Bill > H5203

This bill allows courts in Florida to sentence certain offenders to county jails for up to 24 months, provided the county has a contract with the Department of Corrections (DOC) for this purpose. This option is available for offenders whose sentencing points, calculated under a specific statute (s. 921.0024), fall between 44 and 60 points, and whose primary offense is not a forcible felony or a felony punishable by more than 24 months mandatory sentence, with an exception for third-degree felonies related to burglary. The contracts between counties and the DOC must specify the maximum number of jail beds available and a validated per diem rate, which will be reimbursed based on the county's existing rates but capped at $60 per inmate per day. These contracts are dependent on specific funding allocated in the state's General Appropriations Act, and the DOC is authorized to transfer funds to cover these costs, ensuring that the total appropriation for this program is not exceeded. Importantly, all per diem rates, both for the contracts and for the DOC's own inmate care, must be verified by the Auditor General before any payments are made, and this new sentencing provision will take effect on July 1, 2015.