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SB 1446

Assault or Battery of Contractors Performing State Functions

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Stan McClain

Florida bill would have criminalized assault/battery against state contractors, but died in committee after indefinite postponement.

Died in Criminal Justice
#crimes
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Bill Summary · SB 1446

Legislative bill overview

SB 1446 would have created a specific criminal offense for assaulting or battering contractors performing state functions, potentially establishing enhanced penalties or specific legal protections for these workers. The bill was introduced in February 2025 but died in the Criminal Justice Committee after being indefinitely postponed in May 2025.

Why this is important

If passed, this bill would have expanded criminal law to protect a specific category of workers (state contractors) from physical violence. This raises questions about whether such workers need distinct legal protections compared to other citizens and whether targeted criminal statutes are the appropriate policy response to workplace safety concerns.

Potential points of contention

  • Selective protection: Whether contractors deserve enhanced legal protection compared to other workers or civilians, or whether existing assault/battery laws sufficiently address violence against any person regardless of employment status
  • Definitional scope: What constitutes "performing state functions" and whether the definition is narrow enough to prevent overreach while broad enough to be meaningful
  • Enforcement and cost: Whether creating new criminal classifications creates additional burden on courts and law enforcement compared to enforcing existing assault statutes uniformly

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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