Baker Act reform bill appears stalled

Rep. Patt Maney’s bill to reform the Baker Act may be dead. Maney’s bill (HB 1143) would have made the first substantial reforms to Florida’s Baker Act in 50 years. It coasted through its committees in the House, but the Senate companion by Sen. Aaron Bean has been gutted because Senators “didn’t have an appetite” for the reforms.

“The Senate wanted to deal with juvenile Baker Acts and not the whole Baker Act continuum of care,” Maney said.

Instead of pushing the full reform package, Maney partnered with Rep. Linda Chaney on slimmed-down legislation (HB 1179) that matches the Senate’s.

– Drew Wilson, Florida Politics