Florida Senate - 2022                       CS for CS for SB 596
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Appropriations; and Judiciary; and Senator
       Baxley
       
       
       
       
       576-03395-22                                           2022596c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to criminal conflict and civil
    3         regional counsels; amending s. 27.0065, F.S.;
    4         specifying the responsibilities of regional counsels
    5         regarding witness coordination; amending s. 27.341,
    6         F.S.; revising legislative intent regarding electronic
    7         filing and receipt of court documents; amending s.
    8         27.511, F.S.; removing the requirement that regional
    9         counsel employees be governed by Justice
   10         Administrative Commission classification and salary
   11         and benefits plans; modifying procedures for the
   12         Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission to
   13         nominate candidates to the Governor for regional
   14         counsel positions; specifying that the nomination and
   15         appointment process applies retroactively; prohibiting
   16         the court from appointing a regional counsel to
   17         represent a defendant who has retained private
   18         counsel; specifying requirements for the manner of
   19         access to court facilities for regional counsels;
   20         amending s. 27.53, F.S.; revising requirements for the
   21         classification and pay plan jointly developed by the
   22         regional counsels; amending s. 39.0132, F.S.;
   23         authorizing regional counsels to access certain
   24         confidential information relating to proceedings
   25         involving children under specified circumstances;
   26         authorizing the release to regional counsels of
   27         certain confidential information relating to
   28         proceedings involving children under specified
   29         circumstances; amending s. 92.153, F.S.; providing a
   30         limit on costs for documents produced in response to a
   31         subpoena or records request by a regional counsel;
   32         amending s. 112.19, F.S.; revising the definition of
   33         the term “law enforcement, correctional, or
   34         correctional probation officer” to include regional
   35         counsel investigators for purposes of eligibility for
   36         certain death benefits; amending s. 320.025, F.S.;
   37         authorizing regional counsel offices to obtain
   38         fictitious names for motor vehicle and vessel plates
   39         or decals; amending s. 393.12, F.S.; waiving an
   40         education requirement for the appointment of attorneys
   41         from regional counsel offices to represent a person
   42         with a developmental disability; amending s. 394.916,
   43         F.S.; requiring a court to appoint a regional counsel
   44         or other counsel to represent an alleged sexually
   45         violent predator in the event of a conflict; amending
   46         s. 744.331, F.S.; waiving a certain training
   47         requirement for the appointment of attorneys from
   48         regional counsel offices to represent an alleged
   49         incapacitated person; amending s. 943.053, F.S.;
   50         specifying that a regional counsel office may not be
   51         charged a fee for accessing certain criminal justice
   52         information; requiring the Department of Law
   53         Enforcement to provide regional counsel offices online
   54         access to certain information; amending s. 945.10,
   55         F.S.; authorizing the release of certain records and
   56         information to regional counsels; amending s. 945.48,
   57         F.S.; authorizing the appointment of a regional
   58         counsel to represent an inmate subject to involuntary
   59         mental health treatment if certain conditions exist;
   60         amending s. 985.045, F.S.; requiring that regional
   61         counsel offices have access to official records of
   62         juveniles whom they represent; reenacting ss.
   63         110.123(4)(e) and 112.1912(1), F.S., relating to the
   64         payment of health insurance premiums by state agencies
   65         for certain employees and surviving spouses and death
   66         benefits for education expenses for survivors of first
   67         responders, respectively, to incorporate the amendment
   68         made to s. 112.19, F.S., in references thereto;
   69         providing effective dates.
   70          
   71  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   72  
   73         Section 1. Section 27.0065, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   74  read:
   75         27.0065 Witness coordination.—Each state attorney, and
   76  public defender, and criminal conflict and civil regional
   77  counsel is shall be responsible for:
   78         (1) Coordinating court appearances, including pretrial
   79  conferences and depositions, for all witnesses who are
   80  subpoenaed in criminal cases, including law enforcement
   81  personnel.
   82         (2) Contacting witnesses and securing information necessary
   83  to place a witness on an on-call status with regard to his or
   84  her court appearance.
   85         (3) Contacting witnesses to advise them not to report to
   86  court in the event the case for which they have been subpoenaed
   87  has been continued or has had a plea entered, or in the event
   88  there is any other reason why their attendance is not required
   89  on the dates they have been ordered to report.
