Here are all of the new Florida laws approved in 2025

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Amid the latest Legislative session, lawmakers and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have been busy approving batch after batch of new legislation.

As of July 1, 228 bills in total have been signed into law. Over half of those took effect on July 1. You can find the full list of those laws here.

[BELOW: Check out some of the major Florida laws that took effect last year]

Meanwhile, many other laws are slated to take effect on Oct. 1, though there have also been plenty that were implemented upon being signed.

Read below for a summary on each of the new laws passed this year:

HB 85 — Hazardous Walking Conditions

House Bill 85 expands the criteria for identifying “hazardous walking conditions” for public elementary school students walking to and from school.

The designation applies to walkways that are either parallel or perpendicular to a road, and this new law extends the definition to limited access facilities (ex: freeways, interstates, expressway ramps).

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 113 — Fleeing Police

House Bill 113 creates harsher penalties for those who flee from law enforcement.

More specifically, the new law increases the ranking for the following offenses on the offense severity ranking chart:

Higher scores on the chart can raise the minimum possible sentence that a person can receive upon conviction.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 157 — Service of Process

House Bill 157 amends state statutes regarding registered agents of corporations.

The law expands the hours during which registered agents are required to keep a designated registered office open to receive potential legal documents. In all, these offices have to be open an additional two hours each weekday.

In addition, legal documents may now be left with an employee instead of the registered agent if the agent isn’t present.

Date of Effect: April 29

HB 209 — State Parks

House Bill 209 requires that state parks and preserves be managed for conservation-based recreation.

As a result, the law forbids golf courses, tennis courts, pickleball courts, ball fields, or any other sports facilities from being built on these lands.

Instead, the law allows these lands to be used for activities like fishing, camping, biking, hiking, swimming, boating and jogging — outdoor activities that don’t significantly infringe on the environment.

In addition, the law allows for campsites and cabins to be built with state approval, so long as they don’t have too much impact on the surrounding environment.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 211 — Farm Products

House Bill 211 amends the definition of “farm product” to include plants and plant products, regardless of whether these plants and plant products are edible.

In addition, the law prohibits local governments from regulating a farm from collecting, storing, processing and distributing farm products on agricultural land.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 253 — Motor Crimes

House Bill 253 makes several changes to state statutes regarding motor vehicle offenses.

These changes include the following:

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 255 — Animal Cruelty Database

House Bill 255 establishes harsher penalties for animal cruelty, which includes intentionally torturing an animal to death.

In addition, the law requires the FDLE to post a searchable database on its website as of Jan. 1, 2026, with the names of those who have been convicted of animal cruelty.

Dubbed “Dexter’s Law,” the legislation was brought about after a shelter dog named “Dexter” was adopted and later found beheaded in Fort DeSoto Park.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 259 — Fentanyl Awareness Day

House Bill 259 designates Aug. 21 as “Fentanyl Awareness and Education Day.”

The new designation is aimed at increasing awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and potential overdoses.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 279 — Swatting Calls

House Bill 279 prohibits people from causing someone else to call 911 with a false report (i.e. “swatting”).

If something like this happens and the 911 response ends with injury or death, the caller can face felony charges under this new law.

In addition, someone convicted of misusing 911 or giving false information to law enforcement will be required to pay the costs of prosecution, investigation, and restitution to any victims.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 289 — Boating Safety

House Bill 289 aligns the penalties for certain boating crimes with their corresponding driving crimes. These charges include the following:

• Leaving the scene of a boating accident
• Reckless operation of a vessel
• BUI manslaughter
• Vessel homicide

The law also prohibits people from providing false information in a vessel accident report, and it requires the FWC to set standards for online boating safety education courses.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 307 — Property Appraisers

House Bill 307 allows county property appraisers to pay hiring or retention bonuses to employees.

To do so, the bonus must be approved by the state in the property appraiser’s budget.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 351 — Dangerous Speeding

House Bill 351 establishes a new crime under Florida law: “dangerous excessive speeding.”

The offense refers to situations where drivers:

• Go at least 50 mph over the speed limit
• Speed at 100 mph or more in a way that threatens the people or property around them

Under this law, first-time violators can receive up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. Subsequent offenses can yield up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Date of Effect: July 1

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.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 393 — Condominium Associations

House Bill 393 prohibits condominium associations (COAs) from applying for an inspection or grant under the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program unless the COA has complied with milestone inspection requirements and structural integrity reserve requirements.

In addition, the law states that only 75% of unit owners (rather than 100%) must approve applying for the grant.

Date of Effect: June 23

HB 429 — Florida Dealership Act

House Bill 429 revises the Florida Motor Vehicle Dealership Act, which governs licenses for and contracts between dealers, manufacturers and distributors.

More specifically, the new law prohibits licensees from retaliating against a motor vehicle dealer due to the dealership asserting or testifying that the licensee violated the motor vehicle franchise law.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 437 — EMD Tampering

House Bill 437 potentially enhances punishments for those who tamper with an electronic monitoring device (EMD) that a court orders someone to wear.

Instead of a simple third-degree felony, this offense is now based on the charge for which the person wearing the EMD was convicted.

For example: if the person was convicted of a first-degree felony, then the tampering charge would also be tried as a first-degree felony, which can be punished with up to a life sentence.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 443 — Education

House Bill 443 allows charter schools to adopt their own codes of student conduct.

Under this law, charter school governing boards must adopt procedures related to student welfare and parental rights.

In addition, a high-performing charter school will be allowed to assume the charter of another charter school in the same district.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 447 — Disability History

House Bill 447 — dubbed the “Evin B. Hartsell Act” — applies to school districts that teach about disability history and awareness during the first two weeks of October.

Under this law, these schools are required to include the following material in their instruction:

• For Kindergarten through Grade 3: Conversations about bullying, including what students should do if they are being bullied or see someone being bullied
• For Grades 4 - 6: Information about autism spectrum disorder
• For Grades 7 - 9: Information about hearing impairments
• For Grades 10 - 12: Information on different types of learning and intellectual disabilities

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 479 — Leaving the Scene of a Crash

House Bill 479 allows a court to order drivers who fled the scene of a crash after striking property to make restitution to the property’s owner.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 481 — Anchoring Rules

House Bill 481 creates a new exception under state law regarding anchoring boats.

While local governments aren’t typically allowed to regulate the anchoring of vessels outside of mooring fields, this law now lets counties with a population of at least 1.5 million do so.

