Kathleen Passidomo
President of the Senate
THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
Paul Renner
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
March 5, 2024
The Honorable Paul Renner
Speaker, House of Representatives
The Honorable Kathleen Passidomo
President of the Senate
Dear Mr. Speaker and Madam President:
Your Conference Committee on the disagreeing votes of the two houses on HB 5401, same
being:
An act relating to Judges .
having met, and after full and free conference, do recommend to their respective houses as
follows:
1. That the Senate recede from its Amendment 921790.
2. That the Senate and House of Representatives adopt the Conference Committee
Amendment attached hereto, and by reference made a part of this report.
The Honorable Paul Renner
The Honorable Kathleen Passidomo
March 5, 2024
Page 2
HB 5401
Representative Thomas J. Leek, Chair Representative Robert Charles Brannan III, Chair
Representative Thad Altman, At-Large Representative Robert Alexander Andrade, At-
Large
Representative Mike Beltran Representative Christopher Benjamin, At-Large
Representative Demi Busatta Cabrera, At-Large Representative Jennifer Canady, At-Large
Representative Kevin D. Chambliss, At-Large Representative Charles Wesley Clemons, Sr., At-
Large
Representative Fentrice Driskell, At-Large Representative Tom Fabricio
Representative Randy Fine, At-Large Representative Sam Garrison, At-Large
Representative Michael Gottlieb, At-Large Representative Michael Grant, At-Large
Representative Tommy Gregory, At-Large Representative Dianne Hart
Representative Jeff Holcomb Representative Christine Hunschofsky, At-Large
Representative Berny Jacques Representative Ralph E. Massullo, MD, At-Large
Representative Stan McClain, At-Large Representative Lawrence McClure, At-Large
Representative Bobby Payne, At-Large Representative Daniel Perez, At-Large
Representative Mike Redondo Representative Felicia Simone Robinson, At-Large
Representative Bob Rommel, At-Large Representative Jason Shoaf, At-Large
Representative Kelly Skidmore, At-Large Representative David Smith
Representative John Snyder Representative Paula A. Stark
Representative Cyndi Stevenson, At-Large Representative Josie Tomkow, At-Large
Representative Susan L. Valdés, At-Large Representative Katherine Waldron The Honorable Paul Renner
The Honorable Kathleen Passidomo
March 5, 2024
Page 3
HB 5401
Representative Patricia H. Williams, At-Large Representative Marie Paule Woodson, At-Large
Managers on the part of the House of Representatives
The Honorable Paul Renner
The Honorable Kathleen Passidomo
March 5, 2024
Page 4
HB 5401
Senator Doug Broxson, Chair Senator Ben Albritton, At-Large
Senator Bryan Avila Senator Dennis Baxley, At-Large
Senator Lori Berman Senator Lauren Book, At-Large
Senator Jim Boyd Senator Jennifer Bradley
Senator Jason Brodeur Senator Danny Burgess
Senator Colleen Burton Senator Alexis Calatayud
Senator Jay Collins Senator Tracie Davis
Senator Nick DiCeglie Senator Ileana Garcia
Senator Erin Grall Senator Joe Gruters
Senator Gayle Harrell Senator Ed Hooper
Senator Travis Hutson, At-Large Senator Shevrin D. Jones
Senator Jonathan Martin Senator Debbie Mayfield, At-Large
Senator Rosalind Osgood Senator Keith Perry, At-Large
Senator Jason W. B. Pizzo Senator Tina Scott Polsky
Senator Bobby Powell Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez
Senator Darryl Ervin Rouson, At-Large Senator Corey Simon
Senator Linda Stewart Senator Geraldine F. Thompson
Senator Victor M. Torres Senator Jay Trumbull
Senator Tom A. Wright Senator Clay Yarborough
Conferees on the part of the Senate
The Honorable Paul Renner
The Honorable Kathleen Passidomo
March 5, 2024
Page 5
HB 5401
SUMMARY OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ACTION
The Conference Committee Amendment for HB 5401, relating to Judges, amends s. 26.031, F.S.,
and s. 34.022, F.S., to establish two new circuit court judgeships (one in the First Judicial Circuit
and one in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit) and seven new county court judgeships (three in
Orange County, two in Hillsborough County, one in Santa Rosa County, and one in Columbia
County).
The Supreme Court issued Order No. SC2023- 1586, dated November 30, 2023, certifying the
need for one additional circuit court judge (Twentieth Circuit) and five additional county court
judges (three in Orange County and two in Hillsborough County).
The amendment conforms to HB 5001, the Fiscal Year 2024 -2025 General Appropriations Act,
which includes $3,749,038 in General Revenue funding, and authorizes twenty full-time
equivalent positions with associated salary rate of 2,219,713, for the newly established
judgeships and associated judicial assistants and attorney staffing.
The amendment is effective July 1, 2024.