Bill Text: FL S1556 | 2023 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Contraband Forfeiture

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2023-05-05 - Died in Criminal Justice [S1556 Detail]

Download: Florida-2023-S1556-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2023                                    SB 1556
       
       
        
       By Senator Perry
       
       
       
       
       
       9-01868-23                                            20231556__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to contraband forfeiture; amending s.
    3         932.703, F.S.; authorizing a stay of proceedings
    4         subsequent to a finding of probable cause for
    5         forfeiture; amending s. 932.704, F.S.; revising a
    6         statement of policy relating to forfeiture
    7         proceedings; requiring a stay of forfeiture actions
    8         until final disposition of associated criminal
    9         charges; requiring written notice of such charges to
   10         the presiding court; requiring a conviction in an
   11         associated criminal offense for forfeiture of seized
   12         property; requiring the return of seized property if
   13         all associated criminal charges are dismissed;
   14         creating s. 932.7071, F.S.; prohibiting specified
   15         agencies from referring, transferring, or otherwise
   16         relinquishing possession of property seized under
   17         state law to a federal agency for a specified purpose;
   18         providing guidelines relating to state participation
   19         in joint task forces; providing construction;
   20         providing an effective date.
   21          
   22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   23  
   24         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
   25  932.703, Florida Statutes, is republished, and paragraph (c) of
   26  subsection (2) and paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of that
   27  section are amended, to read:
   28         932.703 Forfeiture of contraband article; exceptions.—
   29         (1)(a) A contraband article, vessel, motor vehicle,
   30  aircraft, other personal property, or real property used in
   31  violation of any provision of the Florida Contraband Forfeiture
   32  Act, or in, upon, or by means of which any violation of the
   33  Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act has taken or is taking place,
   34  may be seized and shall be forfeited subject to the Florida
   35  Contraband Forfeiture Act. A seizure may occur only if the owner
   36  of the property is arrested for a criminal offense that forms
   37  the basis for determining that the property is a contraband
   38  article under s. 932.701, or one or more of the following
   39  circumstances apply:
   40         1. The owner of the property cannot be identified after a
   41  diligent search, or the person in possession of the property
   42  denies ownership and the owner of the property cannot be
   43  identified by means that are available to the employee or agent
   44  of the seizing agency at the time of the seizure;
   45         2. The owner of the property is a fugitive from justice or
   46  is deceased;
   47         3. An individual who does not own the property is arrested
   48  for a criminal offense that forms the basis for determining that
   49  the property is a contraband article under s. 932.701 and the
   50  owner of the property had actual knowledge of the criminal
   51  activity. Evidence that an owner received written notification
   52  from a law enforcement agency and acknowledged receipt of the
   53  notification in writing, that the seized asset had been used in
   54  violation of the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act on a prior
   55  occasion by the arrested person, may be used to establish actual
   56  knowledge;
   57         4. The owner of the property agrees to be a confidential
   58  informant as defined in s. 914.28. The seizing agency may not
   59  use the threat of property seizure or forfeiture to coerce the
   60  owner of the property to enter into a confidential informant
   61  agreement. The seizing agency shall return the property to the
   62  owner if criminal charges are not filed against the owner and
   63  the active criminal investigation ends or if the owner ceases
   64  being a confidential informant, unless the agency includes the
   65  final forfeiture of the property as a component of the
   66  confidential informant agreement; or
   67         5. The property is a monetary instrument. For purposes of
   68  this subparagraph, the term “monetary instrument” means coin or
   69  currency of the United States or any other country; a traveler’s
   70  check; a personal check; a bank check; a cashier’s check; a
   71  money order; a bank draft of any country; an investment security
   72  or negotiable instrument in bearer form or in other form such
   73  that title passes upon delivery; a prepaid or stored value card
   74  or other device that is the equivalent of money and can be used
   75  to obtain cash, property, or services; or gold, silver, or
   76  platinum bullion or coins.
   77         (2) 
   78         (c) If the court finds that the requirements specified in
   79  paragraph (1)(a) were satisfied and that probable cause exists
   80  for the seizure, the forfeiture may proceed as set forth in the
   81  Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act, and no additional probable
   82  cause determination is required unless the claimant requests an
   83  adversarial preliminary hearing as set forth in the act. Upon
   84  such a finding, the court shall issue a written order finding
   85  probable cause for the seizure and order the property held until
   86  the issue of a determination of title is resolved pursuant to
   87  the procedures defined in the act. However, subsequent to the
   88  written order finding probable cause for the seizure, the
   89  forfeiture action may be stayed as provided in s. 932.704(6)(d).
   90         (3)
   91         (d) If the court determines that probable cause exists to
   92  believe that such property was used in violation of the Florida
   93  Contraband Forfeiture Act, the court shall order the property
   94  restrained by the least restrictive means to protect against
   95  disposal, waste, or continued illegal use of such property
   96  pending final disposition of the forfeiture proceeding. The
   97  court may order the claimant to post a bond or other adequate
   98  security equivalent to the value of the property.
   99         Section 2. Subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection
  100  (6) of section 932.704, Florida Statutes, are amended, and
  101  paragraph (d) is added to subsection (6) of that section, to
  102  read:
  103         932.704 Forfeiture proceedings.—
  104         (1) It is the policy of this state that law enforcement
  105  agencies shall use utilize the provisions of the Florida
  106  Contraband Forfeiture Act to deter and prevent the continued use
  107  of contraband articles for criminal purposes, to protect while
  108  protecting the proprietary interests of innocent owners and
  109  lienholders, to respect the due process rights of the accused,
  110  and to authorize such law enforcement agencies to use the
  111  proceeds collected under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act
  112  as supplemental funding for authorized purposes. The potential
  113  for obtaining revenues from forfeitures must not override
  114  fundamental considerations such as public safety, the safety of
  115  law enforcement officers, or the investigation and prosecution
  116  of criminal activity. It is also the policy of this state that
  117  law enforcement agencies ensure that, in all seizures made under
  118  the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act, their officers adhere to
  119  federal and state constitutional limitations regarding an
  120  individual’s right to be free from unreasonable searches and
  121  seizures, including, but not limited to, the illegal use of
  122  stops based on a pretext, coercive-consent searches, or a search
  123  based solely upon an individual’s race or ethnicity.
  124         (6)
  125         (b) The complaint must, in addition to stating that which
  126  is required by s. 932.703(3)(a) and (b), as appropriate,
  127  describe the property; state the county, place, and date of
  128  seizure; state the name of the law enforcement agency holding
  129  the seized property; and state the name of the court in which
  130  the complaint will be filed; and, if available, state the
  131  criminal case number and the name of the court in which any
  132  criminal charge associated with the underlying activity forming
  133  the basis for the forfeiture action are filed against any
  134  claimant.
  135         (d)1.If a criminal charge associated with the underlying
  136  activity forming the basis for the forfeiture action is filed
  137  against any claimant, the forfeiture action must be stayed by
  138  the court presiding over the forfeiture action until the
  139  disposition of the underlying criminal case. If associated
  140  criminal charges are filed after the complaint for forfeiture is
  141  filed, the attorney for the seizing agency must notify, in
  142  writing, the court presiding over the forfeiture action within 3
  143  days after any such criminal charge is filed.
  144         2.If an associated criminal charge is filed, the
  145  forfeiture action may only proceed after the claimant is
  146  convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless
  147  of adjudication, a criminal charge forming the basis for the
  148  forfeiture action. The attorney for the seizing agency must
  149  notify, in writing, the court presiding over the forfeiture
  150  action of the final disposition of any associated criminal
  151  charges within 3 days after a final judgment and sentence is
  152  entered, but may notify the court immediately upon the
  153  claimant’s conviction or plea, regardless of whether the
  154  claimant has been sentenced. Upon written notification by the
  155  attorney for the seizing agency, the stay shall be lifted and
  156  the forfeiture action may proceed as set forth in the Florida
  157  Contraband Forfeiture Act.
  158         3.If an associated criminal charge against a claimant is
  159  disposed of by dismissal, nolle prosequi, or acquittal, the
  160  attorney for the seizing agency must notify, in writing, the
  161  court presiding over the forfeiture action within 3 days after
  162  the associated criminal charge is disposed of by dismissal,
  163  nolle prosequi, or acquittal.
  164         4.If all associated criminal charges against all claimants
  165  are disposed of by dismissal, nolle prosequi, or acquittal, the
  166  seizing agency must immediately release the seized property to
  167  the person entitled to possession of the property as determined
  168  by the court presiding over the forfeiture action. Under such
  169  circumstances, the seizing agency may not assess any towing
  170  charges, storage fees, administrative costs, or maintenance
  171  costs against the claimant with respect to the seized property
  172  or the forfeiture action.
  173  
  174  This paragraph does not prohibit a forfeiture pursuant to a
  175  lawful plea agreement which resolves a criminal charge and a
  176  forfeiture action arising from the same activity. However,
  177  seized property may not be used in bargaining to dismiss or
  178  nolle prosequi criminal charges, obtain a guilty plea, or affect
  179  criminal sentencing recommendations.
  180         Section 3. Section 932.7071, Florida Statutes, is created
  181  to read:
  182         932.7071Forfeiture adoption under federal law.—
  183         (1)PROHIBITION OF FEDERAL ADOPTION.—A local, county, or
  184  state law enforcement agency or other seizing agency may not
  185  refer, transfer, or otherwise relinquish possession of property
  186  seized under state law to a federal agency by way of adoption of
  187  the seized property or other means by the federal agency for the
  188  purpose of the property’s forfeiture under the federal
  189  Controlled Substances Act, Pub. L. No. 91-513, 21 U.S.C. ss. 801
  190  et seq.
  191         (2)JOINT TASK FORCES.—
  192         (a)In a case in which the aggregate net equity value of
  193  the property and currency seized is $100,000 or less, excluding
  194  the value of contraband, a local, county, or state law
  195  enforcement agency or other seizing agency participating in a
  196  joint task force or other multijurisdictional collaboration with
  197  the Federal Government or an agency thereof shall transfer
  198  responsibility for the seized property to the local, county, or
  199  state seizing agency.
  200         (b)If the Federal Government prohibits the transfer of
  201  seized property and currency to the local, county, or state
  202  seizing agency as required under paragraph (a) and instead
  203  requires that the property be transferred to the Federal
  204  Government for forfeiture under federal law, the local, county,
  205  or state seizing agency is prohibited from accepting payment of
  206  any kind or distribution of forfeiture proceeds from the Federal
  207  Government.
  208         (c)Paragraphs (a) and (b) do not restrict a local, county,
  209  or state seizing agency from transferring responsibility to the
  210  Federal Government for forfeiture of seized property and
  211  currency that has an aggregate net equity value of greater than
  212  $100,000, excluding the value of contraband.
  213         (3)SEIZURE LAWS UNCHANGED.—Subsections (1) and (2) do not
  214  restrict a local, county, or state law enforcement agency or
  215  other seizing agency from seizing contraband or property if the
  216  agency would otherwise be lawfully permitted to do so.
  217         (4)FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.—Subsections (1) and (2) do not
  218  prohibit the Federal Government, acting without the involvement
  219  of a local, county, or state law enforcement agency or other
  220  seizing agency, from seizing property and seeking forfeiture
  221  under federal law.
  222         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.

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