More specifically, regulation is allowed in the following instances:

• If the vessel is anchored for at least one hour;
• If the boat is anchored anytime between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise; and
• If this continues for more than 30 days in a six-month period

Date of Effect: May 19

HB 513 — Electronic Court Orders

House Bill 513 requires clerks of court to electronically submit the following within six hours of being issued to a local sheriff’s office:

• A court order for involuntary examination
• A summons related to a petition for involuntary services
• A court order requiring a hearing to be held on a petition for a risk protection order, a copy of the petition, and a notice of hearing
• A copy of notice of hearing, the petition, and the temporary ex parte risk protection order or final risk protection order

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 515 — Cryptocurrencies

House Bill 515 establishes a baseline framework to let creditors secure liens against digital assets that are owned by debtors.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 519 — Certified Paramedics

House Bill 519 lets certain healthcare practitioners allow a certified paramedic to administer a controlled substance with supervision while providing emergency services.

Date of Effect: May 23

HB 531 — Background Screening

House Bill 531 requires the Agency for Health Care Administration to create a public webpage to provide education and awareness of care provider background screening.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 547 — Medical Debt

House Bill 547 provides an exception to requirements that hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers provide 30 days’ notice before selling a consumer’s debt.

The exception applies if the facility and debt buyer have a contract that states the debt won’t be subject to interest, fees, or other extraordinary collection actions.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 549 — Gulf of America (Schools)

House Bill 549 requires that instructional materials in public schools reflect the new federal designation of “Gulf of America.”

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 551 — Fire Prevention

House Bill 551 expands the types of fire alarm system projects that are eligible for a simplified building permit process.

More specifically, the expansion now includes projects to replace an existing fire alarm panel with the same make and model.

Under this law, contractors may start work immediately after submitting a completed simplified building permit application.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 575 — Gulf of America (State Agencies)

House Bill 575 requires state agencies to update their geographic materials to reflect the new federal designation of “Gulf of America.”

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 593 — Dangerous Dogs

House Bill 593 — dubbed the “Pam Rock Act” — establishes new rules for owners of dangerous dogs.

Under this law, these dogs must be microchipped and spayed/neutered, and their owners must obtain at least $100,000 of liability insurance.

Furthermore, owners with dogs that have “dangerous propensities” are required to securely confine the animals in a proper enclosure as though they were deemed dangerous.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 597 — Diabetes Management

House Bill 597 allows schools to request prescriptions for glucagon from a county health department or healthcare practitioner to treat students with diabetes.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 615 — Electronic Notice to Tenants

House Bill 615 allows landlords to deliver notices to tenants electronically if both parties agree to the method.

Under this law, both tenants and landlords are allowed to revoke such an agreement simply by providing written notice to the other party.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 633 — Managing Entities

House Bill 633 requires the Department of Children and Families to perform audits of behavioral health managing entities that help provide certain mental health services for uninsured people.

Because these managing entities are contracted by the DCF to plan, subcontract for, and coordinate these services, the law aims to ensure they’re operating appropriately.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 647 — Registered Nurses

House Bill 647 aims to change state statutes surrounding advanced practice registered nurses.

While state law lets certain health care practitioners file a death certificate and complete a medical certification of cause of death, these nurses have not been allowed to perform these functions.

As a result, this new law extends those permissions to advanced practice registered nurses providing hospice care and acting within an established protocol with a licensed physician.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 653 — Capital Felonies

House Bill 653 lets juries consider new aggravating factors when determining whether someone convicted of a capital felony should receive the death penalty.

More specifically, this law lets juries examine whether the crime was committed against a head of state — such as the U.S. president or state governor — as an aggravating factor.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 655 — Pet Insurance

House Bill 655 amends state statutes to include pet insurance in the definition of “property insurance.”

More specifically, the law includes coverage for accidents involving pets or when pets fall ill.

The law also seeks a myriad of changes to disclosure requirements and regulations, such as mandating that pet insurance agents avoid misrepresenting wellness programs as pet insurance.

Date of Effect: Jan. 1, 2026

HB 669 — Israeli Bonds

House Bill 669 prohibits a local government’s investment policy from requiring a minimum bond rating for investing in bonds issued by the Israeli government.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 681 — Apprenticeships

House Bill 681 requires state officials to develop new standards regarding apprenticeship programs in the state.

Under this law, these policies must address negotiations between schools and their registered apprenticeship partners to ensure that all parties know the responsibilities and total amount of funding for these apprenticeship programs.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 683 — Construction Regulations

House Bill 683 establishes a variety of new rules regarding construction standards in the state.

Some of these rules are as follows:

• Requires the state to adopt standards for installing synthetic turf in residential areas
• Mandates that only one support rail in an elevator must be continuous and at least 42 inches long, as opposed to all interior support rails
• Exempts equipment from the Florida Building Code if it’s located at a spaceport that is used for space launch vehicles, payloads or spacecraft
• Prohibits local building departments from requiring copies of contracts and related documents in order to receive a building permit

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 687 — Driving and 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 second-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.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 693 — Aggravating Factors

House Bill 693 lets juries consider additional factors when determining whether someone convicted of a capital felony is eligible for the death penalty or a life sentence.

More specifically, the law lets juries take into account whether the victim was gathered with others for a school activity, religious activity, or public government meeting as an aggravating factor.

Date of Effect: 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.

Date of Effect: 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.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 715 — Roofing Services

House Bill 715 expands the scope of work for licensed roofing contractors under state law.

More specifically, this law now includes the valuation and enhancement of roof-to-wall connections for structures with wood roof decking.

However, the law also narrows the time period for a 10-day cancellation period that lets a homeowner cancel a roofing contract without penalty.

Now, the cancellation period is only available if the contract is within 180 days of a declared state of emergency.

Date of Effect: May 19

HB 733 — Brownfields Program

House Bill 733 makes several changes to the Brownfields Program, which incentivizes local governments and individuals to voluntarily clean up and redevelop polluted properties (i.e. “brownfield sites”).

Some of the changes effected by the law are as follows:

• Streamlines a process that requires certain sites to obtain approval from the EPA to participate in the program
• Revises requirements and timing to claim a tax credit under the Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit program
• Allows larger brownfield properties to be subdivided into smaller parcels of land when it comes to brownfield site rehabilitation

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 735 — Water Access Facilities

House Bill 735 lets marine manufacturers participate in the state’s Clean Marina Program, which gives participating facilities a 10% discount on their annual lease fee for sovereign submerged lands.

