The bill amends various sections of Florida Statutes concerning bail bonds, introducing new definitions and modifying existing regulations. It defines terms such as "virtual office" and "in-person classroom instruction," while reducing the required duration of in-person classroom courses for prelicensing schools from 120 hours to 80 hours. The bill prohibits bail bond agents and agencies from using virtual offices and allows them to accept certain fees, including credit card processing and mobile payment service fees, while maintaining restrictions on other charges. Additionally, it mandates that any monetary component of pretrial release must be met through specified means, such as cash or a cashier's check, rather than at the court's discretion.

Further amendments include the requirement for sureties to justify their suretyship by attaching cash or a money order to the bond, repealing the need for sureties to own real estate in Florida, and clarifying the conditions under which a bond may be forfeited. The bill extends the time frame for a surety to arrest a principal after bond forfeiture from 2 years to 3 years and mandates that courts cancel bonds within 10 business days after conditions are satisfied. It also expands the definition of "dangerous crime" to include additional offenses and requires pretrial release services to certify the accused's circumstances before release. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the bail bond process while enhancing accountability, compliance, and community safety.

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
H 1017 c2: 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