HB 6501 — Relief/Sidney Holmes/State of Florida

F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB HB 6501 2025 A bill to be entitled An act for the relief of Sidney Holmes;

requiring the Chief Financial Officer to pay the directed funds without requiring Mr.

Holmes to sign a liability release;

requiring Mr.

Holmes to reimburse the state under specified circumstances;

requiring Mr.

Holmes to notify the Department of Legal Affairs upon filing certain civil actions;

requiring the department to file a specified notice under certain circumstances;

WHEREAS, Sidney Holmes was arrested on October 6, 1988, for Pagea 1robbery committed on June 19, 1988, outside a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale and was convicted on April 26, 1989, of 6armed CODING:robbery with a firearm, and WHEREAS, since the time of his arrest, Mr.

Holmes has been unwavering in maintaining his innocence in connection with the crime, and WHEREAS, Mr.

Holmes, who had previous felony convictions, Page 1 of 5 CODING:

hb6501-00hb6501-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB HB 6501 2025 awas robberysentenced committedto on400 Juneyears 19,in 1988,prison outsideand aserved convenience34 storeyears inof Fortthat Lauderdalesentence, and wasWHEREAS, convicted on AprilFebruary 26,23, 1989,2023, ofthe armedConviction robberyReview withUnit afor firearm,the andState WHEREAS,Attorney's sinceOffice for the time17th ofJudicial hisCircuit arrest,issued a 25-page "Conviction Review Unit Final Memorandum," reaching the conclusion that Mr.

Holmes has been unwavering in maintaining his innocence in connection with the crime, and WHEREAS, Mr.

Holmes, who had previous felony convictions, was sentenced to 400 years in prison and served 34 years of that sentence, and WHEREAS, on February 23, 2023, the Conviction Review Unit for the State Attorney's Office for the 17th Judicial Circuit issued a 25-page "Conviction Review Unit Final Memorandum," reaching the conclusion that Mr.

Holmes if the case were presented today, and WHEREAS, on March 13, 2023, the Circuit Court for the 17th Judicial Circuit issued, with the concurrence of the state, an "Agreed Order Vacating Judgment and Sentence" on the basis that Pagethere 2is ofreasonable 6doubt CODING:as to Mr.

Holmes' guilt in the case and that it is highly likely that he was misidentified and is factually innocent of the armed robbery, and WHEREAS, that same day, the state filed a Notice of Nolle Prosequi, exonerating Mr.

Holmes, and WHEREAS, the Legislature acknowledges that the state's system of justice yielded an imperfect result that had tragic Page 2 of 5 CODING:

hb6501-00hb6501-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB HB 6501 2025 thereconsequences isin reasonablethis doubtcase, and WHEREAS, the Legislature acknowledges that as toa result of his physical confinement, Mr.

Holmes' guilt in the case and that it is highly likely that he was misidentified and is factually innocent of the armed robbery, and WHEREAS, that same day, the state filed a Notice of Nolle Prosequi, exonerating Mr.

Holmes, and WHEREAS, the Legislature acknowledges that the state's system of justice yielded an imperfect result that had tragic consequences in this case, and WHEREAS, the Legislature acknowledges that as a result of his physical confinement, Mr.

PageSection 31. of 6 CODING:

Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

hb6501-00 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S  HB 6501 2025 Section 1.

Holmes in the sum of $1.722 million, payable directlyPage to3 Sidneyof Holmes.5 CODING:

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words underlined are additions.

hb6501-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S CS/HB 6501 2025 directly to Sidney Holmes.

The Chief Financial Officer shall pay the funds directed by this act without requiring that Mr.

Holmes sign a liability release.

Section 4.

Section 5.4.

Holmes as described in this act, the Legislature does not waive any defense of sovereign immunity or increase the limits of liability on behalf of the state or any person or entity that is Pagesubject 4to ofs. 6 CODING:

Words stricken are deletions;

words underlined are additions.

hb6501-00 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S  HB 6501 2025 subject to s.

Section 6.5.

Section 7.6.

If,The afteramount monetaryawarded compensationunder this act is paidintended underto thisprovide act,the asole courtcompensation entersfor aall monetarypresent judgmentand infuture favorclaims arising out of Mr.the factual situation described in this act.

HolmesPage in4 aof civil5 actionCODING: related to his wrongful incarceration, or Mr.