SB 890 Florida Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Felony Battery

Summary

Felony Battery; Revising the elements of the offense of battery by strangulation to delete creating a risk of or causing great bodily harm to another; revising the elements of the offense of domestic battery by strangulation to delete creating a risk of or causing great bodily harm to another; reclassifying the offense of battery by strangulation for the purposes of the offense severity ranking chart of the Criminal Punishment Code, etc.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Mar 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S 890 Filed → S 890 c1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill reclassifies 'battery by strangulation' from a domestic-only offense to a general felony, removing the requirement that the victim be a family member or dating partner. It also simplifies the elements of the crime by deleting the specific language about creating a 'risk of' great bodily harm, making the offense easier to prove. Finally, it updates the state's sentencing guidelines to reflect these changes.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the offense from 'domestic battery by strangulation' to 'battery by strangulation,' meaning it now applies to any person, not just those in a domestic or dating relationship.

SCOPE

Removed the requirement that the victim be a 'family or household member' or in a 'dating relationship,' making battery by strangulation a general felony applicable to anyone.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted the phrase 'creating a risk of or causing great bodily harm' from the general battery by strangulation definition, simplifying the legal elements required to prove the crime.

DEFINITION

Deleted the statutory definitions for 'family or household member' and 'dating relationship' as they are no longer needed for the general battery by strangulation charge.

ENFORCEMENT

Updated the Criminal Punishment Code chart to list 'battery by strangulation' as a Level 4 felony (3rd degree) rather than a Level 6 felony, adjusting its sentencing weight.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Jan 15, 2026

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Criminal Justice, 01/20/26, 3:30 pm, 37 Senate Building

upper

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

upper

Dec 16, 2025

Committee

Referred to Criminal Justice; Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; Fiscal Policy

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors