SB 350 (Osgood) addresses cold case murders by establishing a process for reviewing and reinvestigating such cases. The bill mandates that law enforcement agencies review cold cases upon receiving a written application from a designated person and outlines the criteria for conducting a full reinvestigation, including the identification of new probative leads or a likely perpetrator. The bill requires law enforcement agencies to develop a written application for cold case reviews and mandates training for employees on the procedures and requirements outlined in the bill.
The bill also requires law enforcement agencies to report quarterly all relevant data to the Global Forensic and Justice Center at Florida International University. The bill directs the Center to establish a case tracking system and searchable public website. The bill also allows medical examiners to issue death certificates with nonspecific causes of death and manner of murder under certain conditions. (Cruz)