Florida Senate - 2013                      CS for CS for SB 1644
       
       
       
       By the Committees on Judiciary; and Children, Families, and
       Elder Affairs; and Senator Flores
       
       
       
       590-03880-13                                          20131644c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to victims of human trafficking;
    3         amending s. 90.803, F.S.; revising the mental,
    4         emotional, or developmental age of a child victim
    5         whose out-of-court statement describing specified
    6         criminal acts is admissible in evidence in certain
    7         instances; creating s. 943.0583, F.S.; providing
    8         definitions; providing for the expungement of the
    9         criminal history record of a victim of human
   10         trafficking; designating what offenses may be
   11         expunged; providing exceptions; providing that an
   12         expunged conviction is deemed to have been vacated due
   13         to a substantive defect in the underlying criminal
   14         proceedings; providing for a period in which such
   15         expungement must be sought; providing that official
   16         documentation of the victim’s status as a human
   17         trafficking victim creates a presumption; providing a
   18         standard of proof absent official documentation;
   19         providing requirements for petitions; providing
   20         criminal penalties for false statements on such
   21         petitions; providing for parties to and service of
   22         such petitions; providing for electronic appearances
   23         of petitioners and attorneys at hearings; providing
   24         for orders of relief; providing for physical
   25         destruction of certain records; authorizing a person
   26         whose records are expunged to lawfully deny or fail to
   27         acknowledge the arrests covered by the expunged
   28         record; providing that such lawful denial does not
   29         constitute perjury or subject the person to liability;
   30         providing that cross-references are considered general
   31         reference for the purpose of incorporation by
   32         reference; amending ss. 943.0582, 943.0585, 943.059,
   33         and 961.06, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes
   34         made by the act; providing an effective date.
   35  
   36         WHEREAS, victims of trafficking may be forced to engage in
   37  a variety of illegal acts beyond prostitution, and
   38         WHEREAS, trafficked persons are not always recognized as
   39  victims by the police and prosecutors and are thus pressured
   40  into pleading guilty or do not understand the consequences of
   41  criminal charges, and
   42         WHEREAS, all persons with criminal records reflecting their
   43  involvement in the sex industry may face barriers to employment
   44  and other life opportunities long after they escape from their
   45  trafficking situations, and
   46         WHEREAS, there is a genuine need for a workable solution to
   47  alleviate the impact of the collateral consequences of
   48  conviction for victims of human trafficking, NOW, THEREFORE,
   49  
   50  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   51  
   52         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (23) of section
   53  90.803, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   54         90.803 Hearsay exceptions; availability of declarant
   55  immaterial.—The provision of s. 90.802 to the contrary
   56  notwithstanding, the following are not inadmissible as evidence,
   57  even though the declarant is available as a witness:
   58         (23) HEARSAY EXCEPTION; STATEMENT OF CHILD VICTIM.—
   59         (a) Unless the source of information or the method or
   60  circumstances by which the statement is reported indicates a
   61  lack of trustworthiness, an out-of-court statement made by a
   62  child victim with a physical, mental, emotional, or
   63  developmental age of 16 11 or less describing any act of child
   64  abuse or neglect, any act of sexual abuse against a child, the
   65  offense of child abuse, the offense of aggravated child abuse,
   66  or any offense involving an unlawful sexual act, contact,
   67  intrusion, or penetration performed in the presence of, with,
   68  by, or on the declarant child, not otherwise admissible, is
   69  admissible in evidence in any civil or criminal proceeding if:
   70         1. The court finds in a hearing conducted outside the
   71  presence of the jury that the time, content, and circumstances
   72  of the statement provide sufficient safeguards of reliability.
   73  In making its determination, the court may consider the mental
   74  and physical age and maturity of the child, the nature and
   75  duration of the abuse or offense, the relationship of the child
   76  to the offender, the reliability of the assertion, the
   77  reliability of the child victim, and any other factor deemed
   78  appropriate; and
   79         2. The child either:
   80         a. Testifies; or
   81         b. Is unavailable as a witness, provided that there is
   82  other corroborative evidence of the abuse or offense.
