Florida · Senate Bill 494 · 2025 Regular Session

Aggravated Animal Cruelty

SB 494 Sponsored by Thomas J. "Tom" Leek Died in committee

  1. Introduced Feb 5, 2025
  2. In committee Feb 20, 2025
  3. Passed the Senate  
  4. Passed the House  
  5. To the governor  
  6. Became law Jul 1, 2025

What it does

The legislature's own summary of the bill, or its official long title.

Citing this act as "Dexter’s Law"; requiring the Department of Law Enforcement to post on its website the names of certain individuals who have violated specified animal cruelty provisions; providing a sentencing multiplier for specified offenses of aggravated animal cruelty, etc.

Every action

18 steps, oldest first, as the legislature records them.

Show the 10 earlier steps
  1. SenateFiled
  2. CommitteeReferred to Criminal Justice; Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; Fiscal Policy · Senate Criminal Justice
  3. SenateIntroduced
  4. CommitteeOn Committee agenda-- Criminal Justice, 03/25/25, 1:30 pm, 37 Senate Building · Senate Criminal Justice
  5. CommitteeCS by Criminal Justice; YEAS 9 NAYS 0 · Senate Criminal Justice9–0 vote
  6. SenatePending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
  7. CommitteeNow in Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice · Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
  8. CommitteeCS by Criminal Justice read 1st time · Senate Criminal Justice
  9. CommitteeOn Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice, 04/10/25, 11:00 am, 37 Senate Building · Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
  10. CommitteeFavorable by Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; YEAS 8 NAYS 0 · Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice8–0 vote
  1. CommitteeNow in Fiscal Policy · Senate Fiscal Policy
  2. CommitteeOn Committee agenda-- Fiscal Policy, 04/22/25, 11:00 am, 412 Knott Building · Senate Fiscal Policy
  3. CommitteeFavorable by- Fiscal Policy; YEAS 18 NAYS 0 · Senate Fiscal Policy18–0 vote
  4. SenatePlaced on Calendar, on 2nd reading
  5. SenatePlaced on Special Order Calendar, 04/29/25
  6. SenateRead 2nd time -SJ 605
  7. SenateSubstituted CS/HB 255 -SJ 605
  8. SenateLaid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 255 (Ch. 2025-102) -SJ 605

Roll calls

3 recorded votes: 0 on the floor, 3 in committee. Each shows how every member voted.

Committee votes

DateWhereQuestionResult
Mar 25, 2025 Senate committee CS by Criminal Justice; YEAS 9 NAYS 0 Passed 9–0
Apr 10, 2025 Senate committee Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; YEAS 8 NAYS 0 Passed 8–0
Apr 22, 2025 Senate committee Favorable by- Fiscal Policy; YEAS 18 NAYS 0 Passed 18–0

Sponsors

The member who introduced it, joined by 2 cosponsors: 1 Democrat, 1 Republican.

All 2 cosponsors

From Florida's official records (leg.state.fl.us; flhouse.gov), checked Nov 2, 2026. Text links go to the official versions; LegiList does not copy bill text.