Florida Senate - 2016                             CS for SB 1432
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Judiciary; and Senator Stargel
       
       590-03684-16                                          20161432c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to service of process; amending s.
    3         48.031, F.S.; expanding the locations at which
    4         substitute service of process may be made when such
    5         location is the only discoverable address for the
    6         person to be served; defining the terms “virtual
    7         office” and “executive office or mini suite”;
    8         providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 48.031, Florida
   13  Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         48.031 Service of process generally; service of witness
   15  subpoenas.—
   16         (6)(a) If the only address for a person to be served, which
   17  is discoverable through public records, is a private mailbox, a
   18  virtual office, or an executive office or mini suite, substitute
   19  service may be made by leaving a copy of the process with the
   20  person in charge of the private mailbox, virtual office, or
   21  executive office or mini suite, but only if the process server
   22  determines that the person to be served maintains a mailbox, a
   23  virtual office, or an executive office or mini suite at that
   24  location.
   25         (b) For purposes of this subsection, the term “virtual
   26  office” means an office that provides communications services,
   27  such as telephone or facsimile services, and address services
   28  without providing dedicated office space, and where all
   29  communications are routed through a common receptionist. The
   30  term “executive office or mini suite” means an office that
   31  provides communications services, such as telephone and
   32  facsimile services, a dedicated office space, and other
   33  supportive services, and where all communications are routed
   34  through a common receptionist.
   35         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.