Amendments to Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure re Sentencing Guidelines

The Florida Sentencing Guidelines Commission (the “Commission”) petitions this Court to adopt proposed Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.703 and 3.991 to implement statutory revisions made during the 1995 legislative session. We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.

The legislature in chapter 95-184, Laws of Florida, changed the 1994 sentencing guidelines to resolve problems that had arisen in application of those guidelines and to enhance the punishment for certain crimes. The Department of Corrections, in response to legislative directive, drafted and submitted to the Commission…