Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1702
       
       
        
       By Senator Powell
       
       
       
       
       
       24-01198-24                                           20241702__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to treatment of inmates; creating s.
    3         944.092, F.S.; specifying certain rights of inmates in
    4         the correctional system; requiring that a written copy
    5         of the rights be provided to each inmate upon his or
    6         her entry into the correctional system; authorizing
    7         relief for deprivation of rights; amending s. 947.149,
    8         F.S.; revising the definition of the term “permanently
    9         incapacitated inmate” for purposes of conditional
   10         medical release; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Section 944.092, Florida Statutes, is created to
   15  read:
   16         944.092Basic rights of inmates.—
   17         (1)RIGHTS.—Each inmate in the correctional system has the
   18  right to:
   19         (a)Proper ventilation.—All housing units must have air
   20  conditioning systems or air-cooling systems; however, housing
   21  units in use on or before July 1, 2024, which cannot be fitted
   22  for air-conditioning or air-cooling systems must receive exhaust
   23  and air circulators sufficient to provide a safe and healthful
   24  environment for inmates.
   25         (b)Sufficient meal time.—Inmates must receive a minimum of
   26  20 minutes to eat each meal. The minimum time must be extended
   27  to the amount necessary for an inmate to complete the meal if
   28  the inmate receives an approved medical reason for an extension.
   29         (c)Adequate food supply in case of emergency.—Each
   30  correctional institution shall establish a program with one or
   31  more community food banks located near the institution to ensure
   32  that an adequate food supply is made available to the inmate
   33  population if conditions exist that prevent regular food supply
   34  services due to an event such as a natural disaster or other
   35  emergency.
   36         (d)Necessary health supplies.—The department shall
   37  provide:
   38         1.Necessary personal protective equipment for medical
   39  staff at all times and for all staff and inmates during health
   40  crises or during any cleaning.
   41         2.Necessary health products for inmates including, but not
   42  limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons, soap, and toothpaste,
   43  upon request of inmates.
   44         (2)NOTICE.—The department shall provide a written copy of
   45  the rights established in this section to each inmate upon his
   46  or her entry into the correctional system.
   47         (3)GRIEVANCES.—An inmate may file a grievance with the
   48  department if the inmate believes a right guaranteed in this
   49  section is denied by a correctional institution.
   50         Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
   51  947.149, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   52         947.149 Conditional medical release.—
   53         (1) The commission shall, in conjunction with the
   54  department, establish the conditional medical release program.
   55  An inmate is eligible for consideration for release under the
   56  conditional medical release program when the inmate, because of
   57  an existing medical or physical condition, is determined by the
   58  department to be within one of the following designations:
   59         (a) “Permanently incapacitated inmate,” which means an
   60  inmate who has a condition caused by injury, disease, or illness
   61  which, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, renders the
   62  inmate permanently and irreversibly physically incapacitated, or
   63  has a physical disability, impairment, or handicap, to the
   64  extent that the inmate does not constitute a danger to herself
   65  or himself or others.
   66         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.