New Penalties for Illegal Occupancy of Homes

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently passed_both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Signed.

Last action

Ordered enrolledMar 6, 2026

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

Property owners and landlords gain a specific legal mechanism to address unauthorized occupancy, while individuals face new criminal penalties for entering and occupying residential units under false pretenses.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Residential property owners

They gain a new legal basis to terminate rental agreements when fraudulent entry occurs.

Residential tenants

They are subject to potential lease termination if they engage in fraudulent entry of a dwelling.

What changed

Current stage: passed_both.

What's next

Signed.

Summary

This bill creates a new criminal offense for individuals who enter and take possession of a residential home without legal authority. It also allows landlords to immediately terminate a rental agreement if a tenant or occupant engages in this fraudulent entry.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

Property owners and landlords gain a specific legal mechanism to address unauthorized occupancy, while individuals face new criminal penalties for entering and occupying residential units under false pretenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What constitutes 'fraudulent entry' under this bill?

The bill defines it as entering into and taking possession of a under specified circumstances.

Can a landlord evict someone for this behavior?

Yes, the bill provides that such entry is an act of , which allows a landlord to terminate the rental agreement.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededupper3/6/2026openstates_bulkOfficial roll call ↗

Third Reading

Total

39

Yes

34

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

How they voted (39)

+ 15 more

Motion succeededlower2/11/2026openstates_bulkOfficial roll call ↗

Passage, Third Reading

Total

117

Yes

110

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

7

Abstain

0

How they voted (117)

+ 93 more

Full roll-call analysis →

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Expansion of Landlord Remedies

The bill links criminal behavior directly to civil lease termination, streamlining the process for landlords to address unauthorized occupancy.

HB 1293

Connected Entities

otherFlorida Statutes Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance80
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy65
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz40
Current news / social attention level