   90         (4) Contacting the employer of a witness, when necessary,
   91  to confirm that the employee has been subpoenaed to appear in
   92  court as a witness.
   93  
   94  In addition, the state attorney, or public defender, or criminal
   95  conflict and civil regional counsel may provide additional
   96  services to reduce time and wage losses to a minimum for all
   97  witnesses.
   98         Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 27.341, Florida
   99  Statutes, is amended to read:
  100         27.341 Electronic filing and receipt of court documents.—
  101         (2) It is further the expectation of the Legislature that
  102  each office of the state attorney consult with the office of the
  103  public defender for the same circuit served by the office of the
  104  state attorney, the office of criminal conflict and civil
  105  regional counsel assigned to that circuit, the clerks of court
  106  for the circuit, the Florida Court Technology Commission, and
  107  any authority that governs the operation of a statewide portal
  108  for the electronic filing and receipt of court documents.
  109         Section 3. Subsections (2), (3), and (7) of section 27.511,
  110  Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (10) is added to
  111  that section, to read:
  112         27.511 Offices of criminal conflict and civil regional
  113  counsel; legislative intent; qualifications; appointment;
  114  duties.—
  115         (2) Each office of criminal conflict and civil regional
  116  counsel shall be assigned to the Justice Administrative
  117  Commission for administrative purposes. The commission shall
  118  provide administrative support and service to the offices to the
  119  extent requested by each regional counsel within the available
  120  resources of the commission. The regional counsel and the
  121  offices are not subject to control, supervision, or direction by
  122  the commission in the performance of their duties, but the
  123  employees of the offices shall be governed by the classification
  124  plan and the salary and benefits plan for the commission.
  125         (3)(a) Each regional counsel must be, and must have been
  126  for the preceding 5 years, a member in good standing of The
  127  Florida Bar. Each regional counsel shall be appointed by the
  128  Governor and is subject to confirmation by the Senate. The
  129  Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission, in addition to the
  130  current regional counsel, shall nominate recommend to the
  131  Governor the currently serving regional counsel, if he or she
  132  seeks reappointment, and may also nominate up to three not fewer
  133  than two or more than five additional qualified candidates for
  134  appointment to each of the five regional counsel positions for
  135  consideration by the Governor. The Governor shall appoint the
  136  regional counsel for the five regions from among the
  137  commission’s nominations recommendations, or, if it is in the
  138  best interest of the fair administration of justice, the
  139  Governor may reject the nominations and request that the Supreme
  140  Court Judicial Nominating Commission submit three new nominees.
  141  The regional counsel shall be appointed to a term of 4 years,
  142  the term beginning on October 1, 2015, with each successive term
  143  beginning on October 1 every 4 years thereafter. The nomination
  144  and appointment process under this paragraph shall apply
  145  retroactively to the term beginning on October 1, 2019.
  146  Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided in paragraph
  147  (b).
  148         (b) If for any reason a regional counsel is unable to
  149  complete a full term in office, the Governor may immediately
  150  appoint an interim regional counsel who meets the qualifications
  151  to be a regional counsel to serve as regional counsel for that
  152  region district until a new regional counsel is appointed in the
  153  manner provided in paragraph (a). The Florida Supreme Court
  154  Judicial Nominating Commission shall provide the Governor with a
  155  list of nominees for appointment within 6 months after the date
  156  of the vacancy. A temporary vacancy in office does not affect
  157  the validity of any matters or activities of the office of
  158  regional counsel.
  159         (7) The court may not appoint the office of criminal
  160  conflict and civil regional counsel to represent, even on a
  161  temporary basis, any person who is not indigent, except to the
  162  extent that appointment of counsel is specifically provided for
  163  in chapters 390, 394, 415, 743, and 744 without regard to the
  164  indigent status of the person entitled to representation. If a
  165  defendant has retained private counsel, the court may not
  166  appoint the office of criminal conflict and civil regional
  167  counsel to represent that defendant simultaneously on the same
  168  case.
  169         (10)Each court shall allow for the ingress and egress to
  170  its facilities for regional counsels and assistant regional
  171  counsels in the same manner as is provided to public defenders
  172  and assistant public defenders, subject to the security
  173  requirements of each courthouse.
