Florida HB 277 DV Law: New Injunction Factors (2026)

The Short Answer

Florida HB 277, now Chapter Law 2026-86, took effect July 1, 2026. It lets judges weigh threats to kill a family pet and the existence of a military protective order when deciding domestic violence injunctions, reclassifies repeat DV offenses to a higher degree, launches electronic-monitoring pilots in Pinellas and the Sixth Judicial Circuit, and raises survivor relocation aid to $2,500 per claim and $5,000 lifetime.

What Happened

Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 277 on May 21, 2026, and its provisions became effective July 1, 2026. The law amends several sections of the Florida Statutes governing domestic violence, including F.S. 741.28 (definitions), F.S. 741.30 (the injunction statute), F.S. 741.31 (violation of injunctions), and F.S. 960.198 (relocation assistance for victims of domestic violence).

The headline changes fall into four buckets: new factors judges consider before granting an injunction, stiffer criminal penalties for repeat offenders, county-level electronic-monitoring pilot programs, and a meaningful increase in the state-funded relocation grants available to survivors who need to move to escape an abuser.

This is a criminal and protective-order reform, not a divorce statute. But because domestic violence and dissolution of marriage overlap constantly in family court, every Florida divorce attorney needs to understand how the new rules reshape the landscape.

Legal Implications for Florida Family Cases

New injunction risk factors

Under F.S. 741.30, a court deciding whether to enter an injunction for protection against domestic violence already weighs a list of factors, such as prior threats, harassment, stalking, and any history of violence. HB 277 adds two new considerations to that analysis:

• Whether the respondent has threatened to kill or injure a family pet or companion animal.
• Whether a military protective order exists against the respondent.

The pet-threat factor formalizes something advocates have long documented: abusers frequently use threats against animals to control and intimidate a partner. Courts can now treat that behavior as evidence of the danger a petitioner faces, rather than dismissing it as unrelated.

Tougher penalties for repeat offenders

HB 277 reclassifies a second or subsequent domestic violence offense to the next degree, escalating the criminal exposure for repeat abusers. It also lowers the threshold for felony treatment of injunction violations: a charge that previously required two prior convictions to be reclassified as a third-degree felony now requires only one.

Electronic monitoring pilots

From July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, two pilot programs authorize GPS electronic monitoring of certain domestic violence defendants. In Pinellas County, courts may order monitoring for misdemeanor domestic violence or injunction-violation defendants subject to a no-contact order, and monitoring becomes mandatory where there is clear evidence the defendant threatens the victim with violence. The Sixth Judicial Circuit runs a parallel felony-level pilot on the same timeline.

Higher relocation assistance

F.S. 960.198 funds relocation grants for survivors who must move to escape an abuser. HB 277 raises the maximum single claim from $1,500 to $2,500 and the lifetime cap from $3,000 to $5,000. For a survivor weighing whether they can afford to leave, that additional money can be the difference between staying and getting out.

Florida-Specific Analysis

Domestic violence and divorce intersect at several points under existing Florida law, and HB 277 amplifies those intersections.

First, time-sharing. Under F.S. 61.13, a parent's history of domestic violence is a mandatory factor in determining a parenting plan and time-sharing schedule, and a conviction for certain domestic violence offenses creates a rebuttable presumption of detriment to the child. An injunction entered with the new pet-threat or military-order evidence becomes part of the record a family court judge sees when crafting a parenting plan. The 2023 alimony and time-sharing overhaul in SB 1416 did not change that framework, and HB 277 leaves it intact while giving judges more evidence to consider on the injunction side.

Second, the interplay between the injunction docket and the dissolution docket. A domestic violence injunction under F.S. 741.30 is a separate civil proceeding from a divorce, but the two often run in parallel, sometimes before the same circuit. An injunction can grant temporary exclusive use of the marital home, temporary time-sharing, and even temporary support, all of which shape the eventual divorce. When one spouse obtains an injunction, the marriage is almost never uncontested.

Third, safety over speed. Florida allows a simplified dissolution of marriage under F.S. 61.183 when both spouses agree, have no dependent or minor children, and neither seeks alimony. That path assumes two willing, cooperative parties. Where domestic violence is present, that assumption fails. A survivor should not be steered toward a fast, cooperative process with an abuser; the injunction process and, where needed, contested representation exist precisely because those cases are not uncontested.

Practical Takeaways

For Florida residents navigating a separation where abuse is present, a few points matter:

• If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233.
• A domestic violence injunction under F.S. 741.30 is free to file and does not require a lawyer, though many survivors benefit from help from a certified domestic violence center or legal aid.
• Document threats against pets. Under the new law, a credible threat to harm a family animal is now something a judge can weigh when deciding your injunction.
• If you need to move to stay safe, ask the court or your local domestic violence center about relocation assistance under F.S. 960.198, now up to $2,500 per claim and $5,000 over a lifetime.
• A case involving domestic violence is not a candidate for a flat-fee uncontested divorce. Uncontested dissolution assumes both spouses agree and can safely sign together. Where there is abuse, coercion, or a protective order, that safety and agreement are absent, and the matter needs a different approach.

Our firm handles uncontested divorces only, at a flat $750 attorney fee, for couples who genuinely agree and can both participate safely. When domestic violence is involved, that model does not fit, and we refer those matters to Divorce.law's vetted attorney network and to the domestic violence resources above so survivors get the protection the situation demands.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the FAQ section below for answers to common questions about HB 277 and Florida domestic violence law.

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change and every situation is different; consult a licensed Florida attorney about your specific circumstances. If you are in danger, call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

Antonio G. Jimenez, Esq., Florida Bar No. 21022