| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to forensic treatment and training; |
| 3 | amending s. 916.105, F.S.; revising legislative intent |
| 4 | with respect to the treatment or training of defendants |
| 5 | who have mental illness, mental retardation, or autism and |
| 6 | are committed to the Agency for Persons with Disabilities; |
| 7 | providing intent with respect to the use of restraint and |
| 8 | seclusion; amending s. 916.106, F.S.; providing and |
| 9 | revising definitions; amending s. 916.107, F.S., relating |
| 10 | to the rights of forensic clients; conforming provisions |
| 11 | to the transfer of duties from the Developmental |
| 12 | Disabilities Program Office within the Department of |
| 13 | Children and Family Services to the Agency for Persons |
| 14 | with Disabilities; revising provisions governing the |
| 15 | involuntary treatment of clients; requiring the |
| 16 | coordination of services between the department, the |
| 17 | agency, and the Department of Corrections; amending s. |
| 18 | 916.1075, F.S.; revising certain prohibitions on sexual |
| 19 | misconduct involving covered persons of the Department of |
| 20 | Children and Family Services or the Agency for Persons |
| 21 | with Disabilities; defining the term "covered person"; |
| 22 | requiring that notice of sexual misconduct be provided to |
| 23 | the inspector general of the agency or department; |
| 24 | amending s. 916.1081, F.S.; providing that an escape or an |
| 25 | attempt to escape from a civil or forensic facility |
| 26 | constitutes a second-degree felony; amending s. 916.1085, |
| 27 | F.S.; providing for certain prohibitions concerning |
| 28 | contraband articles to apply to facilities under the |
| 29 | supervision or control of the Agency for Persons with |
| 30 | Disabilities; deleting a cross-reference; amending s. |
| 31 | 916.1091, F.S.; authorizing the use of chemical weapons by |
| 32 | agency personnel; amending s. 916.1093, F.S.; authorizing |
| 33 | the agency to enter into contracts and adopt rules; |
| 34 | requiring department and agency rules to address the use |
| 35 | of restraint and seclusion; providing requirements for |
| 36 | such rules; amending s. 916.111, F.S.; revising provisions |
| 37 | governing the training of mental health experts; amending |
| 38 | s. 916.115, F.S.; requiring that the court appoint experts |
| 39 | to determine the mental condition of a criminal defendant; |
| 40 | requiring that the Department of Children and Family |
| 41 | Services annually provide the courts with a list of |
| 42 | certain mental health professionals; amending s. 916.12, |
| 43 | F.S.; revising provisions governing the evaluation of a |
| 44 | defendant's competence to proceed; amending s. 916.13, |
| 45 | F.S.; revising conditions under which a defendant may be |
| 46 | involuntarily committed for treatment; amending s. |
| 47 | 916.145, F.S., relating to dismissal of charges against a |
| 48 | defendant adjudicated incompetent; conforming provisions |
| 49 | to changes made by the act; amending s. 916.15, F.S.; |
| 50 | clarifying that the determination of not guilty by reason |
| 51 | of insanity is made under a specified Florida Rule of |
| 52 | Criminal Procedure; amending s. 916.16, F.S.; providing |
| 53 | for the continuing jurisdiction of the court over a |
| 54 | defendant involuntarily committed due to mental illness; |
| 55 | amending s. 916.17, F.S.; clarifying circumstances under |
| 56 | which the court may order the conditional release of a |
| 57 | defendant; amending s. 916.301, F.S.; requiring that |
| 58 | certain evaluations be conducted by certain qualified |
| 59 | experts; requiring that the Agency for Persons with |
| 60 | Disabilities provide the court with a list of certain |
| 61 | available retardation and autism professionals; conforming |
| 62 | provisions to the transfer of duties from the |
| 63 | Developmental Disabilities Program Office within the |
| 64 | Department of Children and Family Services to the agency; |
| 65 | amending s. 916.3012, F.S.; clarifying provisions |
| 66 | governing the determination of a defendant's mental |
| 67 | competence to proceed; amending s. 916.302, F.S., relating |
| 68 | to the involuntary commitment of a defendant; conforming |
| 69 | provisions to the transfer of duties from the |
| 70 | Developmental Disabilities Program Office within the |
| 71 | Department of Children and Family Services to the agency; |
| 72 | requiring that the department and agency submit an |
| 73 | evaluation to the court before the transfer of a defendant |
| 74 | from one civil or forensic facility to another; amending |
| 75 | s. 916.3025, F.S.; clarifying that the committing court |
| 76 | retains jurisdiction over a defendant placed on |
| 77 | conditional release; providing for the transfer of |
| 78 | continuing jurisdiction to another court where the |
| 79 | defendant resides; amending s. 916.303, F.S.; clarifying |
| 80 | provisions governing the dismissal of charges against a |
| 81 | defendant found to be incompetent to proceed due to |
| 82 | retardation or autism; amending s. 916.304, F.S.; |
| 83 | providing for the conditional release of a defendant to a |
| 84 | civil facility; amending ss. 921.137 and 985.223, F.S., |
| 85 | relating to provisions governing the imposition of the |
| 86 | death sentence upon a defendant with mental retardation |
| 87 | and the determination of incompetency in cases involving |
| 88 | juvenile delinquency; conforming provisions to the |
| 89 | transfer of duties from the Developmental Disabilities |
| 90 | Program Office within the Department of Children and |
| 91 | Family Services to the Agency for Persons with |
| 92 | Disabilities; amending ss. 287.057, 408.036, 943.0585, and |
| 93 | 943.059, F.S.; conforming cross-references; providing an |
| 94 | effective date. |
| 95 |
|
| 96 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 97 |
|
| 98 | Section 1. Section 916.105, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 99 | to read: |
| 100 | 916.105 Legislative intent.-- |
| 101 | (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that the |
| 102 | Department of Children and Family Services and the Agency for |
| 103 | Persons with Disabilities, as appropriate, establish, locate, |
| 104 | and maintain separate and secure forensic facilities and |
| 105 | programs for the treatment or training of defendants who have |
| 106 | been are charged with a felony and who have been found to be |
| 107 | incompetent to proceed due to their mental illness, mental |
| 108 | retardation, or autism, or who have been acquitted of a felony |
| 109 | felonies by reason of insanity, and who, while still under the |
| 110 | jurisdiction of the committing court, are committed to the |
| 111 | department or agency under the provisions of this chapter. Such |
| 112 | The separate, secure facilities shall be sufficient to |
| 113 | accommodate the number of defendants committed under the |
| 114 | conditions noted above., Except for those defendants found by |
| 115 | the department or agency to be appropriate for treatment or |
| 116 | training in a civil treatment facility or program pursuant to |
| 117 | subsection (3), forensic. Such secure facilities shall be |
| 118 | designed and administered so that ingress and egress, together |
| 119 | with other requirements of this chapter, may be strictly |
| 120 | controlled by staff responsible for security in order to protect |
| 121 | the defendant, facility personnel, other clients, and citizens |
| 122 | in adjacent communities. |
| 123 | (2) It is further the intent of the Legislature that |
| 124 | treatment or training programs for defendants who are found to |
| 125 | have mental illness, mental retardation, or autism are found to |
| 126 | be mentally ill, retarded, or autistic and are involuntarily |
| 127 | committed to the department or agency, and who are still under |
| 128 | the jurisdiction of the committing court, be provided in such a |
| 129 | manner, subject to security requirements and other mandates of |
| 130 | this chapter, as to ensure the rights of the defendants as |
| 131 | provided in this chapter. |
| 132 | (3) It is the intent of the Legislature that evaluation |
| 133 | and services to defendants who have mental illness, mental |
| 134 | retardation, or autism are mentally ill, retarded, or autistic |
| 135 | be provided in community settings, in community residential |
| 136 | facilities, or in civil, nonforensic facilities, whenever this |
| 137 | is a feasible alternative to treatment or training in a state |
| 138 | forensic facility. |
| 139 | (4) It is the intent of the Legislature to minimize and |
| 140 | achieve an ongoing reduction in the use of restraint and |
| 141 | seclusion on persons who are committed to a civil or forensic |
| 142 | facility under this chapter. |
| 143 | Section 2. Section 916.106, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 144 | to read: |
| 145 | 916.106 Definitions.--For the purposes of this chapter, |
| 146 | the term: |
| 147 | (1) "Agency" means the Agency for Persons with |
| 148 | Disabilities. The agency is responsible for training forensic |
| 149 | clients who are developmentally disabled due to mental |
| 150 | retardation or autism and have been determined incompetent to |
| 151 | proceed. |
| 152 | (2)(1) "Autism" has the same meaning as in s. 393.063. |
| 153 | means a pervasive, neurologically based developmental disability |
| 154 | of extended duration which causes severe learning, |
| 155 | communication, and behavior disorders, with the age of onset of |
| 156 | autism occurring during infancy or childhood. Individuals with |
| 157 | autism exhibit impairment in reciprocal social interaction, |
| 158 | impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication and imaginative |
| 159 | ability, and a markedly restricted repertoire of activities and |
| 160 | interests. |
| 161 | (3)(2) "Chemical weapon" means any shell, cartridge, bomb, |
| 162 | gun, or other device capable of emitting chloroacetophenone |
| 163 | (CN), chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) or any derivatives thereof |
| 164 | in any form, or any other agent with lacrimatory properties, and |
| 165 | shall include products such as that commonly known as "mace." |
| 166 | (4)(3) "Civil facility" means: |
| 167 | (a) A mental health facility established within the |
| 168 | department or by contract with the department to serve |
| 169 | individuals committed pursuant to chapter 394 and those |
| 170 | defendants committed pursuant to this chapter who do not require |
| 171 | the security provided in a forensic facility; or. |
| 172 | (b) An intermediate care facility for the developmentally |
| 173 | disabled, a foster care facility, a group home facility, or a |
| 174 | supported living setting, as defined in s. 393.063, designated |
| 175 | by the agency to serve those defendants who do not require the |
| 176 | security provided in a forensic facility. |
| 177 | (5)(4) "Court" means the circuit court. |
| 178 | (6) "Defendant" means an adult, or a juvenile who is |
| 179 | prosecuted as an adult, who has been arraigned and charged with |
| 180 | a felony offense under the laws of this state. |
| 181 | (7)(5) "Department" means the Department of Children and |
| 182 | Family Services. The department is responsible for the treatment |
| 183 | of forensic clients who have been determined incompetent to |
| 184 | proceed due to mental illness or who have been acquitted of a |
| 185 | felony by reason of insanity. |
| 186 | (8)(6) "Express and informed consent" or "consent" means |
| 187 | consent given voluntarily in writing after a conscientious and |
| 188 | sufficient explanation and disclosure of the purpose of the |
| 189 | proposed treatment, the common side effects of the treatment, if |
| 190 | any, the expected duration of the treatment, and any alternative |
| 191 | treatment available. |
| 192 | (9)(7) "Forensic client" or "client" means any defendant |
| 193 | who has been is mentally ill, retarded, or autistic and who is |
| 194 | committed to the department or agency pursuant to s. 916.13, s. |
| 195 | 916.15, or s. 916.302. this chapter and: |
| 196 | (a) Who has been determined to need treatment for a mental |
| 197 | illness or training for retardation or autism; |
| 198 | (b) Who has been found incompetent to proceed on a felony |
| 199 | offense or has been acquitted of a felony offense by reason of |
| 200 | insanity; |
| 201 | (c) Who has been determined by the department to: |
| 202 | 1. Be dangerous to himself or herself or others; or |
| 203 | 2. Present a clear and present potential to escape; and |
| 204 | (d) Who is an adult or a juvenile prosecuted as an adult. |
| 205 | (10)(8) "Forensic facility" means a separate and secure |
| 206 | facility established within the department or agency to serve |
| 207 | forensic clients. A Such separate and secure facility means a |
| 208 | facilities shall be security-grade building for the purpose of |
| 209 | separately housing persons who have mental illness from persons |
| 210 | with retardation or autism and separately housing persons who |
| 211 | have been involuntarily committed pursuant to this chapter from |
| 212 | nonforensic residents buildings located on grounds distinct in |
| 213 | location from other facilities for persons who are mentally ill. |
| 214 | The Florida State Hospital shall not be required to maintain |
| 215 | separate facilities for mentally ill, retarded, or autistic |
| 216 | defendants who are found incompetent to proceed or who are |
| 217 | acquitted of a criminal offense by reason of insanity. |
| 218 | (11)(9) "Incompetent to proceed" means unable to proceed |
| 219 | at any material stage of a criminal proceeding, which shall |
| 220 | include trial of the case, pretrial hearings involving questions |
| 221 | of fact on which the defendant might be expected to testify, |
| 222 | entry of a plea, proceedings for violation of probation or |
| 223 | violation of community control, sentencing, and hearings on |
| 224 | issues regarding a defendant's failure to comply with court |
| 225 | orders or conditions or other matters in which the mental |
| 226 | competence of the defendant is necessary for a just resolution |
| 227 | of the issues being considered. |
| 228 | (12)(10) "Institutional security personnel" means the |
| 229 | staff of forensic facilities members who meet or exceed the |
