Florida HB 1225: Florida Commission on Human Relations

Bill Text

HB 1225 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1225-00
Page 1 of 9
FLO 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 grand jury testimony and materials; 2
amending s. 905.27, F.S.; providing definitions; 3
authorizing a court to disclose certain grand jury 4
testimony and materials in certain circumstances to 5
further justice; creating s. 905.275, F.S.; requiring 6
the clerk of court to take possession of and preserve 7
certain grand jury materials; prohibiting a person 8
from disposing of or destroying such materials; 9
specifying the materials required to be preserved; 10
requiring the clerk of court to maintain a chain of 11
custody list for such materials during a grand jury 12
proceeding; specifying the manner in which the clerk 13
of court shall store and provide access to stored 14
materials; prohibiting certain persons from accessing 15
such materials; requiring documentation of an 16
authorized person's access to such materials; 17
requiring the state attorney and his or her employees 18
to preserve certain grand jury materials; requiring 19
preserved materials to be retained for a certain 20
period of time; requiring the Office of the State 21
Courts Administrator to adopt certain rules; 22
authorizing the Office of the State Courts 23
Administrator to perform inspections for certain 24
purposes; requiring disclosure and provision of access 25

HB 1225 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1225-00
Page 2 of 9
FLO 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

to materials upon a court order; prohibiting the 26
intentional destruction or alteration of grand jury 27
materials; providing a penalty; requiring the 28
Department of Law Enforcement to investigate alleged 29
violations of preservation requirements; providing an 30
effective date. 31
32
WHEREAS, this state has a precedent for unsealing historic 33
grand jury records in cases of injustice, including through the 34
procedures described in chapter 2024-7, Laws of Florida, and 35
WHEREAS, survivors of sexual abuse exploitation, capital 36
crimes, and other victimization are entitled to transparency, 37
accountability, and protection, and 38
WHEREAS, the review of grand jury proceedings in cases 39
pertaining to sexual abuse and capital crimes for potential 40
investigative or prosecutorial failures or other injustices may 41
improve the public's trust in the courts of this state, NOW, 42
THEREFORE, 43
44
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 45
46
Section 1. Section 905.27, Florida Statutes, is amended to 47
read: 48
905.27 Testimony and materials not to be disclosed; 49
exceptions.— 50

HB 1225 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1225-00
Page 3 of 9
FLO 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

(1) As used in this section, the term: 51
(a) "Immediate family member" has the same meaning as in 52
s. 252.515(3). 53
(b) "Sexual abuse" means an act of a sexual nature or 54
sexual act that may be prosecuted under any law of this state. 55
(c) "Survivor" means a victim of an alleged crime of 56
sexual abuse or a capital crime who provided testimony, 57
evidence, or statements in connection with a grand jury 58
proceeding relating to such alleged crime. The term includes a 59
victim of an alleged crime of sexual abuse or a capital crime 60
who was interviewed by an investigator or prosecutor in 61
preparation for a grand jury proceeding even if the victim was 62
not called to testify in the proceeding. 63
(2)(1) Persons present or appearing during a grand jury 64
proceeding, including a grand juror, a state attorney, an 65
assistant state attorney, a reporter, a stenographer, or an 66
interpreter, as well as the custodian of a grand jury record, 67
may not disclose the testimony of a witness examined before the 68
grand jury, or other evidence received by it, or materials 69
preserved pursuant to s. 905.275 except when required by a court 70
to disclose the testimony or materials for the purpose of: 71
(a) Ascertaining whether testimony it is consistent with 72
the testimony given by the witness before the court; 73
(b) Determining whether the witness is guilty of perjury; 74
or 75

HB 1225 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1225-00
Page 4 of 9
FLO 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

(c) Furthering justice, which can encompass furthering a 76
public interest when the disclosure is requested pursuant to 77
paragraph (3)(c) or (d) (2)(c). 78
(3)(2) It is unlawful for any person knowingly to publish, 79
broadcast, disclose, divulge, or communicate to any other 80
person, or knowingly to cause or permit to be published, 81
broadcast, disclosed, divulged, or communicated to any other 82
person, in any manner whatsoever, any testimony of a witness 83
examined before the grand jury or any mate