By Drew Dixon
A bill designed to increase prison sentences for child sex offenders is now heading to the Senate floor.
The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee has advanced the measure, completing the Committee review process in the upper chamber.
“This bill increases penalties and creates mandatory prison sentences for the most serious sex crimes, especially those involving children,” said Sen. Jonathan Martin, a Fort Myers Republican who sponsored the bill (SB 1750).
“This deals with child pornography offenses and classifies them to high felony levels ensuring offenders face real prison time instead of probation.”
Repeat offenders would see minimum sentences increase from 10 years in prison to 15. Sentences for sexual performance with a child would jump from 20 years in prison to 30. And those convicted of buying or selling children would see minimum sentences increased from 20 years to 30.
The measure also covers offenders who possess pornographic images of children under 12 years old involving “sadomasochistic abuse” of a child, “sexual battery” or “sexual bestiality” involving a child, or any film, video or computer-generated images involving children.
Anyone convicted of those crimes, classified as a first-degree felony, would serve a minimum of 15 years in prison. If it’s a second-degree felony, that would draw a minimum of five years in prison.
The legislation comes as Attorney General James Uthmeier has stepped up investigations, arrests and convictions of child sexual predators in the past year.
Uthmeier has also increased legal action against internet platforms that have been used by sexual predators to exploit young children.
He filed a 76-page lawsuit in December against Roblox, an online gaming platform, in the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Baker County. The lawsuit followed several legal maneuvers by Uthmeier in 2025, including a criminal investigation of Roblox in October.
The House companion bill (HB 1159) sponsored by Seminole Republican Rep. Berny Jacques, has already cleared the Committee process and is scheduled to go to the House floor Tuesday.
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