Meanwhile In Florida: March 19, 2026 - Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

Executive Director Letter

Hello! Welcome to the first edition of Meanwhile in Florida, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty’s newsletter about all of the non-execution-related work happening in the fight to end capital punishment in the Sunshine State.

Why are we doing this? After 19 executions in 2025, and already four in 2026, it can sometimes feel like that’s all we do. The reality is much different. FADP is actively working to end Florida’s death penalty through direct action, legislative advocacy, and public education — whether or not there are executions happening.

I hope you enjoy this look behind the scenes, and that you keep your eyes out for future editions.

Onward,

Grace Hanna
FADP Executive Director

A Positive Legislative Update

The 2026 Florida Legislative Session wrapped on February 13. While lawmakers will return for a special session to finish the budget, we have something real to recognize now: Not a single bill expanding capital punishment passed.

That’s not typical. Just last year, multiple expansion bills moved forward with little resistance. This year, that changed. Because of coordinated advocacy, community pressure, and sustained engagement, those efforts stalled.

We also helped stop a dangerous bill that would have eliminated Florida’s affirmative insanity defense. That proposal would have made it easier to sentence people to death while stripping protections from people with serious mental illness.

Progress is not only about what passes — it’s also about what doesn’t.

This year, we held the line and stopped expansion.

Florida’s Death Penalty on the International Stage

FADP brought the realities of Florida’s death penalty to the global stage through three formal submissions to the United Nations.

In partnership with the Public Interest Law Center at Florida State University College of Law, Quarles & Brady LLP, and The Advocates for Human Rights, these submissions were directed to international human rights authorities, including the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions.

This work ensures that Florida’s use of the death penalty is examined at the highest levels of international human rights oversight.

The death penalty is not only a policy failure — it is a human rights violation that distorts justice and undermines dignity. These efforts are part of a broader movement toward accountability and abolition.