Florida HB 285: Required Notice of Intent to Contact a Victim

Bill Text

CS/HB 285 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb285-01-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 required notice of intent to 2
contact a victim; creating s. 914.18, F.S.; requiring 3
specified persons acting on behalf of a criminal 4
defendant to file a specified notice within a 5
specified timeframe before contacting a victim in a 6
criminal proceeding for a specified purpose; providing 7
applicability; requiring that such notice be filed on 8
a standard form developed by the state attorney in 9
each judicial circuit; providing an effective date. 10
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
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Section 1. Section 914.18, Florida Statutes, is created to 14
read: 15
914.18 Required notice of intent to contact victim.— 16
(1) Before any attorney, investigator, or other agent 17
acting on behalf of a criminal defendant may contact a victim 18
for the purpose of obtaining information relating to a pending 19
criminal proceeding, he or she must file a notice of intent to 20
contact the victim within 72 hours before making, or attempting 21
to make, such contact. This subsection does not apply to contact 22
with a victim which occurs during a court proceeding or 23
deposition. 24
(2) The notice required under subsection (1) must be filed 25

CS/HB 285 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb285-01-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

on a standard form developed and made available by the state 26
attorney in each judicial circuit. 27
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 28