WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Florida has taken another step towards moving its presidential primary to its earliest date ever with the legislature passing a bill Thursday that would change the date to January 29, 2008.

Gov. Charlie Crist, R-Florida, supports the move, and is expected to sign bill the next week.

"With an earlier presidential primary, Florida will now take its rightful place near the front of the line in determining the next leader of the free world," said Crist in a statement.

The move is in violation of both national Democratic and Republican party rules, which allow only a handful of states, such as Iowa and New Hampshire, to hold their contests before February 5. While the parties can issue various penalties on a state for violating the rules regarding the presidential nomination calendar, they cannot block the date change outright.