  174         Section 4. Subsection (4) of section 27.53, Florida
  175  Statutes, is amended to read:
  176         27.53 Appointment of assistants and other staff; method of
  177  payment.—
  178         (4) The five criminal conflict and civil regional counsels
  179  counsel may employ and establish, in the numbers authorized by
  180  the General Appropriations Act, assistant regional counsels
  181  counsel and other staff and personnel in each judicial district
  182  pursuant to s. 29.006, who shall be paid from funds appropriated
  183  for that purpose. Notwithstanding s. 790.01, s. 790.02, or s.
  184  790.25(2)(a), an investigator employed by an office of criminal
  185  conflict and civil regional counsel, while actually carrying out
  186  official duties, is authorized to carry concealed weapons if the
  187  investigator complies with s. 790.25(3)(o). However, such
  188  investigators are not eligible for membership in the Special
  189  Risk Class of the Florida Retirement System. The five regional
  190  counsels counsel shall jointly develop a coordinated recommended
  191  modifications to the classification and pay plan for submission
  192  to and the salary and benefits plan for the Justice
  193  Administrative Commission, the President of the Senate, and the
  194  Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1 of each
  195  year. The plan must recommendations shall be submitted to the
  196  commission, the office of the President of the Senate, and the
  197  office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives before
  198  January 1 of each year. Such recommendations shall be developed
  199  in accordance with policies and procedures of the Executive
  200  Office of the Governor established in s. 216.181. Each assistant
  201  regional counsel appointed by the regional counsel under this
  202  section shall serve at the pleasure of the regional counsel.
  203  Each investigator employed by the regional counsel shall have
  204  full authority to serve any witness subpoena or court order
  205  issued by any court or judge in a criminal case in which the
  206  regional counsel has been appointed to represent the accused.
  207         Section 5. Subsection (3) and paragraph (a) of subsection
  208  (4) of section 39.0132, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  209         39.0132 Oaths, records, and confidential information.—
  210         (3) The clerk shall keep all court records required by this
  211  chapter separate from other records of the circuit court. All
  212  court records required by this chapter shall not be open to
  213  inspection by the public. All records shall be inspected only
  214  upon order of the court by persons deemed by the court to have a
  215  proper interest therein, except that, subject to the provisions
  216  of s. 63.162, a child and the parents of the child and their
  217  attorneys, the guardian ad litem, criminal conflict and civil
  218  regional counsels, law enforcement agencies, and the department
  219  and its designees shall always have the right to inspect and
  220  copy any official record pertaining to the child. The Justice
  221  Administrative Commission may inspect court dockets required by
  222  this chapter as necessary to audit compensation of court
  223  appointed attorneys. If the docket is insufficient for purposes
  224  of the audit, the commission may petition the court for
  225  additional documentation as necessary and appropriate. The court
  226  may permit authorized representatives of recognized
  227  organizations compiling statistics for proper purposes to
  228  inspect and make abstracts from official records, under whatever
  229  conditions upon their use and disposition the court may deem
  230  proper, and may punish by contempt proceedings any violation of
  231  those conditions.
  232         (4)(a)1. All information obtained pursuant to this part in
  233  the discharge of official duty by any judge, employee of the
  234  court, authorized agent of the department, correctional
  235  probation officer, or law enforcement agent is confidential and
  236  exempt from s. 119.07(1) and may not be disclosed to anyone
  237  other than the authorized personnel of the court, the department
  238  and its designees, correctional probation officers, law
  239  enforcement agents, the guardian ad litem, criminal conflict and
  240  civil regional counsels, and others entitled under this chapter
  241  to receive that information, except upon order of the court.
  242         2.a. The following information held by a guardian ad litem
  243  is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art.
  244  I of the State Constitution:
  245         (I) Medical, mental health, substance abuse, child care,
  246  education, law enforcement, court, social services, and
  247  financial records.
  248         (II) Any other information maintained by a guardian ad
  249  litem which is identified as confidential information under this
  250  chapter.
