HB 813 makes several targeted changes to Florida court administration and related procedures. First, it requires each judicial circuit to ensure a circuit judge is available at all times for hearings with limited notice, and specifically requires at least one judge to be available on weekends, holidays, and after hours on weekdays to hear ex parte motions for temporary injunctions in domestic violence cases. The bill also updates how certain court-related reimbursement requests are prepared and submitted, shifting that process to the Justice Administrative Commission and directing conforming statutory changes.
The bill further removes the statutory cap on arbitrator compensation in court-ordered, nonbinding arbitration, allowing higher per diem rates if the parties agree otherwise. Finally, it adds an alternate method for authenticating oaths, affidavits, and acknowledgments taken by a judge, allowing a judge to authenticate by signature plus printed name, title, and court. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
HB 813 amends sections 26.20, 28.35, 44.103, and 92.50 of the Florida Statutes and directs conforming edits in related domestic violence reimbursement provisions. Its practical effect is to strengthen judicial availability for urgent matters, especially domestic violence injunction hearings, centralize reimbursement budgeting and submission through the Justice Administrative Commission, expand flexibility in compensating arbitrators, and modernize authentication options for judicially administered oaths and acknowledgments. The bill affects circuit courts, clerks, the Justice Administrative Commission, arbitrators, and parties seeking emergency relief or participating in court-ordered arbitration.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill was generally noncontroversial and moved as part of a companion measure, with the House bill ultimately laid on the table after the companion Senate bill passed and became law. The absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials suggests limited visible opposition in the available record. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed as a technical and administrative courts measure with some operational improvements.
Contention
The most likely points of contention are the expanded requirement for judge availability outside normal hours, which could affect judicial scheduling and circuit resources, and the removal of the $1,500 per diem limit for arbitrators, which may raise cost concerns for parties or the state in indigent cases. The reimbursement-process changes could also draw attention from clerks or court administrators because they shift budget-request handling to the Justice Administrative Commission. No specific objections are recorded in the provided transcripts, so these concerns are inferred from the bill’s substantive changes rather than documented debate.