The Senate and House have unanimously passed SB 692 Sexual Offenses, sponsored by Senator Linda Stewart (D – Orlando) and Representative Slosberg-King (D – Boca Raton). The bill establishes consistency in the definition of female genitals in Florida statute.
“There is an issue in current statute where a woman’s genitals are defined only as vagina. By replacing the word with the defined term “Female Genitals” we establish consistency in statute as well as in arguments in court relating to sexual battery,” said Stewart.
Earlier this week the Florida House of Representatives adopted an amendment, bringing the bill to its current language defining female genitals across multiple statutes. Previously, the term vagina was used in place of female genitals. This led to inconsistent outcomes in cases on sexual battery, as vagina was not clearly defined.
“This is an important law, giving Florida Courts of Appeal a clear definition of an intimate female body part, which those Courts have defined differently for purposes of determining what is a sexual assault,” said Slosberg-King.
The bill now moves to the Governor’s desk where it will await signature to become law.
