CS/HB 469 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0469-01-c1
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to victims of criminal offenses; 2
amending s. 960.001, F.S.; providing that private 3
counsel retained by a victim of a sexual offense may 4
be present during victim depositions; providing an 5
effective date. 6
7
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
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Section 1. Paragraph (q) of subsection (1) of section 10
960.001, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 11
960.001 Guidelines fo r fair treatment of victims and 12
witnesses in the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems. — 13
(1) The Department of Legal Affairs, the state attorneys, 14
the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile 15
Justice, the Florida Commission on Offend er Review, the State 16
Courts Administrator and circuit court administrators, the 17
Department of Law Enforcement, and every sheriff's department, 18
police department, or other law enforcement agency as defined in 19
s. 943.10(4) shall develop and implement guideli nes for the use 20
of their respective agencies, which guidelines are consistent 21
with the purposes of this act and s. 16(b), Art. I of the State 22
Constitution and are designed to implement s. 16(b), Art. I of 23
the State Constitution and to achieve the following objectives: 24
(q) Presence of victim advocate during discovery 25
CS/HB 469 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0469-01-c1
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
deposition; testimony of victim of a sexual offense. —At the 26
request of the victim or the victim's parent, guardian, or 27
lawful representative, private counsel retained by the victim, 28
and a the victim advocate designated by the state attorney's 29
office, sheriff's office, or municipal police department, or one 30
representative from a not -for-profit victim services 31
organization, including, but not limited to, rape crisis 32
centers, domestic violence adv ocacy groups, and alcohol abuse or 33
substance abuse groups , shall be permitted to attend and be 34
present during any deposition of the victim. The victim of a 35
sexual offense shall be informed of the right to have the 36
courtroom cleared of certain persons as pr ovided in s. 918.16 37
when the victim is testifying concerning that offense. 38
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 39