Florida Senate - 2018                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 526
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì590398UÎ590398                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                   Comm: WD            .                                
                  01/25/2018           .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————




       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
       The Committee on Regulated Industries (Brandes) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Between lines 134 and 135
    4  insert:
    5         Section 11. Section 454.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to
    6  read:
    7         454.18 Persons Officers not allowed to practice;
    8  exceptions.—
    9         (1) No sheriff or clerk of any court, or full-time deputy
   10  thereof, shall practice in this state, nor shall any person not
   11  of good moral character, or who has been convicted of an
   12  infamous crime be entitled to practice. A person may not be
   13  denied the right to practice on account of sex, race, or color.
   14  And Any person, regardless of whether he or she is an attorney
   15  or falls not, or whether within the exceptions specified in this
   16  section mentioned above or not, may:
   17         (a) Conduct his or her own cause in any court of this
   18  state, or before any public board, committee, or officer,
   19  subject to the lawful rules and discipline of such court, board,
   20  committee, or officer.
   21         (b) Use a digital network, also known as a traffic
   22  infraction network, to process and resolve a traffic citation
   23  and to procure an independent attorney licensed to practice in
   24  this state.
   25         (2) The provisions of this section restricting the practice
   26  of law by a sheriff or clerk, or full-time deputy thereof, do
   27  not apply in a case where such person is representing the office
   28  or agency in the course of his or her duties as an attorney.
   29         Section 12. Section 454.23, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   30  read:
   31         454.23 Penalties for unlicensed practice of law;
   32  exception.—
   33         (1) A Any person not licensed or otherwise authorized to
   34  practice law in this state who practices law in this state or
   35  holds himself or herself out to the public as qualified to
   36  practice law in this state, or who willfully pretends to be, or
   37  willfully takes or uses any name, title, addition, or
   38  description implying that he or she is qualified, or recognized
   39  by law as qualified, to practice law in this state, commits a
   40  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
   41  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
   42         (2) This section does not apply to a person employed or
   43  contracted by a digital network or a traffic infraction network
   44  as provided under s. 454.18(1)(b) who assists only with the
   45  processing and resolution of a traffic citation or facilitates
   46  the procurement of an independent attorney licensed to practice
   47  in this state.
   48  
   49  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   50  And the title is amended as follows:
   51         Delete line 25
   52  and insert:
   53         Professional Regulation; amending s. 454.18, F.S.;
   54         authorizing the use of digital networks or traffic
   55         infraction networks to process and resolve a traffic
   56         citation and to facilitate the procurement of an
   57         independent attorney licensed to practice in this
   58         state; amending s. 454.23, F.S.; providing
   59         applicability; amending s. 469.006, F.S.;