Both the Florida House and Senate today passed CS/CS/SB 490, introduced by Senator Shevrin Jones (D- Miami Gardens), unanimously. This bill, entitled “Curtis’ Law” after Curtis Williamson who was murdered at 16-years-old in 1997, begins to address the issues families face when their child is killed.
Currently, Florida law provides a list of rights for victims and witnesses of crimes. There are several enumerated rights for families of certain victims of crime, but no specific mandate that law enforcement agencies provide certain investigative and contact information to the next of kin of deceased minors who were the victim of a homicide. This legislation:
- Requires that, during the criminal investigation of the death of a minor, the law enforcement agency that initiates or bears the primary responsibility for the investigation must provide the minor’s next of kin with detailed information.
- Prohibits the law enforcement agency from providing any of the above information if doing so would jeopardize or otherwise interfere with an active investigation.
Senator Jones released the following statement Wednesday:
“An estimated 1-in-10 Americans will lose a loved one to homicide during their lifetime, leaving many families seeking answers after such a trauma. Thanks to the advocacy of parents across the state and Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, today we are one step closer to that reality. I am grateful that my colleagues in both chambers recognized the importance of getting families the information they need and deserve.”
