HB 781 Florida House · 2025 Regular Session

Cyberintimidation by Publication

Summary

Cyberintimidation by Publication; Requires that specified information has been electronically published without consent in order to constitute violation; removes requirement that an offender intend that person be placed in reasonable fear of bodily harm when making threat or harassing person; increases criminal penalty for violation; creates civil cause of action; requires clear & convincing standard of evidence in such actions.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 19, 2025 Last action Jun 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

H 781 Filed → H 781 c1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill amends Florida's cyberintimidation law to require that personal information be published without consent before it constitutes a violation, removes the requirement that a threat must place someone in reasonable fear of bodily harm, and changes the effective date from July 1, 2025 to October 1, 2025. These changes broaden the scope of prohibited conduct by removing the fear requirement and adding a consent element, while also delaying implementation.

Scope change

The bill now requires that personal information be published without consent to constitute a violation, and removes the requirement that threats must place victims in reasonable fear of bodily harm, making the statute easier to enforce in cases where fear cannot be proven.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that personal information must be published without consent to constitute a violation

Removed requirement that threats must place victim in reasonable fear of bodily harm

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from July 1, 2025 to October 1, 2025

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Added to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee agenda

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Now in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Committee

Referred to Judiciary Committee

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Committee

Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with CS by Criminal Justice Subcommittee

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

PCS added to Criminal Justice Subcommittee agenda

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to Judiciary Committee

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee

lower

2 primary · 6 co-sponsors