SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 1547

Conditional Geriatric Release
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SPONSOR
Chambliss
FILED BY
Kevin Chambliss — District 117, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Criminal Justice Subcommittee

Filed under Criminal Justice.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Conditional Geriatric Release ; Requires Florida Commission on Offender Review, in conjunction with DOC, to establish conditional geriatric release program; specifies eligibility for program; authorizes persons sentenced to custody of department to apply to commission to be considered for conditional geriatric release within specified time before reaching eligibility; specifies that person does not have right to conditional geriatric release; requires commission to consider any evidence relevant to public safety; authorizes commission to consider continued cost to department to house inmate; specifies that commission has sole discretion to determine whether to grant conditional geriatric release; authorizes revocation of conditional geriatric release for violations of any conditions of release; requires rulemaking.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Creates a discretionary release path for older inmates.

Eligibility requires being 65 or older, serving 15 years, and not having a death sentence. The bill explicitly states a person does not have a right to conditional geriatric release.

The commission has sole discretion to grant release. It must consider public safety evidence, including criminal history and health, but may also weigh the cost of housing the inmate.

If released, the term lasts the remainder of the sentence. Violating any condition allows the commission to revoke release and return the inmate to prison, forfeiting good-time credit.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Eligibility Criteria majors. 947.148(1)

AICreates a new release pathway for older inmates who have served a minimum portion of their sentence.

“65 years of age or older, has served a minimum of 15 years of his or her sentence in the department's custody, and is not under a sentence of death” bill text, line 34 →
§ 2 Discretionary Authority majors. 947.148(3)

AIGrants the commission sole discretion to approve or deny release requests, explicitly denying inmates a right to release.

“A person does not have a right to conditional geriatric release” bill text, line 11 →
§ 3 Public Safety Review moderates. 947.148(4)

AIRequires the commission to weigh public safety evidence, including health and rehabilitation, while allowing cost considerations that cannot outweigh safety threats.

“The commission may also consider the continued cost to the department to house the inmate; however, no such consideration can outweigh public safety threats” bill text, line 58 →
§ 4 Revocation and Forfeiture moderates. 947.148(7)

AIAllows the commission to revoke release for any condition violation, resulting in the inmate's return to prison and forfeiture of all good-time credit.

“Conditional geriatric release may be revoked in accordance with s. 947.141 for a violation of any condition of the release established by the commission” bill text, line 69 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
1/15/2026
Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
1/15/2026
Referred to Judiciary Committee
1/15/2026
Referred to Justice Budget Subcommittee
1/15/2026
Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
1/9/2026
Filed
1 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 947.148
+354 / −0
s. 947.13
+15 / −0
s. 947.141
+21 / −0