In addition, the law expands a state program to provide grants for boating projects, such as publicly-owned parking for boat-hauling vehicles and trailers.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 751 — Health Insurance (Law Enforcement)

House Bill 751 expands employer-paid health insurance benefits to cover law enforcement and correctional officers who suffer a “catastrophic” injury during an official training exercise or in the line of duty.

The law is dubbed the “Deputy Andy Lahera Act,” named for a Citrus County deputy who was struck by a car while on duty in 2023, which left him with a traumatic brain injury.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 757 — Sexual Images

House Bill 757 prohibits the possession of a “lewd or lascivious image” with the intent to promote it, making it a second-degree felony.

In addition, the law prohibits anyone from knowingly soliciting child pornography, which will become a third-degree felony.

Furthermore, the law criminalizes the generation, solicitation and possession of deepfake pornography, which is set as a third-degree felony.

As a result, the law also allows a victim of deepfake pornography to sue the offender.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 777 — Luring Children

House Bill 777 creates harsher penalties for the crime of luring a child into a building for illicit purposes.

Under this law, the charge can now be applied to cases where the victim is under the age of 14 (as opposed to the previous threshold of 12 years old).

In addition, the law expands the crime to situations where a child is lured out of a building, home or vehicle.

Beyond that, the law also eliminates legal defenses against this sort of charge, including ignorance or misrepresentation of the victim’s age.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 791 — Surrendered Infants

House Bill 791 allows certain hospitals and fire stations to use “infant safety devices” to accept surrendered infants.

Under this bill, such a device would have to be equipped with a surveillance system to monitor the device 24 hours a day.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 797 — Nursing Home Beds

House Bill 797 lets certain licensed nursing facilities designate specific beds exclusively for veterans and their spouses, potentially increasing the number of VA beds in Florida.

This applies if the admitted residents meet the criteria for admission to a state veterans’ nursing home and the beds operate per state requirements.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 809 — School Social Workers

House Bill 809 provides an exemption for school social workers, making it so they’re no longer required to meet certain knowledge requirements to receive their educator certification.

More specifically, school social workers will no longer have to meet “mastery of general knowledge” and “subject area knowledge” requirements, as state licensure is deemed an adequate demonstration of mastery.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 847 — DNA Testing

House Bill 847 creates the Expedited DNA Testing Grant Program, which gives funding to law enforcement to help test evidence for DNA.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 867 — Rail Transportation

House Bill 867 establishes the Coastal Link Commuter Rail Service Act.

Under this law, the state and local governments that have an agreement with Brightline to operate a commuter rail service on the Coastal Link corridor may take on indemnification and insurance obligations.

As such, the law provides a framework under state law for lawsuits involving situations that pop up due to commuter rail services like Brightline.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 875 — Teacher Preparation

House Bill 875 aims to help align the principles and standards of Florida’s different teacher preparation programs.

Some of the changes made by this law are as follows:

• Standardizes requirements for teacher mentors and clinical educators
• Requires the DOE to develop criteria for clinical educator training
• Allows certain educator certification requirements to be satisfied by completing teacher preparation programs with new core curricula
• Requires school districts to set minimum qualifications for part-time, non-degreed teachers of fine/performing arts

Date of Effect: May 30

HB 897 — Community Associations

House Bill 897 exempts community association managers (CAM) from certain requirements regarding conflicts of interest.

This applies if the CAM manages a timeshare plan governed by the Timeshare Act and provides conflict-of-interest disclosures covered under that act.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 901 — Court-Appointed Psychologists

House Bill 901 provides that before a parent can file an administrative complaint against a court-appointed psychologist, the parent must first move the court in his/her family law case to disqualify the psychologist and replace him/her.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 903 — Execution Methods

House Bill 903 makes a few changes related to the Department of Corrections.

One of the major changes this law brings allows the death penalty to be carried out using any method not deemed unconstitutional, such as with firing squads and lethal gas.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 907 — Pediatric Rare Diseases

House Bill 907 codifies the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases as a statewide resource for research and care related to conditions that impact fewer than 200,000 children nationally.

Under this law, the institute is required to establish a five-year pilot program that offers opt-in newborn genetic screening.

The institute must also maintain a database of information from this pilot program so that the de-identified data may be used for research.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 913 — Condominium Associations

House Bill 913 makes several changes regarding condominium associations (COAs) and cooperatives, including the following:

• Allows certain COAs to have a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) completed by Dec. 31, 2025 (pushed back from 2024)
• Increases replacement cost of repairs required to be reserved and considered in the SIRS from $10,000 to $25,000 to prioritize more critical repairs
• Provides COAs to use alternative funding methods to satisfy reserve funding obligations
• Gives COA boards and unit owners more power to terminate contracts if a manager fails to follow requirements of state condo laws

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 915 — Immigration Services

House Bill 915 prohibits notary publics who aren’t authorized to represent someone in immigration matters from using terms like “notario público” in advertising.

In addition, the law requires people who offer immigration services but aren’t allowed to practice law to post a disclaimer on the main website of their business.

Date of Effect: 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.

Date of Effect: 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.”

Date of Effect: July 1, 2026

HB 969 — Student Mental Health

House Bill 969 requires the state to evaluate the mental health services that school districts provide to students.

An initial evaluation will be provided to DeSantis and lawmakers before the end of the year, with a final evaluation being given by Dec. 1, 2026.

Date of Effect: May 30

HB 987 — Highway Designations

House Bill 987 designates 20 new stretches of road across the state for memorial and honorary purposes.

These new designations are as follows:

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 989 — Foster Homes

House Bill 989 takes aim at state statutes involving licensure for family foster homes.

Under prior law, the state issues such licenses to a specific person at a specific location, so if the foster parent relocates within the state, he/she must start over with a new license application.

This new law allows a family foster home in good standing with the state to have a priority review and expedited background checks if he/she relocates, giving foster parents more mobility.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 999 — Silver and Gold

House Bill 999 recognizes certain silver and gold coins as legal tender in Florida.

As a result, this silver and gold are considered tax-exempt, and they can be used to pay taxes and debts incurred as of next year.

Date of Effect: July 1, 2026

HB 1049 — Court Officials

House Bill 1049 establishes several new rules 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

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 1053 — Department of Law Enforcement

House Bill 1053 makes several changes related to the Department of Law Enforcement.

