The bill amends various sections of the Florida Statutes concerning bail bonds and pretrial release processes. It introduces new definitions, such as "virtual office" and "in-person classroom instruction," while reducing the required duration of in-person classroom instruction for prelicensing schools from 120 hours to 80 hours. The bill prohibits bail bond agents from soliciting certain individuals without written authorization and bans the use of virtual offices. It also mandates that any monetary component of pretrial release must be met through specified means, such as cash or checks, rather than leaving it to the court's discretion. Additionally, the bill requires the clerk of the court to discharge any bond upon revocation of pretrial release without further order and repeals the requirement for sureties to own real estate.

Further amendments include the requirement for licensed sureties to have equal access to jails for bond-making, the ability for defendants to deposit bail amounts directly, and the introduction of a provision for discharging forfeitures if defendants are returned to court jurisdiction. The bill clarifies conditions for bond forfeiture, including the necessity for the clerk to notify sureties before forfeiture and the requirement for certified copies of warrants to be provided to bail bond agents. It also establishes a tiered system for remission of forfeitures based on the time elapsed since forfeiture and introduces new conditions for pretrial release, including a written certification from pretrial services regarding the accused's circumstances. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 1017 Filed: 903.011, 903.046, 903.0471, 903.05, 903.08, 903.09, 903.101, 903.16, 903.17, 903.21, 903.26, 903.27, 903.28, 903.29, 903.36, 648.45
H 1017 c1: 903.011, 903.046, 903.0471, 903.05, 903.08, 903.09, 903.101, 903.16, 903.17, 903.21, 903.26, 903.27, 903.28, 903.29, 903.36