Topic: Pre-Trial Release

A House subcommittee on Tuesday OK'd HB 135, which would make drug case defendants pay even if they opt for a pretrial intervention program to have charges dropped.

What passed, what failed, what you need to know regarding courts and the law. House Speaker Dean Cannon won approval for a constitutional amendment that if approved by voters would make several changes to the judicial branch -- including giving lawmakers control over court rulemaking and subjecting Supreme Court justices to Senate confirmation. Lawmakers also passed several measures aimed at limiting lawsuits.

Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff removed language from a routine courts bill that would sharply curtail county pretrial release programs. But a provision was added to the bill to make sure the controversial eyewitness ID measure championed by Sen. Joe Negron gets heard in the House.

Rep. Matt Gaetz sharply criticizes a group from Okaloosa County that showed up to oppose a bill that would restrict access to pretrial release programs. The bill squeaked by its second committee stop and is headed to the House floor, where Gaetz suggested he may make changes that impact Panhandle counties.