   83  Unavailability shall include a finding by the court that the
   84  child’s participation in the trial or proceeding would result in
   85  a substantial likelihood of severe emotional or mental harm, in
   86  addition to findings pursuant to s. 90.804(1).
   87         Section 2. Section 943.0583, Florida Statutes, is created
   88  to read:
   89         943.0583 Human trafficking victim expunction.—
   90         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   91         (a) “Human trafficking” has the same meaning as provided in
   92  s. 787.06.
   93         (b) “Official documentation” means any documentation issued
   94  by a federal, state, or local agency tending to show a person’s
   95  status as a victim of human trafficking.
   96         (c) “Victim of human trafficking” means a person subjected
   97  to coercion, as defined in s. 787.06, for the purpose of being
   98  used in human trafficking, a child under 18 years of age
   99  subjected to human trafficking, or an individual subjected to
  100  human trafficking as defined by federal law.
  101         (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court
  102  of original jurisdiction over the crime sought to be expunged
  103  may order a criminal justice agency to expunge the criminal
  104  history record of a victim of human trafficking who complies
  105  with the requirements of this section. This section does not
  106  confer any right to the expunction of any criminal history
  107  record, and any request for expunction of a criminal history
  108  record may be denied at the sole discretion of the court.
  109         (3) A person who is a victim of human trafficking may
  110  petition for the expunction of any conviction for an offense
  111  committed while he or she was a victim of human trafficking,
  112  which offense was committed as a part of the human trafficking
  113  scheme of which he or she was a victim or at the direction of an
  114  operator of the scheme, including, but not limited to,
  115  violations under chapters 796 and 847. However, this section
  116  does not apply to any offense listed in s. 775.084(1)(b)1.
  117  Determination of the petition under this section should be by a
  118  preponderance of the evidence. A conviction expunged under this
  119  section is deemed to have been vacated due to a substantive
  120  defect in the underlying criminal proceedings.
  121         (4) A petition under this section must be initiated by the
  122  petitioner with due diligence after the victim has ceased to be
  123  a victim of human trafficking or has sought services for victims
  124  of human trafficking, subject to reasonable concerns for the
  125  safety of the victim, family members of the victim, or other
  126  victims of human trafficking that may be jeopardized by the
  127  bringing of such petition or for other reasons consistent with
  128  the purpose of this section.
  129         (5) Official documentation of the victim’s status creates a
  130  presumption that his or her participation in the offense was a
  131  result of having been a victim of human trafficking but is not
  132  required for granting a petition under this section. A
  133  determination made without such official documentation must be
  134  made by a showing of clear and convincing evidence.
  135         (6) Each petition to a court to expunge a criminal history
  136  record is complete only when accompanied by:
  137         (a) The petitioner’s sworn statement attesting that the
  138  petitioner is eligible for such an expunction to the best of his
  139  or her knowledge or belief and does not have any other petition
  140  to expunge or any petition to seal pending before any court.
  141         (b) Official documentation of the petitioner’s status as a
  142  victim of human trafficking, if any exists.
  143  
  144  Any person who knowingly provides false information on such
  145  sworn statement to the court commits a felony of the third
  146  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
  147  775.084.
  148         (7)(a) In judicial proceedings under this section, a copy
  149  of the completed petition to expunge shall be served upon the
  150  appropriate state attorney or the statewide prosecutor and upon
  151  the arresting agency; however, it is not necessary to make any
  152  agency other than the state a party. The appropriate state
  153  attorney or the statewide prosecutor and the arresting agency
  154  may respond to the court regarding the completed petition to
  155  expunge.
  156         (b) The petitioner or the petitioner’s attorney may appear
  157  at any hearing under this section telephonically, via video
  158  conference, or by other electronic means.
  159         (c) If relief is granted by the court, the clerk of the
  160  court shall certify copies of the order to the appropriate state
  161  attorney or the statewide prosecutor and the arresting agency.
  162  The arresting agency is responsible for forwarding the order to
  163  any other agency listed in the court order to which the
  164  arresting agency disseminated the criminal history record
  165  information to which the order pertains. The department shall
  166  forward the order to expunge to the Federal Bureau of
  167  Investigation. The clerk of the court shall certify a copy of
  168  the order to any other agency that the records of the court
  169  reflect has received the criminal history record from the court.
