HB 1283 — Complaints Against Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers

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 HBCS/HB 1283 2026 A bill to be entitled An act relating to complaints against law enforcement and correctional officers;

requiring that a copy of a complaint, signed by the complainant under oath, to be provided to law enforcement officers and correctional officers who are under investigation;investigation before any interrogation begins;

providing that complainant names and signatures are not required if a complaint is accompanied by corroborating evidence;

prohibiting certain personnel actions from being taken against a law enforcement officer or correctional officer unless such officer receives a copy of the complaint signed by the complainant under oath;

prohibitingrequiring certainthat personnelthe actioninvestigative fromfile beingof takencertain againstinvestigations of a law enforcement officer or correctional officer unlessbe suchincluded officerin receivessuch aofficer's copypersonnel offile; the complaint signed by the complainant under oath;

prohibitingproviding thethat existence of certain investigations fromdo affectingnot anaffect such officer's ability to receive a promotion, a raise, or any other commendation;

providingPage an1 effectiveof date.6 CODING:

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

Section 1.

Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) and subsection (4) of section 112.532, Florida Statutes, are amended, and Page 1 of 6 CODING:

hb1283-00hb1283-01-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 HBCS/HB 1283 2026 subsectionproviding (8)an iseffective addeddate. to that section, to read:

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

Section 1.

Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) and subsection (4) of section 112.532, Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (8) is added to that section, to read:

(d) The law enforcement officer or correctional officer under investigation must be informed of the nature of the investigation and the names of all complainants and alsomust be provided with a copy of the complaintcomplaint, signed by the complainant under oath, unless the complaint is accompanied with corroborating evidence, before any interrogation begins, and he or she must be informed of the names of all complainants.

AllHowever, identifiableif witnessesa shallPage be2 interviewed, whenever possible, prior to the beginning of the6 investigativeCODING: interview of the accused officer.

The complaint, all witness statements, including all other existing subject officer statements, and all other existing evidence, including, but not limited to, incident reports, GPS Page 2 of 6 CODING:

hb1283-00hb1283-01-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 HBCS/HB 1283 2026 locatorcomplaint information, and audio or video recordings relating to the incident under investigation, must be provided to each officer who is theaccompanied subjectby ofcorroborating theevidence, complaint before the beginningcomplainant ofnames anyand investigativea interviewsignature ofare thatnot officer.required.

All identifiable witnesses shall be interviewed, whenever possible, prior to the beginning of the investigative interview of the accused officer.

The complaint, all witness statements, including all other existing subject officer statements, and all other existing evidence, including, but not limited to, incident reports, GPS locator information, and audio or video recordings relating to the incident under investigation, must be provided to each officer who is the subject of the complaint before the beginning of any investigative interview of that officer.

CONFIDENTIALITY.— (a) A dismissal, demotion, transfer, reassignment, or other personnel action that might result in loss of pay or benefits or that might otherwise be considered a punitive measure may not be taken against any law enforcement officer or correctional officer unless the law enforcement officer or correctional officer is notified of the action and the reason or reasons for the action and he or she is provided with a copy of the complaintcomplaint, signed by the complainant under oathoath, unless the exception in paragraph (1)(d) applies, before the effective date Page 3 of the6 action.CODING:

(b) Notwithstanding s.

112.533(5), whenever a law enforcement officer or correctional officer is subject to disciplinary action consisting of suspension with loss of pay, demotion, or dismissal, the officer or the officer's representative must, upon request, be provided with a complete copy of the investigative file, including the complaint signed by the complainant under oath, the final investigative report Page 3 of 6 CODING:

hb1283-00hb1283-01-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 HBCS/HB 1283 2026 andof all evidence, and with the opportunityaction. to address the findings in the report with the employing law enforcement agency before imposing disciplinary action consisting of suspension with loss of pay, demotion, or dismissal.

(b) Notwithstanding s.

112.533(5), whenever a law enforcement officer or correctional officer is subject to disciplinary action consisting of suspension with loss of pay, demotion, or dismissal, the officer or the officer's representative must, upon request, be provided with a complete copy of the investigative file, including the complaint signed by the complainant under oath, the final investigative report, and all evidence, and with the opportunity to address the findings in the report with the employing law enforcement agency before imposing disciplinary action consisting of suspension with loss of pay, demotion, or dismissal.

(8) RIGHTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AFTER AN INVESTIGATION.—The investigative file ofproduced during an investigation of a law enforcement or correctional officerofficer, which investigation does not result in anythe imposition of disciplinary action toon the officerofficer, maymust notbe affectincluded in the abilityPage 4 of such6 officerCODING: to receive a promotion, raise, or other commendation.

Section 2.

Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section 112.533, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

112.533 Receipt and processing of complaints.— (4)(a) Every law enforcement agency and correctional agency shall establish and put into operation a system for the receipt, investigation, and determination of complaints received by such agency from any person, which must be the procedure for Page 4 of 6 CODING:

hb1283-00hb1283-01-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 HBCS/HB 1283 2026 investigatingpersonnel a complaint against a law enforcement or correctional officer and for determining whether to proceed with disciplinary action or to file disciplinaryof charges,such notwithstandingofficer. any other law or ordinance to the contrary.

AAn complaintinvestigation againstof a law enforcement officer or correctional officer mustwhich bedoes not result in writingthe andimposition beof signeddisciplinary underaction oathon pursuantthe officer does not affect the ability of such officer to s.receive a promotion, a raise, or any other commendation.

92.525(2)Section by2. the person filing the complaint unless the complaint is accompanied with corroborating evidence.

Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section 112.533, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

112.533 Receipt and processing of complaints.— (4)(a) Every law enforcement agency and correctional agency shall establish and put into operation a system for the receipt, investigation, and determination of complaints received by such agency from any person, which must be the procedure for investigating a complaint against a law enforcement or correctional officer and for determining whether to proceed with disciplinary action or to file disciplinary charges, notwithstanding any other law or ordinance to the contrary.

A complaint against a law enforcement or correctional officer must be in writing and be signed under oath as provided in s.

92.525(2) by the person filing the complaint, except as provided in s.

112.532(1)(d).

1.Page 5 of 6 CODING:

Words stricken are deletions;