Florida Senate - 2011                                     SB 170
       
       
       
       By Senator Bennett
       
       
       
       
       21-00253-11                                            2011170__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to electronic filing of court
    3         documents; creating ss. 27.341 and 27.5112, F.S.;
    4         providing legislative intent; requiring that each
    5         state attorney and public defender implement a system
    6         by which the state attorney and public defender can
    7         electronically file court documents with the clerk of
    8         the court; requiring that the Florida Prosecuting
    9         Attorneys Association and the Florida Public Defender
   10         Association report to the President of the Senate and
   11         the Speaker of the House of Representatives by a
   12         specified date on the progress made in implementing
   13         the electronic filing system; providing an effective
   14         date.
   15  
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Section 27.341, Florida Statutes, is created to
   19  read:
   20         27.341 Electronic filing of court documents.—
   21         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that each office of
   22  the state attorney design and implement a system by which the
   23  state attorney electronically files court documents with the
   24  clerk of the court. It is the expectation of the Legislature
   25  that such electronically filed court documents will reduce costs
   26  for the office of the state attorney, the clerk of circuit
   27  court, and the judiciary; will increase timeliness in the
   28  processing of cases; and will provide the judiciary and the
   29  clerk of the court with case-related information to allow for
   30  improved judicial case management.
   31         (2) The Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association shall
   32  file a report with the President of the Senate and the Speaker
   33  of the House of Representatives by March 1, 2012, describing the
   34  progress that each office of the state attorney has made to
   35  implement an electronic filing system. For any office of the
   36  state attorney that has not fully implemented an electronic
   37  filing system by March 1, 2012, the report must also include a
   38  description of the additional activities that are needed to
   39  complete the system for that office and the projected time
   40  necessary to complete the additional activities.
   41         Section 2. Section 27.5112, Florida Statutes, is created to
   42  read:
   43         27.5112 Electronic filing of court documents.—
   44         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that each office of
   45  the public defender design and implement a system by which the
   46  public defender electronically files court documents with the
   47  clerk of the court. It is the expectation of the Legislature
   48  that such electronically filed court documents will reduce costs
   49  for the office of the public defender, the clerk of circuit
   50  court, and the judiciary; will increase timeliness in the
   51  processing of cases; and will provide the judiciary and the
   52  clerk of the court with case-related information to allow for
   53  improved judicial case management.
   54         (2) The Florida Public Defender Association shall file a
   55  report with the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
   56  House of Representatives by March 1, 2012, describing the
   57  progress that each office of the public defender has made to
   58  implement an electronic filing system. For any office of the
   59  public defender that has not fully implemented an electronic
   60  filing system by March 1, 2012, the report must also include a
   61  description of the additional activities that are needed to
   62  complete the system for that office and the projected time
   63  necessary to complete the additional activities.
   64         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.