  170         (8)(a) Any criminal history record of a minor or an adult
  171  that is ordered expunged by the court of original jurisdiction
  172  over the crime sought to be expunged pursuant to this section
  173  must be physically destroyed or obliterated by any criminal
  174  justice agency having custody of such record, except that any
  175  criminal history record in the custody of the department must be
  176  retained in all cases.
  177         (b) The person who is the subject of a criminal history
  178  record that is expunged under this section may lawfully deny or
  179  fail to acknowledge the arrests covered by the expunged record.
  180         (c) A person who has been granted an expunction under this
  181  section may not be held under any law of this state to commit
  182  perjury or to be otherwise liable for giving a false statement
  183  by reason of such person’s failure to recite or acknowledge an
  184  expunged criminal history record.
  185         (9) Any reference to any other chapter, section, or
  186  subdivision of the Florida Statutes in this section constitutes
  187  a general reference under the doctrine of incorporation by
  188  reference.
  189         Section 3. Subsection (6) of section 943.0582, Florida
  190  Statutes, is amended to read:
  191         943.0582 Prearrest, postarrest, or teen court diversion
  192  program expunction.—
  193         (6) Expunction or sealing granted under this section does
  194  not prevent the minor who receives such relief from petitioning
  195  for the expunction or sealing of a later criminal history record
  196  as provided for in ss. 943.0583, 943.0585, and 943.059, if the
  197  minor is otherwise eligible under those sections.
  198         Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
  199  943.0585, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  200         943.0585 Court-ordered expunction of criminal history
  201  records.—The courts of this state have jurisdiction over their
  202  own procedures, including the maintenance, expunction, and
  203  correction of judicial records containing criminal history
  204  information to the extent such procedures are not inconsistent
  205  with the conditions, responsibilities, and duties established by
  206  this section. Any court of competent jurisdiction may order a
  207  criminal justice agency to expunge the criminal history record
  208  of a minor or an adult who complies with the requirements of
  209  this section. The court shall not order a criminal justice
  210  agency to expunge a criminal history record until the person
  211  seeking to expunge a criminal history record has applied for and
  212  received a certificate of eligibility for expunction pursuant to
  213  subsection (2). A criminal history record that relates to a
  214  violation of s. 393.135, s. 394.4593, s. 787.025, chapter 794,
  215  s. 796.03, s. 800.04, s. 810.14, s. 817.034, s. 825.1025, s.
  216  827.071, chapter 839, s. 847.0133, s. 847.0135, s. 847.0145, s.
  217  893.135, s. 916.1075, a violation enumerated in s. 907.041, or
  218  any violation specified as a predicate offense for registration
  219  as a sexual predator pursuant to s. 775.21, without regard to
  220  whether that offense alone is sufficient to require such
  221  registration, or for registration as a sexual offender pursuant
  222  to s. 943.0435, may not be expunged, without regard to whether
  223  adjudication was withheld, if the defendant was found guilty of
  224  or pled guilty or nolo contendere to the offense, or if the
  225  defendant, as a minor, was found to have committed, or pled
  226  guilty or nolo contendere to committing, the offense as a
  227  delinquent act. The court may only order expunction of a
  228  criminal history record pertaining to one arrest or one incident
  229  of alleged criminal activity, except as provided in this
  230  section. The court may, at its sole discretion, order the
  231  expunction of a criminal history record pertaining to more than
  232  one arrest if the additional arrests directly relate to the
  233  original arrest. If the court intends to order the expunction of
  234  records pertaining to such additional arrests, such intent must
  235  be specified in the order. A criminal justice agency may not
  236  expunge any record pertaining to such additional arrests if the
  237  order to expunge does not articulate the intention of the court
  238  to expunge a record pertaining to more than one arrest. This
  239  section does not prevent the court from ordering the expunction
  240  of only a portion of a criminal history record pertaining to one
  241  arrest or one incident of alleged criminal activity.
  242  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a criminal justice
  243  agency may comply with laws, court orders, and official requests
  244  of other jurisdictions relating to expunction, correction, or
  245  confidential handling of criminal history records or information
  246  derived therefrom. This section does not confer any right to the
  247  expunction of any criminal history record, and any request for
  248  expunction of a criminal history record may be denied at the
  249  sole discretion of the court.