Some of these changes are as follows:

• Expands the scope of and renames the “Crimes Against Children Criminal Profiling Program” to the “Child Exploitation and Crimes Against Children Program”
• Revises membership and reporting requirements of the Domestic Security Oversight Council
• Revises reporting requirements of the Chief of Domestic Security
• Increases annual reimbursements available to former handlers and adopters of retired police dogs for veterinary care through the Care for Retired Police Dogs Program

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1089 — Newborn Screenings

House Bill 1089 requires the state Newborn Screening Program to screen newborns for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) starting on Jan. 1, 2027 (subject to funding).

DMD is a rare genetic condition that affects around one in every 5,000 live male births.

Symptoms include progressive skeletal and muscle weakness, with many children losing the ability to move around on their own before they hit 10 years old. The condition can result in death by their early 20s.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1091 — Mental Health Services

House Bill 1091 requires the DCF to provide oversight of the 988 Lifeline call centers.

In addition, the law requires clinical psychologists to have at least three years of clinical experience to transfer a patient from voluntary to involuntary status.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1099 — Arrest Rules

House Bill 1099 specifies that a law enforcement officer can use his/her discretion when determining whether to immediately arrest someone with a significant medical condition.

Under the law, a person with a “significant medical condition” refers to a patient or resident of a hospital, nursing home facility, or assisted living facility — including elderly people and disabled adults.

To be specific, an officer may consider whether the person is an active threat to themselves or others when determining whether to make an arrest.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1103 — Disability Services

House Bill 1103 expands the state’s Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Pilot Program.

Under this law, those eligible for the IDD are required to make an affirmative choice before being enrolled, and the state is prohibited from automatically enrolling them.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1105 — Education Rules

House Bill 1105 provides a variety of new provisions regarding education in Florida. These changes include the following:

• Cell Phones (K-8): Prohibits students from using cell phones during the day in grades K-8, with some exceptions
• Cell Phones (High School): Requires a pilot study to look at prohibiting high school students from using cell phones
• Career Education: Requires the DOE to develop integrated courses to let students earn credit in both career education courses and required classes for high school graduation
• High School Diplomas: Eliminates the certificate of completion and requires notification for students who fail to earn a high school diploma
• Bright Futures Scholarships: Expands eligibility for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program to students who graduated from an out-of-state high school if they live with a parent who retired from the military within 12 months before the graduation
• Charter Schools: Eliminates provisions that require 50% of teachers at a school to support a conversion into a charter school, instead leaving it solely to parental support

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1121 — Unmanned Aircraft

House Bill 1121 makes several changes to state statutes regarding drones and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including:

• Harsher penalties if someone operates a drone over a critical infrastructure facility
• Harsher penalties if someone owns or operates a UAS with an attached firearm
• Prohibition against owning or operating a UAS carrying a weapon of mass destruction, whether real or a hoax
• Criminal penalties for anyone who illegally uses a drone to spy on a person or private property, with harsher penalties if a violator distributes the surveillance video

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 1123 — Sewer Systems

House Bill 1123 allows a local government that operates a sewer service to use revenue from the service to expand the sewage system.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1137 — Fuel Source Restrictions

House Bill 1137 prohibits local governments from restricting the types of fuel sources for energy production that can be used by a wide array of utility companies.

In addition, the law prevents these local governments from prohibiting the use of an appliance — such as a grill or stove — that uses those types of fuel sources.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1143 — Drilling Permits

House Bill 1143 requires the DEP to perform a “balancing test” when determining whether to grant a permit for oil and gas drilling in the state.

This test must weigh the measures that are already in place to protect natural resources, as well as the potential harm to the environment in the event of a blowout from a drilling activity.

In addition, the law prohibits oil and gas production in several rural counties if the proposed site is within 10 miles of a national estuarine research reserve (NERR).

There are three of these reserves in the state: the Apalachicola NERR, the Guana Tolomato NERR, and the Rookery Bay NERR.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1145 — Workforce Education

House Bill 1145 allows charter schools to receive funding under the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program.

This program provides grants to school districts and colleges to fund career and technical education for students.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1161 — Deepfake Pornography

House Bill 1161 — dubbed “Brooke’s Law” — requires online platforms and websites to remove “altered sexual depictions” upon request from a victim.

After receiving such a request, these platforms must remove the content within 48 hours.

In addition, the law gives these platforms until Dec. 31 to set up a way for victims to request a removal.

Date of Effect: June 10

HB 1173 — Florida Trust Code

House Bill 1173 amends the Florida Trust Code, which governs the creation and operation of trusts in the state.

More specifically, the law limits the “special interest exception” for charitable trust enforcement by giving the Attorney General exclusive authority to assert the rights of a qualified beneficiary.

Date of Effect: April 29

HB 1195 — Fentanyl Testing

House Bill 1195 — dubbed “Gage’s Law” — requires hospitals conducting urine tests for possible drug overdoses to test for fentanyl.

The bill is named for Gage Taylor, who died of an overdose in 2022 after taking a drug he didn’t realize was laced with fentanyl. At the time, the hospital didn’t test for the drug.

As a result, law enforcement agents were initially unable to charge Taylor’s suspected drug dealer.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1205 — Citizen Petitions

House Bill 1205 takes aim at citizen petitions for amendments to the state constitution, imposing additional regulations and harsher penalties for wrongdoers.

For a breakdown on these changes, click here.

Date of Effect: May 2

HB 1237 — Human Trafficking

House Bill 1237 requires the state to identify a free training program about human trafficking awareness by December.

Public school staff will then be required to receive training about human trafficking awareness.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1255 — Education Rules (Part Two)

House Bill 1255 revises the definition of “economically disadvantaged” for families seeking School Readiness services, using “state median income” instead of “federal poverty level.”

The law also makes a myriad of other changes, such as requiring certain private schools to implement the same background screening requirements as public schools for employees.

In addition, the law requires that school districts that allow corporal punishment must obtain parental consent before it can be administered.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1299 — Department of Health

House Bill 1299 expands the Patient’s Bill of Rights to prohibit discrimination on the basis of vaccination status.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1313 — Trust Funds

House Bill 1313 re-creates the Resilient Florida Trust Fund for the associated state grant program.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1351 — Sexual Predators

House Bill 1351 revises reporting requirements for sexual predators and offenders.

Under this law, such predators/offenders must report where they work and their work phone number.

Furthermore, the law requires local law enforcement to verify the home address of a sexual predator at least four times per year (only once per year for sexual offenders).

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 1353 — Home Healthcare Services

House Bill 1353 provides home health agencies more flexibility to determine how to distribute duties among personnel.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1359 — Pawn Shop Database

House Bill 1359 requires the state to look into the possibility of creating a statewide pawn data database for law enforcement to use.

