There is a new bill being proposed to address drug sentencing. Florida Senate made moves toward passing a bill that would lessen sentences for first time drug offenders and would also allow for judges to have a little more say in drug-related conviction sentencing on a case-by-case basis.

The proposed bill states that its purpose is “prohibiting the imprisonment for longer than a certain time for persons who possess, purchase, or possess with the intent to purchase less than specified amounts of certain substances; authorizing a court to impose a sentence other than the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment and mandatory fine for a person convicted of trafficking if the court makes certain findings on the record; deleting eligibility requirements relating to a person’s conduct before the person’s wrongful conviction or incarceration, etc.”

The measure is excepted to reduce the state’s 96,000 prison population by 4,800 for a potential savings of $50 million.

The bill would also for those who have been wrongfully behind bars since 2008 “who had a violent felony or more than one nonviolent felony before their wrongful conviction and incarceration” to be considered for compensation based on wrongful incarceration, that would be paid at a rate of $50,000 per year of wrongful incarceration up to a limit of $2 million. Those with violent felonies or multiple nonviolent felonies would not be eligible for this change.

In the past, bills of this nature have note been of interest to the House, however it appears that times are changing. The bill will soon make its way to the House and we will watching it.

Alexander Truluck focuses his practice as a criminal defense attorney in Clearwater, Palm Harbor, Largo, Dunedin and the Tampa Bay area.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.criminallawyerclearwaterflorida.com
or call (727) 799-3550.