  250         (4) EFFECT OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD EXPUNCTION.—Any
  251  criminal history record of a minor or an adult which is ordered
  252  expunged by a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to this
  253  section must be physically destroyed or obliterated by any
  254  criminal justice agency having custody of such record; except
  255  that any criminal history record in the custody of the
  256  department must be retained in all cases. A criminal history
  257  record ordered expunged that is retained by the department is
  258  confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and
  259  s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution and not available to
  260  any person or entity except upon order of a court of competent
  261  jurisdiction. A criminal justice agency may retain a notation
  262  indicating compliance with an order to expunge.
  263         (a) The person who is the subject of a criminal history
  264  record that is expunged under this section or under other
  265  provisions of law, including former s. 893.14, former s. 901.33,
  266  and former s. 943.058, may lawfully deny or fail to acknowledge
  267  the arrests covered by the expunged record, except when the
  268  subject of the record:
  269         1. Is a candidate for employment with a criminal justice
  270  agency;
  271         2. Is a defendant in a criminal prosecution;
  272         3. Concurrently or subsequently petitions for relief under
  273  this section, s. 943.0583, or s. 943.059;
  274         4. Is a candidate for admission to The Florida Bar;
  275         5. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by or to contract
  276  with the Department of Children and Family Services, the
  277  Division of Vocational Rehabilitation within the Department of
  278  Education, the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Agency
  279  for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of Health, the
  280  Department of Elderly Affairs, or the Department of Juvenile
  281  Justice or to be employed or used by such contractor or licensee
  282  in a sensitive position having direct contact with children, the
  283  disabled, or the elderly;
  284         6. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by the Department
  285  of Education, any district school board, any university
  286  laboratory school, any charter school, any private or parochial
  287  school, or any local governmental entity that licenses child
  288  care facilities; or
  289         7. Is seeking authorization from a seaport listed in s.
  290  311.09 for employment within or access to one or more of such
  291  seaports pursuant to s. 311.12.
  292         Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
  293  943.059, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  294         943.059 Court-ordered sealing of criminal history records.
  295  The courts of this state shall continue to have jurisdiction
  296  over their own procedures, including the maintenance, sealing,
  297  and correction of judicial records containing criminal history
  298  information to the extent such procedures are not inconsistent
  299  with the conditions, responsibilities, and duties established by
  300  this section. Any court of competent jurisdiction may order a
  301  criminal justice agency to seal the criminal history record of a
  302  minor or an adult who complies with the requirements of this
  303  section. The court shall not order a criminal justice agency to
  304  seal a criminal history record until the person seeking to seal
  305  a criminal history record has applied for and received a
  306  certificate of eligibility for sealing pursuant to subsection
  307  (2). A criminal history record that relates to a violation of s.
  308  393.135, s. 394.4593, s. 787.025, chapter 794, s. 796.03, s.
  309  800.04, s. 810.14, s. 817.034, s. 825.1025, s. 827.071, chapter
  310  839, s. 847.0133, s. 847.0135, s. 847.0145, s. 893.135, s.
  311  916.1075, a violation enumerated in s. 907.041, or any violation
  312  specified as a predicate offense for registration as a sexual
  313  predator pursuant to s. 775.21, without regard to whether that
  314  offense alone is sufficient to require such registration, or for
  315  registration as a sexual offender pursuant to s. 943.0435, may
  316  not be sealed, without regard to whether adjudication was
  317  withheld, if the defendant was found guilty of or pled guilty or
  318  nolo contendere to the offense, or if the defendant, as a minor,
  319  was found to have committed or pled guilty or nolo contendere to
  320  committing the offense as a delinquent act. The court may only
  321  order sealing of a criminal history record pertaining to one
  322  arrest or one incident of alleged criminal activity, except as
  323  provided in this section. The court may, at its sole discretion,
  324  order the sealing of a criminal history record pertaining to
  325  more than one arrest if the additional arrests directly relate
  326  to the original arrest. If the court intends to order the
  327  sealing of records pertaining to such additional arrests, such
  328  intent must be specified in the order. A criminal justice agency
  329  may not seal any record pertaining to such additional arrests if
  330  the order to seal does not articulate the intention of the court
  331  to seal records pertaining to more than one arrest. This section
  332  does not prevent the court from ordering the sealing of only a
  333  portion of a criminal history record pertaining to one arrest or
  334  one incident of alleged criminal activity. Notwithstanding any
  335  law to the contrary, a criminal justice agency may comply with
  336  laws, court orders, and official requests of other jurisdictions
  337  relating to sealing, correction, or confidential handling of
  338  criminal history records or information derived therefrom. This
  339  section does not confer any right to the sealing of any criminal
  340  history record, and any request for sealing a criminal history
  341  record may be denied at the sole discretion of the court.
