Crimes Evidencing Prejudice

A bill about crimes that prove prejudice in Florida.

• Prejudice: When someone assumes things, usually bad things, about a person or group based on who they are.

This Bill: 

• Changes part of the Florida Statute about changing punishments for crimes, to include acts based on the gender or gender identity of any person

  • Florida Statutes: A set of laws that everyone in Florida has to follow.

• Says the change must happen if the crime was based partly or totally on the person’s gender, race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, the country they are from, whether they are homeless, “advanced age”, or their gender identity.

  • Ancestry: Where someone’s family comes from.

  • Ethnicity: Someone’s cultural background, which can include things like language and ancestry.

  • Sexual Orientation: The gender(s) a person is attracted to.

  • Advanced age: older than 65

  • Gender identity: a person's gender-related identity, look, or behavior, regardless of whether it is different from what is usually associated with the person's body or the sex they were said to be at birth.

• Defines and changes definitions of important words, including:

  • ”Disability”: a “physical, psychological, or intellectual impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities.” This means they have a physical, mental, or learning challenge that really limits them doing the things they need to do each day.

• Changes another part of the Florida Statutes to replace the term "mental or physical disability" with the term "disability"

• Says changing the punishment of a certain crime must happen if the crime was based partly or totally on a person having a disability.

• Makes the Governor collect and share more information. The governor is the leader of the state.

  • Through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the governor will gather and share info on crimes motivated by prejudice based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, color, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or the country a person is from. 

    • Florida Department of Law Enforcement: A state office that supports police departments, looks into crimes, and makes sure people are following the law.

  • All police departments need to share every month with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement about these crimes, following their rules. 

  • The department will put this info together and share it when they are asked for it with any local police, local government office, or state office.