CS/HB 1653 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1653-01-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 duties and prohibited acts 2
associated with death; amending s. 406.12, F.S.; 3
authorizing a report regarding specified deaths and 4
circumstances to be made to a law enforcement agency 5
in addition to the medical examiner; increasing the 6
criminal penalty for failing or refusing to report a 7
death or for refusing to make available certain 8
information with the intent to conceal the death or 9
alter the evidence and circumstances surrounding the 10
death; increasing the criminal penalty for willfully 11
touching, removing, or disturbing a body without an 12
order from the office of the district medical examiner 13
with the intent to conceal the death or alter the 14
evidence and circumstances surrounding the death; 15
providing an effective date. 16
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18
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Section 1. Section 406.12, Florida Statutes, is amended to 20
read: 21
406.12 Duty to report; prohibited acts. — 22
(1) It is the duty of any person in the district where a 23
death occurs, including all municipalities and unincorporated 24
and federal areas, who becomes aware of the death of any person 25
CS/HB 1653 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1653-01-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
occurring under the circumstances described in s. 406.11 to 26
report such death and circumstances forthwith to the district 27
medical examiner or to a law enforcement agency having 28
jurisdiction over the location . 29
(2) Any person who knowingly fails or refuses to report 30
such death and circumstances as required under subsection (1) 31
or, who refuses to make available prior medical or other 32
information pertinent to the death investigation commits a 33
misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 34
775.082 or s. 775.083. 35
(3) Any person, or who, with the intent to conceal such 36
death or to alter the evidence or circumstances surrounding such 37
death: 38
(a) Violates subsection (2); or 39
(b) Without an order from the office of the district 40
medical examiner, willfully touches, removes, or disturbs the 41
body, clothing, or any article upo n or near the body, with the 42
intent to alter the evidence or circumstances surrounding the 43
death, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first 44
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commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in 46
s. 775.082, or s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 47
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 48