Attorney General Moody Thanks Lawmakers for Working Hard to Pass Bills to Enhance Public Safety
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—With the end of the 2023 Florida Legislative Session, Attorney General Ashley Moody is thanking state lawmakers for passing several measures to enhance public safety. This session, Attorney General Moody supported legislation to protect human trafficking survivors, punish fentanyl dealers, strengthen bond laws and help allocate the more than $3 billion secured through the state’s historic opioid agreements. Attorney General Moody is grateful for the hard work of each of the bills’ sponsors for helping build a Stronger, Safer Florida.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This legislative session is one for the record books. We worked hard with our great legislative leaders to pass important public-safety bills that protect human trafficking survivors, punish illicit fentanyl dealers, strengthen bond laws and help allocate the more than $3 billion we secured through our historic opioid litigation. I want to thank House Speaker Renner, Senate President Passidomo and every member who voted in favor of these important measures that will help us build a Stronger, Safer Florida.”
Attorney General Moody joined Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday for a bill-signing ceremony for an ambitious anti-crime legislative package. One of the new laws is a bill focusing on pretrial release. The measure helps protect Floridians by keeping violent and repeat offenders behind bars before seeing a judge. The new law creates a uniform bond schedule for each judicial circuit in the state, making a presumption of detention for dangerous offenders. Representative Sam Garrison and Senator Jonathan Martin sponsored this legislation.
Another of the bills signed Monday increases penalties for fentanyl traffickers. The law creates a new first-degree felony for those selling fentanyl in food or candy products and sets a 25-year minimum mandatory sentence, plus a $1 million fine, for anyone selling the drug packaged as a food or candy product to minors. Senator Danny Burgess and Representative Shane Abbott sponsored this legislation. Governor DeSantis signed this bill into law.
In March, Attorney General Moody unveiled new legislation that would protect victims of human trafficking and sexual offenses. This legislation provides greater protections in judicial proceedings for minors. The legislation requires courts to hold a hearing before a minor under 16 years of age can be deposed. Depositions of victims under 12 years of age will be presumed inappropriate under the legislation. Senator Danny Burgess and Representative Taylor Yarkosky sponsored these measures that are now heading to the Governor’s desk.
Attorney General Moody pushed for legislation this session to permanently add nitazene compounds, also known as Frankenstein opioids, to the list of Schedule I substances in Florida. Nitazene compounds are synthetic opioids that currently have no accepted medical use in the United States or anywhere in the world. Compounds such as isotonitazene have been found to be significantly more potent than fentanyl—a drug that is currently killing record numbers of Americans. Senator Jason Brodeur and Representative Toby Overdorf sponsored the legislation that is heading to the Governor’s desk.
Attorney General Moody supported measures that would better protect human trafficking survivors in adult safe homes. The legislation creates a certification process for these facilities, making a standard for all safe houses across Florida to follow. There will also be a law enforcement presence around these centers, to discourage traffickers or other perpetrators from lurking outside to further harass survivors. Senator Blaise Ingoglia and Representative Michelle Salzman sponsored this legislation, that is heading to the Governor’s desk.
Finally, Attorney General Moody advocated for a bill to help the state keep fighting to end the opioid crisis. Legislation will be enacted that creates a statewide council to make recommendations about allocating the more than $3 billion recovered from Florida’s historic opioid agreements. Senator Jim Boyd and Representative Mike Caruso sponsored the legislation that is going to the Governor’s desk.