  251         b. Such confidential and exempt information may not be
  252  disclosed to anyone other than the authorized personnel of the
  253  court, the department and its designees, correctional probation
  254  officers, law enforcement agents, guardians ad litem, and others
  255  entitled under this chapter to receive that information, except
  256  upon order of the court.
  257         Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
  258  92.153, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  259         92.153 Production of documents by witnesses; reimbursement
  260  of costs.—
  261         (2) REIMBURSEMENT OF A DISINTERESTED WITNESS.—
  262         (a) In any proceeding, a disinterested witness shall be
  263  paid for any costs the witness reasonably incurs either directly
  264  or indirectly in producing, searching for, reproducing, or
  265  transporting documents pursuant to a summons; however, the cost
  266  of documents produced pursuant to a subpoena or records request
  267  by a state attorney, a or public defender, or a criminal
  268  conflict and civil regional counsel may not exceed 15 cents per
  269  page and $10 per hour for research or retrieval.
  270         Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
  271  112.19, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  272         112.19 Law enforcement, correctional, and correctional
  273  probation officers; death benefits.—
  274         (1) As used in this section, the term:
  275         (b) “Law enforcement, correctional, or correctional
  276  probation officer” means any officer as defined in s. 943.10(14)
  277  or employee of the state or any political subdivision of the
  278  state, including any law enforcement officer, correctional
  279  officer, correctional probation officer, state attorney
  280  investigator, or public defender investigator, or criminal
  281  conflict and civil regional counsel investigator, whose duties
  282  require such officer or employee to investigate, pursue,
  283  apprehend, arrest, transport, or maintain custody of persons who
  284  are charged with, suspected of committing, or convicted of a
  285  crime; and the term includes any member of a bomb disposal unit
  286  whose primary responsibility is the location, handling, and
  287  disposal of explosive devices. The term also includes any full
  288  time officer or employee of the state or any political
  289  subdivision of the state, certified pursuant to chapter 943,
  290  whose duties require such officer to serve process or to attend
  291  a session of a circuit or county court as bailiff.
  292         Section 8. Contingent upon SB 598 or similar legislation
  293  taking effect, subsection (1) of section 320.025, Florida
  294  Statutes, is amended to read:
  295         320.025 Registration certificate and license plate or decal
  296  issued under fictitious name; application.—
  297         (1) A confidential registration certificate and
  298  registration license plate or decal shall be issued under a
  299  fictitious name only for a motor vehicle or vessel owned or
  300  operated by a law enforcement agency of state, county,
  301  municipal, or federal government;, the Attorney General’s
  302  Medicaid Fraud Control Unit;, or any state public defender’s
  303  office; or any criminal conflict and civil regional counsel
  304  office. The requesting agency shall file a written application
  305  with the department, on forms furnished by the department,
  306  including which includes a statement that the license plate or
  307  decal will be used for certain activities by the Attorney
  308  General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; any or law enforcement or
  309  any state public defender’s office; or a criminal conflict and
  310  civil regional counsel office which requires the activities
  311  requiring concealment of publicly leased or owned motor vehicles
  312  or vessels and a statement of the position classifications of
  313  the individuals who are authorized to use the license plate or
  314  decal. The department may modify its records to reflect the
  315  fictitious identity of the owner or lessee until such time as
  316  the license plate or decal and registration certificate are
  317  surrendered to it.
  318         Section 9. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
  319  393.12, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  320         393.12 Capacity; appointment of guardian advocate.—
  321         (5) COUNSEL.—Within 3 days after a petition has been filed,
  322  the court shall appoint an attorney to represent a person with a
  323  developmental disability who is the subject of a petition to
  324  appoint a guardian advocate. The person with a developmental
  325  disability may substitute his or her own attorney for the
  326  attorney appointed by the court.
  327         (a) The court shall initially appoint a private attorney
  328  who shall be selected from the attorney registry compiled
  329  pursuant to s. 27.40. Such attorney must have completed a
  330  minimum of 8 hours of education in guardianship. The court may
  331  waive this requirement for an attorney who has served as a
  332  court-appointed attorney in guardian advocate proceedings or as
  333  an attorney of record for guardian advocates for at least 3
  334  years. This education requirement does not apply to a court
  335  appointed attorney who is employed by an office of criminal
  336  conflict and civil regional counsel.