| 230 | requirements of s. 943.13 and who are responsible for providing |
| 231 | security, protecting for protection of clients and personnel, |
| 232 | enforcing for the enforcement of rules, preventing and |
| 233 | investigating for prevention and investigation of unauthorized |
| 234 | activities, and for safeguarding the interests of citizens in |
| 235 | the surrounding communities. |
| 236 | (13)(11) "Mental illness" means an impairment of the |
| 237 | emotional processes that exercise conscious control of one's |
| 238 | actions, or of the ability to perceive or understand reality, |
| 239 | which impairment substantially interferes with a defendant's |
| 240 | ability to meet the ordinary demands of living. For the purposes |
| 241 | of this chapter, the term does not apply to defendants with only |
| 242 | mental retardation or autism who are solely retarded or |
| 243 | autistic, and does not include intoxication or conditions |
| 244 | manifested only by antisocial behavior or substance abuse |
| 245 | impairment. |
| 246 | (14) "Restraint" means a physical device, method, or drug |
| 247 | used to control dangerous behavior. |
| 248 | (a) A physical restraint is any manual method or physical |
| 249 | or mechanical device, material, or equipment attached or |
| 250 | adjacent to a person's body so that he or she cannot easily |
| 251 | remove the restraint and that restricts freedom of movement or |
| 252 | normal access to one's body. |
| 253 | (b) A drug used as a restraint is a medication used to |
| 254 | control the person's behavior or to restrict his or her freedom |
| 255 | of movement and not part of the standard treatment regimen of |
| 256 | the person with a diagnosed mental illness who is a client of |
| 257 | the department. Physically holding a person during a procedure |
| 258 | to forcibly administer psychotropic medication is a physical |
| 259 | restraint. |
| 260 | (c) Restraint does not include physical devices, such as |
| 261 | orthopedically prescribed appliances, surgical dressings and |
| 262 | bandages, supportive body bands, or other physical holding when |
| 263 | necessary for routine physical examinations and tests; for |
| 264 | purposes of orthopedic, surgical, or other similar medical |
| 265 | treatment; when used to provide support for the achievement of |
| 266 | functional body position or proper balance; or when used to |
| 267 | protect a person from falling out of bed. |
| 268 | (15)(12) "Retardation" has the same meaning as in s. |
| 269 | 393.063. means significantly subaverage general intellectual |
| 270 | functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive |
| 271 | behavior and manifested during the period from conception to age |
| 272 | 18. "Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning," |
| 273 | for the purpose of this definition, means performance which is |
| 274 | two or more standard deviations from the mean score on a |
| 275 | standardized intelligence test specified in the rules of the |
| 276 | department. "Adaptive behavior," for the purpose of this |
| 277 | definition, means the effectiveness or degree with which an |
| 278 | individual meets the standards of personal independence and |
| 279 | social responsibility expected of the individual's age, cultural |
| 280 | group, and community. |
| 281 | (16) "Seclusion" means the physical segregation of a |
| 282 | person in any fashion or the involuntary isolation of a person |
| 283 | in a room or area from which the person is prevented from |
| 284 | leaving. The prevention may be by physical barrier or by a staff |
| 285 | member who is acting in a manner, or who is physically situated, |
| 286 | so as to prevent the person from leaving the room or area. For |
| 287 | purposes of this chapter, the term does not mean isolation due |
| 288 | to a person's medical condition or symptoms, the confinement in |
| 289 | a forensic facility to a bedroom or area during normal hours of |
| 290 | sleep when there is not an active order for seclusion, or during |
| 291 | an emergency such as a riot or hostage situation when clients |
| 292 | may be temporarily placed in their rooms for their own safety. |
| 293 | (17)(13) "Social service professional," for the purposes |
| 294 | of part III, means a person whose minimum qualifications include |
| 295 | a bachelor's degree and at least 2 years of social work, |
| 296 | clinical practice, special education, habilitation, or |
| 297 | equivalent experience working directly with persons with |
| 298 | retardation, autism, or other developmental disabilities. |
| 299 | Section 3. Section 916.107, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 300 | to read: |
| 301 | 916.107 Rights of forensic clients.-- |
| 302 | (1) RIGHT TO INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY.-- |
| 303 | (a) The policy of the state is that the individual dignity |
| 304 | of the client shall be respected at all times and upon all |
| 305 | occasions, including any occasion when the forensic client is |
| 306 | detained, transported, or treated. Clients with mental illness, |
| 307 | retardation, or autism Defendants who are mentally ill, |
| 308 | retarded, or autistic and who are charged with committing |
| 309 | felonies shall receive appropriate treatment or training. In a |
| 310 | criminal case involving a client defendant who has been |
| 311 | adjudicated incompetent to proceed or not guilty by reason of |
| 312 | insanity, a jail may be used as an emergency facility for up to |
| 313 | 15 days following from the date the department or agency |
| 314 | receives a completed copy of the court commitment order |
| 315 | containing all the documentation required by the applicable |
| 316 | Rules 3.212 and 3.217, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. For |
| 317 | a forensic client defendant who is mentally ill, retarded, or |
| 318 | autistic, who is held in a jail awaiting admission to a facility |
| 319 | of the department or agency, and who has been adjudicated |
| 320 | incompetent to proceed or not guilty by reason of insanity, |
| 321 | evaluation and treatment or training may shall be provided in |
| 322 | the jail by the local community mental health provider public |
| 323 | receiving facility for mental health services, or by the |
| 324 | developmental disabilities services program for persons with |
| 325 | retardation or autism, the client's physician or psychologist, |
| 326 | or any other appropriate program until the client is transferred |
| 327 | to a civil or forensic facility the custody of the department. |
| 328 | (b) Forensic clients Mentally ill, retarded, or autistic |
| 329 | defendants who are committed to the department pursuant to this |
| 330 | chapter and who are initially placed in, or subsequently |
| 331 | transferred to, a civil facility as described in part I of |
| 332 | chapter 394 or to a residential facility as described in chapter |
| 333 | 393 shall have the same rights as other persons committed to |
| 334 | these facilities for as long as they remain there. |
| 335 | (2) RIGHT TO TREATMENT.-- |
| 336 | (a) The policy of the state is that neither the department |
| 337 | nor the agency shall not deny treatment or training to any |
| 338 | client and that no services shall be delayed at a facility |
| 339 | because the forensic client is indigent pursuant to s. 27.52 and |
| 340 | presently unable to pay. However, every reasonable effort to |
| 341 | collect appropriate reimbursement for the cost of providing |
| 342 | services to clients able to pay for the services, including |
| 343 | reimbursement from insurance or other third-party payments, |
| 344 | shall be made by facilities providing services pursuant to this |
| 345 | chapter and in accordance with the provisions of s. 402.33. |
| 346 | (b) Each forensic client shall be given, at the time of |
| 347 | admission and at regular intervals thereafter, a physical |
| 348 | examination, which shall include screening for communicable |
| 349 | disease by a health practitioner authorized by law to give such |
| 350 | screenings and examinations. |
| 351 | (c) Every forensic client committed pursuant to this act |
| 352 | shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in activities |
| 353 | designed to enhance self-image and the beneficial effects of |
| 354 | other treatments or training, as determined by the facility. |
| 355 | (d) Not more than 30 days after admission, each client |
| 356 | shall have and receive, in writing, an individualized treatment |
| 357 | or training plan which the client has had an opportunity to |
| 358 | assist in preparing. |
| 359 | (3) RIGHT TO EXPRESS AND INFORMED CONSENT.-- |
| 360 | (a) A forensic client committed to the department pursuant |
| 361 | to this act shall be asked to give express and informed written |
| 362 | consent for treatment. If a client in a forensic facility |
| 363 | refuses such treatment as is deemed necessary and essential by |
| 364 | the client's multidisciplinary treatment team at the forensic |
| 365 | facility for the appropriate care of the client and the safety |
| 366 | of the client or others, such treatment may be provided under |
| 367 | the following circumstances: |
| 368 | 1. In an emergency situation in which there is immediate |
| 369 | danger to the safety of the client or others, such treatment may |
| 370 | be provided upon the written order of a physician for a period |
| 371 | not to exceed 48 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays. |
| 372 | If, after the 48-hour period, the client has not given express |
| 373 | and informed consent to the treatment initially refused, the |
| 374 | administrator or designee of the civil or forensic facility |
| 375 | shall, within 48 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays, |
| 376 | petition the committing court or the circuit court serving the |
| 377 | county in which the facility is located, at the option of the |
| 378 | facility administrator or designee, for an order authorizing the |
| 379 | continued treatment of the client. In the interim, the need for |
| 380 | treatment shall be reviewed every 48 hours and may be continued |
| 381 | without the consent of the client upon the continued written |
| 382 | order of a physician who has determined that the emergency |
| 383 | situation continues to present a danger to the safety of the |
| 384 | client or others. |
| 385 | 2. In a situation other than an emergency situation, the |
| 386 | administrator or designee of the forensic facility shall |
| 387 | petition the court for an order authorizing necessary and |
| 388 | essential the treatment for to the client. The order shall allow |
| 389 | such treatment for a period not to exceed 90 days following from |
| 390 | the date of the entry of the order. Unless the court is notified |
| 391 | in writing that the client has provided express and informed |
| 392 | consent in writing or that the client has been discharged by the |
| 393 | committing court, the administrator or designee shall, prior to |
| 394 | the expiration of the initial 90-day order, petition the court |
| 395 | for an order authorizing the continuation of treatment for |
| 396 | another 90-day period. This procedure shall be repeated until |
| 397 | the client provides consent or is discharged by the committing |
| 398 | court. |
| 399 | 3. At the hearing on the issue of whether the court should |
| 400 | enter an order authorizing treatment for which a client was |
| 401 | unable to or has refused to give express and informed consent, |
| 402 | the court shall determine by clear and convincing evidence that |
| 403 | the client has mental illness, retardation, or autism is |
| 404 | mentally ill, retarded, or autistic as defined in this chapter, |
| 405 | that the treatment not consented to is essential to the care of |
| 406 | the client, and that the treatment not consented to is not |
| 407 | experimental and does not present an unreasonable risk of |
| 408 | serious, hazardous, or irreversible side effects. In arriving at |
| 409 | the substitute judgment decision, the court must consider at |
| 410 | least the following factors: |
| 411 | a. The client's expressed preference regarding treatment; |
| 412 | b. The probability of adverse side effects; |
| 413 | c. The prognosis without treatment; and |
| 414 | d. The prognosis with treatment. |
| 415 |
|
| 416 | The hearing shall be as convenient to the client as may be |
| 417 | consistent with orderly procedure and shall be conducted in |
| 418 | physical settings not likely to be injurious to the client's |
| 419 | condition. The court may appoint a general or special magistrate |
| 420 | to preside at the hearing. The client or the client's guardian, |
| 421 | and the representative, shall be provided with a copy of the |
| 422 | petition and the date, time, and location of the hearing. The |
| 423 | client has the right to have an attorney represent him or her at |
| 424 | the hearing, and, if the client is indigent, the court shall |
| 425 | appoint the office of the public defender to represent the |
| 426 | client at the hearing. The client may testify or not, as he or |
| 427 | she chooses, and has the right to cross-examine witnesses and |
| 428 | may present his or her own witnesses. |
| 429 | (b) In addition to the provisions of paragraph (a), in the |
| 430 | case of surgical procedures requiring the use of a general |
| 431 | anesthetic or electroconvulsive treatment or nonpsychiatric |
| 432 | medical procedures, and prior to performing the procedure, |
| 433 | written permission shall be obtained from the client, if the |
| 434 | client is legally competent, from the parent or guardian of a |
| 435 | minor client, or from the guardian of an incompetent client. The |
| 436 | administrator or designee of the forensic facility or a |
| 437 | designated representative may, with the concurrence of the |
| 438 | client's attending physician, authorize emergency surgical or |
| 439 | nonpsychiatric medical treatment if such treatment is deemed |
| 440 | lifesaving or for a situation threatening serious bodily harm to |
| 441 | the client and permission of the client or the client's guardian |
| 442 | could not cannot be obtained before provision of the needed |
| 443 | treatment. |
| 444 | (4) QUALITY OF TREATMENT.-- |
| 445 | (a) Each forensic client committed pursuant to this |
| 446 | chapter shall receive treatment or training suited to the |
| 447 | client's needs, which shall be administered skillfully, safely, |
