Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0263 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	HB 263 2025
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb263-00
9	9	Page 1 of 4
10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
11	11
12	12
13	13
14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to animal cruelty; amending s. 828.12, 2
16	16	F.S.; prohibiting a person from confining an animal in 3
17	17	an unattended motor vehicle under certain 4
18	18	circumstances; providing a criminal penalty; making 5
19	19	technical changes; providing an effective date. 6
20	20	7
21	21	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
22	22	9
23	23	Section 1. Section 828.12, Florida Statutes, is reordered 10
24	24	and amended to read: 11
25	25	828.12 Cruelty to animals.— 12
26	26	(1) ANIMAL CRUELTY.—A person who does any of the following 13
27	27	commits animal cruelty, a misdemeanor of the first degree, 14
28	28	punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more 15
29	29	than $5,000, or both: 16
30	30	(a) Unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments, 17
31	31	deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, or unnecessarily 18
32	32	mutilates, or kills any animal, or causes the same to be done, 19
33	33	or carries in or upon any vehicle , or otherwise, any animal in a 20
34	34	cruel or inhumane manner . 21
35	35	(b) Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly confines an 22
36	36	animal in an unattended motor vehicle under conditions that 23
37	37	endanger the health or well -being of the animal due to the 24
38	38	animal being exposed to temperatures so high or so low that a 25
39	39
40	40	HB 263 2025
41	41
42	42
43	43
44	44	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
45	45	hb263-00
46	46	Page 2 of 4
47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	person could reasonably expect the animal to experience 26
52	52	suffering, disability, or death , commits animal cruelty, a 27
53	53	misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 28
54	54	775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both . 29
55	55	(2) AGGRAVATED ANIMAL CRUELTY. —A person who intentionally 30
56	56	commits an act to any animal, or a person who owns or has the 31
57	57	custody or control of any animal and fails to act, which results 32
58	58	in the cruel death, or excessive or repeated infliction of 33
59	59	unnecessary pain or suffering, or causes the same to be done, 34
60	60	commits aggravated animal cruelty, a felony of the third degree, 35
61	61	punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more 36
62	62	than $10,000, or both. 37
63	63	(a) A person convicted of a violation of this subsection, 38
64	64	where the finder of fact determines that the violatio n includes 39
65	65	the knowing and intentional torture or torment of an animal 40
66	66	which that injures, mutilates, or kills the animal, must shall 41
67	67	be ordered to pay a minimum mandatory fine of $2,500 and undergo 42
68	68	psychological counseling or complete an anger management 43
69	69	treatment program. 44
70	70	(b) A person convicted of a second or subsequent violation 45
71	71	of this subsection must shall be required to pay a minimum 46
72	72	mandatory fine of $5,000 and serve a minimum mandatory period of 47
73	73	incarceration of 6 months. In addition, the person s hall be 48
74	74	released only upon expiration of sentence, is not eligible for 49
75	75	parole, control release, or any form of early release, and must 50
76	76
77	77	HB 263 2025
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
82	82	hb263-00
83	83	Page 3 of 4
84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88	serve 100 percent of the court -imposed sentence. Any plea of 51
89	89	nolo contendere is shall be considered a conviction for purp oses 52
90	90	of this subsection. 53
91	91	(5)(3) SEPARATE OFFENSES.—A person who commits multiple 54
92	92	acts of animal cruelty or aggravated animal cruelty against an 55
93	93	animal may be charged with a separate offense for each such act. 56
94	94	A person who commits animal cruelty or aggrav ated animal cruelty 57
95	95	against more than one animal may be charged with a separate 58
96	96	offense for each animal such cruelty was committed upon. 59
97	97	(4) VETERINARIANS.—A veterinarian licensed to practice in 60
98	98	the state shall be held harmless from either criminal or ci vil 61
99	99	liability for any decisions made or services rendered under the 62
100	100	provisions of this section. Such a veterinarian is, therefore, 63
101	101	under this subsection , immune from a lawsuit for his or her part 64
102	102	in an investigation of cruelty to animals. 65
103	103	(3)(5) AGGRAVATED ANIMAL CRUELTY OF A HORSE. —A person who 66
104	104	intentionally trips, fells, ropes, or lassos the legs of a horse 67
105	105	by any means for the purpose of entertainment or sport commits 68
106	106	aggravated animal cruelty, a felony of the third degree, 69
107	107	punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 70
108	108	As used in this subsection, the term "trip" means any act that 71
109	109	consists of the use of any wire, pole, stick, rope, or other 72
110	110	apparatus to cause a horse to fall or lose its balance, and the 73
111	111	term "horse" means any animal o f any registered breed of the 74
112	112	genus Equus, or any recognized hybrid thereof. This subsection 75
113	113
114	114	HB 263 2025
115	115
116	116
117	117
118	118	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
119	119	hb263-00
120	120	Page 4 of 4
121	121	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
122	122
123	123
124	124
125	125	does not apply when tripping is used: 76
126	126	(a) To control a horse that is posing an immediate threat 77
127	127	to other livestock or human beings; 78
128	128	(b) For the purpose of identifying ownership of the horse 79
129	129	when its ownership is unknown; or 80
130	130	(c) For the purpose of administering veterinary care to 81
131	131	the horse. 82
132	132	(6) ADDITIONAL PENALTIES. —In addition to other penalties 83
133	133	prescribed by law, a person who is convicted of violating a 84
134	134	violation of this section may be prohibited by the court from 85
135	135	owning, possessing, keeping, harboring, or having custody or 86
136	136	control over any animal for a period of time determined by the 87
137	137	court. 88
138	138	Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2025. 89