House Bill 0669

    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 669

        By Representative Wilson






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the state correctional

  3         system; creating s. 944.6125, F.S.; providing

  4         that certain women who are confined by the

  5         Department of Corrections must be placed in a

  6         correctional facility located within a

  7         reasonable distance from the residence of the

  8         minor child of the confined woman; providing

  9         for a child-friendly environment; providing for

10         the application of the act; providing an

11         effective date.

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13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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15         Section 1.  Section 944.6125, Florida Statutes, is

16  created to read:

17         944.6125  Imprisoned women; location of women with

18  children.--

19         (1)  When at all possible, women who are confined by

20  the Florida Department of Corrections for nonviolent offenses,

21  and who have minor children, must be placed in a correctional

22  facility that is within a reasonable distance from the minor

23  child's place of residence.

24         (2)  Once the mother who is being confined by the

25  department is placed at a correctional facility near the

26  residence of the minor child, the facility must provide a

27  child-friendly environment in which the mother and child may

28  continue the bonding process even in the harsh reality of a

29  prison setting.

30         (3)  The mandates of this section in no way require a

31  minor child to visit an incarcerated parent.  The provisions

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 669

    713-103-99






  1  of this section are only applicable with respect to a child

  2  whose mother is incarcerated and whose family unit has made

  3  the decision to allow the child to visit the incarcerated

  4  parent.

  5         Section 2.  This act shall take effect October 1, 1999.

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  8                          HOUSE SUMMARY

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      Provides that when at all possible, women who are
10    confined by the Department of Corrections for nonviolent
      offenses and who have minor children, must be placed at a
11    correctional facility within a reasonable distance from
      the minor children. Provides for a child-friendly
12    environment at the facility for the continued bonding of
      the minor child and the confined parent.  Provides for
13    the application of the act.

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