HB 733 Summary

• Prohibits introduction or possession of cellular telephones and other portable communication devices into county detention facilities without authorization from the sheriff or officer in charge.

• Defines "portable communication device" to include cellular phones, two-way pagers, hand-held radios, Blackberry-type devices, PDAs, laptop computers, and components intended for assembly of such devices, as well as similar future technologies.

• Excludes devices approved or issued by the sheriff for investigative, institutional security, or official business purposes.

• Classifies violation as a third-degree felony, punishable under Florida Statutes sections 775.082, 775.083, or 775.084; violations of other contraband provisions (items (a)-(g)) remain first-degree misdemeanors.

• Updates the Criminal Punishment Code offense severity ranking chart to reflect that contraband introduction into county detention facilities is a third-degree felony; effective October 1, 2018.