“Pawn data” refers to information about sales and purchases at secondhand dealers like pawn shops.

Such information is already required under state law to be reported to local law enforcement, though this potential database would be connected across all agencies in the state.

The feasibility study is slated to be finished by Jan. 1, 2026, which is when state officials will bring the results of the study to lawmakers.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1371 — Law Enforcement Officers

House Bill 1371 makes several changes related to law enforcement officers (LEOs) and other personnel.

Some of these changes are as follows:

• Creates the Florida Medal of Valor and the Florida Blue/Red Heart Medal
• Prohibits the use of vehicle kill switches unless the user is the vehicle’s owner or a LEO trying to stop a felony
• Requires a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison if someone is convicted of attempted first-degree murder against LEOs, state attorneys, public defenders or judges
• Encourages a “pro-prosecution policy” if someone is accused of making a false report of a crime
• Allows amputee first responders to still serve as a first responder if he/she meets state requirements without an accommodation

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1451 — Sexual Cyberharassment

House Bill 1451 enhances penalties for sexual cyberharassment, making it a third-degree felony instead of a misdemeanor if done for financial gain.

In addition, the law extends the statute of limitations for sexual cyberharassment, and it also allows victims to sue offenders for damages.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 1455 — Minimum Sentencing

House Bill 1455 establishes mandatory minimum sentences for sexual offenders and predators if they are convicted of yet another sex crime.

Under this law, the minimum sentences are as follows:

The law also prevents a person sentenced under these rules from gaining discretionary early release (aside from pardons or conditional medical release) before serving the minimum sentence.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 1487 — Emergency Services

House Bill 1487 revises the criteria required for faith-based, nonprofit, volunteer ambulance services to get an exemption from the certificate of public convenience and necessity (COPCN) requirement.

More specifically, the law increases the minimum requirements for years of experience and the number of volunteer emergency service technicians and paramedics to receive this exemption.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1525 — Rideshare Drivers

House Bill 1525 prohibits the impersonation of rideshare drivers, such as those with Uber and Lyft.

Doing so counts as a second-degree misdemeanor, and impersonating a driver to commit a separate offense is considered a third-degree felony under this law.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1545 — Parkinson’s Disease

House Bill 1545 creates a research program consortium at the University of South Florida to investigate the causes of and potential treatments for Parkinson’s disease.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1549 — Financial Services

House Bill 1549 implements several new rules regarding financial services in the state.

Some of these rules are as follows:

• Allows the Office of Financial Regulation to issue a certificate of acquisition to an acquiring financial institution after certain criteria are met
• Repeals the requirement for credit unions to maintain a regular reserve and modifies the definition of the term “equity” to remove reference to “regular reserve”
• Removes a timeframe for certain requirements by directors of a proposed new bank or trust company
• Modifies the period in which a proposed bank must open and conduct a general commercial bank

Date of Effect: 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

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1567 — Administering Insulin

House Bill 1567 allows direct-support professionals and family members to administer insulin to people with developmental disabilities.

More specifically, the law authorizes this in group home facilities, permitting the use of sliding-scale insulin therapy, insulin pens, and epinephrine via an insulin pen.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 1607 — Cardiac Emergencies

House Bill 1607 requires school districts to provide basic first-aid training (including CPR) in secondary schools as part of a P.E. or health class.

This instruction must allow students to practice performing CPR and learn how to use an AED.

In addition, each public school must develop a plan to respond to incidents of sudden cardiac arrest. And by July 1, 2027, schools must have at least one AED on school grounds.

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 4001 — Lee County Commission

House Bill 4001 would require Lee County commissioners to be elected from single-member districts starting in the 2028 general election.

However, this rule must first be approved by voters in the county during a referendum in the 2026 general election.

Date of Effect: Upon Approval by Voters

HB 4007 — Martin County Inmates

House Bill 4007 limits the compensation for health care providers who perform medical services for inmates housed in a Martin 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 Martin County.

Date of Effect: June 9

HB 4009 — St. Augustine Airport

House Bill 4009 allows the St. Johns County Airport Authority to conduct operations under the name “St. Augustine Airport” instead of “Northeast Florida Regional Airport.”

Date of Effect: June 9

HB 4011 — Palm Beach County

House Bill 4011 relates to the Palm Beach County Building Code Advisory Board.

Under this law, any building official for the county who has proper state certification can be appointed to the board.

Date of Effect: June 10

HB 4013 — Citrus County Sheriff’s Office

House Bill 4013 repeals a special act that set up a career status system for certain employees of the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office.

Under this law, employees with the sheriff’s office are now subject only to general law protections for deputy sheriffs.

Date of Effect: June 9

HB 4015 — Broward County

House Bill 4015 repeals the Broward County Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Intelligence and Enforcement Unit, which appears to have been defunct since the 1970s.

Date of Effect: June 6

HB 4023 — North Springs

House Bill 4023 prohibits employees of the North Springs Improvement District from having a work-related relationship with businesses regulated by the district.

The district itself is a water control district in Broward County, and the law tamps down on potential conflicts of interest.

Date of Effect: June 6

HB 4025 — Duke Farm District

House Bill 4025 creates the Duke Farm Stewardship District, an independent special district in Lee County.

The district’s purpose is to install, operate and maintain community infrastructure in the county.

Date of Effect: June 23

HB 4029 — Naples Charter

House Bill 4029 would amend the charter of the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District in Collier County to require all seats on the district’s board of commissioners be elected at-large, starting in 2028.

However, the rule will only take effect upon approval by voters during a referendum held by Dec. 31, 2026.

Date of Effect: Upon Approval by Voters

HB 4031 — City of Oviedo

House Bill 4031 establishes a special zone in Oviedo, which will be called the “Oviedo Arts and Entertainment District.”

Under this law, the special zone is granted an exception to the state’s Beverage Law, allowing certain businesses to sell alcohol in open containers for buyers to drink off the premises within the district.

However, the city council will be required to specify the type, design and color of cups to be used by ordinance.

Date of Effect: June 6

HB 4033 — Bonita Springs

House Bill 4033 changes the San Carlos Estates Water Control District from an independent special district to a dependent special district of the city of Bonita Springs.

However, this change will only take effect upon approval by the landowners of the district and the electors of Bonita Springs.

Date of Effect: Upon Approval by Voters

HB 4035 — Lee County Mosquito District

House Bill 4035 would merge the Fort Myers Mosquito Control District into the Lee County Mosquito Control District.

However, this rule must first be approved by voters in the county during a referendum in the 2026 general election.

