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HB 1029

Crimes Evidencing Prejudice

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Gottlieb

Florida bill proposing enhanced criminal penalties for offenses motivated by prejudice died in committee without floor consideration in 2025.

Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
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Bill Summary · HB 1029

Legislative bill overview

HB 1029 would have created a new criminal category for "crimes evidencing prejudice" in Florida law, establishing enhanced penalties or separate charges for offenses motivated by bias against protected characteristics. The bill was referred to criminal justice and budget subcommittees in March 2025 but died in committee without advancing to a full floor vote.

Why is this important

Hate crime legislation significantly affects sentencing outcomes and criminal records, with potential consequences for defendants' lives and communities' safety priorities. The framework also raises questions about how prosecutors prove subjective motivation and whether current anti-discrimination laws already address similar conduct.

Potential points of contention

  • Evidentiary burden: Determining whether a crime was "motivated by prejudice" requires proving subjective intent, which is inherently difficult and may lead to inconsistent application across different prosecutors and jurisdictions
  • Scope definition: The bill's specific protected categories and how broadly "prejudice" is defined would determine whether it covers traditional hate crime categories (race, religion, sexual orientation) or expands significantly
  • Double punishment concerns: Critics may argue enhanced penalties for motivation-based crimes constitute punishing thoughts or beliefs rather than just the criminal act itself

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

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