| 448 | and humanely with full respect for the client's dignity and |
| 449 | personal integrity. Each client shall receive such medical, |
| 450 | vocational, social, educational, and rehabilitative services as |
| 451 | the client's condition requires to bring about a return to court |
| 452 | for disposition of charges or a return to the community. In |
| 453 | order to achieve this goal, the department and the agency shall |
| 454 | coordinate their services with each other, the Department of |
| 455 | Corrections, is directed to coordinate the services of the |
| 456 | Mental Health Program Office and the Developmental Disabilities |
| 457 | Program Office with all other programs of the department and |
| 458 | other appropriate state agencies. |
| 459 | (b) Forensic clients shall be free from the unnecessary |
| 460 | use of restraint or seclusion. Restraints shall be employed only |
| 461 | in emergencies or to protect the client or others from imminent |
| 462 | injury. Restraints may not be employed as punishment or for the |
| 463 | convenience of staff. |
| 464 | (5) COMMUNICATION, ABUSE REPORTING, AND VISITS.-- |
| 465 | (a) Each forensic client committed pursuant to the |
| 466 | provisions of this chapter has the right to communicate freely |
| 467 | and privately with persons outside the facility unless it is |
| 468 | determined that such communication is likely to be harmful to |
| 469 | the client or others. Clients shall have the right to contact |
| 470 | and to receive communication from their attorneys at any |
| 471 | reasonable time. |
| 472 | (a)(b) Each forensic client committed under the provisions |
| 473 | of this chapter shall be allowed to receive, send, and mail |
| 474 | sealed, unopened correspondence; and no client's incoming or |
| 475 | outgoing correspondence shall be opened, delayed, held, or |
| 476 | censored by the facility unless there is reason to believe that |
| 477 | it contains items or substances that which may be harmful to the |
| 478 | client or others, in which case the administrator or designee |
| 479 | may direct reasonable examination of such mail and may regulate |
| 480 | the disposition of such items or substances. For purposes of |
| 481 | this paragraph, the term "correspondence" does shall not include |
| 482 | parcels or packages. Forensic facilities may are authorized to |
| 483 | promulgate reasonable institutional policies to provide for the |
| 484 | inspection of parcels or packages and for the removal of |
| 485 | contraband items for health or security reasons prior to the |
| 486 | contents being given to a client. |
| 487 | (b)(c) If a client's right to communicate is restricted by |
| 488 | the administrator, written notice of such restriction and the |
| 489 | duration of the restriction shall be served on the client or his |
| 490 | or her legal guardian or representatives, and such restriction |
| 491 | shall be recorded on the client's clinical record with the |
| 492 | reasons therefor. The restriction of a client's right to |
| 493 | communicate shall be reviewed at least every 7 days. |
| 494 | (c)(d) Each forensic facility shall establish reasonable |
| 495 | institutional policies governing visitors, visiting hours, and |
| 496 | the use of telephones by clients in the least restrictive manner |
| 497 | possible. |
| 498 | (d)(e) Each forensic client committed pursuant to this |
| 499 | chapter shall have ready access to a telephone in order to |
| 500 | report an alleged abuse. The facility or program staff shall |
| 501 | orally and in writing inform each client of the procedure for |
| 502 | reporting abuse and shall present the information in a language |
| 503 | the client understands. A written copy of that procedure, |
| 504 | including the telephone number of the central abuse hotline and |
| 505 | reporting forms, shall be posted in plain view. |
| 506 | (e)(f) The department's or agency's forensic facilities |
| 507 | shall develop policies providing a procedure for reporting |
| 508 | abuse. Facility staff shall be required, as a condition of |
| 509 | employment, to become familiar with the procedures for the |
| 510 | reporting of abuse. |
| 511 | (6) CARE AND CUSTODY OF PERSONAL EFFECTS OF CLIENTS.--A |
| 512 | forensic client's right to possession of clothing and personal |
| 513 | effects shall be respected. The department or agency by rule, or |
| 514 | the administrator of any forensic facility by written |
| 515 | institutional policy, may declare certain items to be hazardous |
| 516 | to the health or welfare of clients or others or to the |
| 517 | operation of the facility. Such items may be restricted from |
| 518 | introduction into the facility or may be restricted from being |
| 519 | in a client's possession. The administrator or designee may take |
| 520 | temporary custody of such effects when required for medical and |
| 521 | safety reasons. Custody of such personal effects shall be |
| 522 | recorded in the client's clinical record. |
| 523 | (7) VOTING IN PUBLIC ELECTIONS.--A forensic client |
| 524 | committed pursuant to this chapter who is eligible to vote |
| 525 | according to the laws of the state has the right to vote in the |
| 526 | primary and general elections. The department and agency shall |
| 527 | establish rules to enable clients to obtain voter registration |
| 528 | forms, applications for absentee ballots, and absentee ballots. |
| 529 | (8) CLINICAL RECORD; CONFIDENTIALITY.--A clinical record |
| 530 | for each forensic client shall be maintained. The record shall |
| 531 | include data pertaining to admission and such other information |
| 532 | as may be required under rules of the department or the agency. |
| 533 | Unless waived by express and informed consent of the client or |
| 534 | the client's legal guardian or, if the client is deceased, by |
| 535 | the client's personal representative or by that family member |
| 536 | who stands next in line of intestate succession or except as |
| 537 | otherwise provided in this subsection, the clinical record is |
| 538 | confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and |
| 539 | s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. |
| 540 | (a) Such clinical record may be released: |
| 541 | 1. To such persons and agencies as are designated by the |
| 542 | client or the client's legal guardian. |
| 543 | 2. To persons authorized by order of court and to the |
| 544 | client's counsel when the records are needed by the counsel for |
| 545 | adequate representation. |
| 546 | 3. To a qualified researcher, as defined by rule; a staff |
| 547 | member of the facility; or an employee of the department or |
| 548 | agency when the administrator of the facility, or secretary or |
| 549 | director of the department or agency, deems it necessary for |
| 550 | treatment of the client, maintenance of adequate records, |
| 551 | compilation of treatment data, or evaluation of programs. |
| 552 | 4. For statistical and research purposes if the |
| 553 | information is abstracted in such a way as to protect the |
| 554 | identity of individuals. |
| 555 | 5. If a client receiving services pursuant to this chapter |
| 556 | has declared an intention to harm other persons. When such a |
| 557 | declaration has been made, the administrator shall authorize the |
| 558 | release of sufficient information to provide adequate warning to |
| 559 | the person threatened with harm by the client, and to the |
| 560 | committing court, the state attorney, and the attorney |
| 561 | representing the client. |
| 562 | 6. To the parent or next of kin of a client mentally ill, |
| 563 | retarded, or autistic person who is committed to, or is being |
| 564 | served by, a facility or program when such information is |
| 565 | limited to that person's service plan and current physical and |
| 566 | mental condition. Release of such information shall be in |
| 567 | accordance with the code of ethics of the profession involved |
| 568 | and must comply with all state and federal laws and regulations |
| 569 | pertaining to the release of personal health information. |
| 570 | (b) Notwithstanding other provisions of this subsection, |
| 571 | the department or agency may request or receive from or provide |
| 572 | to any of the following entities client information to |
| 573 | facilitate treatment, habilitation, rehabilitation, and |
| 574 | continuity of care of any forensic client: |
| 575 | 1. The Social Security Administration and the United |
| 576 | States Department of Veterans Affairs; |
| 577 | 2. Law enforcement agencies, state attorneys, defense |
| 578 | attorneys, and judges in regard to the client's status; |
| 579 | 3. Jail personnel in the jail in to which a client may be |
| 580 | housed returned; and |
| 581 | 4. Community agencies and others expected to provide |
| 582 | followup care to the client upon the client's return to the |
| 583 | community. |
| 584 | (c) The department or agency may provide notice to any |
| 585 | client's next of kin or first representative regarding any |
| 586 | serious medical illness or the death of the client. |
| 587 | (d)1. Any law enforcement agency, facility, or other |
| 588 | governmental agency that receives information pursuant to this |
| 589 | subsection shall maintain the confidentiality of such |
| 590 | information except as otherwise provided herein. |
| 591 | 2. Any agency or private practitioner who acts in good |
| 592 | faith in releasing information pursuant to this subsection is |
| 593 | not subject to civil or criminal liability for such release. |
| 594 | (9) HABEAS CORPUS.-- |
| 595 | (a) At any time, and without notice, a forensic client |
| 596 | detained by a facility, or a relative, friend, guardian, |
| 597 | representative, or attorney on behalf of such client, may |
| 598 | petition for a writ of habeas corpus to question the cause and |
| 599 | legality of such detention and request that the committing court |
| 600 | issue a writ for release. Each client committed pursuant to this |
| 601 | chapter shall receive a written notice of the right to petition |
| 602 | for a writ of habeas corpus. |
| 603 | (b) A client or his or her legal guardian or |
| 604 | representatives or attorney may file a petition in the circuit |
| 605 | court in the county where the client is committed alleging that |
| 606 | the client is being unjustly denied a right or privilege granted |
| 607 | herein or that a procedure authorized herein is being abused. |
| 608 | Upon the filing of such a petition, the circuit court shall have |
| 609 | the authority to conduct a judicial inquiry and to issue any |
| 610 | appropriate order to correct an abuse of the provisions of this |
| 611 | chapter. |
| 612 | (10) TRANSPORTATION.-- |
| 613 | (a) The sheriff shall consult with the governing board of |
| 614 | the county as to the most appropriate and cost-effective means |
| 615 | of transportation for forensic clients who have been committed |
| 616 | for treatment or training. Such consultation shall include, but |
| 617 | is not limited to, consideration of the cost to the county of |
| 618 | transportation performed by sheriff's department personnel as |
| 619 | opposed to transportation performed by other means and, if |
| 620 | sheriff's department personnel are to be used for |
| 621 | transportation, the effect such use will have, if any, on |
| 622 | service delivery levels of the sheriff's road patrol. After such |
| 623 | consultation with the governing board of the county, the sheriff |
| 624 | shall determine the most appropriate and cost-effective means of |
| 625 | transportation for forensic clients committed for treatment or |
| 626 | training. |
| 627 | (b) The governing board of each county is authorized to |
| 628 | contract with private transport companies for the transportation |
| 629 | of such clients to and from a facility. |
| 630 | (c) Any company that transports a client pursuant to this |
| 631 | section is considered an independent contractor and is solely |
| 632 | liable for the safe and dignified transportation of the client. |
| 633 | Any transport company that contracts with the governing board of |
| 634 | a county for the transport of clients as provided for in this |
| 635 | section shall be insured and provide no less than $100,000 in |
| 636 | liability insurance with respect to the transportation of the |
| 637 | clients. |
| 638 | (d) Any company that contracts with a governing board of a |
| 639 | county to transport clients shall comply with the applicable |
| 640 | rules of the department or agency to ensure the safety and |
| 641 | dignity of the clients. |
| 642 | (11) LIABILITY FOR VIOLATIONS.--Any person who violates or |
| 643 | abuses any rights or privileges of a forensic client in the |
| 644 | custody of the department or agency that are provided under this |
| 645 | chapter shall be by this act is liable for damages as determined |
| 646 | by law. Any person who acts in good faith in complying with the |
| 647 | provisions of this chapter act is immune from civil or criminal |
| 648 | liability for his or her actions in connection with the |
| 649 | admission, diagnosis, treatment, training, or discharge of a |
| 650 | client to or from a facility. However, this subsection does not |
| 651 | relieve any person from liability if he or she is negligent. |
| 652 | Section 4. Subsections (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) of |
| 653 | section 916.1075, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 654 | 916.1075 Sexual misconduct prohibited; reporting required; |
| 655 | penalties.-- |
| 656 | (1) As used in this section, the term: |
| 657 | (a) "Covered person" means an employee," includes any paid |
| 658 | staff member, volunteer, or intern of the department or agency; |
| 659 | any person under contract with the department or agency; and any |
| 660 | person providing care or support to a forensic client on behalf |
| 661 | of the department, the agency, or their its providers. |
| 662 | (b) "Sexual activity" means: |
| 663 | 1. Fondling the genital area, groin, inner thighs, |
| 664 | buttocks, or breasts of a person. |
| 665 | 2. The oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by or union with |
| 666 | the sexual organ of another or the anal or vaginal penetration |
| 667 | of another by any other object. |
| 668 | 3. Intentionally touching in a lewd or lascivious manner |
| 669 | the breasts, genitals, the genital area, or buttocks, or the |