  337         Section 10. Subsection (3) of section 394.916, Florida
  338  Statutes, is amended to read:
  339         394.916 Trial; counsel and experts; indigent persons;
  340  jury.—
  341         (3) At all adversarial proceedings under this act, the
  342  person subject to this act is entitled to the assistance of
  343  counsel, and, if the person is indigent, the court must shall
  344  appoint the public defender or, if a conflict exists, the court
  345  must appoint a criminal conflict and civil regional counsel or
  346  other counsel to assist the person.
  347         Section 11. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section
  348  744.331, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  349         744.331 Procedures to determine incapacity.—
  350         (2) ATTORNEY FOR THE ALLEGED INCAPACITATED PERSON.—
  351         (d) An attorney seeking to be appointed by a court for
  352  incapacity and guardianship proceedings must have completed a
  353  minimum of 8 hours of education in guardianship. A court may
  354  waive the initial training requirement for an attorney who has
  355  served as a court-appointed attorney in incapacity proceedings
  356  or as an attorney of record for guardians for not less than 3
  357  years. This training requirement does not apply to a court
  358  appointed attorney employed by an office of criminal conflict
  359  and civil regional counsel.
  360         Section 12. Paragraph (e) of subsection (3) and subsection
  361  (7) of section 943.053, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  362         943.053 Dissemination of criminal justice information;
  363  fees.—
  364         (3)
  365         (e) The fee per record for criminal history information
  366  provided pursuant to this subsection and s. 943.0542 is $24 per
  367  name submitted, except that the fee for the guardian ad litem
  368  program and vendors of the Department of Children and Families,
  369  the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Agency for Persons with
  370  Disabilities, and the Department of Elderly Affairs is shall be
  371  $8 for each name submitted; the fee for a state criminal history
  372  provided for application processing as required by law to be
  373  performed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
  374  is shall be $15 for each name submitted; and the fee for
  375  requests under s. 943.0542, which implements the National Child
  376  Protection Act, is shall be $18 for each volunteer name
  377  submitted. An office The state offices of the public defender or
  378  an office of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel may
  379  shall not be assessed a fee for Florida criminal history
  380  information or wanted person information.
  381         (7) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
  382  department shall provide to each office of the public defender
  383  and each office of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel
  384  online access to criminal records of this state which are not
  385  exempt from disclosure under chapter 119 or confidential under
  386  law. Such access shall be used solely in support of the duties
  387  of a public defender as provided in s. 27.51, a criminal
  388  conflict and civil regional counsel as provided in s. 27.511, or
  389  of any attorney specially assigned as authorized in s. 27.53 in
  390  the representation of any person who is determined indigent as
  391  provided in s. 27.52. The costs of establishing and maintaining
  392  such online access must shall be borne by the office to which
  393  the access has been provided.
  394         Section 13. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section
  395  945.10, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  396         945.10 Confidential information.—
  397         (2) The records and information specified in paragraphs
  398  (1)(a)-(i) may be released as follows unless expressly
  399  prohibited by federal law:
  400         (d) Information specified in paragraph (1)(b) to a public
  401  defender or a criminal conflict and civil regional counsel
  402  representing a defendant, except those portions of the records
  403  containing a victim’s statement or address, or the statement or
  404  address of a relative of the victim. A request for records or
  405  information pursuant to this paragraph need not be in writing.
  406  
  407  Records and information released under this subsection remain
  408  confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and
  409  s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution when held by the
  410  receiving person or entity.
  411         Section 14. Subsection (3) of section 945.48, Florida
  412  Statutes, is amended to read:
  413         945.48 Rights of inmates provided mental health treatment;
  414  procedure for involuntary treatment.—
  415         (3) PROCEDURE FOR INVOLUNTARY TREATMENT OF INMATES.
