House panel advances bail overhaul aimed at clarity, accountability

House lawmakers are advancing bail bond legislation that supporters describe as an exercise in addition by subtraction, aimed at tightening accountability while simplifying Florida’s bail statutes.

HB 1017, sponsored by Rep. Jessica Baker, would streamline Florida’s bail system by trimming dense statutory language, increasing oversight of bail bond agents, and clarifying how courts respond when defendants fail to appear. Backers say the proposal addresses years of confusion caused by layered mitigating-factor language that has produced inconsistent outcomes across counties.

“My approach to this bill is informed by my experience as a prosecutor, where ensuring a defendant’s appearance in court is foundational to public safety and the integrity of the justice system,” Baker said. “Bail bond agents play a critical role in that process, and sound public policy requires that they retain real incentives to ensure defendants appear as required and to locate and return them when they do not. The state is not the surety’s surety.”

The legislation focuses heavily on setting clearer expectations for both courts and the bail bond industry when defendants miss court dates or violate release conditions. Baker emphasized that prosecutors cannot move cases forward without defendants present, arguing that bail statutes must meaningfully support accountability and court appearance.

One major component of HB 1017 increases regulation of bail bond agents, a move the industry supports. The bill would require in-person education, ban virtual offices, clearly define allowable fees, and prohibit solicitation of defendants during overnight hours.

“The bail bond industry is highly regulated, and it should be,” said Shawn Foster of Sunrise Consulting Group. “Florida regulates the bail bond industry so tightly because bail bonds sit at the intersection of public safety, the court system, and consumer protection.”

On the judicial side, the bill narrows discretion in favor of predictability by replacing lengthy case-by-case analyses with defined timelines and standards, particularly in bond forfeiture and remission cases. It also removes eligibility for non-monetary bail when defendants miss court dates.

HB 1017 advanced unanimously from the Criminal Justice Subcommittee and now heads to the Judiciary Committee.

Foster, who represents the bail bond industry, attributed the committee win to Baker’s hands-on approach — she shaved the initial draft down from 44 pages to 35 ahead of its first hearing — while working closely with stakeholders, including State Attorneys, clerks, and law enforcement, to ensure everyone was on the same page.

“In my 20 years of lobbying, I have never witnessed a legislator who was willing to roll up their sleeves and review every single line of a bill,” Foster said as the bill cruised through its first stop.

Sen. Keith Truenow is sponsoring a similar bill (SB 600) in the upper chamber. It is scheduled for a Criminal Justice Committee hearing Feb. 2.