| 670 | clothing covering them, of a person, or forcing or enticing a |
| 671 | person to touch the perpetrator. |
| 672 | 4. Intentionally masturbating in the presence of another |
| 673 | person. |
| 674 | 5. Intentionally exposing the genitals in a lewd or |
| 675 | lascivious manner in the presence of another person. |
| 676 | 6. Intentionally committing any other sexual act that does |
| 677 | not involve actual physical or sexual contact with the victim, |
| 678 | including, but not limited to, sadomasochistic abuse, sexual |
| 679 | bestiality, or the simulation of any act involving sexual |
| 680 | activity in the presence of a victim. |
| 681 | (c) "Sexual misconduct" means any sexual activity between |
| 682 | a covered person an employee and a forensic client in the |
| 683 | custody of the department or agency, regardless of the consent |
| 684 | of the client. The term does not include an act done for a bona |
| 685 | fide medical purpose or an internal search conducted in the |
| 686 | lawful performance of duty by a covered person an employee. |
| 687 | (2) A covered person An employee who engages in sexual |
| 688 | misconduct with a forensic client who resides in a civil or |
| 689 | forensic facility commits a felony of the second degree, |
| 690 | punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. |
| 691 | Such person An employee may be found guilty of violating this |
| 692 | subsection without having committed the crime of sexual battery. |
| 693 | (3) The consent of a forensic the client to sexual |
| 694 | activity is not a defense to prosecution under this section. |
| 695 | (4) This section does not apply to a covered person an |
| 696 | employee who: |
| 697 | (a) Is legally married to the client; or |
| 698 | (b) Has no reason to believe that the person with whom the |
| 699 | covered person employee engaged in sexual misconduct is a client |
| 700 | receiving services as described in subsection (2). |
| 701 | (5) A covered person An employee who witnesses sexual |
| 702 | misconduct, or who otherwise knows or has reasonable cause to |
| 703 | suspect that a person has engaged in sexual misconduct, shall |
| 704 | immediately report the incident to the department's central |
| 705 | abuse hotline and to the appropriate local law enforcement |
| 706 | agency. The covered person Such employee shall also prepare, |
| 707 | date, and sign an independent report that specifically describes |
| 708 | the nature of the sexual misconduct, the location and time of |
| 709 | the incident, and the persons involved. For an allegation |
| 710 | pertaining to a forensic client committed to the department or |
| 711 | agency, the covered person employee shall deliver the report |
| 712 | directly to the department's or agency's inspector general, as |
| 713 | appropriate, or to the supervisor or program director, who shall |
| 714 | provide copies to the department's or agency's is responsible |
| 715 | for providing copies to the department's inspector general. The |
| 716 | inspector general shall immediately conduct an appropriate |
| 717 | administrative investigation, and, if there is probable cause to |
| 718 | believe that sexual misconduct has occurred, the inspector |
| 719 | general shall notify the state attorney in the circuit in which |
| 720 | the incident occurred. |
| 721 | Section 5. Section 916.1081, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 722 | to read: |
| 723 | 916.1081 Escape from program; penalty.-- |
| 724 | (1) A forensic client who is A defendant involuntarily |
| 725 | committed to the department or agency, who is in the custody of |
| 726 | the department or agency, and under the provisions of this |
| 727 | chapter who escapes or attempts to escape from a civil or |
| 728 | forensic facility or program commits a felony of the second |
| 729 | degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. |
| 730 | 775.084. |
| 731 | (2) A person who is involuntarily committed to the |
| 732 | department or the agency, who is in the custody of the |
| 733 | Department of Corrections, and who escapes or attempts to escape |
| 734 | from a facility or program commits a felony of the second |
| 735 | degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. |
| 736 | 775.084. Any punishment of imprisonment imposed under this |
| 737 | subsection shall run consecutive to any former sentence imposed |
| 738 | upon the person. |
| 739 | Section 6. Subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection |
| 740 | (2) of section 916.1085, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 741 | 916.1085 Introduction or removal of certain articles |
| 742 | unlawful; penalty.-- |
| 743 | (1)(a) Except as authorized by law or as specifically |
| 744 | authorized by the person in charge of a facility, it is unlawful |
| 745 | to introduce into or upon the grounds of any facility under the |
| 746 | supervision or control of the department or agency, or to take |
| 747 | or attempt to take or send therefrom, any of the following |
| 748 | articles, which are hereby declared to be contraband for the |
| 749 | purposes of this section: |
| 750 | 1. Any intoxicating beverage or beverage which causes or |
| 751 | may cause an intoxicating effect; |
| 752 | 2. Any controlled substance as defined in chapter 893; |
| 753 | 3. Any firearm or deadly weapon; or |
| 754 | 4. Any other item as determined by the department or the |
| 755 | agency, and as designated by departmental rule or by the |
| 756 | administrator of any facility, and designated by written |
| 757 | institutional policies, to be hazardous to the welfare of |
| 758 | clients patients or the operation of the facility. |
| 759 | (b) It is unlawful to transmit to, attempt to transmit to, |
| 760 | or cause or attempt to cause to be transmitted to or received by |
| 761 | any client of any facility under the supervision or control of |
| 762 | the department or agency any article or thing declared by this |
| 763 | section to be contraband, at any place that which is outside of |
| 764 | the grounds of such facility, except as authorized by law or as |
| 765 | specifically authorized by the person in charge of such |
| 766 | facility. |
| 767 | (2) |
| 768 | (b) These provisions shall be enforced by institutional |
| 769 | security personnel as defined in s. 916.106(10) or by a law |
| 770 | enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10. |
| 771 | Section 7. Section 916.1091, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 772 | to read: |
| 773 | 916.1091 Duties, functions, and powers of institutional |
| 774 | security personnel.--In case of emergency, and when necessary to |
| 775 | provide protection and security to any client, to the personnel, |
| 776 | equipment, buildings, or grounds of a department or agency |
| 777 | facility, or to citizens in the surrounding community, |
| 778 | institutional security personnel may, when authorized by the |
| 779 | administrator of the facility or her or his designee when the |
| 780 | administrator is not present, use a chemical weapon against a |
| 781 | patient housed in a forensic facility. However, such weapon |
| 782 | shall be used only to the extent necessary to provide such |
| 783 | protection and security. Under no circumstances shall any such |
| 784 | officer carry a chemical weapon on her or his person except |
| 785 | during the period of the emergency for which its use was |
| 786 | authorized. All chemical weapons shall be placed in secure |
| 787 | storage when their use is not authorized as provided in this |
| 788 | section. |
| 789 | Section 8. Section 916.1093, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 790 | to read: |
| 791 | 916.1093 Operation and administration; rules.-- |
| 792 | (1) The department or agency may is authorized to enter |
| 793 | into contracts and do such things as may be necessary and |
| 794 | incidental to assure compliance with and to carry out the |
| 795 | provisions of this chapter in accordance with the stated |
| 796 | legislative intent. |
| 797 | (2) The department and agency are authorized has authority |
| 798 | to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to |
| 799 | implement the provisions of this chapter. Such rules must |
| 800 | address the use of restraint and seclusion in forensic |
| 801 | facilities and must be consistent with recognized best |
| 802 | practices; prohibit inherently dangerous restraint or seclusion |
| 803 | procedures; establish limitations on the use and duration of |
| 804 | restraint and seclusion; establish measures to ensure the safety |
| 805 | of clients and staff during an incident of restraint or |
| 806 | seclusion; establish procedures for staff to follow before, |
| 807 | during, and after incidents of restraint or seclusion; establish |
| 808 | professional qualifications of and training for staff who may |
| 809 | order or be engaged in the use of restraint or seclusion; |
| 810 | provide data reporting and data collection procedures relating |
| 811 | to the use of restraint and seclusion; and provide for the |
| 812 | documentation of the use of restraint or seclusion in the |
| 813 | client's facility record. |
| 814 | Section 9. Subsection (1) of section 916.111, Florida |
| 815 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 816 | 916.111 Training of mental health experts.--The evaluation |
| 817 | of defendants for competency to proceed or for sanity at the |
| 818 | time of the commission of the offense shall be conducted in such |
| 819 | a way as to ensure uniform application of the criteria |
| 820 | enumerated in Rules 3.210 and 3.216, Florida Rules of Criminal |
| 821 | Procedure. The department shall develop, and may contract with |
| 822 | accredited institutions: |
| 823 | (1) To provide: |
| 824 | (a) A plan for training community mental health |
| 825 | professionals to perform forensic evaluations and to standardize |
| 826 | the criteria and procedures to be used in these evaluations; |
| 827 | (b) Clinical protocols and procedures based upon the |
| 828 | criteria of Rules 3.210 and 3.216, Florida Rules of Criminal |
| 829 | Procedure; and |
| 830 | (c) Training for community mental health professionals in |
| 831 | the application of these protocols and procedures in performing |
| 832 | forensic evaluations and providing reports to the courts; and |
| 833 | Section 10. Section 916.115, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 834 | to read: |
| 835 | 916.115 Appointment of experts.-- |
| 836 | (1)(a) Annually, the department shall provide the courts |
| 837 | with a list of mental health professionals who have completed |
| 838 | approved training as experts. |
| 839 | (b) The court shall may appoint no more than three experts |
| 840 | to determine issues of the mental condition of a defendant in a |
| 841 | criminal case, including the issues of competency to proceed, |
| 842 | insanity, and involuntary hospitalization or placement, and |
| 843 | treatment. The experts An expert may evaluate the defendant in |
| 844 | jail or in another appropriate local facility or in a facility |
| 845 | of the Department of Corrections. |
| 846 | (a)(c) To the extent possible, the an appointed experts |
| 847 | expert shall have completed forensic evaluator training approved |
| 848 | by the department and each shall be either a psychiatrist, |
| 849 | licensed psychologist, or physician. |
| 850 | (b) The department shall maintain and annually provide the |
| 851 | courts with a list of available mental health professionals who |
| 852 | have completed the approved training as experts. |
| 853 | (2) Expert witnesses appointed by the court to evaluate |
| 854 | the mental condition of a defendant in a criminal case shall be |
| 855 | allowed reasonable fees for services rendered as evaluators of |
| 856 | competence or sanity and as witnesses. |
| 857 | (a)1. The court shall pay for any expert that it appoints |
| 858 | by court order, upon motion of counsel for the defendant or the |
| 859 | state or upon its own motion. If the defense or the state |
| 860 | retains an expert and waives the confidentiality of the expert's |
| 861 | report, the court may pay for no more than two additional |
| 862 | experts appointed by court order. If an expert appointed by the |
| 863 | court upon motion of counsel for the defendant specifically to |
| 864 | evaluate the competence of the defendant to proceed also |
| 865 | addresses in his or her evaluation issues related to sanity as |
| 866 | an affirmative defense, the court shall pay only for that |
| 867 | portion of the expert's fees relating to the evaluation on |
| 868 | competency to proceed, and the balance of the fees shall be |
| 869 | chargeable to the defense. |
| 870 | (a)2. Pursuant to s. 29.006, the office of the public |
| 871 | defender shall pay for any expert retained by the office. |
| 872 | (b)3. Pursuant to s. 29.005, the office of the state |
| 873 | attorney shall pay for any expert retained by the office and. |
| 874 | Notwithstanding subparagraph 1., the office of the state |
| 875 | attorney shall pay for any expert whom the office retains and |
| 876 | whom the office moves the court to appoint in order to ensure |
| 877 | that the expert has access to the defendant. |
| 878 | (c)4. An expert retained by the defendant who is |
| 879 | represented by private counsel appointed under s. 27.5303 shall |
| 880 | be paid by the Justice Administrative Commission. |
| 881 | (d)5. An expert retained by a defendant who is indigent |
| 882 | for costs as determined by the court and who is represented by |
| 883 | private counsel, other than private counsel appointed under s. |
| 884 | 27.5303, on a fee or pro bono basis, or who is representing |
| 885 | himself or herself, shall be paid by the Justice Administrative |
| 886 | Commission from funds specifically appropriated for these |
| 887 | expenses. |
| 888 | (e)(b) State employees shall be reimbursed for paid |
| 889 | expenses pursuant to s. 112.061. |
| 890 | (f)(c) The fees shall be taxed as costs in the case. |
| 891 | (g)(d) In order for an expert to be paid for the services |
| 892 | rendered, the expert's report and testimony must explicitly |
| 893 | address each of the factors and follow the procedures set out in |
| 894 | this chapter and in the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. |
| 895 | Section 11. Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section |
