ORLANDO, Fla. — A Florida bill intended to protect children in tragic situations will not become law during this legislative session.
The bill, known as Ellie’s Law, will not be heard in the Florida House or Senate this year.
The legislation was named after Orange County Lt. Ellie Shea, who was murdered in 2024.
The bill was created after it was discovered that Shea’s children could not receive therapy because their jailed father, who is accused of the murder, refused to provide the necessary parental consent required by state law.
Lt. Shea was killed inside her home in 2024. The incident devastated her family and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Her two daughters were left without a mother following the murder. Their father is a former deputy who is currently awaiting trial for her death.
The legislative measure aimed to resolve a legal loophole that prevented Shea’s daughters from receiving therapy.
Under current Florida law, only a parent or legal guardian can make decisions regarding a child’s mental health services.
Because their father was jailed and refused to grant permission, the children were unable to access help.
House Bill 499 sought to enhance legal protections for dependent children, especially those with incapacitated parents.
The legislation would have allowed children whose parent was murdered by another parent to access services while a criminal case proceeds.
Rep. José Alvarez sponsored the bill in the House.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office expressed disappointment after learning the bill would not be heard in the House or Senate this year.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina emphasized that children who lose a parent to violence deserve legal protection. “We are extremely disappointed that Ellie’s Law is not moving forward in this legislative session,” the sheriff said in a statement. “But we will be back next year, pushing for these important changes to the law, because devastated children throughout our state who have lost a parent to violence deserve these protections.”
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office plans to return to the legislature next year to push for the changes proposed in Ellie’s Law.
Supporters of the bill intend to continue advocating for the measure to protect children in similar situations.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.