Two bills that would create an additional aggravating factor for capital felonies, potentially expanding the application of the death penalty, advanced through Senate committees this week. SB 984, sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), was passed (14-3) by the Fiscal Policy Committee on Thursday, April 17.

HB 1517, sponsored by Representative Sam Greco, (R-Palm Coast) achieved final passage in the House on April 9 by a 79-32 vote. The bill would allow parents to recover monetary damages, including medical and funeral expenses as well as payment for mental pain and suffering, from a person who is responsible for the unborn child’s death. The wrongful act could occur, for example, during a car accident, due to an incident of medical malpractice, or by other careless, neglectful actions of another.

On April 8, HB 1283, sponsored by Representative Berny Jacques (R-Clear Water), was considered by the House Judiciary Committee. The bill would make sex trafficking of children under 12 or persons who are mentally incapacitated a capital felony, which could result in a death sentence.

On April 10, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice approved SB 984, sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters (R-Miami), by a 6-2 vote. In Florida, when a person is found guilty of a capital crime, in order to recommend a sentence of death, the jury must unanimously find at least two “aggravating factors,” which are listed in the Florida Statutes. This proposed legislation would add a new aggravating factor for capital felonies when the victim was gathered with one or more people for a school activity, religious activity, or public government meeting.

This week marks the 2025 National Crime Victims' Rights Week, an annual commemoration recognizing the widespread need for victim-centered responses to harm, crime, and violence. Catholic Mobilizing Network has gathered resources to help us find solidarity with victims and survivors of crime, as well as choose life over death and healing over revenge.

On April 1, SB 1804, sponsored by Senator Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers), was heard in the Criminal Justice Committee. Later that day, companion HB 1283, sponsored by Representative Berny Jacques (R-Clear Water), was before the Justice Budget Subcommittee. These bills would make sex trafficking of children under 12 or persons who are mentally incapacitated a capital felony, which could result in a death sentence.

HB 1255, sponsored by Representative Dana Trabulsy (R-Fort Pierce), was approved by the PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee (12-1) on April 2. A provision of the bill would require health education in grades 6-12 to address human embryologic and fetal development. The curriculum must include a high-definition ultrasound video showing the development of the heart and other organs and movement of the limbs and head. It also must include a high-quality video showing and describing the process of fertilization and various stages of human development inside the uterus.

HB 653, sponsored by Representative Jeff Holcomb (R-Spring Hill), would add a new aggravating factor to the list by which capital offenders may be considered eligible to be sentenced to death. The new aggravator is that the victim was a head of state, or bystander in an attempt to kill a head of state. On Wednesday, Joe Harmon, FCCB's policy coordinator, testified in opposition to the bill before the House Judiciary Committee.