| 896 | 916.12, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 897 | 916.12 Mental competence to proceed.-- |
| 898 | (1) A defendant is incompetent to proceed within the |
| 899 | meaning of this chapter if the defendant does not have |
| 900 | sufficient present ability to consult with her or his lawyer |
| 901 | with a reasonable degree of rational understanding or if the |
| 902 | defendant has no rational, as well as factual, understanding of |
| 903 | the proceedings against her or him. |
| 904 | (2) Mental health experts appointed pursuant to s. 916.115 |
| 905 | An expert shall first determine whether the defendant has a |
| 906 | mental illness person is mentally ill and, if so, consider the |
| 907 | factors related to the issue of whether the defendant meets the |
| 908 | criteria for competence to proceed as described in subsection |
| 909 | (1); that is, whether the defendant has sufficient present |
| 910 | ability to consult with counsel with a reasonable degree of |
| 911 | rational understanding and whether the defendant has a rational, |
| 912 | as well as factual, understanding of the pending proceedings. A |
| 913 | defendant must be evaluated by no fewer than two experts before |
| 914 | the court commits the defendant or takes other action authorized |
| 915 | by this chapter or the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, |
| 916 | except if one expert finds that the defendant is incompetent to |
| 917 | proceed and the parties stipulate to that finding, the court may |
| 918 | commit the defendant or take other action authorized by this |
| 919 | chapter or the rules without further evaluation or hearing, or |
| 920 | the court may appoint no more than two additional experts to |
| 921 | evaluate the defendant. Notwithstanding any stipulation by the |
| 922 | state and the defendant, the court may require a hearing with |
| 923 | testimony from the expert or experts before ordering the |
| 924 | commitment of a defendant. |
| 925 | (3) In considering the issue of competence to proceed, an |
| 926 | examining expert shall first consider and specifically include |
| 927 | in his or her report the defendant's capacity to: |
| 928 | (a) Appreciate the charges or allegations against the |
| 929 | defendant.; |
| 930 | (b) Appreciate the range and nature of possible penalties, |
| 931 | if applicable, that may be imposed in the proceedings against |
| 932 | the defendant.; |
| 933 | (c) Understand the adversarial nature of the legal |
| 934 | process.; |
| 935 | (d) Disclose to counsel facts pertinent to the proceedings |
| 936 | at issue.; |
| 937 | (e) Manifest appropriate courtroom behavior.; and |
| 938 | (f) Testify relevantly.; |
| 939 | (g) and include in his or her report Any other factor |
| 940 | deemed relevant by the expert. |
| 941 | Section 12. Section 916.13, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 942 | to read: |
| 943 | 916.13 Involuntary commitment of defendant adjudicated |
| 944 | incompetent.-- |
| 945 | (1) Every defendant who is charged with a felony and who |
| 946 | is adjudicated incompetent to proceed, pursuant to the |
| 947 | applicable Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, may be |
| 948 | involuntarily committed for treatment upon a finding by the |
| 949 | court of clear and convincing evidence that: |
| 950 | (a) The defendant has a mental illness is mentally ill and |
| 951 | because of the mental illness: |
| 952 | 1. The defendant is manifestly incapable of surviving |
| 953 | alone or with the help of willing and responsible family or |
| 954 | friends, including available alternative services, and, without |
| 955 | treatment, the defendant is likely to suffer from neglect or |
| 956 | refuse to care for herself or himself and such neglect or |
| 957 | refusal poses a real and present threat of substantial harm to |
| 958 | the defendant's well-being; or and |
| 959 | 2. There is a substantial likelihood that in the near |
| 960 | future the defendant will inflict serious bodily harm on herself |
| 961 | or himself or another person, as evidenced by recent behavior |
| 962 | causing, attempting, or threatening such harm; |
| 963 | (b) All available, less restrictive treatment |
| 964 | alternatives, including treatment in community residential |
| 965 | facilities or community inpatient or outpatient settings, which |
| 966 | would offer an opportunity for improvement of the defendant's |
| 967 | condition have been judged to be inappropriate; and |
| 968 | (c) There is a substantial probability that the mental |
| 969 | illness causing the defendant's incompetence will respond to |
| 970 | treatment and the defendant will regain competency to proceed in |
| 971 | the reasonably foreseeable future. |
| 972 | (2) A defendant who has been charged with a felony and who |
| 973 | has been adjudicated incompetent to proceed due to mental |
| 974 | illness, and who meets the criteria for involuntary commitment |
| 975 | to the department under the provisions of this chapter, may be |
| 976 | committed to the department, and the department shall retain and |
| 977 | treat the defendant. No later than 6 months after the date of |
| 978 | admission and or at the end of any period of extended |
| 979 | commitment, or at any time the administrator or designee shall |
| 980 | have determined that the defendant has regained competency to |
| 981 | proceed or no longer meets the criteria for continued |
| 982 | commitment, the administrator or designee shall file a report |
| 983 | with the court pursuant to the applicable Florida Rules of |
| 984 | Criminal Procedure. |
| 985 | Section 13. Section 916.145, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 986 | to read: |
| 987 | 916.145 Adjudication of incompetency due to mental |
| 988 | illness; Dismissal of charges.--The charges against any |
| 989 | defendant adjudicated incompetent to proceed due to the |
| 990 | defendant's mental illness shall be dismissed without prejudice |
| 991 | to the state if the defendant remains incompetent to proceed 5 |
| 992 | years after such determination, unless the court in its order |
| 993 | specifies its reasons for believing that the defendant will |
| 994 | become competent to proceed within the foreseeable future and |
| 995 | specifies the time within which the defendant is expected to |
| 996 | become competent to proceed. The charges against the defendant |
| 997 | are dismissed without prejudice to the state to refile the |
| 998 | charges should the defendant be declared competent to proceed in |
| 999 | the future. |
| 1000 | Section 14. Section 916.15, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1001 | to read: |
| 1002 | 916.15 Involuntary commitment of defendant adjudicated not |
| 1003 | guilty by reason of insanity.-- |
| 1004 | (1) The determination of whether a defendant is not guilty |
| 1005 | by reason of insanity shall be determined in accordance with |
| 1006 | Rule 3.217, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. |
| 1007 | (2)(1) A defendant who is acquitted of criminal charges |
| 1008 | because of a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity may be |
| 1009 | involuntarily committed pursuant to such finding if the |
| 1010 | defendant has a mental illness is mentally ill and, because of |
| 1011 | the illness, is manifestly dangerous to himself or herself or |
| 1012 | others. |
| 1013 | (3)(2) Every defendant acquitted of criminal charges by |
| 1014 | reason of insanity and found to meet the criteria for |
| 1015 | involuntary commitment may be committed and treated in |
| 1016 | accordance with the provisions of this section and the |
| 1017 | applicable Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. The department |
| 1018 | shall admit a defendant so adjudicated to an appropriate |
| 1019 | facility or program for treatment and shall retain and treat |
| 1020 | such defendant. No later than 6 months after the date of |
| 1021 | admission, prior to the end of any period of extended |
| 1022 | commitment, or at any time the administrator or designee shall |
| 1023 | have determined that the defendant no longer meets the criteria |
| 1024 | for continued commitment placement, the administrator or |
| 1025 | designee shall file a report with the court pursuant to the |
| 1026 | applicable Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. |
| 1027 | (4)(3) In all proceedings under this section subsection, |
| 1028 | both the defendant and the state shall have the right to a |
| 1029 | hearing before the committing court. Evidence at such hearing |
| 1030 | may be presented by the hospital administrator or the |
| 1031 | administrator's designee as well as by the state and the |
| 1032 | defendant. The defendant shall have the right to counsel at any |
| 1033 | such hearing. In the event that a defendant is determined to be |
| 1034 | indigent pursuant to s. 27.52, the public defender shall |
| 1035 | represent the defendant. The parties shall have access to the |
| 1036 | defendant's records at the treating facilities and may interview |
| 1037 | or depose personnel who have had contact with the defendant at |
| 1038 | the treating facilities. |
| 1039 | Section 15. Section 916.16, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1040 | to read: |
| 1041 | 916.16 Jurisdiction of committing court.-- |
| 1042 | (1) The committing court shall retain jurisdiction over in |
| 1043 | the case of any defendant involuntarily committed due to a |
| 1044 | determination of incompetency hospitalized as incompetent to |
| 1045 | proceed due to mental illness or because of a finding of not |
| 1046 | guilty by reason of insanity pursuant to this chapter. The No |
| 1047 | such defendant may not be released except by order of the |
| 1048 | committing court. An The administrative hearing examiner does |
| 1049 | not shall have no jurisdiction to determine issues of continuing |
| 1050 | commitment hospitalization or release of any defendant |
| 1051 | involuntarily committed admitted pursuant to this chapter. |
| 1052 | (2) The committing court shall retain jurisdiction in the |
| 1053 | case of any defendant placed on conditional release pursuant to |
| 1054 | s. 916.17. No Such defendant may not be released from the |
| 1055 | conditions of release except by order of the committing court. |
| 1056 | Section 16. Section 916.17, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1057 | to read: |
| 1058 | 916.17 Conditional release.-- |
| 1059 | (1) Except for an inmate currently serving a prison |
| 1060 | sentence, The committing court may order a conditional release |
| 1061 | of any defendant who has been found to be incompetent to proceed |
| 1062 | or not guilty by reason of insanity, based on an approved plan |
| 1063 | for providing appropriate outpatient care and treatment. the |
| 1064 | committing court may order a conditional release of any |
| 1065 | defendant in lieu of an involuntary commitment to a facility |
| 1066 | pursuant to s. 916.13 or s. 916.15 based upon an approved plan |
| 1067 | for providing appropriate outpatient care and treatment. Upon a |
| 1068 | recommendation that outpatient treatment of the defendant is |
| 1069 | appropriate, a written plan for outpatient treatment, including |
| 1070 | recommendations from qualified professionals, must be filed with |
| 1071 | the court, with copies to all parties. Such a plan may also be |
| 1072 | submitted by the defendant and filed with the court with copies |
| 1073 | to all parties. The plan shall include: |
| 1074 | (a) Special provisions for residential care or adequate |
| 1075 | supervision of the defendant. |
| 1076 | (b) Provisions for outpatient mental health services. |
| 1077 | (c) If appropriate, recommendations for auxiliary services |
| 1078 | such as vocational training, educational services, or special |
| 1079 | medical care. |
| 1080 |
|
| 1081 | In its order of conditional release, the court shall specify the |
| 1082 | conditions of release based upon the release plan and shall |
| 1083 | direct the appropriate agencies or persons to submit periodic |
| 1084 | reports to the court regarding the defendant's compliance with |
| 1085 | the conditions of the release and progress in treatment, with |
| 1086 | copies to all parties. |
| 1087 | (2) Upon the filing of an affidavit or statement under |
| 1088 | oath by any person that the defendant has failed to comply with |
| 1089 | the conditions of release, that the defendant's condition has |
| 1090 | deteriorated to the point that inpatient care is required, or |
| 1091 | that the release conditions should be modified, the court shall |
| 1092 | hold a hearing within 7 days after receipt of the affidavit or |
| 1093 | statement under oath. After the hearing, the court may modify |
| 1094 | the release conditions. The court may also order that the |
| 1095 | defendant be returned to the department if it is found, after |
| 1096 | the appointment and report of experts, that the person meets the |
| 1097 | criteria for involuntary commitment under s. 916.13 or s. 916.15 |
| 1098 | treatment. |
| 1099 | (3) If at any time it is determined after a hearing that |
| 1100 | the defendant who has been conditionally released under |
| 1101 | subsection (1) no longer requires court-supervised followup |
| 1102 | care, the court shall terminate its jurisdiction in the cause |
| 1103 | and discharge the defendant. |
| 1104 | Section 17. Section 916.301, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1105 | to read: |
| 1106 | 916.301 Appointment of experts.-- |
| 1107 | (1) All evaluations ordered by the court under this part |
| 1108 | must be conducted by qualified experts who have expertise in |
| 1109 | evaluating persons with retardation or autism. The agency |
| 1110 | department shall maintain and provide the courts annually with a |
| 1111 | list of available retardation and autism professionals who are |
| 1112 | appropriately licensed and qualified to perform evaluations of |
| 1113 | defendants alleged to be incompetent to proceed due to |
| 1114 | retardation or autism. The courts may use professionals from |
| 1115 | this list when appointing experts and ordering evaluations under |
| 1116 | this part for defendants suspected of being retarded or |
| 1117 | autistic. |
| 1118 | (2) If a defendant's suspected mental condition is |
| 1119 | retardation or autism, the court shall appoint the following: |
| 1120 | two experts, one of whom must be the developmental services |
| 1121 | program of the department, each of whom will evaluate whether |