  416  Involuntary mental health treatment of an inmate who refuses
  417  treatment that is deemed to be necessary for the appropriate
  418  care of the inmate and the safety of the inmate or others may be
  419  provided at a mental health treatment facility. The warden of
  420  the institution containing the mental health treatment facility
  421  shall petition the circuit court serving the county in which the
  422  mental health treatment facility is located for an order
  423  authorizing the treatment of the inmate. The inmate shall be
  424  provided with a copy of the petition along with the proposed
  425  treatment; the basis for the proposed treatment; the names of
  426  the examining experts; and the date, time, and location of the
  427  hearing. The inmate may have an attorney represent him or her at
  428  the hearing, and, if the inmate is indigent, the court must
  429  shall appoint the office of the public defender to represent the
  430  inmate at the hearing. If the office of the public defender
  431  withdraws from the appointment due to a conflict, the court must
  432  appoint a criminal conflict and civil regional counsel or
  433  private counsel pursuant to s. 27.40(1) to represent the inmate
  434  at the hearing. An attorney representing the inmate shall have
  435  access to the inmate and any records, including medical or
  436  mental health records, which are relevant to the representation
  437  of the inmate.
  438         Section 15. Subsection (2) of section 985.045, Florida
  439  Statutes, is amended to read:
  440         985.045 Court records.—
  441         (2) The clerk shall keep all official records required by
  442  this section separate from other records of the circuit court,
  443  except those records pertaining to motor vehicle violations,
  444  which shall be forwarded to the Department of Highway Safety and
  445  Motor Vehicles. Except as provided in ss. 943.053 and
  446  985.04(6)(b) and (7), official records required by this chapter
  447  are not open to inspection by the public, but may be inspected
  448  only upon order of the court by persons deemed by the court to
  449  have a proper interest therein, except that a child and the
  450  parents, guardians, or legal custodians of the child and their
  451  attorneys, law enforcement agencies, the Department of Juvenile
  452  Justice and its designees, the Florida Commission on Offender
  453  Review, the Department of Corrections, and the Justice
  454  Administrative Commission shall always have the right to inspect
  455  and copy any official record pertaining to the child. Offices of
  456  the public defender and criminal conflict and civil regional
  457  counsel offices shall have access to official records of
  458  juveniles on whose behalf they are expected to appear in
  459  detention or other hearings before an appointment of
  460  representation. The court may permit authorized representatives
  461  of recognized organizations compiling statistics for proper
  462  purposes to inspect, and make abstracts from, official records
  463  under whatever conditions upon the use and disposition of such
  464  records the court may deem proper and may punish by contempt
  465  proceedings any violation of those conditions.
  466         Section 16. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
  467  made by this act to section 112.19, Florida Statutes, in a
  468  reference thereto, paragraph (e) of subsection (4) of section
  469  110.123, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
  470         110.123 State group insurance program.—
  471         (4) PAYMENT OF PREMIUMS; CONTRIBUTION BY STATE; LIMITATION
  472  ON ACTIONS TO PAY AND COLLECT PREMIUMS.—
  473         (e) No state contribution for the cost of any part of the
  474  premium shall be made for retirees or surviving spouses for any
  475  type of coverage under the state group insurance program.
  476  However, any state agency that employs a full-time law
  477  enforcement officer, correctional officer, or correctional
  478  probation officer who is killed or suffers catastrophic injury
  479  in the line of duty as provided in s. 112.19, or a full-time
  480  firefighter who is killed or suffers catastrophic injury in the
  481  line of duty as provided in s. 112.191, shall pay the entire
  482  premium of the state group health insurance plan selected for
  483  the employee’s surviving spouse until remarried, and for each
  484  dependent child of the employee, subject to the conditions and
  485  limitations set forth in s. 112.19 or s. 112.191, as applicable.
  486         Section 17. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
  487  made by this act to section 112.19, Florida Statutes, in a
  488  reference thereto, subsection (1) of section 112.1912, Florida
  489  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
  490         112.1912 First responders; death benefits for educational
  491  expenses.—
  492         (1) As used in this section, the term “first responder”
  493  means:
  494         (a) A law enforcement, correctional, or correctional
  495  probation officer as defined in s. 112.19(1) who is killed as
  496  provided in s. 112.19(2) on or after July 1, 2019;
  497         (b) A firefighter as defined in s. 112.191(1) who is killed
  498  as provided in s. 112.191(2) on or after July 1, 2019; or
  499         (c) An emergency medical technician or a paramedic, as
  500  defined in s. 112.1911(1), who is killed as provided in s.
  501  112.1911(2) on or after July 1, 2019.
  502         Section 18. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
  503  act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2022.