Florida prepares to pass a massive criminal justice bill
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The Florida Legislature is preparing to pass a massive criminal justice bill that would revise laws ranging from selling horse meat for human consumption to raising the threshold for committing felony theft to $750.
The Senate made amendments to a bill Wednesday to come in line with a House criminal justice proposal and is expecting to pass the measure Thursday. Republican bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Brandes said the two chambers are now in agreement on what he calls one of the largest criminal justice packages Florida has seen in decades.
It would also reduce a third offense for driving without a license from a felony to a misdemeanor.
But Brandes stripped other provisions in order to reach an agreement, including language that would have allowed non-violent felons to be released after serving 65 percent of their sentences, instead of the current 85 percent.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.