S 1490

Florida Senate - 2026  SB 1490
By Senator Garcia
36-00785A-26  20261490__
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to required notice of intent to
3contact a victim; creating s. 914.18, F.S.; requiring
4specified persons acting on behalf of a criminal
5defendant to file a specified notice within a
6specified timeframe before contacting a victim in a
7criminal proceeding for a specified purpose; providing
8applicability; requiring that such notice be filed on
9a standard form developed by the state attorney in
10each judicial circuit; providing an effective date.
11
12Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14Section 1. Section 914.18, Florida Statutes, is created to
15read:
16914.18Required notice of intent to contact victim.—
17(1)Before any attorney, investigator, or other agent
18acting on behalf of a criminal defendant may contact a victim
19for the purpose of obtaining information relating to a pending
20criminal proceeding, he or she must file a notice of intent to
21contact the victim within 72 hours before making, or attempting
22to make, such contact. This subsection does not apply to contact
23with a victim which occurs during a court proceeding or
24deposition.
25(2)The notice required under subsection (1) must be filed
26on a standard form developed and made available by the state
27attorney in each judicial circuit.
28Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.