Florida legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Florida H559: Animal Welfare
Status: Chaptered, May 13, 2026
Creating the offense of causing or enticing a minor to commit, or in the presence of a minor committing, animal cruelty; requiring a court to order a minor who commits specified acts of animal cruelty to undergo a psychological evaluation and receive counseling and treatment for a specified time period; requiring the minor's parent or guardian or the state to pay the cost of such evaluation, counseling, and treatment; providing an exception; authorizing the court to hold the parent or guardian in contempt under certain circumstances; requiring the Department of Law Enforcement to post on its website specified information relating to each individual convicted of specified animal cruelty offenses; specifying time periods for which the information shall be posted; requiring the department to develop a procedure to allow a person to petition for the removal of his or her information under specified circumstances; requiring the department to remove specified information under specified circumstances; specifying the time period within which such information must be removed; authorizing the department to adopt rules; requiring clerks of court and county detention facilities to provide the Department of Law Enforcement with specified information, data, and images; creating the offense of causing or enticing a minor to commit, or in the presence of a minor committing, fighting or baiting animals; creating the offense of causing or enticing a minor to commit, or in the presence of a minor committing, sexual activities involving animals; increasing the maximum civil penalty for specified violations of ordinances relating to animal control or cruelty; increasing the level on the offense severity ranking chart for fighting or baiting animals; ranking offenses created by the act on the offense severity ranking chart, etc.
What the bill says
An act relating to animal welfare; amending s. 828.12, 3 F.S.; creating the offense of causing or enticing a 4 minor to commit, or in the presence of a minor 5 committing, animal cruelty; requiring a court to order 6 a minor who commits specified acts of animal cruelty 7 to undergo a psychological evaluation and receive 8 counseling and treatment for a specified time period; requiring the minor's parent or guardian or the state 10 to pay the cost of such evaluation, counseling, and 11 treatment; providing an exception…
From the enrolled text, March 4, 2026:
An act relating to animal welfare; amending s. 828.12, 3 F.S.; creating the offense of causing or enticing a 4 minor to commit, or in the presence of a minor 5 committing, animal cruelty; requiring a court to order 6 a minor who commits specified acts of animal cruelty 7 to undergo a psychological evaluation and receive 8 counseling and treatment for a specified time period; requiring the minor's parent or guardian or the state 10 to pay the cost of such evaluation, counseling, and 11 treatment; providing an exception; authorizing the 12 court to hold the parent or guardian in contempt under 13 certain circumstances; requiring the Department of Law 14 Enforcement to post on its website specified 15 information relating to each individual convicted of 16 specified animal cruelty offenses; specifying time 17 periods for which the information shall be posted; requiring the department to develop a procedure to 19 allow a person to petition for the removal of his or 20 her information under specified circumstances; requiring the department to remove specified 22 information under specified circumstances; specifying 23 the time period within which such information must be 24 removed; authorizing the department to adopt rules; requiring clerks of court and county detention words underlined are additions. hb559 -01-er FLORIDAHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES CS/HB 559 2026 Legislature 26 facilities to …
Sponsors
- Chaney, Linda (R, HD-061) · primary sponsor
- López, Johanna (D, HD-043) · primary sponsor
- Bartleman, Robin (D, HD-103)
- Basabe, Fabián (R, HD-106)
- Cross, Lindsay (D, HD-060)
- Hunschofsky, Christine (D, HD-095)
- Mooney, Jim (R, HD-120)
- Plasencia (R, 37)
- Plasencia, Susan (R, HD-037)
- Valdés, Susan (R, HD-064)
- Weinberger, Meg (R, HD-094)
Latest actions
- : Chapter No. 2026-78; Companion bill(s) passed, see CS/SB 1004 (Ch. 2026-76)
- : Approved by Governor
- : Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
- : Ordered enrolled
- : In Messages
- : CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 548
- : Read 3rd time -SJ 548
- : Read 2nd time -SJ 547
- : Substituted for CS/SB 676 -SJ 547
- : Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
Votes
- Senate: H 559 c1 (March 4, 2026): 37 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House: H 559 c1 (February 25, 2026): 114 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House: Judiciary Committee (February 17, 2026): 19 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House: Judiciary Committee (February 17, 2026): 19 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House: Criminal Justice Subcommittee (February 5, 2026): 15 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House: Criminal Justice Subcommittee (February 5, 2026): 15 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Rules
Common questions
- What is H559?
- H559 is a bill in the Florida Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Animal Welfare.
- What does H559 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to animal welfare; amending s. 828.12, 3 F.S.; creating the offense of causing or enticing a 4 minor to commit, or in the presence of a minor 5 committing, animal cruelty; requiring a court to order 6 a minor who commits specified acts of animal cruelty 7 to undergo a psychological evaluation and receive 8 counseling and treatment for a specified time period; requiring the minor's parent or guardian or the state 10 to pay the cost of such evaluation, counseling, and 11 treatment; providing an exception…
- What is the status of H559?
- Chaptered as of May 13, 2026. Latest action: Chapter No. 2026-78; Companion bill(s) passed, see CS/SB 1004 (Ch. 2026-76) (May 13, 2026).
- Who sponsored H559?
- Chaney, Linda (R, HD-061), with 10 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for H559?
- On the Florida Legislature website: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/559
Source: official Florida record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.