In 2006, Jennie Carter's ex-husband asked to take their kids Christmas shopping – then barricaded himself and 10-year-old Nelson and 8-year-old Crystal inside their home and set it on fire.
Crystal died inside. Nelson died at the hospital.
Ron DeSantis just signed the bill that finishes the fight Jennie Carter has been waging ever since.
What the Old System Let Him Do
Jennie Carter had a protective order.
It didn't matter. Her ex told her exactly why.
"He said, 'I could just come and do whatever, and by the time the cops come, you know, I won't be here. They won't know it's me.'"
He was right.
Florida law gave judges the option to order electronic monitoring for abusers who violated protective orders. Not the obligation. The option.
Judges didn't always use it.
Abusers knew they didn't always use it.
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Carter's ex had violated his protective order repeatedly before he took the children that December day in 2006.
"Restraining orders did not protect me, nor my children," Carter told Florida lawmakers. "HB 277 could have."
What DeSantis Just Made the Law of the Land
House Bill 277 passed every single vote in the Florida House and then every single vote in the Florida Senate.
Not one Democrat voted no. Not one Republican voted no.
The Florida Police Benevolent Association signed on.
The Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of Palm Beach County signed on.
The Palm Springs Police Department signed on.
Here is what they all agreed to.
Courts must now order electronic monitoring for abusers who violate protective orders.
Not "may order." Must. The loophole Carter's ex exploited for years – the judicial discretion that left her family unprotected – is closed.
Victims can now text 911 for help.
A woman who cannot safely make a phone call because her abuser is in the next room now has a path to help that doesn't require making a sound.
The legal definition of coercive control has been expanded.
Florida law can now reach the pattern of isolation, financial abuse, and psychological domination that precedes physical violence – before it turns lethal.
Rep. Tendrich put it plainly: 75% of domestic violence homicides happen at the exact moment a victim seeks help or tries to leave.
The old law couldn't see the warning signs building toward that moment. This one can.
Animal cruelty is now a sentencing multiplier.
Abusers who harm pets to control their victims face stiffer consequences.
New strangulation and domestic violence training is mandatory for first responders.
Strangulation is one of the most reliable predictors of homicide in domestic violence cases – and for years, many first responders didn't know the signs.
Relocation assistance for survivors has been raised from up to $1,500 to up to $2,500 per claim. Getting out costs real money.
Florida just acknowledged that.
The Numbers Behind the Bill
Florida recorded 220 domestic violence homicides in a single recent year – roughly one in five murders statewide.
Those deaths didn't happen because the law was unaware of the problem.
They happened because the law had gaps, and abusers knew exactly where those gaps were.
Jennie Carter knew where they were too.
She spent 20 years walking into legislative offices and committee rooms and courtrooms explaining it to anyone who would listen.
On Thursday, DeSantis signed HB 277. It takes effect July 1.
"It just makes my heart smile," Carter said after the signing. "It makes me proud that my kids did not die in vain, and it makes me proud to see that this bill is going to save a lot of people."
The monitoring is now mandatory.
The training is now required.
The money is there.
The gaps are closed.
Florida got this done because one mother refused to stop asking – and one governor was ready to answer.
Sources:
- "Bipartisan Domestic Violence Reform Bill Gains Momentum in Florida," WPTV, December 11, 2025.
- "Survivor-Backed Bill Toughening Domestic Violence Laws Clears First House Hurdle," Florida Politics, January 29, 2026.
- "Florida Bill to Protect Domestic Violence Survivors Passes Unanimously in Senate," WFLX/WPTV, March 10, 2026.
- Florida House Bill 277, Florida Legislature, 2026.
- Florida Department of Children and Families, Domestic Violence Annual Report 2023–2024.
