SB 1650 Florida Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Vexatious Litigants

Summary

Vexatious Litigants; Expanding actions subject to the Florida Vexatious Litigant Law; revising eligibility for designation as a vexatious litigant; prohibiting clerks of the court from accepting certain filings from a vexatious litigant, etc.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 10, 2025 Last action Apr 23, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

S 1650 c1 → S 1650 c2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands the Florida Vexatious Litigant Law to cover more types of civil cases, lowers the threshold for being labeled a vexatious litigant from three to five cases in seven years to five in five years, and adds new protections for defendants by allowing clerks to block filings from designated vexatious litigants and requiring automatic stays when security is demanded.

Scope change

Expanded from only certain civil actions to include all civil actions except family law matters, and added authority for clerks of court to refuse filings from vexatious litigants.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed the criteria for being designated a vexatious litigant from three cases in seven years to five or more cases in five years.

SCOPE

Expanded the law to cover all civil actions except family law matters, whereas previously it had more limited coverage of specific procedural rules.

ENFORCEMENT

Added authority for clerks of court to refuse to file new actions by vexatious litigants who have a prefiling order against them.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirements for automatic stays when security is demanded and clarified the duration of stays until specific court actions are resolved.

DEFINITION

Reorganized and clarified definitions of 'action' and 'vexatious litigant' to better align with the expanded scope and eligibility criteria.

TIMELINE

Added specific effective date of July 1, 2025 for the new provisions.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 16, 2025

How they voted

22–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 25

Apr 16, 2025

D Democratic5

4 Yea 1

80% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

17 Yea 2

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 16, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (22-0-3)

senate

Apr 16, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 22 NAYS 0

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Rules, 04/16/25, 8:30 am, 412 Knott Building

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

CS/CS by Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; YEAS 8 NAYS 0

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice, 04/10/25, 11:00 am, 37 Senate Building

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Judiciary, 03/19/25, 9:00 am, 110 Senate Building

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Introduced

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Committee

Referred to Judiciary; Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; Rules

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor