summary
Introduced
01/08/2026
01/08/2026
In Committee
01/16/2026
01/16/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An act relating to grand jury testimony and materials; amending s. 905.27, F.S.; defining terms; authorizing a court to disclose certain grand jury testimony and materials in certain circumstances to further justice; creating s. 905.275, F.S.; requiring the clerk of court to take possession of and preserve certain grand jury materials; prohibiting a person from disposing of or destroying such materials; defining the term “materials”; requiring the clerk of court to maintain a certain chain of custody list for such materials during a grand jury proceeding in a specified manner; providing that a redacted version of such list is a public record; requiring the clerk of court to store and provide access to such materials in a specified manner; requiring the clerk to prohibit certain persons from accessing or viewing such materials; requiring the clerk to retain the chain of custody list in a specified place and that such list document specified information; requiring the state attorney and his or her employees to preserve certain grand jury materials; requiring the preserved materials to be retained for a certain period of time; providing an exception; requiring the Office of the State Courts Administrator to adopt certain rules; authorizing the Office of the State Courts Administrator to perform inspections for certain purposes; requiring the disclosure of and provision of access to certain materials upon a court order; prohibiting a person from intentionally destroying or altering grand jury materials; providing criminal penalties; requiring the Department of Law Enforcement to investigate alleged violations of specified preservation requirements; providing an effective date. WHEREAS, this state has a precedent for unsealing historic grand jury records in cases of injustice, including through the procedures described in chapter 2024-7, Laws of Florida, and WHEREAS, survivors of sexual abuse exploitation, capital crimes, and other victimization are entitled to transparency, accountability, and protection, and WHEREAS, the review of grand jury proceedings in cases pertaining to sexual abuse and capital crimes for potential investigative or prosecutorial failures or other injustices may improve the public’s trust in the courts of this state, NOW, THEREFORE,
AI Summary
This bill modifies existing Florida law regarding grand jury testimony and materials to allow for greater transparency and accountability, particularly in cases involving sexual abuse, capital crimes, and other victimizations, by defining terms like "survivor" and "sexual abuse" and establishing new procedures for the preservation and disclosure of grand jury records. Specifically, it allows courts to disclose certain grand jury testimony and materials to further justice, including in response to requests from survivors, their immediate family members, or the media, under specific conditions such as the subject of the inquiry being deceased or the inquiry involving a minor. The bill also mandates that the clerk of court take possession of and preserve all grand jury materials, defining "materials" broadly to include digital recordings, paper records, electronic storage devices, and subpoenas, while excluding internal state attorney work product. The clerk is required to maintain a chain of custody list for these materials, with a redacted version being a public record, and to store them securely, prohibiting unauthorized access. The state attorney and their employees must also preserve certain grand jury materials, and all preserved materials must be retained for 50 years unless a court orders otherwise. The Office of the State Courts Administrator will develop statewide rules for managing these materials and can conduct inspections to ensure compliance. Intentionally destroying or altering these materials is a felony, and the Department of Law Enforcement will investigate alleged violations of preservation requirements.
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced (on 01/22/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1436 |
| BillText | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1436/BillText/Filed/HTML |
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