| 1122 | the defendant meets the definition of retardation or autism and, |
| 1123 | if so, whether the defendant is competent to proceed. |
| 1124 | (a)(3) At least one, or at the request of any party, two |
| 1125 | experts the court may appoint one additional expert to evaluate |
| 1126 | the defendant. The expert appointed by the court will evaluate |
| 1127 | whether the defendant meets the definition of retardation or |
| 1128 | autism and, if so, whether the defendant is competent to |
| 1129 | proceed. |
| 1130 | (b)(4) The developmental services program shall select A |
| 1131 | psychologist selected by the agency who is licensed or |
| 1132 | authorized by law to practice in this state, with experience in |
| 1133 | evaluating persons suspected of having retardation or autism, |
| 1134 | and a social service professional, with experience in working |
| 1135 | with persons with retardation or autism to evaluate the |
| 1136 | defendant. |
| 1137 | 1.(a) The psychologist shall evaluate whether the |
| 1138 | defendant meets the definition of retardation or autism and, if |
| 1139 | so, whether the defendant is incompetent to proceed due to |
| 1140 | retardation or autism. |
| 1141 | 2.(b) The social service professional shall provide a |
| 1142 | social and developmental history of the defendant. |
| 1143 | (5) All evaluations ordered by the court must be from |
| 1144 | qualified experts with experience in evaluating persons with |
| 1145 | retardation or autism. |
| 1146 | (3)(6) The panel of experts may examine the defendant in |
| 1147 | jail, in another appropriate local facility, in a facility of |
| 1148 | the Department of Corrections, or on an outpatient basis. |
| 1149 | (4)(7) Experts Expert witnesses appointed by the court to |
| 1150 | evaluate the mental condition of a defendant in a criminal case |
| 1151 | shall be allowed reasonable fees for services rendered as |
| 1152 | evaluators and as witnesses, which shall be paid by the court. |
| 1153 | State employees shall be paid expenses pursuant to s. 112.061. |
| 1154 | The fees shall be taxed as costs in the case. In order for the |
| 1155 | experts to be paid for the services rendered, the reports and |
| 1156 | testimony must explicitly address each of the factors and follow |
| 1157 | the procedures set out in this chapter and in the Florida Rules |
| 1158 | of Criminal Procedure. |
| 1159 | Section 18. Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section |
| 1160 | 916.3012, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 1161 | 916.3012 Mental competence to proceed.-- |
| 1162 | (1) A defendant whose suspected mental condition is |
| 1163 | retardation or autism is incompetent to proceed within the |
| 1164 | meaning of this chapter if the defendant does not have |
| 1165 | sufficient present ability to consult with the defendant's |
| 1166 | lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding or if |
| 1167 | the defendant has no rational, as well as factual, understanding |
| 1168 | of the proceedings against the defendant. |
| 1169 | (2) The Experts in retardation or autism appointed |
| 1170 | pursuant to s. 916.301 shall first consider whether the |
| 1171 | defendant meets the definition of retardation or autism and, if |
| 1172 | so, consider the factors related to the issue of whether the |
| 1173 | defendant meets the criteria for competence to proceed as |
| 1174 | described in subsection (1); that is, whether the defendant has |
| 1175 | sufficient present ability to consult with counsel with a |
| 1176 | reasonable degree of rational understanding and whether the |
| 1177 | defendant has a rational, as well as factual, understanding of |
| 1178 | the pending proceedings. |
| 1179 | (3) In considering the issue of competence to proceed, the |
| 1180 | examining experts shall first consider and specifically include |
| 1181 | in their report the defendant's capacity to: |
| 1182 | (a) Appreciate the charges or allegations against the |
| 1183 | defendant.; |
| 1184 | (b) Appreciate the range and nature of possible penalties, |
| 1185 | if applicable, that may be imposed in the proceedings against |
| 1186 | the defendant.; |
| 1187 | (c) Understand the adversarial nature of the legal |
| 1188 | process.; |
| 1189 | (d) Disclose to counsel facts pertinent to the proceedings |
| 1190 | at issue.; |
| 1191 | (e) Manifest appropriate courtroom behavior.; and |
| 1192 | (f) Testify relevantly.; |
| 1193 | (g) and include in their report Any other factor deemed |
| 1194 | relevant by the experts. |
| 1195 | Section 19. Section 916.302, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1196 | to read: |
| 1197 | 916.302 Involuntary commitment of defendant determined to |
| 1198 | be incompetent to proceed due to retardation or autism.-- |
| 1199 | (1) CRITERIA.--Every defendant who is charged with a |
| 1200 | felony and who is adjudicated found to be incompetent to proceed |
| 1201 | due to retardation or autism, pursuant to this chapter and the |
| 1202 | applicable Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, may be |
| 1203 | involuntarily committed for training upon a finding by the court |
| 1204 | of clear and convincing evidence that: |
| 1205 | (a) The defendant has retardation or autism is retarded or |
| 1206 | autistic; |
| 1207 | (b) There is a substantial likelihood that in the near |
| 1208 | future the defendant will inflict serious bodily harm on himself |
| 1209 | or herself or another person, as evidenced by recent behavior |
| 1210 | causing, attempting, or threatening such harm; |
| 1211 | (c) All available, less restrictive alternatives, |
| 1212 | including services provided in community residential facilities |
| 1213 | or other community settings, which would offer an opportunity |
| 1214 | for improvement of the condition have been judged to be |
| 1215 | inappropriate; and |
| 1216 | (d) There is a substantial probability that the |
| 1217 | retardation or autism causing the defendant's incompetence will |
| 1218 | respond to training and the defendant will regain competency to |
| 1219 | proceed in the reasonably foreseeable future. |
| 1220 | (2) ADMISSION TO A FACILITY.-- |
| 1221 | (a) A defendant who has been charged with a felony and who |
| 1222 | is found to be incompetent to proceed due to retardation or |
| 1223 | autism, and who meets the criteria for involuntary commitment to |
| 1224 | the agency department under the provisions of this chapter, |
| 1225 | shall be committed to the agency department, and the agency |
| 1226 | department shall retain and provide appropriate training for |
| 1227 | serve the defendant. No later than 6 months after the date of |
| 1228 | admission or at the end of any period of extended commitment or |
| 1229 | at any time the administrator or designee shall have determined |
| 1230 | that the defendant has regained competency to proceed or no |
| 1231 | longer meets the criteria for continued commitment, the |
| 1232 | administrator or designee shall file a report with the court |
| 1233 | pursuant to this chapter and the applicable Florida Rules of |
| 1234 | Criminal Procedure. |
| 1235 | (b) A defendant determined to be incompetent to proceed |
| 1236 | due to retardation or autism may be ordered by a circuit court |
| 1237 | into a forensic secure facility designated by the agency |
| 1238 | department for retarded or autistic defendants who have mental |
| 1239 | retardation or autism. |
| 1240 | (c) The agency department may transfer a defendant from a |
| 1241 | designated forensic secure facility to another designated |
| 1242 | forensic secure facility and must notify the court of the |
| 1243 | transfer within 30 days after the transfer is completed. |
| 1244 | (d) The agency department may not transfer a defendant |
| 1245 | from a designated forensic secure facility to a civil nonsecure |
| 1246 | facility without first notifying the court, and all parties, 30 |
| 1247 | days before the proposed transfer. If the court objects to the |
| 1248 | proposed transfer to a nonsecure facility, it must send its |
| 1249 | written objection to the agency department. The agency |
| 1250 | department may transfer the defendant unless it receives the |
| 1251 | written objection from the court within 30 days after the |
| 1252 | court's receipt of the notice of the proposed transfer. |
| 1253 | (3) PLACEMENT OF DUALLY DIAGNOSED DEFENDANTS.-- |
| 1254 | (a) If a defendant has is both mental retardation or |
| 1255 | autism retarded or autistic and has a mental illness mentally |
| 1256 | ill, evaluations must address which condition is primarily |
| 1257 | affecting the defendant's competency to proceed. Referral of the |
| 1258 | defendant should be made to a civil or forensic the facility or |
| 1259 | program most appropriate to address the symptoms that which are |
| 1260 | the cause of the defendant's incompetence. |
| 1261 | (b) Transfer from one civil or forensic facility or |
| 1262 | program to another civil or forensic facility or program may |
| 1263 | occur when, in the department's and agency's judgment, it is in |
| 1264 | the defendant's best treatment or training interests. The |
| 1265 | department and agency shall submit an evaluation and |
| 1266 | justification for the transfer to the court. The court may |
| 1267 | consult with an outside expert if necessary. Transfer will |
| 1268 | require an amended order from the committing court. |
| 1269 | Section 20. Section 916.3025, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1270 | to read: |
| 1271 | 916.3025 Jurisdiction of committing court.-- |
| 1272 | (1) The committing court shall retain jurisdiction in the |
| 1273 | case of any defendant found to be incompetent to proceed due to |
| 1274 | retardation or autism and ordered into a forensic secure |
| 1275 | facility designated by the agency department for retarded or |
| 1276 | autistic defendants who have mental retardation or autism. A No |
| 1277 | defendant may not be released except by the order of the |
| 1278 | committing court. An administrative hearing examiner does not |
| 1279 | have jurisdiction to determine issues of continuing commitment |
| 1280 | or release of any defendant involuntarily committed pursuant to |
| 1281 | this chapter. |
| 1282 | (2) The committing court shall retain jurisdiction in the |
| 1283 | case of any defendant placed on conditional release pursuant to |
| 1284 | s. 916.304. No Such defendant may not be released from the |
| 1285 | conditions of release except by order of the committing court. |
| 1286 | (3) The committing court shall consider a the petition to |
| 1287 | involuntarily admit a defendant whose charges have been |
| 1288 | dismissed to residential services provided by the agency |
| 1289 | department's developmental services program a person whose |
| 1290 | charges have been dismissed, and, when applicable, to continue |
| 1291 | secure placement of such person as provided in s. 916.303. The |
| 1292 | committing court shall retain jurisdiction over such person so |
| 1293 | long as he or she remains in secure placement or is on |
| 1294 | conditional release as provided in s. 916.304. However, upon |
| 1295 | request, the court may transfer continuing jurisdiction to the |
| 1296 | court in the circuit where the defendant resides. The defendant |
| 1297 | may not be released from an order for secure placement except by |
| 1298 | order of the court. |
| 1299 | Section 21. Section 916.303, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1300 | to read: |
| 1301 | 916.303 Determination of incompetency due to retardation |
| 1302 | or autism; dismissal of charges.-- |
| 1303 | (1) The charges against any defendant found to be |
| 1304 | incompetent to proceed due to retardation or autism shall be |
| 1305 | dismissed without prejudice to the state if the defendant |
| 1306 | remains incompetent to proceed within a reasonable time after |
| 1307 | such determination, not to exceed 2 years, unless the court in |
| 1308 | its order specifies its reasons for believing that the defendant |
| 1309 | will become competent to proceed within the foreseeable future |
| 1310 | and specifies the time within which the defendant is expected to |
| 1311 | become competent to proceed. The charges may be refiled by the |
| 1312 | state if against the defendant are dismissed without prejudice |
| 1313 | to the state to refile the charges should the defendant is be |
| 1314 | declared competent to proceed in the future. |
| 1315 | (2)(a) If the charges are dismissed and if the defendant |
| 1316 | is considered to lack sufficient capacity to give express and |
| 1317 | informed consent to a voluntary application for services and |
| 1318 | lacks the basic survival and self-care skills to provide for his |
| 1319 | or her well-being or is likely to physically injure himself or |
| 1320 | herself or others if allowed to remain at liberty, the agency |
| 1321 | department, the state attorney, or the defendant's attorney |
| 1322 | shall may apply to the committing court to involuntarily admit |
| 1323 | the defendant to residential services pursuant to s. 393.11. |
| 1324 | (3)(b) If the defendant is considered to need involuntary |
| 1325 | residential services for reasons described in subsection (2) |
| 1326 | under s. 393.11 and, further, there is a substantial likelihood |
| 1327 | that the defendant will injure another person or continues to |
| 1328 | present a danger of escape, and all available less restrictive |
| 1329 | alternatives, including services in community residential |
| 1330 | facilities or other community settings, which would offer an |
| 1331 | opportunity for improvement of the condition have been judged to |
| 1332 | be inappropriate, then the agency person or entity filing the |
| 1333 | petition under s. 393.11, the state attorney, or the defendant's |
| 1334 | counsel may request, the petitioning commission, or the |
| 1335 | department may also petition the committing court to continue |
| 1336 | the defendant's placement in a secure facility or program |
| 1337 | pursuant to this part section. Any placement so continued under |
| 1338 | this subsection must be defendant involuntarily admitted under |
| 1339 | this paragraph shall have his or her status reviewed by the |
| 1340 | court at least annually at a hearing. The annual review and |
| 1341 | hearing shall determine whether the defendant continues to meet |
| 1342 | the criteria described in this subsection for involuntary |