Date of Effect: Upon Approval by Voters

HB 4037 — Downtown Ft. Lauderdale

House Bill 4037 removes the Dec. 31, 2030, expiration date of the Downtown Development Authority for Ft. Lauderdale.

Instead, if the authority is dissolved by law, all assets of the authority will be given to the city.

Date of Effect: June 23

HB 4041 — Corkscrew Grove District

House Bill 4041 creates the Corkscrew Grove Stewardship District, an independent special district in Collier County.

The district’s purpose is to install, operate and maintain community infrastructure in the county.

Date of Effect: June 23

HB 4043 — Waterlin District

House Bill 4043 creates the Waterlin Stewardship District, an independent special district in Osceola County.

The district’s purpose is to install, operate and maintain community infrastructure.

Date of Effect: June 23

HB 4045 — Tampa First Responders

House Bill 4045 revises provisions of a pension fund for Tampa firefighters and police officers, now reflecting an agreement between the city and the respective unions.

Date of Effect: June 6

HB 4051 — Pasco County

House Bill 4051 amends the charter of the Pasco County Mosquito Control District to convert the district’s board from being elected at-large to being elected by single-member districts.

In addition, the law establishes a term limit of two four-year terms for board members.

Date of Effect: 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.

Date of Effect: June 5

HB 4057 — Tohopekaliga Water Authority

House Bill 4057 revises the boundary of the Tohopekaliga Water Authority to include parts of Orange, Osceola and Polk counties that already receive services from the authority.

Date of Effect: June 6

HB 4065 — City of Auburndale

House Bill 4065 directs the state to convey around 3.15 acres of land to the city of Auburndale for recreational purposes.

More specifically, that land appears to be Lake Ariana Park, which the city has been leasing from the state. That area is being renovated to include a new civic center, a boat dock, picnic pavilions and a playground.

Date of Effect: June 9

HB 4067 — Equestrian Facilities

House Bill 4067 provides an exception to the state’s Beverage Law for certain equestrian sports facilities in Marion County.

Under this law, such facilities may receive a special license to allow these places to sell any type of alcohol for customers drinking on the premises and permit indoor smoking.

Date of Effect: June 9

HB 4071 — Parkland Land Transfer

House Bill 4071 transfers over 8.5 acres of land from the city of Coral Springs to the city of Parkland.

This comes after Coral Springs agreed to transfer the land in Heron Bay back in December for Parkland’s burgeoning development project.

Date of Effect: June 10

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.

Date of Effect: June 5

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.

Date of Effect: June 5

HB 5013 — Property Reinsurance

House Bill 5013 would lower the amount of money afforded to the Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders (RAP) program, which reimburses certain insurers for covered losses.

More specifically, the bill aims to decrease the funding from $2 billion to $900 million.

In addition, the bill would repeal the FORA program, which was enacted in 2022 provide other optional layers of reinsurance alongside the RAP program for the 2023 hurricane season.

Date of Effect: June 30

HB 5017 — Debt Reduction

House Bill 5017 creates a “Debt Reduction Program” within the SBA to reduce the state’s tax-supported debt by accelerating the retirement of bonds prior to maturity.

Under this law, these funds will go toward paying off outstanding state bonds (other than those of the FDOT or the Florida Turnpike Enterprise).

Date of Effect: July 1

HB 6025 — Emergency Gun Restrictions

House Bill 6025 repeals a provision of state law that automatically imposed firearm-related restrictions during a local state of emergency.

Date of Effect: May 28

HB 6521 — Car Crash Victim

House Bill 6521 seeks to provide relief to Jacob Rodgers, a man who was injured in a car crash back in 2015.

According to the bill, Rodgers had been a passenger in a car when it was struck by another vehicle owned by the city of Gainesville. The bill states that the city employee had run a stop sign, leading to the crash.

As a result, Rodgers suffered spinal fractures that left him paraplegic, the bill notes.

This bill would authorize the city of Gainesville to pay $10.8 million to Rodgers as compensation.

Date of Effect: June 13

HB 7003 — Financial Technology Sandbox

House Bill 7003 removes the scheduled repeal date of a public records exemption under state law.

This exemption applies to sensitive business information held by the state for Financial Technology Sandbox applications.

The exemption was set to be automatically repealed per the Open Government Sunset Review Act on Oct. 2, though this law prevents that from happening.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

HB 7031 — Budget Bill

House Bill 7031 includes the state budget, which also repeals the business rent tax and establishes an annual back-to-school tax holiday for the entire month of August.

In addition, HB 7031 creates a permanent sales-tax exemption for a number of different items within the state to help residents prepare for hurricane season. See the full list of those items here.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 2-C — Illegal Immigration

Senate Bill 2-C creates a State Board of Immigration Enforcement to help coordinate immigration enforcement efforts within the state.

The law also strengthens the state’s response to undocumented immigrants by helping transport these individuals for ICE and requiring new training for local law enforcement.

In addition, this law creates harsher penalties for undocumented immigrants who vote, and requires dangerous offenders who are unauthorized aliens to be given the maximum penalty for felonies.

Date of Effect: Feb. 13

SB 4-C — Illegal Immigration (Cont.)

Senate Bill 4-C establishes a new first-degree felony for adult undocumented immigrants who knowingly enter Florida by avoiding immigration officers.

In addition, the law mandates the death penalty for undocumented immigrants convicted of a capital felony, such as murder.

Date of Effect: Feb. 13

SB 8 — School Bus Crash Victim

Senate Bill 8 provides relief for Marcus Button, a former student at Wesley Chapel High School.

When he was 16 years old, Button was en route to school when a Pasco County school bus pulled out in front of the car he was riding in, sparking a crash that left Button with brain damage, skull fractures and vision loss.

As a result of the incident, the bill authorizes the school board to pay Button $1 million as compensation, along with another $200,000 to his parents.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 10 — Wrongful Conviction Victim

Senate Bill 10 provides relief for Sidney Holmes, a Florida man who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for over 34 years.

Holmes was arrested in 1988 and accused of working with two armed robbers, eventually being sentenced to 400 years in prison.

But in 2023, Holmes was finally released after a nonprofit highlighted errors in the investigation, which led to his exoneration.

As a result, the bill provides over $1.7 million to Holmes as compensation.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 14 — Drowning Victim

Senate Bill 14 provides relief to the estate of Peniel Janvier, who drowned in 2022 after being pushed into a youth center’s community pool in Miami Beach.

According to the bill, lifeguards and city workers failed to notice Janvier being pushed into the pool, ultimately resulting in his death.

As a result, the bill authorizes the city of Miami Beach to pay $1.7 million to Janvier’s estate as compensation.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 20 — Child Sidewalk Victim

Senate Bill 20 provides relief to the mother of “J.N.,” an 11-year-old girl who was severely injured while riding her bicycle on a sidewalk in Hillsborough County back in 2019.

As a result, the law provides $400,000 to J.N.’s mother as compensation and to help cover the girl’s medical expenses.

Date of Effect: June 23

SB 22 — Bowel Blockage Victim

Senate Bill 22 provides relief to the parents of “E.E.M.,” a young boy who died years after being taken to the E.R. at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in 2017.

According to the law, E.E.M. — then 17 months old — appeared to suffer from a severe intestinal blockage or rupture, though hospital staff failed to diagnose him. He later passed away at 7 years old in 2023.

As a result of the incident, the law authorizes the South Broward Hospital District to pay $200,000 to E.E.M.’s parents as compensation.

Date of Effect: June 23

SB 26 — Officer Crash Victims

Senate Bill 26 provides relief to Kristen and Lia McIntosh, sisters whose parents were killed in a 2022 crash in Nassau County.

According to the bill, a state officer was trying to cross I-95 at the time, but in doing so, he drove into the path of a vehicle containing the two sisters and their parents.

The resulting crash killed the officer, as well as seriously injured the sisters and their parents, the bill states.

As a result of the incident, the bill provides over $2.2 million between Kristen and Lia McIntosh as compensation.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 28 — Preeclampsia Victim

Senate Bill 28 provides relief to Darline Angervil and her son “J.R.” following Angervil’s visit to Memorial Hospital West in 2014 during her pregnancy.

According to the law, she was showing symptoms of preeclampsia, though hospital staff improperly treated her. After J.R. was delivered, he suffered from debilitating conditions like cerebral palsy and seizure disorder, among several others.

As a result of the incident, the law authorizes the South Broward Hospital District to pay $6.1 million to Angervil as compensation.

Date of Effect: June 23

SB 56 — Weather Modification

Senate Bill 56 prohibits people from dispersing chemicals or other substances to try to modify the weather, including factors like temperature, climate or sunlight intensity.

This prohibition also extends to geoengineering methods like cloud seeding and Solar Radiation Modification.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 68 — Health Facilities

Senate Bill 68 expands the definition of a “health facility” under state law, extending it to cover certain LLCs that are organized as or otherwise controlled by a nonprofit.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 106 — Exploiting Vulnerable Adults

Senate Bill 106 amends state statutes regarding the abuse of elderly people and disabled adults.

The law allows the use of a substitute service for respondents in these cases whose identities can’t be ascertained due to communicating with a victim through a means that makes tracing their identity “impractical.”

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 108 — Administrative Procedures

Senate Bill 108 amends the Administrative Procedure Act, which acts as a framework for how state agencies can make rules.

Many of these amendments are technical changes for how these agencies must process rulemaking measures going forward.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 112 — Disabled Children

Senate Bill 112 expands services and funding opportunities for children with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Changes under this law include the following:

• Allows a child to remain in the Early Steps program until the beginning of the school year following the child’s fourth birthday
• Provides startup grants for the development of charter schools for autistic children
• Provides grants for specialized summer programs for children with autism
• Provides an autism micro-credential for instructional and child care personnel at no cost to eligible participants
• Requires the Commissioner of Education to review autism-related training curricula and report findings to lawmakers

Date of Effect: May 27

SB 116 — Veteran Healthcare

Senate Bill 116 expands suicide prevention programs to include early recognition of mention health conditions, as opposed to just emergency intervention.

The law also requires the FDVA to set up a plan to establish adult day healthcare facilities serving veterans and their families.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 118 — Presidential Libraries

Senate Bill 118 defers regulation of presidential libraries in the state to the federal government.

As such, local governments may not impose their own rules or regulations on these sorts of libraries under this law.

Date of Effect: June 23

SB 130 — Wrongful Incarceration

Senate Bill 130 amends state statutes regarding compensation for victims of wrongful incarceration.

Under this law, someone who’s been wrongfully incarcerated now has two years to file a petition under those statutes, as opposed to just 90 days.

In addition, the law removes the state’s “Clean Hands” provision, which made someone ineligible for compensation if he/she had been convicted of another felony in the past.

The law also mandates that a dead person’s successors don’t have standing to file a petition on behalf of the dead person.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 150 — Chaining Animals

Senate Bill 150 establishes a new crime under state law regarding animal cruelty.

More specifically, the law makes it a felony to abandon an animal while leaving it chained up during a natural disaster.

Dubbed “Trooper’s Law,” the legislation came about after an abandoned dog was found tied to a fence along I-75 ahead of a hurricane last year. The animal (later nicknamed “Trooper”) had been found in water up to his chest.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 158 — Breast Examinations

Senate Bill 158 prohibits the state group insurance program from imposing any cost-sharing liability for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations in health benefit plans/contracts for state workers.

Date of Effect: Jan. 1, 2026

SB 168 — Mental Illness

Senate Bill 168 — dubbed the “Tristin Murphy Act” — aims to add alternative means for prosecuting defendants with mental illnesses.

Under this law, a defendant who faces certain charges and suffers from mental illness, an intellectual disability, or autism may instead be placed in a diversion program (if this is a feasible alternative to incarceration).

In addition, the law provides legislative intent to give law enforcement officers crisis intervention team training.

The law is named for Tristin Murphy, who took his own life in a Florida prison in 2021 and became the subject of a CBS News documentary that explored the treatment of mentally ill prisoners in the state.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 180 — State Emergencies

Senate Bill 180 makes a variety of changes involving preparation and responses to statewide emergencies.

Some of these new rules are as follows:

• Prohibits counties listed in the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Debby, Hurricane Helene, or Hurricane Milton from adopting additional moratoriums or burdensome regulations in their reviews of development orders before Aug. 1, 2024
• Requires the FDEM to prioritize shelter retrofit funding for projects in places where shelters are in short supply
• Allows the Florida National Guard to provide medical care to military personnel and civilians during emergencies
• Mandates that local governments develop plans for post-storm permitting to expedite recovery after a hurricane

Date of Effect: June 26

SB 248 — Student Sports

Senate Bill 248 allows homeschooled students to participate in interscholastic athletic teams at any public school within their school district.

