FL H0919

Creates section 948.081, Florida Statutes, authorizing each judicial circuit to establish voluntary community court programs for defendants charged with certain misdemeanor offenses.

Requires community courts to adopt a nonadversarial approach, establish advisory committees, provide judicial leadership, and consider victim needs, individualized treatment services, and defendant compliance monitoring.

Chief judge appoints a community court resource coordinator responsible for coordinating agencies, providing case management, monitoring compliance, and collecting program evaluation data.

Requires annual reporting of client-level and programmatic data to the Office of State Courts Administrator, including offenses, treatment compliance, court appearances, referral procedures, and treatment resources.

Mandates support from the Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Health, Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Education, and law enforcement agencies; funding must come from non-state sources except for costs assumed by the state under section 29.004.

Takes effect July 1, 2019.