Required Notice of Intent to Contact a Victim
Summary
Required Notice of Intent to Contact a Victim; Requires specified persons acting on behalf of criminal defendant to file specified notice within specified timeframe before contacting victim in criminal proceeding for specified purpose; provides applicability; requires that such notice be filed on standard form developed by state attorney in each judicial circuit.
Bill status
died
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Oct 30, 2025
Last action Mar 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
H 285 Filed
→
H 285 c1
·
5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was completely rewritten to shift from granting victims the right to refuse contact with defense attorneys to requiring defense agents to file a notice before contacting victims. This change adds a new procedural requirement for the defense side while removing specific victim rights regarding attorney communication.
Scope change
The bill's scope changed from amending existing victim rights statutes to creating a new statute focused on pre-contact notification requirements for defense agents.
REQUIREMENT
Added a requirement for attorneys, investigators, or agents acting on behalf of a criminal defendant to file a notice of intent to contact a victim within 72 hours before making contact.
Removed the provision allowing victims to refuse communication with the defendant's attorney.
Removed the provision requiring victims to have the prosecutor present for any communication with the defendant's attorney.
DEFINITION
Created a new section (914.18) establishing the required notice process and standard form requirements.
TIMELINE
The effective date remains July 1, 2026, but the bill text was significantly restructured from three pages to two pages.
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
14
Key actions
5
Committee
8
Feb 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
Now in Judiciary Committee
lower
Feb 6, 2026
Committee
Referred to Judiciary Committee
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with CS by Criminal Justice Subcommittee
lower
Feb 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
PCS added to Criminal Justice Subcommittee agenda
lower
Nov 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
lower
Nov 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Judiciary Committee
lower
Nov 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
Ask Maddy
·
AI policy assistant
Ask Maddy about HB 285
Scope: FL
Hi! I can help you understand HB 285. What would you like to know?
Try one of these
i
Maddy answers using official bill text and legislative records. Always verify before sharing.
Sources cited inline