Office of the Corrections Ombudsman

HB 889 2026

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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Office of the Corrections 2
Ombudsman; creating s. 11.92, F.S.; providing 3
legislative findings; providing definitions; creating 4
the Office of the Corrections Ombudsman within the 5
legislative branch; providing for staff; specifying 6
the duties of the office; providing for the 7
appointment of a Corrections Ombudsman; requiring that 8
the Ombudsman meet certain criteria; requiring the 9
Legislature to establish a Corrections Oversight 10
Committee on or before a certain date; providing 11
duties and membership of the committee; requiring the 12
Department of Corrections to provide the Ombudsman and 13
committee members with access to certain department 14
facilities and records; authorizing the Ombudsman and 15
committee members access to such facilities 16
unannounced; requiring confidentiality of in-person 17
communications between incarcerated persons or 18
facility staff members and the Ombudsman or a 19
committee member; providing that correspondence 20
between an incarcerated person and the office is 21
privileged; providing that the decision, or failure, 22
to file a complaint with the office does not impact 23
the inmate grievance procedure; providing that the 24
office need not investigate or process complaints in 25

HB 889 2026

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the order received; requiring the office to submit to 26
the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House 27
of Representatives a specified report annually; 28
providing an appropriation; providing an effective 29
date. 30
31
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 32
33
Section 1. Section 11.92, Florida Statutes, is created to 34
read: 35
11.92 Office of the Corrections Ombudsman.— 36
(1) The Legislature finds that the protection of the 37
health, safety, welfare, and rights of persons who are 38
incarcerated within the state correctional system is a matter of 39
urgent public concern. Current law does not provide adequate and 40
independent oversight of the Department of Corrections to ensure 41
accountability, monitor conditions of confinement, and 42
investigate complaints. It is appropriate and necessary to 43
create an independent entity as unit of the legislative branch 44
of state government in order to restore public trust in the 45
department. 46
(2) As used in this section, the term: 47
(a) "Committee" means the Corrections Oversight Committee. 48
(b) "Correctional facility" means a state correctional 49
institution or contractor-operated correctional facility. 50

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(c) "Department" means the Department of Corrections. 51
(d) "Office" means the Office of the Corrections 52
Ombudsman. 53
(e) "Ombudsman" means the Corrections Ombudsman. 54
(3) The Office of the Corrections Ombudsman is created as a 55
unit of the legislative branch of state government. The office 56
is independent of the Department of Corrections and reports 57
directly to the Legislature. The office shall be headed by the 58
Corrections Ombudsman. The office may hire staff and use 59
volunteers as necessary to perform its duties. The office shall 60
do all of the following: 61
(a) Receive, track, investigate, and attempt to resolve 62
complaints concerning correctional facilities made by or on 63
behalf of incarcerated persons, supporters of incarcerated 64
persons, and the public. 65
(b) Monitor and evaluate the conditions of confinement and 66
the treatment of incarcerated persons in correctional 67
facilities. The office may inspect such facilities at any time, 68
but must inspect each facility at least once each year. 69
(c) Collect and analyze data relating to serious 70
incidents, violence, and deaths that occur in correctional 71
facilities. 72
(d) Make recommendations to the department and Legislature 73
which identify solutions to systemic problems, policy changes, 74
or corrective actions necessary to protect the health, safety, 75

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welfare, and rights of incarcerated persons. 76
(e) Provide information, as appropriate, to incarcerated 77
persons, supporters of incarcerated persons, and the public 78
about the rights of incarcerated persons and the services of the 79
office. 80
(4) The Legislature shall appoint the Ombudsman to a 5-81
year term by a majority vote and may only remove the Ombudsman 82
by a majority vote. The Ombudsman may be reappointed for a 5-83
year term. The Ombudsman: 84
(a) Must have knowledge and experience in corrections and 85
human rights. 86
(b) May not have worked for the department in the 10 years 87
preceding his or her appointment. 88
(c) May not have a family member who has worked for the 89
department in the 10 years preceding his or her appointment. 90
(5)(a) On or before January 1, 2027, the Legislature shall 91
establish a Corrections Oversight Committee composed of 15 92
voting members. The committee shall meet quarterly to advise, 93
assist, and provide guidance to the Ombudsman; however, the 94
Ombudsman is not required to accept such advice, assistance, or 95
guidance. 96
(b) Four members of the Legislature shall be appointed to 97
the committee. The Senate Committee on Rules shall appoint two 98
members of the Senate who are not members of the same political 99
party and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall 100

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appoint two members of the House of Representatives who are not 101
members of the same political party. 102
(c) The legislative members appointed pursuant to 103
paragraph (b) shall appoint the remaining 11 members of the 104
committee and must include at least one: 105
1. Licensed physician. 106
2. Licensed mental or behavioral health professional. 107
3. Educator. 108
4. Member of the clergy. 109
5. Former administrative employee of the department. 110
6. Man who is a citizen of the United States and was 111
formerly incarcerated in a correctional facility for a term of 112
imprisonment of 3 or more years within the 10 years preceding 113
his appointment. 114
7. Woman who is a citizen of the United States and was 115
formerly incarcerated in a correctional facility for a term of 116
imprisonment of 3 or more years within the 10 years preceding 117
her appointment. 118
8. Family member of a person who is incarcerated in a 119
correctional facility at the time of the family member's 120
appointment. 121
9. Representative of a nonprofit prisoner advocacy group. 122
10. Person with a background in data analysis. 123
11. Person with experience in inmate reentry services. 124
(d) Each committee member shall be appointed to a 3-year 125

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term. However, for the purpose of achieving staggered terms, the 126
members initially appointed under subparagraphs (c)6.-11. shall 127
each serve a 2-year term. All subsequent appointments shall be 128
for 3-year terms. Any vacancy must be filled in the same manner 129
as the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired 130
term. 131
(6) The department shall provide the Ombudsman and 132
committee members with immediate access to correctional 133
facilities, staff members of such facilities, persons 134
incarcerated in such facilities, and records of such facilities 135
which the Ombudsman or committee members determine are needed to 136
carry out the duties of the office. The Ombudsman and committee 137
members may access any correctional facility at any time, 138
unannounced, and speak confidentially with any incarcerated 139
person or staff member. 140
(7) Written correspondence between an incarcerated person 141
and the office, including the Ombudsman or a committee member, 142
is privileged mail under rule 33-210.103, Florida Administrative 143
Code. 144
(8) The decision, or failure, to file a complaint with the 145
office does not impact the inmate grievance procedure 146
established under s. 944.331. 147
(9) The office is not required to investigate every 148
complaint or process complaints in the order received. 149
(10) Beginning December 1, 2027, the office shall submit 150

HB 889 2026

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an annual report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker 151
of the House of Representatives which summarizes the activities, 152
findings, and recommendations of the office. 153
Section 2. For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the sum of 154
$250,000 in recurring funds is appropriated from the General 155
Revenue Fund to the Office of the Corrections Ombudsman for the 156
purposes of implementing and administering this act. 157
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 158