Bail Florida is proud! In less than ten years we have passed extraordinary pro-bail legislation. As a recap, we passed the bill about not releasing a person charged with a dangerous crime on non-monetary bail (public funds). We were members of the Blue Ribbon Panel, which rewrote Chapter 648. We fought and defeated the 2% Bond Premium Tax.

We stopped the clerks from having fines and court costs subtracted from our remissions, after a heads up from Randy Parton. We passed legislation setting separate bonds per charge, making sure only court costs would go into judgment if a forfeiture had been set aside. We changed the forfeiture due date from 35 days to 60 days. We also passed legislation that added acquittal and with-holding adjudication of guilt, to the conditions that satisfy/discharge bonds.

This year was no different. This is probably our most important bill yet. It is the Citizen’s Right to Know bill. This is part of a movement that will go from state to state. This bill will let us know how our tax dollars are being spent in pre-trial programs. The bill will hold the pre-trial programs accountable and force them to keep records on their clients. It will let the public know how many of the clients are indigent, how many fail to appear, or fail the program and how much this is costing us. This bill will help us shine the light on pre-trial programs that take advantage of our tax dollars, and don‘t offer much in return.

The bill was well received in Tallahassee, passing all committees; both house and senate without delay. During the month of June while we patiently waited for Governor Christ to sign it into law, concerns popped up, out of thin air. We began a letter writing campaign, (including members of FSAA and their lobbyist) to urge the Governor to listen to us tax payers and sign the bill. He did. Our latest bill went into law on July 1, 2008. Is your county’s pre-trial release program in compliance? The need for changes and additions to our bail laws came from you. Bail agents from every corner of Florida provided Bail Florida with their concerns and needs. Then because bail agents aren’t just whiners, you provided ideas and formulas for solutions. The Legislative committee of Bail Florida listened closely.

The committee drafted bills, rewrote legislation, changed, tweaked and adjusted the words. They sought out legislative sponsors. They introduced these sponsors to the world of bail. Taught them, directed them and explained the need for the legislative changes.

Our committee also had to spread that knowledge and the need for change to the legislative committee members; senators and congressmen. They did the same with the members of the clerks association, the state attorney association, the public defender association, court administration association, sheriff’s association and all of their lobbyists. They did that face to face, year after year in Tallahassee.

The Legislative committee of Bail Florida has done this nine years out of the ten years we have been around. Know what? We were successful 8 out of the 9 times we went to Tallahassee with your ideas.

Was the ‘climate right for legislative changes?’ Do we dare open up 903 or 648?

Obviously the climate was right for change, and we daringly opened 903 and 648 - a few times!

The climate is right when you have Bail Agent Big Mike Nefzger as your Legislative Chairperson. It’s right when you have some of the more ‘can do’ and ‘lets get it done’ minds of bail helping every step of the way. Mike Alexander, Janet Collins, Dan Amato, Ed Sheppard, myself and a few others have been on the committee over the years. The climate is right when you have a brilliant lobbyist in your corner. Ron Book knows bail, he knows Tallahassee, he knows how to get it done. Year after year, after year. Proud?

You bet.