HB 1609 Summary

• Creates independent county Offices of Law Enforcement and Correctional Officer Oversight with 7-member commissions and public advocates to investigate complaints, conduct disciplinary hearings, and impose discipline including certification revocation on officers.

• Prohibits collective bargaining agreements from covering officer discipline, paid suspension during misconduct investigations, or restricting body camera use; requires public advocates to participate in union negotiations.

• Criminalizes excessive force (felony of third degree) and neck restraints (felony of third degree) by law enforcement and correctional officers; presumes excessive force in specific circumstances including fleeing suspects, verbal-only resistance, and missing video recordings.

• Repeals existing law enforcement officer rights protections (s. 112.532 and s. 112.533); eliminates damage caps for civil rights violations by officers; amends self-defense laws to require duty to retreat before using force and removes burden-shifting in self-defense immunity hearings.

• Prohibits riot control agent use by law enforcement; requires body cameras for officers; mandates anti-bias screening for new officers; restructures criminal asset forfeiture proceeds to fund early childhood education in school districts; prohibits acquisition of federal military property.