Isaiah’s Law, a new measure that targets “habitual traffic offenders,” went into effect in Florida on Wednesday.
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Named after 18-year-old Isaiah Raposa, a motorcyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Gibsonton, Florida, HB 35 defines the term and creates stiffer penalties for violations.
Filed in Sep. of 2025 by District 29 Rep. Webster Barnaby, R-Daytona, Isaiah’s law adds a new layer to Florida statue 322.03, which says a person may not drive on a highway unless they have a valid driver license issued by the state and lays out misdemeanor penalties for first, second, and third or following convictions.
Before Isaiah’s Law, if someone got caught driving without a valid license repeatedly, they could be charged each time, but driving without a valid license was not one of the offenses that automatically counted toward becoming a “habitual traffic offender.”
Now with the introduction of Isaiah’s Law, three convictions for driving without a valid license within five years can trigger a habitual traffic offender designation.
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Habitual traffic offender is a designation Florida gives to people who repeatedly commit serious driving offenses.
If you are registered as a habitual traffic offender, the state of Florida can revoke driving privileges and if a person continues to drive as a habitual traffic offender then they could possibly face criminal charges.
According to State Rep. Barnaby, the driver who hit and killed Raposa allegedly did not have a valid license and had multiple prior citations for driving without a license.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Isaiah’s Law earlier this year.