The Florida Senate

938.17  County delinquency prevention.--

(1)  A county may adopt a mandatory cost to be assessed in specific cases by incorporating by reference the provisions of this section in a county ordinance. Prior to the adoption of the county ordinance, the sheriff's office of the county must be a partner in a written agreement with the Department of Juvenile Justice to participate in a juvenile assessment center or with the district school board to participate in a suspension program.

(2)  In counties in which the sheriff's office is a partner in a juvenile assessment center pursuant to s. 985.209, or a partner in a suspension program developed in conjunction with the district school board in the county of the sheriff's jurisdiction, the court shall assess court costs of $3 per case, in addition to any other authorized cost or fine, on every person who, with respect to a charge, indictment, prosecution commenced, or petition of delinquency filed in that county or circuit, pleads guilty, nolo contendere to, or is convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent for, or has an adjudication withheld for, a felony or misdemeanor, or a criminal traffic offense or handicapped parking violation under state law, or a violation of any municipal or county ordinance, if the violation constitutes a misdemeanor under state law.

(3)(a)  The clerks of the county and circuit court, in a county where the sheriff's office is a partner in an assessment center or suspension program as specified in subsection (1), shall collect and deposit the assessments collected pursuant to this section in an appropriate, designated account established by the clerk of the court, for disbursement to the sheriff as needed for the implementation and operation of an assessment center or suspension program.

(b)  The clerk of the circuit and county court shall withhold 5 percent of the assessments each court collects pursuant to this section, for the costs of administering the collection of assessments under this section.

(c)  Assessments collected by clerks of the circuit courts comprised of more than one county shall remit the funds collected pursuant to this section to the county in which the offense at issue was committed for deposit and disbursement according to this section.

(d)  Any other funds the sheriff's office obtains for the implementation or operation of an assessment center or suspension program may be deposited into the designated account for disbursement to the sheriff as needed.

(4)  A sheriff's office that receives the cost assessments established in subsection (1) shall account for all funds that have been deposited into the designated account by August 1 annually in a written report to the county juvenile justice council if funds are used for assessment centers, and to the district school board if funds are used for suspension programs.

History.--s. 1, ch. 96-382; s. 15, ch. 97-271; s. 1, ch. 98-207; s. 55, ch. 98-280.

Note.--Former s. 775.0833.