STORAGE NAME: h1053.CRM
DATE: 3/24/2025
1
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: HB 1053
TITLE: Department of Law Enforcement
SPONSOR(S): Plakon
COMPANION BILL: SB 1268 (Simon)
LINKED BILLS: None
RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Criminal Justice
Government Operations
Budget
Judiciary
SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
HB 1053 makes the following changes related to and affecting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement:
Repeals sections of law pertaining to a defunct council and accompanying implementation account.
Expands the scope of and renames the Crimes Against Children Criminal Profiling Program to the Child
Exploitation and Crimes Against Children Program to align with current operations.
Revises membership and reporting requirements of the Domestic Security Oversight Council.
Revises reporting requirements of the Chief of Domestic Security.
Expands the jurisdiction of the Capitol Police by updating the definition of “Capitol Complex” to include the
Governor’s mansion and surrounding curtilage.
Increases the annual reimbursement amount available to former handlers or adopters of retired police dogs
for veterinary care of such dogs through the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program.
Fiscal or Economic Impact:
The bill may have an indeterminate positive fiscal impact on former handlers or adopters of retired police dogs
who participate in the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program as it increases the maximum amount of
reimbursement that a handler or adopter may request annually for the cost of the dog’s veterinary care from
$1,500 to $5,000.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
HB 1053 makes the following changes related to and affecting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement:
Repeals sections of law related to the Florida Violent Crime and Drug Control Council and the Violent Crime
Investigative Emergency and Drug Control Strategy Implementation Account, as both this council and this
account are currently unfunded and inactive. (Section 1)
Expands and updates the purpose and scope of the Crimes Against Children Criminal Profiling Program to
align with current operations which focus more on child exploitation and no longer regularly utilize
criminal profiling techniques. The bill renames the program to the Child Exploitation and Crimes Against
Children Program. (Section 2)
Revises membership of the Domestic Security Oversight Council to replace a position on the council that
was required to be filled by the chair of the Statewide Domestic Security Intelligence Committee, as this
committee has been dissolved, with a statewide domestic security intelligence representative selected by
the chair of the Florida Fusion Center Executive Advisory Board. (Section 4)
Updates reporting requirements of the Domestic Security Oversight Council to require the council to
include suggestions for security enhancements submitted by the Chief of Domestic Security in its annual
report. (Section 4)
Requires the Chief of Domestic Security to submit his or her suggestions for security enhancements to the
Domestic Security Oversight Council for inclusion in its annual report, instead of submitting his or her own JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
2
annual report to the Governor, President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(Section 5)
Updates the definition of “Capitol Complex” to include the Governor’s mansion and surrounding curtilage
thereby expanding the jurisdiction of the Capitol Police. (Section 6)
Increases the annual disbursement available to a former handler or an adopter of a retired police dog from
the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program to reimburse him or her for the cost of the dog’s veterinary care
from $1,500 to $5,000 per dog. (Section 7)
The bill makes other conforming changes. (Sections 3, 8, and 9)
The bill provides an effective date of July 1, 2025. (Section 10)
FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:
PRIVATE SECTOR:
The bill may have an indeterminate positive fiscal impact on former handlers or adopters of retired police dogs
who participate in the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program. To the extent that such handlers or adopters are
incurring more than $1,500 in annual veterinary care expenses, the bill may allow them to reimbursed for more
expenses as it increases the amount of reimbursement the handler or adopter may request annually from $1,500 to
$5,000.
RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
Florida Violent Crime and Drug Control Council
In 1993, the Florida Violent Crime Council (FVCC) was established within the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement (FDLE) to serve as an advisory council regarding the development and implementation of a statewide
strategy to address violent criminal activity.
1 In 2001, the Legislature expanded the scope of FVCC and renamed it
the Violent Crime and Drug Control Council (VCDCC), in order to include support for drug control efforts, including
investigations of illicit money laundering.
2
The VCDCC is tasked with advising the Executive Director of FDLE on the feasibility of law enforcement grant and
training programs related to violent crime prevention, drug control, criminal gang elimination, and illicit money
laundering investigative efforts or task force efforts.
3 Additionally, the VCDCC is tasked with maintaining and
disbursing funds from the Violent Crime Investigative Emergency and Drug Control Strategy Implementation
Account. Funds in this account are used to provide emergency supplemental funds to state and local law
enforcement agencies that are involved in complex and lengthy violent crime investigations, to match funding for
multiagency or statewide drug control or illicit money laundering investigative efforts, or to provide funds to
implement significant criminal gang investigative efforts as authorized by the Drug Control Strategy and Criminal
Gang Committee or the Victim and Witness Protection Review Committee.
4 The Victim and Witness Protection
Review Committee also maintains and disburses funds to reimburse law enforcement agencies for costs associated
with providing victim and witness temporary protective or temporary relocation services.
5
FDLE reports that while the Legislature supports the funding of the VCDCC on an annual basis, it has not provided
an appropriation for VCDCC since Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-2009.
6 FDLE further reports that seven of the 14
statutorily prescribed member positions of the VCDCC are vacant and that due to budgetary constraints, the VCDCC
has not funded victim and witness protection reimbursement requests since September 2008.
7
1
Ch. 1993-203, L.O.F.
2
Ch. 2001-127, L.O.F.
3
S. 943.031(5)(a), F.S.
4
S. 943.031(5)(b)2., F.S., and S. 943.042(1)(a), F.S.
5
S. 943.031(8)(b), F.S.
6
FDLE, Agency Analysis of 2025 HB 1053, p. 2 (Mar. 7, 2025)(on file with the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee).
7
Id. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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Crimes Against Children Criminal Profiling Program
In 1994, the Crimes Against Children Criminal Profiling Program was created within FDLE.
