Governor DeSantis vetoes bill that would have limited penalties for offenders who violate probation a second time

Staff report

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed the following bill:

CS/CS/HB 1241 – Probation and Community Control Violations

The bill follows a 2019 bill that modified how courts address probation violations. Specifically, if an offender commits a technical violation (a violation of the conditions of probation that is not a new felony, misdemeanor, or criminal traffic offense, the court must modify, rather than revoke, probation, and there is a 90-day jail cap for specified probations who commit a low-risk technical violation.

CS/CS/HB 1241 would have extended those provisions to a second probation violation: it would have required a court a modify, rather than revoke, probation for a second technical violation and would limit the jail sentence to 90 days for a first low-risk violation and 120 days for a second low-risk violation.

In vetoing the bill, DeSantis wrote that this “effectively provides an extra, undue pass for probationers
who were provided the opportunity to satisfy the terms of their probation through an
alternative sanction program, and have already demonstrated that they are incapable of fulfilling their responsibility after a first violation.”

To view the veto letter, click here .

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