HB 1409 Summary

• Creates Section 397.755, Florida Statutes, establishing a reentry program administered by the Department of Corrections for eligible nonviolent, low-risk inmates with substance abuse, mental health, or co-occurring disorders during the last 2 years of their sentence.

• Program consists of at least 90 days of in-prison treatment followed by community-based aftercare treatment; sentencing courts must include a reentry program recommendation in sentencing orders.

• Inmates ineligible if sentenced to 10 or more years, convicted of capital/life/first-degree felonies, certain violent crimes, sex offenses, or offenses with sentence enhancements.

• Upon completion of in-prison treatment, inmates transition to drug offender or mental health probation for 24 months; cases transfer to drug courts or mental health courts in the sentencing county if available and willing.

• Department must track recidivism and recommitment data, submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature beginning October 1, 2019; law takes effect July 1, 2018.