The bill introduces several amendments and new provisions aimed at enhancing criminal justice accountability in Florida. It authorizes the Attorney General to call upon state attorneys to provide information to the Cabinet and allows the Attorney General to receive cases from state attorneys at the Governor's request. Additionally, it modifies the reporting requirements for state attorneys, shifting from quarterly to prescribed timelines by the Attorney General. The bill also expands the use of the Legal Affairs Revolving Trust Fund to include cases forwarded from state attorneys and grants the Governor the authority to assign cases to the Attorney General for prosecution under specific circumstances.

Furthermore, the bill establishes the Attorney General as a permanent member and chair of the Justice Administrative Commission, which will have expanded duties, including overseeing statutory changes affecting state attorneys and public defenders. It mandates state attorneys to collect data on annual charges referred by law enforcement agencies without assigned case numbers and requires the Department of Legal Affairs to develop an auditing schedule for compliance and performance reviews. The bill aims to improve data transparency and accountability within the criminal justice system, with an effective date set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1794 Filed: 16.09, 16.53, 27.14, 900.05