[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6322628,"mediaKeyId","2347133-9426c9ae53243525ce50d2bee155a1e4","parentId",2347133,"title","Subcommittee backs bill to stop clerks from using third-party cash bonds to pay defendants' fines and fees","audioSeconds",1030,"startMs",568735,"endMs",1598745,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347133-9426c9ae53243525ce50d2bee155a1e4&start=568&end=1598","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347133-9426c9ae53243525ce50d2bee155a1e4/thumbnail_568735.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6322628/Florida/Subcommittee-backs-bill-to-stop-clerks-from-using-third-party-cash-bonds-to-pay-defendants-fines-and-fees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322628-c45a51e3ab72eef1d1a9ce0fbca68c75/orig.mp4?Expires=1770985685&Signature=EtE~VrkjYQKfvMCgmC0XsXUsBScrxmxz7NVyAwd0YK8ABuicgjte3shSLPemOJOTME0l~aeCQseDjXCQFEiPaura-nZenhHFADlfeejOUrqRX4oB3yjuQ-Y6ayTJV9GOtMBt-Y8Ez1ymJrsJQmkzi~lJEt2Mwm~If7ihVMQF8RcjuL2koXCYOPC5c9p4lcq6k501Hi6ebCbuNNwGhj5wHWTYI6IR2wZ2hd7lSouSjlxRD5VLxRdQ-eLELBOY-838PZp39KFHDZF2oAO55PZTYll9ccOu1AmMXF9WkEItA~l5GKwxP8ntjHH1Go14GdQofmC41WJjr21i1tAKBJl60Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Florida State Legislature","date","2025-02-19T00:00:00Z","article","The Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 15-3 to report HB 243 favorably, advancing legislation that would prevent clerks of court from using cash bond deposits posted by third parties to pay a criminal defendant’s fines, fees or civil judgments.

Representative Andrade, the bill’s sponsor, told the committee the bill is a short, two-page measure that would ensure only the criminal defendant is liable for fines, fees and judgments assessed as part of a criminal sentence and would prevent clerks from seizing money posted by a third party to satisfy those obligations.

During debate members raised questions about incentives created by the bill. Representative Gottlieb proposed — and the sponsor said he would accept — an amendment (described at the hearing as a new paragraph C) that would allow a cash depositor at the time of posting to sign an authorization surrendering the deposited funds to pay costs identified in the statute. Representative Baker and others asked whether third-party organizations that post bonds have the same incentive and tools as licensed bail bondsmen to ensure a defendant appears for court; critics argued such organizations may lack incentives to find defendants who fail to appear, while supporters said most bonds are 10% bonds posted through licensed bondsmen and the bill would protect private depositors. Committee members also discussed questions about potential fiscal impacts to clerks' offices; the sponsor said he had tried to work with clerks over several years but did not have a definitive fiscal estimate.

Public witnesses listed on the record waived speaking in support of the bill, including representatives from the Florida Smart Justice Alliance and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Representative Andrade closed by saying the bill’s aim is narrowly to require that the person who incurred fines and fees is the one who pays them; he said he was willing to work with colleagues and accept reasonable amendments. The subcommittee then voted 15 yeas, 3 nays to report HB 243 favorably. The transcript records that the sponsor agreed to accept a Gottlieb amendment that would permit a depositor to authorize surrender of funds, but the committee did not record a separate roll-call on that amendment in the transcript.

Votes and formal actions recorded in the hearing: the subcommittee voted to report HB 243 favorably on a 15-3 roll call; the sponsor indicated willingness to accept an amendment to allow depositors to authorize surrender of cash bond funds to cover costs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Criminal Justice Subcommittee 02/19/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 15-3 to report HB 243 favorably, advancing legislation that would prevent clerks of court from using cash bond deposits posted by third parties to pay a criminal defendant’s fines, fees or judgments.","taxTitle","Criminal Justice Subcommittee, House, Legislative, Florida","taxId",26421,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6322633,"Subcommittee advances bill to expand compensation for wrongfully incarcerated Floridians",501,62579,563875,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347133-9426c9ae53243525ce50d2bee155a1e4&start=62&end=563","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347133-9426c9ae53243525ce50d2bee155a1e4/thumbnail_62579.jpg","/articles/6322633/Florida/Subcommittee-advances-bill-to-expand-compensation-for-wrongfully-incarcerated-Floridians","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322633-52cc8d37ed5b269e92f105d969ad0a28/orig.mp4?Expires=1770985685&Signature=PcctMmWiWbkKtLFEjP3QlSwoz4FhBN8OOglxty9ducc-mQwrQOHKP0RgVMB7mRz2hArckNrfROFofsx-QnCeme29HwnXu2sy5QNkR0bdnQRccohpfdPu4EPp8jWA~31ZooaxagL57khMn6qMoefkkLpuugKH8VHrl0763ILUFbyjC2q9EZgeicDMA6D-g9X6SxHfJDqWrZSfGfQJ1BbburzYxzrUSOk0~inBaqFOSDLNnuvB8fij2pQhWbf94RaWQBTtdBJlpz3VO1T-GqYC4-FPPAi8UauofSl8ZicY8JKbrkOnNHsXbnSJA~WlLJt5tbTmG4k67emOvc-45OF1wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted to report HB 59 favorably as amended on a 17-0 roll call, moving legislation that would expand avenues for compensation for people who were wrongfully incarcerated in Florida.

HB 59 would extend the deadline for exonerees to file for state compensation from 90 days to two years, remove the statute's \"clean hands\" provision and allow exonerees to pursue either a civil lawsuit or the state's compensation process rather than forcing a waiver of the civil option. Supporters said the changes would remove procedural barriers that have denied compensation to many exonerees.

The bill's sponsor explained the three primary changes at the committee hearing and described the measure as aimed at reducing legal barriers that have kept exonerees from receiving compensation. Committee members adopted a technical amendment, barcode 384739, which the sponsor said aligns the bill with its Senate companion and removes conflicting statutory language. The committee adopted that amendment by voice vote and later approved the bill on a 17-0 roll call.

A number of criminal-justice advocacy groups registered support and waived public testimony, including the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Florida Smart Justice Alliance, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and the Innocence Project of Florida. Committee members who spoke in favor cited anecdotal cases of long delays in compensation; one member said a man compensated after exoneration died within 18 months of release.

Supporters told the committee that, since the state's compensation statute was enacted in 2018, 18 exonerees have been denied state compensation under the statute’s existing restrictions, a figure the sponsor said represents roughly 300 years of wrongful incarceration in aggregate and an estimated fiscal exposure of about $15,000,000 if those 18 individuals were compensated under the statute’s formulas. Those numbers were presented at the hearing by the bill’s sponsor and proponents.

Representative Hart and other members expressed personal support for expanding access, and the bill’s closing remarks emphasized the committee's view that when the state makes a mistake that deprives someone of liberty, the state should provide a path toward redress. With no recorded opposition at the committee level, the subcommittee voted to report HB 59 favorably as amended; the measure will be transmitted to the next stage of the process.

Votes and formal actions recorded in the hearing: the committee adopted amendment barcode 384739 (technical alignment with the Senate companion) and then voted 17 yeas, 0 nays to report HB 59 favorably as amended.","The Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted to report HB 59 favorably as amended on a 17-0 roll call, moving legislation that would expand avenues for compensation for people who were wrongfully incarcerated in Florida.","actionData","errors"]

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Subcommittee backs bill to stop clerks from using third-party cash bonds to pay defendants' fines and fees

Subcommittee advances bill to expand compensation for wrongfully incarcerated Floridians