Proposed Changes to Arrest and Search Warrant Procedures

The Frame

What this does

The bill would have altered the legal threshold for s and search warrants in Florida, directly impacting the investigative powers of law enforcement and the legal rights of individuals suspected of misdemeanors, DUI, or domestic violence-related offenses.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Law enforcement officers

The bill would have expanded their authority to make warrantless arrests and apply for search warrants in specific scenarios.

Individuals suspected of misdemeanors

They could have been issued a summons or notice to appear instead of being subject to an arrest warrant.

Individuals suspected of DUI or BUI

They would have been subject to warrantless arrest and the potential for search warrants to obtain blood samples as evidence.

What changed

Last recorded activity March 13, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

SB 1284 would have expanded the authority of law enforcement to make arrests without a warrant for specific offenses, including driving under the influence and stalking violations. It also would have allowed judges more flexibility to issue es instead of arrest warrants for certain misdemeanor cases.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What would this bill have changed regarding misdemeanor arrests?

It would have given judges the option to issue a or notice to appear instead of an arrest warrant if they believed the person would appear in court and did not pose a threat to the community or victim.

Could police arrest someone for DUI without a warrant under this bill?

Yes, the bill would have explicitly added driving under the influence and boating under the influence to the list of circumstances where a law enforcement officer may make an arrest without a warrant.

What is the status of this bill?

The bill died in the Judiciary Committee on March 13, 2026, and did not become law.

Why It Matters

The bill would have altered the legal threshold for s and search warrants in Florida, directly impacting the investigative powers of law enforcement and the legal rights of individuals suspected of misdemeanors, DUI, or domestic violence-related offenses.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededupper1/20/2026openstates_bulkOfficial roll call ↗

Favorable

Total

8

Yes

8

No

0

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

How they voted (8)

Jonathan Martin

Republican · yes

Corey Simon

Republican · yes

Jason Pizzo

Independent · yes

Jennifer Bradley

Republican · yes

Mack Bernard

Democratic · yes

Ileana Garcia

Republican · yes

Clay Yarborough

Republican · yes

Dave Smith

Republican · yes

Full roll-call analysis →

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Expansion of Warrantless Arrests

The bill represented a clear policy shift toward broadening the scope of warrantless arrests to include specific traffic-related offenses and stalking injunction violations.

Florida Legislature