HB 1317 — Elections Impacted by Emergencies

Summary

Elections Impacted by Emergencies; Requires counties & municipalities affected by emergency to provide specified information on their websites & through all means possible; provides that emergency contingency plan is public record & must be presented to Legislature in certain years; requires Secretary of State to consult with specified entities; provides voter rights with respect to participating in election in county that has been designated as being in state of emergency or eligible for individual or public assistance from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); requires Division of Elections to take certain actions if election is scheduled within certain timeframe after emergency; requires division to maintain certain number of strategic elections equipment reserves in certain areas of this state; authorizes division to contract with certain vendors for provision of reserve equipment; specifies certain equipment be included in reserve equipment; requires election officials to take certain actions if county has been designated as being in state of emergency or eligible for individual or public assistance; specifies that certain criminal penalties do not apply if county has been designated as being in state of emergency or eligible for individual or public assistance; prohibits supervisor from requiring certain voters to use certain uniform statewide application.

Bill Text

• Introduced H 1317 Filed Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill enhances voter protections and procedures for elections impacted by emergencies in Florida.

• s. 101.733

  The contingency plan is a public record and must be presented to the Legislature each year in which federal or state elections are being conducted.

  The emergency contingency plan for elections must now be a public record and presented to the Legislature yearly.

• s. 101.733

  To ensure that all voters are able to participate in an election, the Secretary of State shall consider the emergency's impact on housing, transportation, utilities, Internet access, the United States Postal Service, and accessibility needs, and proactively consult with the county Supervisors of Elections as well as county emergency management agencies, relevant county public services and utilities, social services, and community-based nongovernmental organizations in the affected jurisdictions.

  The Secretary of State must now consult with various organizations to ensure voter participation during emergencies.

• s. 101.733

  At a minimum, in any county that is designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as eligible for individual or public assistance...a voter has the right to request...a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed to an address other than the voter's address on file in the Florida Voter Registration System without requiring the voter to complete the standard vote-by-mail request form.

  Voters can request vote-by-mail ballots be sent to alternative addresses without having to fill out standard forms during emergencies.

• s. 101.733

  Have the voter's vote-by-mail ballot counted as long as it is postmarked before or on the election day and received by the Supervisor of Elections within 2 days after election day.

  Vote-by-mail ballots are allowed to be counted if they are mailed in time and received within two days after election day.

• s. 101.733

  Counties and municipalities affected by an emergency to provide specified information on their websites.

  Affected counties and municipalities must now disseminate specific emergency voting information on their websites.

• s. 101.733

  The Division of Elections must extend early voting hours in affected counties from 8 hours to 12 hours per day throughout the early voting period.

  Early voting hours in emergency-affected counties will be increased, allowing voters more opportunity to cast their ballots.

• s. 101.733

  The Division of Elections must provide emergency funding, if necessary, to ensure all affected counties can pay for return paid postage for vote-by-mail ballots.

  Emergency funding must be provided to cover return postage for mail-in ballots during emergencies.

• s. 101.733

  The affected supervisor must also notify voters in his or her county through any other available and regularly used means of communication, including social media, e-mail, telephone, and text message.

  Supervisors of Elections must use multiple communication channels to notify voters about election changes during emergencies.

• s. 101.733

  If a county is designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as eligible for public or individual assistance or as being in a state of emergency as declared by executive order or proclamation issued by the Governor, and there is a regularly scheduled or special election in that county within 90 days after such designation, the Division of Elections must create a page on the division's website that provides a statewide phone number or online request form that voters registered in any affected county can use to request a vote-by-mail ballot.

  The Division of Elections is required to enhance accessibility to vote-by-mail ballots for voters in counties affected by emergencies.

Action History

1. June 16, 2025

   Died in Government Operations Subcommittee

2. May 03, 2025

   Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration

3. March 05, 2025

   Now in Government Operations Subcommittee

4. March 05, 2025

   Referred to State Affairs Committee

5. March 05, 2025

   Referred to Transportation & Economic Development Budget Subcommittee

6. March 05, 2025

   Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee

7. March 04, 2025

   1st Reading (Original Filed Version)

8. February 27, 2025

   Filed

Sponsors

• Jennifer "Rita" Harris · Cosponsor
• Fentrice Driskell · Cosponsor
• Daryl Campbell · Cosponsor
• LaVon Bracy Davis · Cosponsor
• Lindsay Cross · Primary

Subjects