenses against victims under 16 may not live within 1,000 feet of a public swimming pool, in addition to schools, parks, and playgrounds.

“may not reside within 1,000 feet of any school, child care facility, park, playground, or public swimming pool” bill text, line 83 →
§ 2 Loitering distance increased from 300 to 500 feet majors. 856.022(3)

AIThe distance at which a registered sexual offender commits loitering or prowling near children increases from 300 feet to 500 feet.

“he or she was within 500 feet of a place where children were congregating”
§ 3 New prohibition on contacting children in parks and pools majors. 856.022(4)(a)

AIRegistered sexual offenders may not knowingly contact, communicate with, or approach with intent to contact a child under 18 in any park, playground, or public swimming pool.

“knowingly contact, communicate with, or approach with the intent to contact or communicate with a child under 18 years of age in any park building or on real property comprising”
§ 4 Warrantless arrest authority for new offenses majors. 901.15(9)(h)

AILaw enforcement officers may arrest without a warrant anyone they have probable cause to believe 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 225 →
§ 5 Background check required for public swimming pool employment moderates. 943.04351

AIState agencies and governmental subdivisions must search sexual offender registration records before appointing or employing anyone to work at a public swimming pool or child care facility.

“before making any decision to appoint or employ a person to work, whether for compensation or as a volunteer, at any park, playground, public swimming pool, child care facility” bill text, line 246 →
§ 6 Conditional release conditions for new offenses moderates. 947.1405(15)

AIReleasees convicted of specified sexual offenses against victims under 18 committed on or after July 1, 2026, must be prohibited from living within 1,000 feet of a public swimming pool and from working there.

“the commission must impose the following conditions: (a) A prohibition on living within 1,000 feet of any public swimming pool” bill text, line 271 →
§ 7 Probation and community control conditions for new offenses moderates. 948.30(6)

AICourts must impose conditions prohibiting probationers and community controllees convicted of specified sexual offenses against victims under 18 committed on or after July 1, 2026, from living within 1,000 feet of a public swimming pool and from working there.

“the court must impose the following conditions: (a) A prohibition on living within 1,000 feet of any public swimming pool” bill text, line 316 →
§ 8 School presence notification requirements moderates. 856.022(4)(b)

AIRegistered sexual offenders must provide written notification to schools or child care facilities of their conviction and intent to be present, notify upon arrival and departure, and remain under direct supervision.

“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
3/11/2026
Laid on Table; Companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/CS/SB 212 (Ch. 2026-17 )
2/25/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/25/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/24/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 2)
2/24/2026
CS Filed
2/24/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
2/24/2026
Reported out of Judiciary Committee
2/24/2026
Favorable with CS by Judiciary Committee
2/20/2026
PCS added to Judiciary Committee agenda
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
11/7/2025
Now in Judiciary Committee
11/7/2025
Referred to Judiciary Committee
11/6/2025
CS Filed
11/6/2025
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
11/6/2025
Reported out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee
11/5/2025
Favorable with CS by Criminal Justice Subcommittee
10/29/2025
Added to Criminal Justice Subcommittee agenda
10/7/2025
Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
10/7/2025
Referred to Judiciary Committee
10/7/2025
Referred to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
10/7/2025
Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee
9/25/2025
Filed
17 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 775.215
+610 / −1
s. 856.022
+310 / −67
s. 901.15
+97 / −0
s. 943.04351
+6 / −3
s. 947.1405
+353 / −0
s. 948.30
+364 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES