SB0778 • 2026

Forensic Services for Certain Defendants

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Simon
Last action: 2026-03-04
Official status: Senate - Laid on Table, refer to HB 569 -SJ 528
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on additional services or specific numbers of defendants affected by this change.

Forensic Services for Certain Defendants

This bill revises the definition of 'forensic client' to include defendants committed under specific sections of law.

What This Bill Does

Revises the definition of 'forensic client' or 'client' in section 916.106, Florida Statutes, to include defendants committed under certain laws.

Who It Names or Affects

Defendants who have been committed under specific laws in Florida.
Agencies and departments providing forensic services to defendants.

Terms To Know

Forensic client: A defendant who can receive forensic services from the state if they are committed under certain sections of law.
Commitment: When a court orders someone to be under the care of a specific agency or department.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how many defendants will qualify as forensic clients.
It is unclear what additional services might become available due to this change.

Bill History

2026-03-04 Senate
• Read 2nd time -SJ 528 • Substituted HB 569 -SJ 528 • Laid on Table, refer to HB 569 -SJ 528
2026-03-02 Senate
• Placed on Special Order Calendar, 03/04/26
2026-02-18 Senate
• Favorable by- Fiscal Policy; YEAS 20 NAYS 0 • Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2026-02-13 Senate
• On Committee agenda-- Fiscal Policy, 02/18/26, 1:30 pm, 110 Senate Building
2026-02-12 Senate
• Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; YEAS 9 NAYS 0 • Now in Fiscal Policy
2026-02-09 Senate
• On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, 02/12/26, 2:30 pm, 412 Knott Building
2026-01-20 Senate
• Favorable by Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; YEAS 6 NAYS 0 • Now in Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services
2026-01-15 Senate
• On Committee agenda-- Children, Families, and Elder Affairs, 01/20/26, 9:30 am, 301 Senate Building
2026-01-13 Senate
• Introduced
2025-12-16 Senate
• Referred to Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Fiscal Policy
2025-12-05 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Forensic Services for Certain Defendants; Revising the definition of the term “forensic client” or “client”, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 778

By
Senator Simon

3-00840-26 2026778__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to forensic services for certain
3 defendants; amending s. 916.106, F.S.; revising the
4 definition of the term “forensic client” or “client”;
5 reenacting s. 402.164(2)(b), F.S., relating to the
6 definition of the term “client,” to incorporate the
7 amendment made to s. 916.106, F.S., in a reference
8 thereto; providing an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1. Subsection (9) of section 916.106, Florida
13 Statutes, is amended to read:
14 916.106 Definitions.—For the purposes of this chapter, the
15 term:
16 (9) “Forensic client” or “client” means any defendant who
17 has been committed to the department or agency pursuant to s.
18 916.13, s. 916.15,
or
s. 916.302
, or s. 916.303(3)
.
19 Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
20 made by this act to section 916.106, Florida Statutes, in a
21 reference thereto, paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
22 402.164, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
23 402.164 Legislative intent; definitions.—
24 (2) As used in this section through s. 402.167, the term:
25 (b) “Client” means a client of the Agency for Persons with
26 Disabilities, the Agency for Health Care Administration, the
27 Department of Children and Families, or the Department of
28 Elderly Affairs, as defined in s. 393.063, s. 394.67, s.
29 397.311, or s. 400.960, a forensic client or client as defined
30 in s. 916.106, a child or youth as defined in s. 39.01, a child
31 as defined in s. 827.01, a family as defined in s. 414.0252, a
32 participant as defined in s. 429.901, a resident as defined in
33 s. 429.02, a Medicaid recipient or recipient as defined in s.
34 409.901, a child receiving child care as defined in s. 402.302,
35 a disabled adult as defined in s. 410.032 or s. 410.603, or a
36 victim as defined in s. 39.01 or s. 415.102 as each definition
37 applies within its respective chapter.
38 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.