HB 1243 Summary

• Amends Florida's Criminal Punishment Code to allow sentences to be shortened by incentive and meritorious gain-time, with a minimum service requirement changed from 85 percent to a sliding scale based on offense type.

• Provides one-time awards of up to 180 additional days of incentive gain-time (increased from 60 days) to inmates who complete educational programs, including high school equivalency diplomas, vocational certificates, and character-based programs, with a maximum of 180 days total per inmate.

• Creates new gain-time awards of up to 180 additional days (up to three separate awards) for inmates serving sentences for nonviolent felonies who have used their time constructively, with departmental review at 25, 50, and 75 percent sentence completion milestones.

• Reduces minimum time that must be served from 85 percent to 65 percent of sentence for inmates convicted of nonviolent felonies, while maintaining the 85 percent minimum for other offenses.

• Effective date is July 1, 2021.