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





                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                Bill No. CS/HB 607

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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 5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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11  Representative(s) Cantens offered the following:

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13         Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 8, lines 13 - 19,

15  remove from the bill:  said lines

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17  and insert in lieu thereof:

18         Section 4.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section 903.26,

19  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

20         903.26  Forfeiture of the bond; when and how directed;

21  discharge; how and when made; effect of payment.--

22         (2)(a)  If there is a breach of the bond, the court

23  shall declare the bond and any bonds or money deposited as

24  bail forfeited.  The clerk of the court shall mail a notice to

25  the surety agent and surety company in writing within 5 days

26  of the forfeiture.  A certificate signed by the clerk of the

27  court or the clerk's designee, certifying that the notice

28  required herein was mailed on a specified date and accompanied

29  by a copy of the required notice, shall constitute sufficient

30  proof that such mailing was properly accomplished as indicated

31  therein.  If such mailing was properly accomplished as

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    File original & 9 copies    04/05/00
    hcp0004                     11:10 am         00607-0114-305619




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                Bill No. CS/HB 607

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)





 1  evidenced by such certificate, the failure of the surety

 2  agent, of a company, or of a defendant to receive such mail

 3  notice shall not constitute a defense to such forfeiture and

 4  shall not be grounds for discharge, remission, reduction, set

 5  aside, or continuance of such forfeiture.  The forfeiture

 6  shall be paid within 60 35 days of the date the notice was

 7  mailed.

 8         (b)  Failure of the defendant to appear at the time,

 9  date, and place of required appearance shall result in

10  forfeiture of the bond.  Such forfeiture shall be

11  automatically entered by the clerk upon such failure to

12  appear, and the clerk shall follow the procedures outlined in

13  paragraph (a). However, the court may determine, in its

14  discretion, in the interest of justice, that an appearance by

15  the defendant on the same day as required does not warrant

16  forfeiture of the bond; and the court may direct the clerk to

17  set aside any such forfeiture which may have been entered.

18  Any appearance by the defendant later than the required day

19  constitutes forfeiture of the bond, and the court shall not

20  preclude entry of such forfeiture by the clerk.

21         (c)  If there is a breach of the bond, the clerk shall

22  provide, upon request, a certified copy of the warrant or

23  capias to the bail bond agent or surety company.

24         (3)  Sixty Thirty-five days after the forfeiture notice

25  has been mailed:

26         (a)  State and county officials having custody of

27  forfeited money shall deposit the money in the county fine and

28  forfeiture fund;

29         (b)  Municipal officials having custody of forfeited

30  money shall deposit the money in a designated municipal fund;

31         (c)  Officials having custody of bonds as authorized by

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                Bill No. CS/HB 607

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)





 1  s. 903.16 shall transmit the bonds to the clerk of the circuit

 2  court who shall sell them at market value and disburse the

 3  proceeds as provided in paragraphs (a) and (b).

 4         Section 5.  Rules 3.131 and 3.132, Florida Rules of

 5  Criminal Procedure, are repealed to the extent that the rules

 6  are inconsistent with this act.

 7         Section 6.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

 8  law, except that section 5 shall take effect only if this act

 9  is passed by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the

10  membership of each house of the Legislature.

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13  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

14  And the title is amended as follows:

15         On page 1, line 13, after the semicolon

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17  and insert:

18         amending s. 903.26, F.S.; revising time period

19         for bond forfeiture payment and notice;

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    File original & 9 copies    04/05/00
    hcp0004                     11:10 am         00607-0114-305619