Bill passes to expand statewide prosecutor authority for election crimes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Florida lawmakers passed a bill to expand the jurisdiction for statewide prosecutors to prosecute election crimes, sending it to Gov. Ron DeSantis for final approval.

The legislation passed 77-33 in the House and 27-12 in the Senate.

Rep. Fernandez-Barquin, R-Miami-Dade, introduced the bill.

“Our state prides itself in free, fair and secure elections. It also prides itself in law and order – and my bill is fitting in both. My bill gives the offices of the statewide prosecutor further abilities to investigate and protect our most sacred brightest citizens,” Fernandez-Barquin said.

Under Florida law, statewide prosecutors can only prosecute crimes that occur in two or more judicial circuits. The bill will allow statewide prosecutors to prosecute crimes that not only occur, but also affect, two or more statewide judicial circuits.

Fernandez-Barquin explained that if passed, the legislation would “widen the jurisdiction so there is no doubt in reference to the offices of statewide prosecutor that these cases can can be brought forward.”

Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Lee County, introduced the bill at a Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy meeting on Tuesday. When it comes to local races, Martin said districts overlap into various judicial circuits. He said it is very important that there is a consistent prosecutor policy because there are statewide races that affect multiple judicial circuits as well as federal races.

“Many times somebody can commit election fraud, they can attempt to register voters or commit ballot fraud, while physically in one specific Judicial Circuit. But, as we all know, every time we get a ballot, there’s multiple races on a ballot. You have your local races. You have your county races, sometimes your state attorney races. That’s all within one Judicial Circuit,” Martin explained.

During debate on Friday, Democrat Rep. Dianne Hart, D-Tampa, spoke out against the legislation.

“We have scared thousands of people around the state from exercising their God given right to have a voice in their government. This is a fear tactic, and it’s voter suppression, plain and simple,” she said.