H1007 creates a new section of Florida law addressing fraudulent use of gift cards. The bill defines key terms such as cardholder, card issuer, gift card seller, gift card redemption information, and value, and then makes it unlawful for a person, with intent to defraud, to acquire or possess a gift card or redemption information without consent, alter or tamper with a gift card or its packaging, use false pretenses to obtain a gift card or redemption information, or use stolen or fraudulently obtained gift card information to obtain money, goods, services, or other value.
The bill establishes criminal penalties for these acts. A first violation is a first-degree misdemeanor, while a second or subsequent violation, or a violation involving more than $750 in value, is a third-degree felony. It also allows the value of multiple items or transactions to be aggregated when determining the offense level. The act takes effect October 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill would add a new standalone criminal offense to the Florida Statutes, section 817.091, specifically targeting gift card fraud and related conduct. It expands the state’s fraud and theft enforcement tools by covering both physical and virtual gift cards, as well as the unique redemption information used to access card balances. The law would affect individuals accused of gift card tampering, theft, phishing-style schemes, and downstream use of stolen card data, and it gives prosecutors a clear penalty structure tied to repeat conduct and dollar thresholds.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong bipartisan support and no recorded opposition in committee. The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee approved the bill 17-0, and the House Judiciary Committee approved it 20-0. With no committee transcript provided, the record suggests the bill was viewed as a straightforward consumer-protection and anti-fraud measure rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
No notable contention appears in the available materials. The bill’s main policy choices are the scope of the prohibited conduct, the inclusion of both physical and virtual gift cards, and the penalty thresholds for repeat offenses and higher-value cases. Any potential concerns would likely center on how broadly the fraud provisions could be applied or how value is calculated and aggregated, but no opposition or debate is reflected in the provided record.