FloridaJudges may authorize warrants for body recovery and drone searches
Judges may authorize warrants to recover deceased people’s bodies, allow officers to apply remotely, and permit drone searches; device warrants have stated return and seizure periods.
What it does
A judge may issue a search warrant to recover a deceased person’s body, based on proper affidavits.
Warrants for computers and other covered devices must be returned to court within 365 days. Law enforcement must seize the device within 10 days for the warrant to count as timely executed, and may finish reviewing its data later.
A judge may let an officer seeking a search warrant or court order appear remotely by audio and video.
A law enforcement agency may use a drone to search after getting a judge-signed warrant that authorizes drone use. The warrant may cover places where crime evidence might reasonably be found.
Argument forRemote applications could help officers seek a judge’s approval without traveling to appear in person.
Argument againstAgencies may hold seized devices longer while they review data, which could delay people getting their devices back.
More detail
A judge may issue a search warrant to recover a deceased person’s body. The warrant is issued under the search warrant law. The warrant must be supported by proper affidavits.
A warrant for a computer or other covered device must be returned to court within 365 days. These rules cover a computer, computer system, or electronic device, and data or information stored in it. The warrant counts as timely executed if law enforcement seizes the device within 10 days after issuance, not counting the issuance date. If the device is seized within that period, the agency does not have to finish reviewing its data within the return period. The 365-day period runs from issuance. The 10-day seizure period does not count the issuance date.
A judge may allow an officer applying for a search warrant or court order to appear remotely by audio and video. The provisions cover officers applying for search warrants or court orders under the cited laws. The judge decides whether to allow the remote appearance.
A law enforcement agency may use a drone to search if it first gets a judge-signed warrant authorizing drone use. This provision concerns law enforcement agencies using drones to search. The warrant may authorize a search of places where evidence of a crime might reasonably be found.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 29Chapter No. 2026-177Latest
- Jun 26Approved by Governor Ron DeSantisBecame Law
- Jun 15Signed by Officers and presented to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 5Ordered enrolledMinor
- Mar 5In Messages
- Mar 4CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 4Read 3rd timeMinor
- Mar 4Read 2nd timeMinor
- Mar 4Substituted for CS/SB 442
- Mar 4Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
- Mar 4Withdrawn from RulesMajor
- Feb 26ReceivedMinor
- Feb 26Referred to RulesMinor
- Feb 25In Messages
- Vote recorded Passage, Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 25CS passed as amended; YEAS 115, NAYS 0Passed House
- Feb 25Read 3rd timeMinor
- Feb 25Added to Third Reading Calendar
- Feb 25Amendment 213119 adopted
- Feb 25Read 2nd timeMinor
- Feb 19Bill added to Special Order Calendar (2/25/2026)
- Feb 4Added to Second Reading Calendar
- Feb 41st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)Minor
- Feb 4Bill referred to House Calendar
- Feb 3CS FiledMinor
- Vote recorded Favorable With Amendment(s) (Judiciary Committee). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)Minor
- Feb 3Reported out of Judiciary Committee
- Feb 3Favorable with CS by Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Jan 30PCS added to Judiciary Committee agenda
- Jan 131st Reading (Original Filed Version)Minor
- 2025
- Dec 2Now in Judiciary Committee
- Vote recorded Favorable (Criminal Justice Subcommittee). Result: pass.Lower
- Dec 2Reported out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee
- Dec 2Favorable by Criminal Justice SubcommitteeMinor
- Nov 24Added to Criminal Justice Subcommittee agenda
- Nov 18Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
- Nov 18Referred to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Nov 18Referred to Criminal Justice SubcommitteeMinor
- Nov 5FiledIntroduced
- Dec 2Now in Judiciary Committee
Criminal JusticePublic SafetyTechnology