| 1343 | residential services and, if so, whether the defendant still |
| 1344 | requires involuntary placement in a secure facility or program |
| 1345 | because the court finds that the defendant is likely to |
| 1346 | physically injure others as specified in s. 393.11 and whether |
| 1347 | the defendant is receiving adequate care, treatment, |
| 1348 | habilitation, and rehabilitation, including psychotropic |
| 1349 | medication and behavioral programming. Notice of the annual |
| 1350 | review and review hearing shall be given to the state attorney |
| 1351 | and to the defendant's attorney. In no instance may a |
| 1352 | defendant's placement in a secure facility or program exceed the |
| 1353 | maximum sentence for the crime for which the defendant was |
| 1354 | charged. |
| 1355 | Section 22. Section 916.304, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1356 | to read: |
| 1357 | 916.304 Conditional release.-- |
| 1358 | (1) Except for an inmate currently serving a prison |
| 1359 | sentence, the committing court may order a conditional release |
| 1360 | of any defendant who has been found to be incompetent to proceed |
| 1361 | due to retardation or autism, based on an approved plan for |
| 1362 | providing continuing community-based training. The committing |
| 1363 | criminal court may order a conditional release of any defendant |
| 1364 | to a civil facility in lieu of an involuntary commitment to a |
| 1365 | forensic facility pursuant to s. 916.302. Upon a recommendation |
| 1366 | that community-based training for the defendant is appropriate, |
| 1367 | a written plan for community-based training, including |
| 1368 | recommendations from qualified professionals, may be filed with |
| 1369 | the court, with copies to all parties. Such a plan may also be |
| 1370 | submitted by the defendant and filed with the court, with copies |
| 1371 | to all parties. The plan must shall include: |
| 1372 | (a) Special provisions for residential care and adequate |
| 1373 | supervision of the defendant, including recommended location of |
| 1374 | placement. |
| 1375 | (b) Recommendations for auxiliary services such as |
| 1376 | vocational training, psychological training, educational |
| 1377 | services, leisure services, and special medical care. |
| 1378 |
|
| 1379 | In its order of conditional release, the court shall specify the |
| 1380 | conditions of release based upon the release plan and shall |
| 1381 | direct the appropriate agencies or persons to submit periodic |
| 1382 | reports to the courts regarding the defendant's compliance with |
| 1383 | the conditions of the release and progress in training, with |
| 1384 | copies to all parties. |
| 1385 | (2) Upon the filing of an affidavit or statement under |
| 1386 | oath by any person that the defendant has failed to comply with |
| 1387 | the conditions of release, that the defendant's condition has |
| 1388 | deteriorated, or that the release conditions should be modified, |
| 1389 | the court shall hold a hearing within 7 days after receipt of |
| 1390 | the affidavit or statement under oath. With notice to the court |
| 1391 | and all parties, the agency may detain a defendant in a forensic |
| 1392 | facility until the hearing occurs. After the hearing, the court |
| 1393 | may modify the release conditions. The court may also order that |
| 1394 | the defendant be placed into more appropriate programs for |
| 1395 | further training or may order the defendant to be committed |
| 1396 | returned to a forensic facility involuntary residential services |
| 1397 | of the department if it is found, after the appointment and |
| 1398 | report of experts, that the defendant meets the criteria for |
| 1399 | placement in a forensic facility involuntary residential |
| 1400 | services. |
| 1401 | (3) If at any time it is determined after a hearing that |
| 1402 | the defendant conditionally released under subsection (1) no |
| 1403 | longer requires court-supervised followup care, the court shall |
| 1404 | terminate its jurisdiction in the cause and discharge the |
| 1405 | defendant. |
| 1406 | Section 23. Subsection (1) of section 921.137, Florida |
| 1407 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 1408 | 921.137 Imposition of the death sentence upon a mentally |
| 1409 | retarded defendant with mental retardation prohibited.-- |
| 1410 | (1) As used in this section, the term "mental retardation" |
| 1411 | means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning |
| 1412 | existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and |
| 1413 | manifested during the period from conception to age 18. The term |
| 1414 | "significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning," for |
| 1415 | the purpose of this section, means performance that is two or |
| 1416 | more standard deviations from the mean score on a standardized |
| 1417 | intelligence test specified in the rules of the Agency for |
| 1418 | Persons with Disabilities Department of Children and Family |
| 1419 | Services. The term "adaptive behavior," for the purpose of this |
| 1420 | definition, means the effectiveness or degree with which an |
| 1421 | individual meets the standards of personal independence and |
| 1422 | social responsibility expected of his or her age, cultural |
| 1423 | group, and community. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities |
| 1424 | Department of Children and Family Services shall adopt rules to |
| 1425 | specify the standardized intelligence tests as provided in this |
| 1426 | subsection. |
| 1427 | Section 24. Paragraphs (d), (e), (g), and (h) of |
| 1428 | subsection (1), subsections (2), (3), and (4), paragraph (b) of |
| 1429 | subsection (5), and paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section |
| 1430 | 985.223, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 1431 | 985.223 Incompetency in juvenile delinquency cases.-- |
| 1432 | (1) If, at any time prior to or during a delinquency case, |
| 1433 | the court has reason to believe that the child named in the |
| 1434 | petition may be incompetent to proceed with the hearing, the |
| 1435 | court on its own motion may, or on the motion of the child's |
| 1436 | attorney or state attorney must, stay all proceedings and order |
| 1437 | an evaluation of the child's mental condition. |
| 1438 | (d) For incompetency evaluations related to mental |
| 1439 | illness, the Department of Children and Family Services shall |
| 1440 | maintain and annually provide the courts with a list of |
| 1441 | available mental health professionals who have completed a |
| 1442 | training program approved by the Department of Children and |
| 1443 | Family Services to perform the evaluations. |
| 1444 | (e) For incompetency evaluations related to mental |
| 1445 | retardation or autism, the court shall order the Agency for |
| 1446 | Persons with Disabilities Developmental Disabilities Program |
| 1447 | Office within the Department of Children and Family Services to |
| 1448 | examine the child to determine if the child meets the definition |
| 1449 | of "retardation" or "autism" in s. 393.063 and, if so, whether |
| 1450 | the child is competent to proceed with delinquency proceedings. |
| 1451 | (g) Immediately upon the filing of the court order finding |
| 1452 | a child incompetent to proceed, the clerk of the court shall |
| 1453 | notify the Department of Children and Family Services and the |
| 1454 | Agency for Persons with Disabilities and fax or hand deliver to |
| 1455 | the department and to the agency of Children and Family Services |
| 1456 | a referral packet that which includes, at a minimum, the court |
| 1457 | order, the charging documents, the petition, and the court- |
| 1458 | appointed evaluator's reports. |
| 1459 | (h) After placement of the child in the appropriate |
| 1460 | setting, the Department of Children and Family Services in |
| 1461 | consultation with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, as |
| 1462 | appropriate, must, within 30 days after placement of the |
| 1463 | Department of Children and Family Services places the child, |
| 1464 | prepare and submit to the court a treatment or training plan for |
| 1465 | the child's restoration of competency. A copy of the treatment |
| 1466 | plan must be served upon the child's attorney, the state |
| 1467 | attorney, and the attorneys representing the Department of |
| 1468 | Juvenile Justice. |
| 1469 | (2) A child who is mentally ill or retarded, who is |
| 1470 | adjudicated incompetent to proceed, and who has committed a |
| 1471 | delinquent act or violation of law, either of which would be a |
| 1472 | felony if committed by an adult, must be committed to the |
| 1473 | Department of Children and Family Services for treatment or |
| 1474 | training. A child who has been adjudicated incompetent to |
| 1475 | proceed because of age or immaturity, or for any reason other |
| 1476 | than for mental illness or retardation or autism, must not be |
| 1477 | committed to the department or to the Department of Children and |
| 1478 | Family Services for restoration-of-competency treatment or |
| 1479 | training services. For purposes of this section, a child who has |
| 1480 | committed a delinquent act or violation of law, either of which |
| 1481 | would be a misdemeanor if committed by an adult, may not be |
| 1482 | committed to the department or to the Department of Children and |
| 1483 | Family Services for restoration-of-competency treatment or |
| 1484 | training services. |
| 1485 | (3) If the court finds that a child has mental illness, |
| 1486 | mental retardation, or autism is mentally ill or retarded and |
| 1487 | adjudicates the child incompetent to proceed, the court must |
| 1488 | also determine whether the child meets the criteria for secure |
| 1489 | placement. A child may be placed in a secure facility or program |
| 1490 | if the court makes a finding by clear and convincing evidence |
| 1491 | that: |
| 1492 | (a) The child has mental illness, mental retardation, or |
| 1493 | autism is mentally ill and because of the mental illness, mental |
| 1494 | retardation, or autism; or the child is mentally retarded and |
| 1495 | because of the mental retardation: |
| 1496 | 1. The child is manifestly incapable of surviving with the |
| 1497 | help of willing and responsible family or friends, including |
| 1498 | available alternative services, and without treatment or |
| 1499 | training the child is likely to either suffer from neglect or |
| 1500 | refuse to care for self, and such neglect or refusal poses a |
| 1501 | real and present threat of substantial harm to the child's well- |
| 1502 | being; or |
| 1503 | 2. There is a substantial likelihood that in the near |
| 1504 | future the child will inflict serious bodily harm on self or |
| 1505 | others, as evidenced by recent behavior causing, attempting, or |
| 1506 | threatening such harm; and |
| 1507 | (b) All available less restrictive alternatives, including |
| 1508 | treatment or training in community residential facilities or |
| 1509 | community settings which would offer an opportunity for |
| 1510 | improvement of the child's condition, are inappropriate. |
| 1511 | (4) A child who is determined to have mental illness, |
| 1512 | mental retardation, or autism be mentally ill or retarded, who |
| 1513 | has been adjudicated incompetent to proceed, and who meets the |
| 1514 | criteria set forth in subsection (3), must be committed to the |
| 1515 | Department of Children and Family Services, and receive |
| 1516 | treatment or training the Department of Children and Family |
| 1517 | Services must treat or train the child in a secure facility or |
| 1518 | program that which is the least restrictive alternative |
| 1519 | consistent with public safety. Any placement of a child to a |
| 1520 | secure residential program must be separate from adult forensic |
| 1521 | programs. If the child attains competency, then custody, case |
| 1522 | management, and supervision of the child will be transferred to |
| 1523 | the department in order to continue delinquency proceedings; |
| 1524 | however, the court retains authority to order the Department of |
| 1525 | Children and Family Services to provide continued treatment or |
| 1526 | training to maintain competency. |
| 1527 | (a) A child adjudicated incompetent due to mental |
| 1528 | retardation or autism may be ordered into a secure program or |
| 1529 | facility designated by the Department of Children and Family |
| 1530 | Services for retarded children with mental retardation or |
| 1531 | autism. |
| 1532 | (b) A child adjudicated incompetent due to mental illness |
| 1533 | may be ordered into a secure program or facility designated by |
| 1534 | the Department of Children and Family Services for mentally ill |
| 1535 | children have mental illnesses. |
| 1536 | (c) Whenever a child is placed in a secure residential |
| 1537 | facility, the department will provide transportation to the |
| 1538 | secure residential facility for admission and from the secure |
| 1539 | residential facility upon discharge. |
| 1540 | (d) The purpose of the treatment or training is the |
| 1541 | restoration of the child's competency to proceed. |
| 1542 | (e) The service provider must file a written report with |
| 1543 | the court pursuant to the applicable Florida Rules of Juvenile |
| 1544 | Procedure not later than 6 months after the date of commitment, |
| 1545 | or at the end of any period of extended treatment or training, |
| 1546 | and at any time the Department of Children and Family Services, |
| 1547 | through its service provider determines the child has attained |
| 1548 | competency or no longer meets the criteria for secure placement, |
| 1549 | or at such shorter intervals as ordered by the court. A copy of |
| 1550 | a written report evaluating the child's competency must be filed |
| 1551 | by the provider with the court and with the state attorney, the |
| 1552 | child's attorney, the department, and the Department of Children |
| 1553 | and Family Services. |
| 1554 | (5) |
| 1555 | (b) Whenever the provider files a report with the court |
| 1556 | informing the court that the child will never become competent |
| 1557 | to proceed, the Department of Children and Family Services will |
| 1558 | develop a discharge plan for the child prior to any hearing |
| 1559 | determining whether the child will ever become competent to |