8 The program is tasked
with performing investigative, intelligence, research, and training activities related to crimes against children.
9
FDLE reports that as technology has advanced and the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) has
become more prevalent, the focus of the program has shifted to internet crimes against children, which involves
the use of highly technical investigative tools to target the distributors and distribution networks of CSAM, and
relies less on profiling techniques.
10
Domestic Security Oversight Council
Section 943.0313, F.S., establishes the Domestic Security Oversight Council (DSOC), which acts as an advisory
council providing guidance to the state’s regional domestic security task forces and other domestic security
working groups; making recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature regarding the expenditure of funds
and allocation of resources related to counterterrorism; and cooperating with and providing assistance to the
Federal Government in the enforcement of federal immigration laws and domestic security efforts.
The council is currently required to have one voting member who is the chair of the Statewide Domestic Security
Intelligence Committee,
11 however according to FDLE this committee was abolished several years ago,
12 and has
subsequently caused a vacancy in the membership positions of the council that cannot be filled.
As part of its duties, DSOC is required to report annually on its activities on or before December 31 of each calendar
year to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the
committees having principal jurisdiction over domestic security in the Senate and House of Representatives.
13
Chief of Domestic Security
Pursuant to s. 943.0311, F.S., the Executive Director of FDLE, or his or her designee, is required to serve as the
Chief of Domestic Security (CDS). The CDS is required to:
Coordinate the efforts of FDLE in the ongoing assessment of the state’s vulnerability to, and ability to
detect, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from, acts of terrorism and immigration enforcement
incidents within or affecting the state.
Prepare recommendations for the Governor, President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, which are based on ongoing assessments to limit the vulnerability of the state to
terrorism and immigration enforcement incidents, and coordinate the collection of such assessments.
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In furtherance of his or her duties, the CDS must:
Conduct or cause to be conducted security assessments of buildings, facilities, and structures owned or
leased by state agencies, state universities, and community colleges.
15
Communicate to local governments and water management districts the importance of conducting security
assessments of buildings, facilities, and structures they own or lease.
16
The CDS is also required to submit an annual report by November 1 of each year to the Governor, the President of
the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives which details suggestions for specific and significant
security enhancements of any building, facility, or structure owned or leased by a state agency, state university,
community college, local government, or water management district.
17
Capitol Police
8
Ch. 1994-265, L.O.F.
9
S. 943.041, F.S.
10
FDLE, supra, at note 6, pp. 2-3.
11
S. 943.0313(1)(a)15., F.S.
12
FDLE, supra, at note 6, p. 3.
13
S. 943.0313(6), F.S.
14
S. 943.0311(1), F.S.
15
S. 943.0311(3), F.S.
16
S. 943.0311(6), F.S.
17
S. 943.0311(4), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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Section 943.61, F.S. establishes the Capitol Police within FDLE to serve as a security and law enforcement agency
for the Capitol Complex and the state. The primary responsibility of the Capitol Police is to protect the security of
the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the members of the Cabinet, the members of the Senate and of the House of
Representatives, and those employees assigned to assist such state officials in the performance of their official
duties, and to ensure their access to buildings and premises within the Capitol Complex, thereby providing for the
continuous operation of the government of the State of Florida.
18 The Capitol Police is also tasked with providing
security and protection for other state officials, employees, and visitors to the Capitol Complex and maintaining a
reasonable degree of safety and security within the Capitol Complex while ensuring reasonable access to buildings
and premises within the Capitol Complex by state officials, employees, and visitors.
19
“Capitol Complex” means that portion of Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, commonly referred to as the Capitol,
the Historic Capitol, the Senate Office Building, the House Office Building, the Knott Building, the Pepper Building,
the Holland Building, the Elliot Building, the R.A. Gray Building, and the associated parking garages and curtilage of
each, including the state-owned lands and public streets adjacent thereto within an area bounded by and including
Calhoun Street, East Pensacola Street, Monroe Street, Jefferson Street, West Pensacola Street, Martin Luther King Jr.
Boulevard, and Gaines Street. The term includes the State Capital Circle Office Complex located in Leon County,
Florida. The term does not include the Supreme Court Building or the public streets adjacent thereto. The portion
of the Capitol Complex existing between and including the Elliot Building and the Holland Building within an area
bounded by and including Monroe Street, Gaines Street, Calhoun Street, and East Pensacola Street shall be known
as “Memorial Park.”
20
Care for Retired Police Dogs Program
Section 943.69, F.S. establishes the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program within FDLE to provide funding for
veterinary care for retired police dogs. The program currently provides reimbursement up to $1,500 annually, per
dog, for veterinary care to any former handler or adopter of a retired police dog. The program receives an annually
recurring appropriation from the General Revenue Fund of $300,000 to implement and administer the program.
21
FDLE reports that, in FY 2022-2023, reimbursements totaled $67,965.60 for the care of 65 dogs; in FY 2023-2024,
reimbursements totaled $97,564.50 for the care of 89 dog; and as of February of the current FY, 61 dogs have
received care totaling $56,062.15 in reimbursements.
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RECENT LEGISLATION:
YEAR BILL # HOUSE SPONSOR(S) SENATE SPONSOR OTHER INFORMATION
2022 CS/SB 226 Killebrew Powell Took effect on July 1, 2022.
18
S. 943.61(1), F.S.
19
S. 943.61(2), F.S.
20
S. 943.60, F.S.
21
S. 943.69(8), F.S.
22
FDLE, supra, at note 6, p. 3. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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BILL HISTORY
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE
STAFF
DIRECTOR/
POLICY CHIEF
ANALYSIS
PREPARED BY
Criminal Justice Subcommittee Hall Leshko
Government Operations
Subcommittee
Budget Committee
Judiciary Committee