Title: Cold Case Initiative Program

Summary: Establishes program within FDLE; provides purpose of program; defines "cold case"; requires FDLE to develop database of cold cases; provides requirements for database; provides for public website that includes specified information; requires law enforcement agency to provide list of cold cases; requires FDLE to coordinate with law enforcement agencies; requires FDLE to adopt rules.

Full Text:
An act relating to the Cold Case Initiative Program; creating s. 943.0412, F.S.; establishing the program within the Department of Law Enforcement; providing the purpose of the program; defining the term "cold case"; requiring the department to develop a database of cold cases; providing requirements for the database; providing for a public website that includes specified information; requiring a law enforcement agency to provide a list of cold cases; requiring the department to coordinate with law enforcement agencies; requiring the department to adopt rules; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 943.0412, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 943.0412 Cold Case Initiative Program.-There is created the Cold Case Initiative Program within the department. The purpose of the program is to provide additional insight and new approaches to pre vious investigative problems and to provide the opportunity to apply modern investigative strategies in order to reinvestigate violent crimes that are unsolved. (1) As used in this section, the term "cold case" means a case involving a missing person, un identified remains, or a HB 1365 2014 violent crime, including, but not limited to, a homicide or a sexual battery, which has not been solved for at least years after commission of the crime. (2) The department shall develop a database of cold cases which includes a secure, private database accessible to state and local law enforcement agencies within the state only, as well as a public website that includes limited information such as a victim's photo, if available, and the victim's race, gender, height, weight, ha ir color, eye color, and date of birth and a brief description and date of the crime. Each law enforcement agency in the state shall provide the department with a list of cold cases to be included in the cold case database and annual updates on resolved co ld cases and any additional eligible cold cases to be added to the database. The law enforcement agency shall maintain the physical evidence and investigation file for each cold case unless otherwise agreed by the agency and the department. (3) The depar tment shall coordinate with the law enforcement agency that has primary jurisdiction over each cold case to select, review, and reinvestigate such cold cases. (4) The department shall adopt rules to administer this section. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.