| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to restoration of civil rights; amending |
| 3 | ss. 940.061, 944.293, and 944.605, F.S.; requiring that |
| 4 | the Department of Corrections notify an offender, before |
| 5 | discharge from supervision, of procedures by which the |
| 6 | offender may apply for restoration of civil rights; |
| 7 | requiring that the department assist the offender in |
| 8 | completing forms required for restoration of civil rights; |
| 9 | requiring that the offender acknowledge by signature |
| 10 | receipt of such assistance; amending s. 944.705, F.S.; |
| 11 | requiring the department to include in its release- |
| 12 | orientation program instruction in the procedures for |
| 13 | applying for restoration of civil rights; reenacting s. |
| 14 | 944.4731(6), F.S., relating to the Addiction-Recovery |
| 15 | Supervision Program, for the purpose of incorporating the |
| 16 | amendment to s. 944.705, F.S., in a reference thereto; |
| 17 | providing an effective date. |
| 18 |
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| 19 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 20 |
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| 21 | Section 1. Section 940.061, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 22 | to read: |
| 23 | 940.061 Informing persons about executive clemency and |
| 24 | restoration of civil rights.--The Department of Corrections |
| 25 | shall inform and educate inmates and offenders on community |
| 26 | supervision about the restoration of civil rights and assist |
| 27 | eligible inmates and offenders on community supervision with the |
| 28 | completion of the application for the restoration of civil |
| 29 | rights. To document this notification, the department shall |
| 30 | obtain the signature of each offender before the offender's |
| 31 | discharge acknowledging receipt of assistance in completing the |
| 32 | forms. |
| 33 | Section 2. Section 944.293, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 34 | to read: |
| 35 | 944.293 Initiation of restoration of civil rights.--With |
| 36 | respect to those persons convicted of a felony, the following |
| 37 | procedure shall apply: Prior to the time an offender is |
| 38 | discharged from supervision, an authorized agent of the |
| 39 | department shall obtain from the Governor the necessary |
| 40 | application and other forms required for the restoration of |
| 41 | civil rights. The authorized agent shall assist the offender in |
| 42 | completing these forms and shall ensure that the application and |
| 43 | all necessary material are forwarded to the Governor before the |
| 44 | offender is discharged from supervision. To document compliance |
| 45 | with this section, before an offender is discharged from |
| 46 | supervision, the department shall obtain the signature of the |
| 47 | offender acknowledging receipt of assistance in completing the |
| 48 | forms required for restoration of civil rights. |
| 49 | Section 3. Subsection (6) of section 944.605, Florida |
| 50 | Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7), and a new |
| 51 | subsection (6) is added to said section, to read: |
| 52 | 944.605 Inmate release; notification.-- |
| 53 | (6) Before an inmate's release, the department shall |
| 54 | notify the inmate of the procedures necessary to apply for |
| 55 | restoration of civil rights. Pursuant to ss. 944.293 and 940.03, |
| 56 | the department shall obtain the signature of each inmate before |
| 57 | the inmate's release acknowledging receipt of assistance in |
| 58 | completing the forms. |
| 59 | Section 4. Subsection (2) of section 944.705, Florida |
| 60 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 61 | 944.705 Release orientation program.-- |
| 62 | (2) The release orientation program instruction must |
| 63 | include, but is not limited to: |
| 64 | (a) Employment skills. |
| 65 | (b) Money management skills. |
| 66 | (c) Personal development and planning. |
| 67 | (d) Special needs. |
| 68 | (e) Community reentry concerns. |
| 69 | (f) Community reentry support. |
| 70 | (g) Procedures to apply for restoration of civil rights. |
| 71 | (h)(g) Any other appropriate instruction to ensure the |
| 72 | inmate's successful reentry into the community. |
| 73 | Section 5. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment |
| 74 | to section 944.705, Florida Statutes, in a reference thereto, |
| 75 | subsection (6) of section 944.4731, Florida Statutes, is |
| 76 | reenacted to read: |
| 77 | 944.4731 Addiction-Recovery Supervision Program.-- |
| 78 | (6) Six months before an offender is released, the |
| 79 | chaplain and transition assistance specialist at the institution |
| 80 | where the offender is incarcerated shall initiate the prerelease |
| 81 | screening process in addition to the basic release orientation |
| 82 | required under s. 944.705. |
| 83 | (a) The transition assistance specialist and the chaplain |
| 84 | shall provide a list of contracted private providers, including |
| 85 | faith-based providers, to the offender and facilitate the |
| 86 | application process. The transition assistance specialist shall |
| 87 | inform the offender of program availability and assess the |
| 88 | offender's need and suitability for substance abuse transition |
| 89 | housing assistance. If an offender is approved for placement, |
| 90 | the specialist shall assist the offender and coordinate the |
| 91 | release of the offender with the selected program. If an |
| 92 | offender requests and is approved for placement in a contracted |
| 93 | faith-based substance abuse transition housing program, the |
| 94 | specialist must consult with the chaplain prior to such |
| 95 | placement. A right to substance abuse program services is not |
| 96 | stated, intended, or otherwise implied by this section. |
| 97 | (b) If an offender has participated in a faith-based |
| 98 | program while incarcerated or housed at a community correctional |
| 99 | center and the same or a similar faith-based provider offers a |
| 100 | contracted substance abuse transition housing program, the |
| 101 | department shall make every attempt to maintain this continuum |
| 102 | of care. |
| 103 | Section 6. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |