Senate passes ‘Cassie Carlils Law’ spurred by woman’s death

Senators have approved new legislation aiming to protect parents during custody exchanges. But the sponsor of a 2023 law guarding against domestic violence voted against the bill.

The newly passed legislation is named after Cassie Carli, a Florida woman who died after she agreed to a last-minute custody exchange for her 4-year-old daughter in a restaurant parking lot with her ex-boyfriend. Carli’s body was found buried in a shallow grave the next state over, and her ex has been indicted on kidnapping and abuse of a corpse charges.

With a 37-1 vote, Senate lawmakers approved a committee substitute for SB 580 that mandates every county provide a location for parents to safely exchange custody of their children. 

“Senate Bill 580 seeks to help prevent tragedies like these by giving courts safer locations to order the safe exchange of minor children,” said its sponsor, Clay Yarborough, a Republican from Jacksonville.

“For high-conflict situations, the Sheriff in each county will establish a location with a purple light location in a parking lot that’s accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, have adequate lighting and also 24-hour video surveillance.”

The House’s version (HB 385) is identical.

Under the bill, a parent seeking a domestic violence injunction against the other parent can request to use the safe exchange location. The courts can also order families to use the special locations for child swaps as part of a parenting plan.

The lone “no” vote Wednesday from Sen. Lori Berman, who sponsored last year’s Greyson’s Law, came as she expressed concerns that the bill doesn’t go enough to protect people in danger. 

“I’m really torn about this because I know that this was being done as a response to a very specific situation where somebody did transfer their child and unfortunately lost their life. And I know that it’s absolutely done with the best of intentions,” the Boca Raton Democrat said.

“I am just concerned about how the court will interpret this. I do feel like if there is an imminent threat of harm, there should not be an exchange, or at the very minimum, it should be a supervised exchange. Even that I’m not even very comfortable with.”

Yarborough defended his bill, saying the courts had discretion. His bill does not compromise “Greyson’s Law,” legislation passed last year that addresses child visitation and custody policies, he said.

“I’m glad we can work to push this across the line today,” he said just before Senators voted in favor of the legislation.