Photo: Photo by Florida Department of Law Enforcement via Getty Images
A bill inspired by an early criminal case against late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein is poised to become law.
The bill passed the Senate on Wednesday after previously passing in the House. Both votes were unanimous.
Epstein served several months on work release in Palm Beach County as part of his 2006 case after prosecutors gave him a so-called "sweetheart deal."
Democrat Sen. Tina Polsky filed the bill in her chamber while fellow Democrat, State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman filed the House companion. Polsky says this legislation will shed light on what went on behind closed doors.
"The public and the victims deserve to know if prosecutors steered the jury away from indicting Epstein on more severe charges. There is also compelling public need to know if the system worked or failed."
A circuit judge in 2021 ruled that the court didn't have the authority under state law to release the records. Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller Joe Abruzzo says that once this becomes law in July, that will change.
"Somebody would have to petition the court. There's actually a court case there that would allow the current judge to send these records back to us and for us to release the records."
The bill states that records can be released if the subject of a grand jury inquiry is dead or the investigation is related to sexual activity with a minor.
Governor DeSantis, upon passage Wednesday evening, wrote on the social media site 'X' that he will sign it. The bill becomes law on July 1.
Abruzzo is celebrating today.
"This is an incredible day for victims. It's an incredible day for the public and to shed some light on what happened in this grand jury which allowed Jeffrey Epstein to continue to cause these heinous acts against young women."
Epstein would later face more serious charges in New York, where he died of an apparent suicide in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.