Florida legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Florida H295: Prosecuting Children as Adults
Status: Failed, January 7, 2026
Prohibits jail or other adult facility from holding child transferred to adult court for criminal prosecution before hearing to determine if child should be prosecuted as adult, unless hearing waived; removes requirement for state attorney to request court to transfer & certify child for prosecution as adult or to provide written reasons for not making such request; removes references to state attorney's discretion to direct file juvenile; revises discretionary direct file criteria; provides for due process evidentiary hearing before judge upon filing by state attorney of information transferring child to adult court; provides for continued jurisdiction of adult court with regard to child unless court makes specified finding; provides requirements for order to transfer child to adult court; provides for immediate appellate review of order.
What the bill says
An act relating to prosecuting children as adults; amending s. 985.265, F.S.; prohibiting a jail or other facility intended or used for the detention of adults from holding a child who has been transferred to adult court for criminal prosecution before a specified hearing is held to determine if the child should be prosecuted as an adult, unless the child waives his or her right to such hearing; amending s. 985.556, F.S.…
From the introduced text, November 3, 2025:
A bill to be entitled An act relating to prosecuting children as adults; amending s. 985.265, F.S.; prohibiting a jail or other facility intended or used for the detention of adults from holding a child who has been transferred to adult court for criminal prosecution before a specified hearing is held to determine if the child should be prosecuted as an adult, unless the child waives his or her right to such hearing; amending s. 985.556, F.S.; deleting provisions requiring a state attorney to request a court to transfer and certify a child for prosecution as an adult or to provide written reasons to the court for not making such request, or to proceed under a specified provision; amending s. 985.557, F.S.; deleting references to the state attorney's discretion to direct file a juvenile; revising discretionary direct file criteria; requiring a court to advise a child and his or her parent or legal guardian of the child's right to a due process evidentiary hearing before a judge upon the filing by a state attorney of an information transferring the child to adult court; requiring that the child or the child's parent or legal guardian be afforded such hearing; requiring the judge to conduct the hearing within a certain timeframe; requiring the judge to words underlined are additions. hb295-00 FLORIDAHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES HB …
Sponsors
- Hart-Lowman, Ms Dee (D, HD-063) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Withdrawn prior to introduction
- : Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
- : Referred to Judiciary Committee
- : Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee
- : Filed
Common questions
- What is H295?
- H295 is a bill in the Florida Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Prosecuting Children as Adults.
- What does H295 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to prosecuting children as adults; amending s. 985.265, F.S.; prohibiting a jail or other facility intended or used for the detention of adults from holding a child who has been transferred to adult court for criminal prosecution before a specified hearing is held to determine if the child should be prosecuted as an adult, unless the child waives his or her right to such hearing; amending s. 985.556, F.S.…
- What is the status of H295?
- Failed as of January 7, 2026. Latest action: Withdrawn prior to introduction (January 7, 2026).
- Who sponsored H295?
- Hart-Lowman, Ms Dee (D, HD-063).
- Where is the official record for H295?
- On the Florida Legislature website: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/295
Source: official Florida record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.