Florida bill requiring safe location for child custody swaps heads to governor

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Senate passed a bill Wednesday to provide safe locations for child custody exchanges to take place.

The bill requires each sheriff to “designate at least one parking lot at the sheriff’s office or a substation as a safe exchange location,” according to the bill’s analysis.

The bill is named the “Cassie Carli Law.” Carli is “believed to have been kidnapped and murdered by the father of their daughter after meeting him for the purpose of timesharing.”

The location must have a surveillance camera and recordings must be kept for at least 45 days. The bill doesn’t require the sheriff to actively monitor the location.

SB 580 was carried by Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, in the Senate. It now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for signature.

Reps. Joel Rudman, R-Navarre, and Hillary Cassel, D-Dania Beach, cosponsored the bill in the House.

“With the passage of this safe exchange legislation, the state of Florida is setting an example for the rest of the nation on how to ensure the courts have the flexibility needed to protect children and families,” said Sarah Kay, chair of The Family Law Section of The Florida Bar.

“With policies, like Greyson’s and Cassie’s Law, Florida is at the forefront of mitigating the risk of violence for future, would-be victims,” she said.

The bill takes effect July 1 if signed by DeSantis.