Florida’s legislature unanimously passed House Bill 277 in March 2026, a sweeping domestic violence reform bill that changes how repeat offenders are charged, sentenced, and monitored. Pasco and Pinellas counties are at the center of this legislation because the bill launches its electronic monitoring pilot program right here in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.
What HB 277 Actually Does
The bill, formally titled the “Domestic Violence and Protective Injunctions” Act, touches several areas of Florida’s domestic violence statutes. It isn’t just one change. It’s a package of reforms that will take effect on July 1, 2026, assuming the governor signs it into law.
Here’s what it includes:
- Enhanced penalties for repeat domestic violence offenders, reclassifying offenses to higher-degree crimes when a prior conviction exists
- A misdemeanor electronic monitoring pilot program in Pinellas County for certain offenders on probation with no-contact orders
- A felony electronic monitoring pilot program in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, covering both Pinellas and Pasco counties
- Increased victim relocation assistance, from $1,500 to $2,500 for one-time payments and from $3,000 to $5,000 for lifetime maximums
- Expanded factors judges can consider when deciding whether to grant a protective injunction
The bill passed the Florida House 112 to 0 and cleared the Senate without a single opposing vote.
The GPS Monitoring Pilot Program
This is the part of the bill that will have the most immediate, day-to-day impact on defendants in Pasco County, FL. The pilot program runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, and it gives judges the authority to order GPS electronic monitoring for certain domestic violence offenders.
The system creates a 500-foot geofence around the victim’s home and workplace. Victims receive alerts through an app if the monitored person comes within that perimeter. Law enforcement gets notified, too.
For felony domestic violence cases and felony injunction violations in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, a judge may order monitoring. In some situations, the court must order it if there’s clear and convincing evidence that the defendant poses a threat of violence or physical harm to the victim.
That’s a significant shift. Defendants in Pasco County domestic violence cases should understand that conditions of probation and pretrial release could look very different under this new framework. A Pasco County, FL domestic violence defense lawyer can evaluate how these monitoring provisions might apply to a specific case and what options are available to challenge or modify those conditions.
Penalty Enhancements for Repeat Offenders
The bill doesn’t just add monitoring. It fundamentally changes the penalty structure for anyone with a prior domestic violence conviction.
Under current law, a second misdemeanor domestic violence offense is still charged as a misdemeanor. Under HB 277, that same offense gets reclassified to a higher degree. A first-degree misdemeanor can become a third-degree felony.
Felony reclassification means longer potential sentences, loss of certain civil rights, and a permanent felony record. For someone with a prior conviction who gets arrested again, the stakes just got substantially higher. And these penalty enhancements apply regardless of whether the prior conviction resulted in a withheld adjudication or a nolo contendere plea.
Why This Matters for Defendants
Laws like HB 277 are written to protect victims, and that’s an important goal. But stronger penalties and expanded monitoring also mean that people accused of domestic violence face higher stakes from the very beginning of a case. An arrest that might have resulted in probation a year ago could now carry felony consequences and mandatory GPS monitoring.
If you’re facing a domestic violence charge in Pasco County or anywhere in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, it’s important to understand how these changes affect your case. StechLaw Criminal Defense represents individuals throughout the Tampa Bay area who are dealing with domestic violence allegations at both the misdemeanor and felony levels.
An experienced lawyer can review the facts of your situation, determine whether penalty enhancements apply, and build a defense strategy that accounts for the new legal landscape under HB 277. Contact our firm to discuss your case.
