In a major legislative shift, Florida lawmakers recently passed comprehensive domestic violence reform.
Officially titled the “Domestic Emergency and Batterers Reform and Accountability Act,” Senate Bill 682 (alongside its House companion HB 277) introduces sweeping changes to how police, courts, and emergency responders handle domestic disputes.
As recently highlighted in the Tampa Bay Times, this new legislation completely alters the landscape for both individuals seeking protection and those facing criminal charges.
These new laws will officially take effect on July 1, 2026.
At Fletcher + Fletcher in St. Petersburg, we believe that understanding your rights under the new law is critical. Here is our breakdown of what the bill actually means for you.
The Biggest Change: A Crackdown on Injunction Violations
For both victims seeking protection and individuals bound by a restraining order, the changes to injunction violations are monumental. The state is making it significantly easier to charge violators with felonies.
The “One Strike” Felony Rule: Previously, a person had to have two or more prior convictions for violating a protective injunction before a new violation was upgraded to a felony.
The 2026 law strikes that requirement.
Now, if you have just one prior conviction for violating an injunction (or a foreign protection order) and you violate it again, you commit a third-degree felony.
· Automatic Penalty Enhancements: The bill introduces severe penalty enhancements for any injunction violation. For example, a violation that is normally a first-degree misdemeanor will now be punished as if it were a third-degree felony. If a violation occurs during a declared state of emergency (such as a hurricane), the penalties can be enhanced even further.
· Economic Damages for Victims: If a victim suffers an injury or loss because an injunction was violated, the court issuing the injunction can now award them economic damages, which includes forcing the violator to pay the victim’s attorney’s fees
What the New Law Means if You Are Accused of Domestic Violence
For individuals facing domestic violence charges, SB 682 introduces harsher minimum penalties, but it also creates a vital new “second chance” pathway for first-time offenders.
· A New Domestic Violence Diversion Program: This is perhaps the most significant change for defense strategies. The law creates a supervised diversion program specifically for first-time offenders charged with a misdemeanor of domestic violence. To participate, the accused must admit guilt, complete a batterers’ intervention program within 9 months, and undergo a clinical assessment for mental health or substance use issues. If successfully completed, the court will dismiss the charges entirely.
· Mandatory Electronic Monitoring (You Pay): Judges will now be required to order electronic monitoring (GPS or radio frequency tracking) if there is clear evidence the defendant poses a continuing threat, if they previously violated a protection injunction, or if a lethality assessment indicates strangulation or a high level of concern. The defendant is responsible for paying the costs of this monitoring service.
· Mandatory Jail Time for Bodily Harm: If adjudicated guilty of domestic violence involving intentional bodily harm, the court must impose a minimum of 10 days in county jail for a first offense. If the violence occurs in the presence of a child under 16 who is a family or household member, that minimum jumps to 15 days.
· New Definitions of Domestic Violence: The state has expanded the legal definition of domestic violence to explicitly include modern abuse tactics, such as cyberstalking, the installation or use of tracking devices, and cruelty to animals.
What the New Law Means for Potential Victims
For individuals who are trapped in a cycle of abuse or seeking safety, the state has bolstered emergency response protocols and expanded financial resources to help victims escape.
· 911 Address Flagging: Under the new law, whenever a 911 call is placed to report domestic or dating violence, emergency systems must flag that specific address. That address will remain flagged across all emergency services (police, fire, EMS) for at least one full year, automatically alerting responders to a history of violence before they arrive.
· Mandatory Body Cameras & Lethality Assessments: To gather better evidence and prevent “he-said, she-said” dismissals, law enforcement officers must now have their body cameras turned on and recording while investigating domestic or dating violence allegations. Additionally, officers are required to administer a “lethality assessment” in cases involving intimate partners, regardless of whether they make an arrest.
· Follow-Up Wellness Checks: After a police report is filed, law enforcement officers or designated liaisons are authorized to follow up with the victim within 24 hours. If the victim does not answer three phone calls, the officer is permitted to conduct an in-person wellness check.
· Increased Relocation Assistance: Financial barriers often prevent victims from leaving. The new bill drastically increases state-provided relocation assistance, bumping the one-time payment maximum from $1,500 to $5,000, and increasing the lifetime maximum to $10,000.
Protecting Your Future in Pinellas County
Whether you are seeking a protective injunction or defending yourself against an allegation under these strict new statutes, the legal landscape in Florida is shifting fast. You need a legal team that stays ahead of the curve.
At Fletcher + Fletcher, Rick and Jenna Fletcher have the localized St. Petersburg experience needed to navigate the newly updated statutes, negotiate entry into the new diversion programs, or aggressively defend your case in court.
