THE BILL ITSELF
CS/HB 285
Required Notice of Intent to Contact a Victim
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to required notice of intent to
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contact a victim; creating s. 914.18, F.S.; requiring
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specified persons acting on behalf of a criminal
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defendant to file a specified notice within a
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specified timeframe before contacting a victim in a
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criminal proceeding for a specified purpose; providing
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applicability; requiring that such notice be filed on
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a standard form developed by the state attorney in
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each judicial circuit; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 914.18, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
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914.18 Required notice of intent to contact victim.—
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(1) Before any attorney, investigator, or other agent
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acting on behalf of a criminal defendant may contact a victim
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for the purpose of obtaining information relating to a pending
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criminal proceeding, he or she must file a notice of intent to
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contact the victim within 72 hours before making, or attempting
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to make, such contact. This subsection does not apply to contact
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with a victim which occurs during a court proceeding or
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deposition.
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(2) The notice required under subsection (1) must be filed
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on a standard form developed and made available by the state
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attorney in each judicial circuit.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.