| 1560 | proceed and send the. The Department of Children and Family |
| 1561 | Services must send the proposed discharge plan to the court, the |
| 1562 | state attorney, the child's attorney, and the attorneys |
| 1563 | representing the Department of Juvenile Justice. The provider |
| 1564 | will continue to provide services to the child until the court |
| 1565 | issues the order finding the child will never become competent |
| 1566 | to proceed. |
| 1567 | (6)(a) If a child is determined to have mental illness, |
| 1568 | mental retardation, or autism be mentally ill or retarded and is |
| 1569 | found to be incompetent to proceed but does not meet the |
| 1570 | criteria set forth in subsection (3), the court shall commit the |
| 1571 | child to the Department of Children and Family Services and |
| 1572 | shall order the Department of Children and Family Services to |
| 1573 | provide appropriate treatment and training in the community. The |
| 1574 | purpose of the treatment or training is the restoration of the |
| 1575 | child's competency to proceed. |
| 1576 | Section 25. Paragraph (b) of subsection (14) of section |
| 1577 | 287.057, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 1578 | 287.057 Procurement of commodities or contractual |
| 1579 | services.-- |
| 1580 | (14) |
| 1581 | (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), the Department of |
| 1582 | Children and Family Services may enter into agreements, not to |
| 1583 | exceed 20 years, with a private provider to finance, design, and |
| 1584 | construct a forensic treatment facility, as defined in s. |
| 1585 | 916.106(10)(8), of at least 200 beds and to operate all aspects |
| 1586 | of daily operations within the forensic treatment facility. The |
| 1587 | selected contractor is authorized to sponsor the issuance of |
| 1588 | tax-exempt certificates of participation or other securities to |
| 1589 | finance the project, and the state is authorized to enter into a |
| 1590 | lease-purchase agreement for the forensic treatment facility. |
| 1591 | This paragraph expires July 1, 2006. |
| 1592 | Section 26. Paragraph (r) of subsection (3) of section |
| 1593 | 408.036, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 1594 | 408.036 Projects subject to review; exemptions.-- |
| 1595 | (3) EXEMPTIONS.--Upon request, the following projects are |
| 1596 | subject to exemption from the provisions of subsection (1): |
| 1597 | (r) For beds in state mental health treatment facilities |
| 1598 | defined in s. 394.455 operated under s. 394.455(30) and state |
| 1599 | mental health forensic facilities operated under chapter 916 s. |
| 1600 | 916.106(8). |
| 1601 | Section 27. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section |
| 1602 | 943.0585, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 1603 | 943.0585 Court-ordered expunction of criminal history |
| 1604 | records.--The courts of this state have jurisdiction over their |
| 1605 | own procedures, including the maintenance, expunction, and |
| 1606 | correction of judicial records containing criminal history |
| 1607 | information to the extent such procedures are not inconsistent |
| 1608 | with the conditions, responsibilities, and duties established by |
| 1609 | this section. Any court of competent jurisdiction may order a |
| 1610 | criminal justice agency to expunge the criminal history record |
| 1611 | of a minor or an adult who complies with the requirements of |
| 1612 | this section. The court shall not order a criminal justice |
| 1613 | agency to expunge a criminal history record until the person |
| 1614 | seeking to expunge a criminal history record has applied for and |
| 1615 | received a certificate of eligibility for expunction pursuant to |
| 1616 | subsection (2). A criminal history record that relates to a |
| 1617 | violation of s. 393.135, s. 394.4593, s. 787.025, chapter 794, |
| 1618 | s. 796.03, s. 800.04, s. 817.034, s. 825.1025, s. 827.071, |
| 1619 | chapter 839, s. 847.0133, s. 847.0135, s. 847.0145, s. 893.135, |
| 1620 | s. 916.1075, or a violation enumerated in s. 907.041 may not be |
| 1621 | expunged, without regard to whether adjudication was withheld, |
| 1622 | if the defendant was found guilty of or pled guilty or nolo |
| 1623 | contendere to the offense, or if the defendant, as a minor, was |
| 1624 | found to have committed, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to |
| 1625 | committing, the offense as a delinquent act. The court may only |
| 1626 | order expunction of a criminal history record pertaining to one |
| 1627 | arrest or one incident of alleged criminal activity, except as |
| 1628 | provided in this section. The court may, at its sole discretion, |
| 1629 | order the expunction of a criminal history record pertaining to |
| 1630 | more than one arrest if the additional arrests directly relate |
| 1631 | to the original arrest. If the court intends to order the |
| 1632 | expunction of records pertaining to such additional arrests, |
| 1633 | such intent must be specified in the order. A criminal justice |
| 1634 | agency may not expunge any record pertaining to such additional |
| 1635 | arrests if the order to expunge does not articulate the |
| 1636 | intention of the court to expunge a record pertaining to more |
| 1637 | than one arrest. This section does not prevent the court from |
| 1638 | ordering the expunction of only a portion of a criminal history |
| 1639 | record pertaining to one arrest or one incident of alleged |
| 1640 | criminal activity. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a |
| 1641 | criminal justice agency may comply with laws, court orders, and |
| 1642 | official requests of other jurisdictions relating to expunction, |
| 1643 | correction, or confidential handling of criminal history records |
| 1644 | or information derived therefrom. This section does not confer |
| 1645 | any right to the expunction of any criminal history record, and |
| 1646 | any request for expunction of a criminal history record may be |
| 1647 | denied at the sole discretion of the court. |
| 1648 | (4) EFFECT OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD EXPUNCTION.--Any |
| 1649 | criminal history record of a minor or an adult which is ordered |
| 1650 | expunged by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to this |
| 1651 | section must be physically destroyed or obliterated by any |
| 1652 | criminal justice agency having custody of such record; except |
| 1653 | that any criminal history record in the custody of the |
| 1654 | department must be retained in all cases. A criminal history |
| 1655 | record ordered expunged that is retained by the department is |
| 1656 | confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and |
| 1657 | s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution and not available to |
| 1658 | any person or entity except upon order of a court of competent |
| 1659 | jurisdiction. A criminal justice agency may retain a notation |
| 1660 | indicating compliance with an order to expunge. |
| 1661 | (a) The person who is the subject of a criminal history |
| 1662 | record that is expunged under this section or under other |
| 1663 | provisions of law, including former s. 893.14, former s. 901.33, |
| 1664 | and former s. 943.058, may lawfully deny or fail to acknowledge |
| 1665 | the arrests covered by the expunged record, except when the |
| 1666 | subject of the record: |
| 1667 | 1. Is a candidate for employment with a criminal justice |
| 1668 | agency; |
| 1669 | 2. Is a defendant in a criminal prosecution; |
| 1670 | 3. Concurrently or subsequently petitions for relief under |
| 1671 | this section or s. 943.059; |
| 1672 | 4. Is a candidate for admission to The Florida Bar; |
| 1673 | 5. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by or to contract |
| 1674 | with the Department of Children and Family Services or the |
| 1675 | Department of Juvenile Justice or to be employed or used by such |
| 1676 | contractor or licensee in a sensitive position having direct |
| 1677 | contact with children, the developmentally disabled, the aged, |
| 1678 | or the elderly as provided in s. 110.1127(3), s. 393.063, s. |
| 1679 | 394.4572(1), s. 397.451, s. 402.302(3), s. 402.313(3), s. |
| 1680 | 409.175(2)(i), s. 415.102(4), chapter 916 s. 916.106(10) and |
| 1681 | (13), s. 985.407, or chapter 400; or |
| 1682 | 6. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by the Department |
| 1683 | of Education, any district school board, any university |
| 1684 | laboratory school, any charter school, any private or parochial |
| 1685 | school, or any local governmental entity that licenses child |
| 1686 | care facilities. |
| 1687 | Section 28. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section |
| 1688 | 943.059, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 1689 | 943.059 Court-ordered sealing of criminal history |
| 1690 | records.--The courts of this state shall continue to have |
| 1691 | jurisdiction over their own procedures, including the |
| 1692 | maintenance, sealing, and correction of judicial records |
| 1693 | containing criminal history information to the extent such |
| 1694 | procedures are not inconsistent with the conditions, |
| 1695 | responsibilities, and duties established by this section. Any |
| 1696 | court of competent jurisdiction may order a criminal justice |
| 1697 | agency to seal the criminal history record of a minor or an |
| 1698 | adult who complies with the requirements of this section. The |
| 1699 | court shall not order a criminal justice agency to seal a |
| 1700 | criminal history record until the person seeking to seal a |
| 1701 | criminal history record has applied for and received a |
| 1702 | certificate of eligibility for sealing pursuant to subsection |
| 1703 | (2). A criminal history record that relates to a violation of s. |
| 1704 | 393.135, s. 394.4593, s. 787.025, chapter 794, s. 796.03, s. |
| 1705 | 800.04, s. 817.034, s. 825.1025, s. 827.071, chapter 839, s. |
| 1706 | 847.0133, s. 847.0135, s. 847.0145, s. 893.135, s. 916.1075, or |
| 1707 | a violation enumerated in s. 907.041 may not be sealed, without |
| 1708 | regard to whether adjudication was withheld, if the defendant |
| 1709 | was found guilty of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to the |
| 1710 | offense, or if the defendant, as a minor, was found to have |
| 1711 | committed or pled guilty or nolo contendere to committing the |
| 1712 | offense as a delinquent act. The court may only order sealing of |
| 1713 | a criminal history record pertaining to one arrest or one |
| 1714 | incident of alleged criminal activity, except as provided in |
| 1715 | this section. The court may, at its sole discretion, order the |
| 1716 | sealing of a criminal history record pertaining to more than one |
| 1717 | arrest if the additional arrests directly relate to the original |
| 1718 | arrest. If the court intends to order the sealing of records |
| 1719 | pertaining to such additional arrests, such intent must be |
| 1720 | specified in the order. A criminal justice agency may not seal |
| 1721 | any record pertaining to such additional arrests if the order to |
| 1722 | seal does not articulate the intention of the court to seal |
| 1723 | records pertaining to more than one arrest. This section does |
| 1724 | not prevent the court from ordering the sealing of only a |
| 1725 | portion of a criminal history record pertaining to one arrest or |
| 1726 | one incident of alleged criminal activity. Notwithstanding any |
| 1727 | law to the contrary, a criminal justice agency may comply with |
| 1728 | laws, court orders, and official requests of other jurisdictions |
| 1729 | relating to sealing, correction, or confidential handling of |
| 1730 | criminal history records or information derived therefrom. This |
| 1731 | section does not confer any right to the sealing of any criminal |
| 1732 | history record, and any request for sealing a criminal history |
| 1733 | record may be denied at the sole discretion of the court. |
| 1734 | (4) EFFECT OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD SEALING.--A criminal |
| 1735 | history record of a minor or an adult which is ordered sealed by |
| 1736 | a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to this section is |
| 1737 | confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and |
| 1738 | s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution and is available only |
| 1739 | to the person who is the subject of the record, to the subject's |
| 1740 | attorney, to criminal justice agencies for their respective |
| 1741 | criminal justice purposes, or to those entities set forth in |
| 1742 | subparagraphs (a)1., 4., 5., and 6. for their respective |
| 1743 | licensing and employment purposes. |
| 1744 | (a) The subject of a criminal history record sealed under |
| 1745 | this section or under other provisions of law, including former |
| 1746 | s. 893.14, former s. 901.33, and former s. 943.058, may lawfully |
| 1747 | deny or fail to acknowledge the arrests covered by the sealed |
| 1748 | record, except when the subject of the record: |
| 1749 | 1. Is a candidate for employment with a criminal justice |
| 1750 | agency; |
| 1751 | 2. Is a defendant in a criminal prosecution; |
| 1752 | 3. Concurrently or subsequently petitions for relief under |
| 1753 | this section or s. 943.0585; |
| 1754 | 4. Is a candidate for admission to The Florida Bar; |
| 1755 | 5. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by or to contract |
| 1756 | with the Department of Children and Family Services or the |
| 1757 | Department of Juvenile Justice or to be employed or used by such |
| 1758 | contractor or licensee in a sensitive position having direct |
| 1759 | contact with children, the developmentally disabled, the aged, |
| 1760 | or the elderly as provided in s. 110.1127(3), s. 393.063, s. |
| 1761 | 394.4572(1), s. 397.451, s. 402.302(3), s. 402.313(3), s. |
| 1762 | 409.175(2)(i), s. 415.102(4), s. 415.103, chapter 916 s. |
| 1763 | 916.106(10) and (13), s. 985.407, or chapter 400; or |
| 1764 | 6. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by the Department |
| 1765 | of Education, any district school board, any university |
| 1766 | laboratory school, any charter school, any private or parochial |
| 1767 | school, or any local governmental entity that licenses child |
| 1768 | care facilities. |
| 1769 | Section 29. This act shall take effect upon becoming a |
| 1770 | law. |