HB 49 Summary

• Establishes "Caylee's Law" requiring parents, legal guardians, or caretakers of children 12 years or younger to notify law enforcement in a timely manner when the child disappears and is potentially in danger of death or serious injury; violation is a third-degree felony.

• Requires parents, legal guardians, or caretakers to immediately report the death of a minor child to the district medical examiner under circumstances described in Florida Statutes s. 406.11; establishes third-degree felony penalties for knowing failure to report or refusal to provide relevant medical information.

• Prohibits parents, legal guardians, or caretakers from touching, removing, or disturbing a deceased child's body or related evidence without authorization from the medical examiner's office with intent to alter evidence; violation is a third-degree felony.

• Makes it a third-degree felony for parents, legal guardians, or caretakers to intentionally provide false or misleading information to authorities during a missing child investigation that misdirects or prolongs the investigation.

• Requires persons convicted of providing false information to pay restitution for all costs of the missing child investigation and prosecution regardless of conviction on related charges; effective July 1, 2012.