  342         (4) EFFECT OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD SEALING.—A criminal
  343  history record of a minor or an adult which is ordered sealed by
  344  a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to this section is
  345  confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and
  346  s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution and is available only
  347  to the person who is the subject of the record, to the subject’s
  348  attorney, to criminal justice agencies for their respective
  349  criminal justice purposes, which include conducting a criminal
  350  history background check for approval of firearms purchases or
  351  transfers as authorized by state or federal law, to judges in
  352  the state courts system for the purpose of assisting them in
  353  their case-related decisionmaking responsibilities, as set forth
  354  in s. 943.053(5), or to those entities set forth in
  355  subparagraphs (a)1., 4., 5., 6., and 8. for their respective
  356  licensing, access authorization, and employment purposes.
  357         (a) The subject of a criminal history record sealed under
  358  this section or under other provisions of law, including former
  359  s. 893.14, former s. 901.33, and former s. 943.058, may lawfully
  360  deny or fail to acknowledge the arrests covered by the sealed
  361  record, except when the subject of the record:
  362         1. Is a candidate for employment with a criminal justice
  363  agency;
  364         2. Is a defendant in a criminal prosecution;
  365         3. Concurrently or subsequently petitions for relief under
  366  this section, s. 943.0583, or s. 943.0585;
  367         4. Is a candidate for admission to The Florida Bar;
  368         5. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by or to contract
  369  with the Department of Children and Family Services, the
  370  Division of Vocational Rehabilitation within the Department of
  371  Education, the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Agency
  372  for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of Health, the
  373  Department of Elderly Affairs, or the Department of Juvenile
  374  Justice or to be employed or used by such contractor or licensee
  375  in a sensitive position having direct contact with children, the
  376  disabled, or the elderly;
  377         6. Is seeking to be employed or licensed by the Department
  378  of Education, any district school board, any university
  379  laboratory school, any charter school, any private or parochial
  380  school, or any local governmental entity that licenses child
  381  care facilities;
  382         7. Is attempting to purchase a firearm from a licensed
  383  importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer and is
  384  subject to a criminal history check under state or federal law;
  385  or
  386         8. Is seeking authorization from a Florida seaport
  387  identified in s. 311.09 for employment within or access to one
  388  or more of such seaports pursuant to s. 311.12.
  389         Section 6. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
  390  961.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  391         961.06 Compensation for wrongful incarceration.—
  392         (1) Except as otherwise provided in this act and subject to
  393  the limitations and procedures prescribed in this section, a
  394  person who is found to be entitled to compensation under the
  395  provisions of this act is entitled to:
  396         (e) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in s.
  397  943.0583 or s. 943.0585, immediate administrative expunction of
  398  the person’s criminal record resulting from his or her wrongful
  399  arrest, wrongful conviction, and wrongful incarceration. The
  400  Department of Legal Affairs and the Department of Law
  401  Enforcement shall, upon a determination that a claimant is
  402  entitled to compensation, immediately take all action necessary
  403  to administratively expunge the claimant’s criminal record
  404  arising from his or her wrongful arrest, wrongful conviction,
  405  and wrongful incarceration. All fees for this process shall be
  406  waived.
  407  
  408  The total compensation awarded under paragraphs (a), (c), and
  409  (d) may not exceed $2 million. No further award for attorney’s
  410  fees, lobbying fees, costs, or other similar expenses shall be
  411  made by the state.
  412         Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.