Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMay 16, 2018

In a second ground-breaking criminal justice reform initiative of her short tenure, 9th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Aramis Ayala will begin pushing for non-monetary releases rather than bail in many cases involving people charged with non-violent crimes. Ayala contends that the state’s law on bail is not being followed. The result, she said, is too many […]

Scott PowersMay 15, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King is launching a speech tour Tuesday focusing on his ideas for criminal justice reform, including the legalization of marijuana. According to sources inside King’s campaign, he will unveil a six-point plan that includes “Reducing Mass Incarceration, Legalizing Marijuana, Restoration of Voting Rights, Ending Private Prisons, Ending the Death Penalty, and […]

Staff ReportsMarch 13, 2018

The head of the Florida Retail Federation said Tuesday that one of the trade association’s “biggest successes” was helping block a criminal justice reform that would have raised the threshold for a felony theft charge. “Keeping the threshold at its current limit of $300 will help to protect retailed by deterring theft, discouraging criminals from […]

Staff ReportsMarch 12, 2018

Sen. Jeff Brandes promised criminal justice reforms, a sweeping transportation bill, banning fees on consumer report security freezes and “merlot-to-go,” but only half of those came true by the time the 2018 Legislative Session wrapped up. As the process moved toward the 60-day finish line, the Pinellas County Republican was optimistic about his bold proposals. […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 27, 2018

With three minutes left in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, a bill mandating each judicial district in the state to implement pre-arrest diversion programs headed to the Senate floor. There was no debate on the bill (SB 1392) that would set up diversion programs with the intent of giving local law enforcement agencies a […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 26, 2018

The Florida Legislature is considering sweeping criminal justice reform measures that have come under fire by the bail bond industry, but the sponsor of one of the bills said Sunday that he is “not in the business of making bail bondsmen money.” “They are in the business of writing bonds, and their business will go […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 22, 2018

Someone caught with oxycodone pills weighing at least 7 grams can be sentenced to a mandatory three-year sentence and fined $50,000 under Florida drug trafficking state laws. That could soon change for non-violent offenders who are not involved with a criminal organization under a Senate proposal that would allow judges to depart from mandatory minimum […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 21, 2018

A sweeping criminal justice bill that would upend how the state collects data on offenders in an attempt to better determine who is incarcerated and for how long is moving in the Senate. The measure would require the Department of Corrections to use risk-assessment instruments that can identify the appropriate intervention and program for an […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 12, 2018

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We are currently having an important discussion in our state and nation about criminal justice reform. This discussion generally focuses two issues: the length of sentences for nonviolent criminal offenses and creating a criminal record (especially for juveniles) for what was essentially a stupid mistake. Some are using this important discussion to push more radical […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 6, 2018

Pinellas County lawmakers are hoping to implement a pre-arrest diversion program in their county across the state, but on Tuesday some lawmakers in the House opposed the measure because they fear violent offenders may slip through the cracks. “If there’s an Achilles’ heel with the bill it could be the notion that violent offenders could […]

Tag: criminal justice reform
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Aramis Ayala will seek non-monetary bail in non-violent, low-risk crime cases

Chris King to launch tour on criminal justice reform, including plan to legalize marijuana

Retailers say blocking criminal justice proposal was among ‘biggest successes’

Jeff Brandes loses a couple of priorities, but brings home other wins

Pre-arrest diversion program proposals head to House, Senate floors

Bail bond industry, Jeff Brandes spar over sweeping justice reform bill

Easing drug trafficking mandatory minimums headed to Senate floor

Senate panel pushes criminal justice overhaul bill

Jeff Kottkamp: ‘Catch and release’ proposal for criminals a bad idea

Pre-arrest diversion program bill clears House panel with lingering concerns