Committee backs expansion of wrongful‑incarceration compensation statute
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Summary
SB 130 would extend the filing window for exonerees to seek state compensation, remove Florida's 'clean hands' restriction, and change civil‑remedy waiver rules; the committee reported the bill favorably.
Senator Bradley presented SB 130, which seeks to revise Florida’s wrongful‑incarceration compensation statute by extending the timeline for filing a compensation claim from 90 days to two years, removing the statute’s restrictive “clean‑hands” bar, and eliminating the requirement that an exoneree waive civil claims (providing instead for an offset).
Bradley told the committee the current law has prevented compensation for numerous exonerees. “Since enacting the wrongful incarceration statute in 2018, there are 18 exonerees who have been denied compensation, totaling 300 years of lost liberty. Six exonerees have waited a decade or more,” he said, and asked for support to provide compensation without forcing waiver of civil remedies.
Multiple organizations filed waivers in support, including the Innocence Project of Florida, Americans for Prosperity, Florida Smart Justice, Alliance for Safety and Justice and others. Senator Bradley closed by stressing that the bill applies only to persons found factually innocent and that the measure is intended to remedy state errors.
The committee took a roll-call vote and reported SB 130 favorably.