17 March 2025 :
March 13, 2025 - Florida. House Committee passes new aggravating factors
HB 693
Proposal to expand death penalty in Florida now goes to Florida House floor----A number of additional elements justifying execution are before the Legislature.
A bill that would add another crime category for a jury to consider when administering the death penalty has passed its second committee in the Florida House and will soon go before the entire chamber for a floor vote.
The Judiciary Committee on Thursday passed the proposal (HB 693), filed by Republican Rep. Mike Redondo, that would provide an additional aggravating factor for sentencing for capital felonies — that the victim was gathered with one or more persons for a school activity, religious activity, or public government meeting.
It is just one of several bills filed for the 2025 legislative session that would expand who could be eligible for execution if found guilty. Others include capital felonies committed against a president, foreign head of state, or governor of Florida or any other state (HB 653/SB 776), and persons convicted of human trafficking of children & mentally incapacitated persons for sex (HB 1283/SB 1804).
The Legislature voted during a special session earlier this year to mandate the death penalty for “unauthorized aliens” if found guilty of a capital offense, such as murder or rape of a minor.
