TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed another batch of 12 bills into law.
These new laws cover a wide array of topics, including harsher penalties for crimes, a new alert system for missing autistic children, and more limitations on burdensome lawsuits.
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Several of these laws are set to take effect on July 1, alongside over 70 other pieces of legislation. The full list of these upcoming laws can be found here.
In the meantime, the full slate of Thursday’s new laws is as follows:
HB 383 — Gun Purchases (Law Enforcement)
House Bill 383 exempts law enforcement officers, correctional officers and service members from the three-day mandatory waiting period after buying a firearm.
As such, these figures may take immediate possession of a purchased firearm after a successful background check, which is in line with rules for those who hold a concealed weapons license.
The law is set to take effect on July 1.
HB 687 — Driving/Boating Crimes
House Bill 687 — dubbed “Trenton’s Law” — creates harsher penalties for certain driving- and boating-related crimes.
If a person has a prior conviction for one of the following crimes, the penalty for any subsequent violation of the same crime will instead become a first-degree felony:
- DUI manslaughter
- BUI manslaughter
- Vehicular homicide
- Vessel homicide
In addition, the law makes a first refusal to submit to a breath/urine test subsequent to a DUI arrest a second-degree misdemeanor.
This legislation is named after Trenton Stewart, an 18-year-old who was struck and ultimately killed in a DUI crash back in 2023.
The law is set to take effect on Oct. 1.
HB 703 — Utility Relocation
House Bill 703 requires communications providers to begin working on relocating a communications facility upon proper notice from a local government that the facility is in a public right-of-way.
While these service providers are expected to bear the brunt of the relocation expenses, the law also sets up a state grant program to reimburse these costs.
The law is set to take effect on Oct. 1.
HB 711 — Spectrum Alert
House Bill 711 establishes a “Spectrum Alert” — a statewide alert system to help find missing children with autism.
Under this law, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has until July 1, 2026, to get the alert system up and running.
The law is set to take effect on July 1.
HB 929 — Firefighter Safety
House Bill 929 amends state statutes to add occupational diseases and suicide to the health/safety risks that the state must monitor and address.
Under this law, fire departments must purchase gear free of hazardous chemicals once it becomes commercially available, and employers must notify firefighters whether their current gear contains toxic substances.
In addition, standard firefighter shifts are limited to 42 hours per week to reduce burnout.
The law is set to take effect on July 1.
HB 961 — FLHSMV
House Bill 961 makes a variety of changes to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
This includes punishing those who sell appointments for the DHSMV or tax collector without permission, as well as creating a lifetime disabled parking permit for people who are permanently disabled due to amputation or dismemberment.
In addition, the law designates the week of April 14 as “Move Over Awareness Week.”
The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.
HB 1049 — Court Officials
House Bill 1049 establishes new crimes and harsher penalties for those who tamper with, harass, or retaliate against court officials.
This refers to situations where:
- Tampering: Someone uses threats, intimidation, bribery or physical force against a court official to affect the outcome of a criminal case
- Harassment: Someone purposefully hinders, delays or dissuades a court official from attending an official proceeding or rendering a fair verdict
- Retaliation: Someone threatens another person or damages their property in retaliation against a court official for his/her role in an official investigation or court proceeding
The law is set to take effect on Oct. 1.
HB 1353 — Home Healthcare Services
House Bill 1353 provides home health agencies more flexibility to determine how to distribute duties among personnel.
The law is set to take effect on July 1.
HB 1559 — Vexatious Lawsuits
House Bill 1559 was approved to strengthen Florida’s Vexatious Litigant Law, which aims to tamp down on meritless lawsuits to avoid abuses of the court system.
Under HB 1559, this law will apply to family law matters and small claims courts.
In addition, HB 1559 expands the definition of a “vexatious litigant” to include any party who represents himself/herself and:
- Keeps trying to litigate the validity of a claim against someone after an action has been finally decided against the litigant
- Repeatedly files motions that have already been the subject of previous rulings by the court
- Repeatedly files motions without merit or engages in frivolous tactics to cause unnecessary delays
- Has been found to be a vexatious litigant in another state or federal court
The law is set to take effect on July 1.
HB 4053 — Beverages (Jacksonville)
House Bill 4053 provides an exception to the Beverage Law, allowing the state to issue a special alcoholic beverage license to event centers in Jacksonville’s Urban Transition Area.
The law took effect upon being signed.
HB 4073 — Leon County Sheriff
House Bill 4073 clarifies the powers of the Leon County sheriff when making personnel decisions and updates the appeals process for permanent status employees.
The law took effect upon being signed.
HB 4075 — Leon County Inmates
House Bill 4075 limits the compensation for health care providers who perform medical services for inmates housed in a Leon County detention center.
Under this law, the compensation is limited to 110% of the Medicare allowable rate if the provider doesn’t have a contract with Leon County.
The law took effect upon being signed.