Florida Senate - 2022                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. PCS (502578) for SB 524
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì350932!Î350932                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                 Comm: UNFAV           .                                
                  02/02/2022           .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————




       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
       The Committee on Ethics and Elections (Taddeo) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Between lines 1073 and 1074
    4  insert:
    5         Section 22. Subsection (3) is added to section 104.061,
    6  Florida Statutes, to read:
    7         104.061 Corruptly influencing voting.—
    8         (3)(a) Any person who, in bad faith, qualifies as a
    9  candidate for an elective office, or any person who actively
   10  assists any such candidate, for the exclusive purpose of
   11  siphoning votes from another candidate running for nomination or
   12  election to the same office commits a felony of the third
   13  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
   14  775.084.
   15         (b) Any aggrieved candidate may file a complaint with the
   16  Florida Elections Commission pursuant to s. 106.25 if he or she
   17  reasonably believes an opposing candidate has violated paragraph
   18  (a). Notwithstanding any other law, the commission, or an
   19  administrative law judge if the case is referred to the Division
   20  of Administrative Hearings pursuant to s. 106.25(5), shall
   21  assess a civil penalty of up to $10,000 against any candidate
   22  who is found to have violated paragraph (a), which shall be
   23  deposited into the General Revenue Fund.
   24  
   25  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   26  And the title is amended as follows:
   27         Delete line 80
   28  and insert:
   29         providing exceptions; amending s. 104.061, F.S.;
   30         providing a criminal penalty for any person who, in
   31         bad faith, qualifies as a candidate, or any person who
   32         actively assists any such candidate, for the exclusive
   33         purpose of siphoning votes from another candidate in
   34         the same race; authorizing an aggrieved candidate to
   35         file a complaint with the Florida Elections
   36         Commission; authorizing the imposition of civil
   37         penalties if a violation is found; amending s.
   38         104.0616, F.S.;