Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 620
By the Committee on Rules; and Senator Mayfield
595-03378-26 2026620c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to candidate qualifying; amending s.
3 99.021, F.S.; requiring a candidate for federal office
4 to state in writing whether he or she intends to trade
5 or has traded stock while serving in federal office;
6 amending ss. 99.061 and 105.031, F.S.; requiring
7 certain candidates to provide the filing officer a
8 statement disclosing dual citizenship for nomination
9 and election to federal, state, county, multicounty,
10 district, or judicial office or to a district school
11 board; reenacting s. 99.012(1)(b), F.S., relating to
12 definition of the term “qualifying,” to incorporate
13 the amendments made to ss. 99.061 and 105.031, F.S.,
14 in references thereto; requiring candidates for
15 representative to Congress seeking ballot position by
16 petition to obtain a specified percentage of
17 signatures to qualify for such office; authorizing the
18 obtainment of signatures from any registered voters in
19 this state; specifying petition requirements;
20 requiring candidates to file qualification paperwork
21 with and pay a qualifying fee to the Department of
22 State within a specified timeframe; specifying that
23 requirements and procedures relating to qualifying for
24 office must conform to specified provisions; providing
25 effective dates.
26
27 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29 Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
30 99.021, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
31 99.021 Form of candidate oath.—
32 (1)
33 (d)1. In addition, each candidate, whether a party
34 candidate, a candidate with no party affiliation, or a write-in
35 candidate, shall, at the time of subscribing to the oath or
36 affirmation, state in writing whether he or she owes any
37 outstanding fines, fees, or penalties that cumulatively exceed
38 $250 for any violations of s. 8, Art. II of the State
39 Constitution; the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and
40 Employees under part III of chapter 112; any local ethics
41 ordinance governing standards of conduct and disclosure
42 requirements; or chapter 106. If the candidate owes any
43 outstanding fines, fees, or penalties exceeding the threshold
44 amount specified in this paragraph, he or she must also specify
45 the amount owed and each entity that levied such fine, fee, or
46 penalty. For purposes of this paragraph, any such fines, fees,
47 or penalties that have been paid in full at the time of
48 subscribing to the oath or affirmation are not deemed to be
49 outstanding.
50 2. In addition, each candidate seeking federal office,
51 whether a party candidate, a candidate with no party
52 affiliation, or a write-in candidate, shall, at the time of
53 subscribing to the oath or affirmation, state in writing whether
54 he or she intends to trade stocks if elected and, if he or she
55 previously held federal office, state in writing whether he or
56 she traded stocks while in such office.
57 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (7) of section
58 99.061, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
59 99.061 Method of qualifying for nomination or election to
60 federal, state, county, or district office.—
61 (7)(a) In order for a candidate to be qualified, the
62 following items must be received by the filing officer by the
63 end of the qualifying period:
64 1. A properly executed check drawn upon the candidate’s
65 campaign account payable to the person or entity as prescribed
66 by the filing officer in an amount not less than the fee
67 required by s. 99.092, unless the candidate obtained the
68 required number of signatures on petitions pursuant to s.
69 99.095. The filing fee for a special district candidate is not
70 required to be drawn upon the candidate’s campaign account. If a
71 candidate’s check is returned by the bank for any reason, the
72 filing officer shall immediately notify the candidate and the
73 candidate shall have until the end of qualifying to pay the fee
74 with a cashier’s check purchased from funds of the campaign
75 account. Failure to pay the fee as provided in this subparagraph
76 shall disqualify the candidate.
77 2. The candidate’s oath required by s. 99.021, which must
78 contain the name of the candidate as it is to appear on the
79 ballot; the office sought, including the district or group
80 number if applicable; and the signature of the candidate, which
81 must be verified under oath or affirmation pursuant to s.
82 92.525(1)(a).
83 3. If the office sought is partisan, the written statement
84 of political party affiliation required by s. 99.021(1)(b); or
85 if the candidate is running without party affiliation for a
86 partisan office, the written statement required by s.
87 99.021(1)(c).
88 4. The completed form for the appointment of campaign
89 treasurer and designation of campaign depository, as required by
90 s. 106.021.
91 5. The full and public disclosure or statement of financial
92 interests required by subsection (5). A public officer who has
93 filed the full and public disclosure or statement of financial
94 interests with the Commission on Ethics before qualifying for
95 office may file a copy of that disclosure or a verification or
96 receipt of electronic filing as provided in subsection (5) at
97 the time of qualifying.
