Florida SB 1128 Did Not Take Effect July 2026 (Bill Died)

Florida SB 1128 did not become law. Despite headlines claiming a new rule requiring time-sharing enforcement hearings within five business days took effect July 1, 2026, the Florida Senate's official record shows the bill died in the Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice on March 13, 2026. No such deadline exists in Florida law.

The Story: A Law That Never Was

A claim has been circulating that Florida Senate Bill 1128 took effect on July 1, 2026, imposing a mandatory requirement that courts hold time-sharing enforcement hearings within five business days of a parent's motion. It sounds like a meaningful reform for frustrated parents. There is one problem: it is not true.

According to the Florida Senate's official bill tracking page, SB 1128 (2026 session) has one final, dispositive action logged: "3/13/2026 Senate - Died in Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice." The bill cleared the Judiciary Committee on February 10, 2026 by an 11-0 vote, then stalled and never advanced to a floor vote. A bill that dies in committee does not become law. There is no July 1, 2026 effective date because there is nothing to make effective.

This matters because Florida parents are making decisions based on a rule that does not exist. If you have delayed filing a motion, changed your strategy, or told the other parent that a five-day hearing clock now applies, you have been relying on misinformation.

What SB 1128 Would Have Done

Had it passed, SB 1128 addressed family law procedure — directing courts to prioritize time-sharing matters on their calendars and setting procedural requirements around parental responsibility and enforcement hearings. The concept behind it responds to a real frustration: enforcement of an existing parenting plan can move slowly, and a parent being denied court-ordered time-sharing often waits weeks or months for relief.

But a bill's intent is not the law. Until the Legislature passes it and the Governor signs it (or it becomes law without signature), the proposal is just a proposal. SB 1128 never got that far in 2026.

Legal Implications: The Actual Rules Still Govern

Because SB 1128 did not pass, Florida's existing time-sharing enforcement framework is unchanged. Parents seeking to enforce a parenting plan still proceed under the tools that already exist:

• Motion for civil contempt or enforcement under Florida Statutes Section 61.13, which governs parenting plans and time-sharing and gives courts broad authority to enforce and modify time-sharing in the child's best interest.
• The make-up time-sharing and remedial provisions in F.S. 61.13(4)(c), which let a court order make-up time-sharing, modify the parenting plan, award attorney's fees, and impose other sanctions when a parent refuses to honor the schedule without proper cause.
• Standard civil procedure and each circuit's local scheduling practices, not a statewide five-business-day mandate.

There is no automatic five-day hearing right. Scheduling depends on the judge's calendar, the county, and the nature of the motion. Enforcement remains available and enforceable — it simply does not run on the accelerated timeline the false claim describes.

Florida-Specific Analysis

Florida's time-sharing law reflects two recent themes worth understanding.

First, the 2023 alimony and family law overhaul (SB 1416) reshaped alimony and made other family law changes, but it did not create a five-day enforcement hearing rule for time-sharing. SB 1416 also introduced a rebuttable presumption that equal (50/50) time-sharing is in the best interest of the child under F.S. 61.13, which changed how parenting plans start — but not how quickly enforcement hearings must be scheduled.

Second, Florida uses the terms "time-sharing" and "parenting plan" — not "custody" or "visitation" (F.S. 61.046, F.S. 61.13). Any article, form, or social media post using "custody" in the context of a Florida schedule is a red flag that the author may not be tracking current Florida law accurately. The same skepticism should apply to confident claims about brand-new deadlines that turn out to be dead bills.

The recurring pattern in the 2026 session was reform bills that generated buzz but did not pass. SB 1128 is one of several time-sharing and family law proposals that died before becoming law.

Practical Takeaways for Florida Parents

• Do not rely on a five-business-day time-sharing hearing rule. It does not exist in Florida law.
• Verify any claimed new law at flsenate.gov before acting on it. The official bill page lists the final action; "Died in Committee" means it is not law.
• Enforcement is still available. If the other parent is withholding court-ordered time-sharing, you can file to enforce under F.S. 61.13 — you simply proceed under existing procedure, not a special fast-track.
• Timing varies by county and judge. There is no statewide guaranteed hearing deadline for enforcement motions.
• If you are still married and both spouses agree on everything, an uncontested divorce with a clear, enforceable parenting plan up front is the best way to avoid enforcement fights later.

For married couples who agree on the terms of their divorce — including time-sharing — the Law Office of Antonio G. Jimenez handles uncontested divorces for a flat $750 attorney fee (court filing fee and notary costs are separate). A well-drafted parenting plan at the outset reduces the odds you will ever need an enforcement motion at all. Learn how it works at our uncontested divorce service or ask questions through Victoria, our AI intake assistant.

Related Reading

• SB 1128 Died: Florida Time-Sharing Law Unchanged (2026)
• Florida SB 1128 Time-Sharing Hearing Bill Died (2026)
• No New 2026 Florida Alimony Formula or Time-Sharing Law
• Uncontested Divorce With Children Orlando FL: $750 (2026)
• Uncontested Divorce With Children Tampa FL: $750 (2026)

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided by Antonio G. Jimenez, Esq. (Florida Bar No. 21022) for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship. Legislative status can change; verify any bill's current status at flsenate.gov. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed Florida attorney.