Florida statute
Fla. Stat. § 796.08 — Screening for HIV and sexually transmissible diseases; providing penalties
Current through 2025 Florida Statutes
Part of Chapter 796: Prostitution, Florida Statutes.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Fla. Stat. § 796.08
Statutory text current through the 2025 Florida Statutes. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Florida.
(1)(a) For the purposes of this section, “sexually transmissible disease” means a bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic disease, determined by rule of the Department of Health to be sexually transmissible, a threat to the public health and welfare, and a disease for which a legitimate public interest is served by providing for regulation and treatment.(b) In considering which diseases are designated as sexually transmissible diseases, the Department of Health shall consider such diseases as chancroid, gonorrhea, granuloma inguinale, lymphogranuloma venereum, genital herpes simplex, chlamydia, nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)/acute salpingitis, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus infection for designation and shall consider the recommendations and classifications of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other nationally recognized authorities. Not all diseases that are sexually transmissible need be designated for purposes of this section.
(2) A person arrested under s. 796.07 may request screening for a sexually transmissible disease under direction of the Department of Health and, if infected, shall submit to appropriate treatment and counseling. A person who requests screening for a sexually transmissible disease under this subsection must pay any costs associated with such screening.
(3) A person convicted under s. 796.07 of prostitution or procuring another to commit prostitution must undergo screening for a sexually transmissible disease, including, but not limited to, screening to detect exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus, under direction of the Department of Health. If the person is infected, he or she must submit to treatment and counseling prior to release from probation, community control, or incarceration. Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 384.29, the results of tests conducted pursuant to this subsection shall be made available by the Department of Health to the offender, medical personnel, appropriate state agencies, state attorneys, and courts of appropriate jurisdiction in need of such information in order to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
(4) A person who commits prostitution or procures another for prostitution and who, prior to the commission of such crime, had tested positive for a sexually transmissible disease other than human immunodeficiency virus infection and knew or had been informed that he or she had tested positive for such sexually transmissible disease and could possibly communicate such disease to another person through sexual activity commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A person may be convicted and sentenced separately for a violation of this subsection and for the underlying crime of prostitution or procurement of prostitution.
(5) A person who:(a) Commits or offers to commit prostitution; or(b) Procures another for prostitution by engaging in sexual activity in a manner likely to transmit the human immunodeficiency virus,and who, prior to the commission of such crime, had tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus and knew or had been informed that he or she had tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus and could possibly communicate such disease to another person through sexual activity commits criminal transmission of HIV, a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. A person may be convicted and sentenced separately for a violation of this subsection and for the underlying crime of prostitution or procurement of prostitution.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is screening for HIV and sexually transmissible diseases; providing penalties a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
It depends on the circumstances: screening for HIV and sexually transmissible diseases; providing penalties ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Felony of the Third Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 796.08.
Prostitution with knowledge of non-HIV sexually transmissible disease: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 796.08(4)) · Criminal transmission of HIV via prostitution: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 796.08(5))
Which Florida statute covers screening for HIV and sexually transmissible diseases; providing penalties?
Screening for HIV and sexually transmissible diseases; providing penalties is governed by Fla. Stat. § 796.08 (Screening for HIV and sexually transmissible diseases; providing penalties).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.