98 6. If the candidate is a citizen of another country in
99 addition to being a citizen of the United States, a statement
100 disclosing any other country the candidate is also a citizen of.
101 Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
102 105.031, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
103 105.031 Qualification; filing fee; candidate’s oath; items
104 required to be filed.—
105 (5) ITEMS REQUIRED TO BE FILED.—
106 (a) In order for a candidate for judicial office or the
107 office of school board member to be qualified, the following
108 items must be received by the filing officer by the end of the
109 qualifying period:
110 1. Except for candidates for retention to judicial office,
111 a properly executed check drawn upon the candidate’s campaign
112 account in an amount not less than the fee required by
113 subsection (3) or, in lieu thereof, the copy of the notice of
114 obtaining ballot position pursuant to s. 105.035. If a
115 candidate’s check is returned by the bank for any reason, the
116 filing officer shall immediately notify the candidate and the
117 candidate shall, the end of qualifying notwithstanding, have 48
118 hours from the time such notification is received, excluding
119 Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, to pay the fee with a
120 cashier’s check purchased from funds of the campaign account.
121 Failure to pay the fee as provided in this subparagraph shall
122 disqualify the candidate.
123 2. The candidate’s oath required by subsection (4), which
124 must contain the name of the candidate as it is to appear on the
125 ballot; the office sought, including the district or group
126 number if applicable; and the signature of the candidate, duly
127 acknowledged.
128 3. The loyalty oath required by s. 876.05, signed by the
129 candidate and duly acknowledged.
130 4. The completed form for the appointment of campaign
131 treasurer and designation of campaign depository, as required by
132 s. 106.021. In addition, each candidate for judicial office,
133 including an incumbent judge, shall file a statement with the
134 qualifying officer, within 10 days after filing the appointment
135 of campaign treasurer and designation of campaign depository,
136 stating that the candidate has read and understands the
137 requirements of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct. Such
138 statement shall be in substantially the following form:
139
140 Statement of Candidate for Judicial Office
141
142 I, ...(name of candidate)..., a judicial candidate, have
143 received, read, and understand the requirements of the Florida
144 Code of Judicial Conduct.
145 ...(Signature of candidate)...
146 ...(Date)...
147
148 5. The full and public disclosure of financial interests
149 required by s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution or the
150 statement of financial interests required by s. 112.3145,
151 whichever is applicable. A public officer who has filed the full
152 and public disclosure or statement of financial interests with
153 the Commission on Ethics or the supervisor of elections prior to
154 qualifying for office may file a copy of that disclosure at the
155 time of qualifying.
156 6. If the candidate is a citizen of another country in
157 addition to being a citizen of the United States, a statement
158 disclosing any other country the candidate is also a citizen of.
159 Section 4. For the purpose of incorporating the amendments
160 made by this act to sections 99.061 and 105.031, Florida
161 Statutes, in references thereto, paragraph (b) of subsection (1)
162 of section 99.012, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
163 99.012 Restrictions on individuals qualifying for public
164 office.—
165 (1) As used in this section:
166 (b) “Qualify” means to fulfill the requirements set forth
167 in s. 99.061(7)(a) or s. 105.031(5)(a).
168 Section 5. (1) Notwithstanding any other law to the
169 contrary, for the 2026 General Election:
170 (a) Any candidate for representative to Congress seeking
171 ballot position by the petition process described in s. 99.095,
172 Florida Statutes, must obtain at least the number of signatures
173 equal to one-third of 1 percent of the ideal population for each
174 congressional district, as calculated by dividing the statewide
175 population in the most recent decennial census by the number of
176 representatives apportioned to the state after the most recent
177 decennial census. Signatures may be obtained from any registered
178 voter in Florida regardless of party affiliation or district
179 boundaries. Petitions must state that the candidate is seeking
180 the office of representative to Congress, but a district number
181 is not required.
182 (b) Each person seeking to qualify for nomination or
183 election as a representative to Congress must file his or her
184 qualification papers with, and pay the qualifying fee, which
185 shall consist of the filing fee and election assessment, and
186 party assessment, if any has been levied, to, the Department of
187 State, or qualify by the petition process described in s.
188 99.095, Florida Statutes, with the Department of State, at any
189 time after noon of the 1st day for qualifying, which shall be
190 the 71st day before the primary election, but not later than
191 noon of the 67th day before the date of the primary election.
192 (c) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all
193 requirements and procedures relating to qualifying and to the
194 candidate petition process must conform to the requirements and
195 procedures in law.
196 (2) This section shall take effect upon becoming a law.
197 Section 6. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
198 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon
199 this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1,
200 2026.