Similarly, middle- and high-school students at a private school can participate in interscholastic sports at a member public/private school if their own school doesn’t offer their sport of interest.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 262 — Trusts

Senate Bill 262 amends the Florida Trust Code to let trustees modify the terms of a first trust to create or fund a second trust as a way to make distributions to beneficiaries.

Date of Effect: June 20

SB 268 — Public Records (Lawmakers)

Senate Bill 268 creates a public record exemption for state lawmakers, public officers, and their immediate family members.

More specifically, the exemption applies to their partial home addresses and telephone numbers, as well as the personal information of any of their minor children.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 282 — Warranty Associations

Senate Bill 282 revises financial requirements for service warranty and home warranty associations.

Under state law, warranty associations may forego securing liability insurance and complying with premium writing ratios if they meet the following criteria:

• Have a net worth of at least $100 million;
• Provide the OIR with specified audited financial statements; and
• Provide the OIR with specified filings made with the SEC

But this law will instead allow these associations to provide audited financial statements or specified SEC filings, allowing associations that aren’t publicly traded to be eligible for the exemptions.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 296 — School Start Times

Senate Bill 296 addresses a 2023 law that changes start times in Florida schools.

The 2023 law mandated that middle schools could start no earlier than 8 a.m., and high schools could start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. These changes were scheduled to begin on July 1, 2026.

But following blowback, this new law allows school districts to comply with the state statutes by instead submitting a report to the state by June 1, 2026, with the following information:

• Start times for schools in the district
• Considered strategies to implement the later start times
• Explanations for the impact of these later start times, such as financial repercussions
• Identification of any unintended consequences

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 312 — IHMC Corporation

Senate Bill 312 modifies requirements related to the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), Inc.

These changes include requiring the IHMC board of directors to oversee the creation of nonprofit subsidiaries, rather than the Board of Governors.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 316 — Limited Liability Companies

Senate Bill 316 amends the Florida Revised Limited Liability Company Act.

More specifically, the bill would provide for the creation of a protected series LLC under state law.

Date of Effect: July 1, 2026

SB 322 — Squatters Law

Senate Bill 322 allows property owners to ask their local sheriff to remove squatters from their properties.

While a similar law was enacted last year for homeowners, this law extends those rules to protect owners of commercial properties, such as apartment complexes and office buildings.

To do so, these owners must simply submit a complaint form to their local sheriff’s office, and upon verification, deputies will then have to immediately notify the unwanted person that he/she has to leave.

This law also sets forth criminal penalties in line with last year’s law, though property owners will still have to pay the sheriff’s office a civil eviction fee and hourly rate to have a deputy stand by and keep the peace while the person is removed.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 348 — Ethics Laws

Senate Bill 348 adds these two changes to Florida’s ethics laws:

• Add a “stolen valor” provision that prohibits candidates, public officers, and public employees from knowingly making certain fraudulent representations relating to military service
• Expands the Attorney General’s authority to seek wage garnishment for unpaid fines imposed for failure to timely submit a required financial disclosure to also allow wage garnishment for other violations of ethics laws under certain conditions

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 356 — Holocaust Remembrance Day

Senate Bill 356 designates Jan. 27 as “Holocaust Remembrance Day.”

Under the law, public schools can use the occasion to teach students about the harmful impacts of the Holocaust and anti-Semitism, as well as “the positive impacts of the Jewish community on humanity.”

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 384 — State-Owned Lands

Senate Bill 384 amends the procedure for municipal annexation, the process whereby local governments bring new land under their jurisdiction.

The law now requires a local government to notify each member of the local Legislative delegation before the first public hearing on a proposal to annex state-owned lands.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 421 — Peer Support for First Responders

Senate Bill 421 expands the definition of a “first responder” to include law enforcement agency support personnel.

The change gives these personnel the same access to peer support services and ensures they receive the same confidentiality protections as other first responders.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 472 — Inmate Education

Senate Bill 472 requires state officials to coordinate and ensure that inmates who complete classes required to get a license in certain professions actually receive credit toward licensure.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 480 — Nonprofit Agricultural Organizations

Senate Bill 480 would let nonprofit agricultural organizations offer medical benefit plans, though it specifies that such plans don’t actually constitute insurance.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 492 — Mitigation Banks

Senate Bill 492 provides a standard schedule for releasing mitigation credits and gets rid of a rule that the credit release schedule be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 538 — Duty Judges

Senate Bill 538 allows circuit court duty judges to hold hearings in places other than their chambers. These judges are responsible for handling urgent matters outside of regular court hours.

The law also repeals the $1,500 per day limit on fees paid to court-appointed arbitrators.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 582 — Historic Buildings

Senate Bill 582 allows a code enforcement board or special magistrate to impose higher fines for the demolition of a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

To do so, the demolition must have been willful, unpermitted, and not the result of a natural disaster.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 578 — Wine Containers

Senate Bill 578 allows for the sale of wine in any container holding 5.16 gallons, rather than just reusable containers.

Under previous law, wine may also be sold in glass containers holding 4.5 liters, 9 liters, 12 liters, or 15 liters of wine.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 584 — Housing Support

Senate Bill 584 expands housing access and support services for homeless students who are current or former foster youth.

Under this law, Florida state universities must work with the state to develop plans to prioritize the placement of these students in campus housing.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 606 — Restaurants and Hotels

Senate Bill 606 revises several provisions of state law referring to public lodging and food establishments.

More specifically, the law helps these sorts of businesses get rid of certain guests, allowing police to arrest a guest who remains in an establishment after being provided a notice to leave.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 612 — Fatal Drug Dealings

Senate Bill 612 establishes a new category of third-degree murder for those younger than 18 years old who illegally distribute controlled substances that result in an overdose.

The substances covered under this include:

• A Schedule I controlled substance
• Cocaine
• Opium (or a derivative of opium)
• Methadone
• Alfentanil
• Carfentanil
• Fentanyl
• Sufentanil
• Methamphetamine

This new murder category constitutes a second-degree felony.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 678 — Pawnbroker Transaction Forms

Senate Bill 678 allows transaction forms used by pawnbrokers to be in digital format, rather than requiring print format only.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 700 — Omnibus Farming Bill

Senate Bill 700 is an omnibus bill aimed primarily at making changes to the FLDACS, though it would also implement new rules for Florida residents.

Some of the more notable changes are as follows:

• Bans community fluoridation in public water
• Bans the transport and sale of spores that can produce psychedelic mushrooms like psilocybin
• Prohibits banks from discriminating against farmers based on ESG scores
• Prohibits charities from accepting contributions from foreign countries of concern, including places like China, Russia and Iran
• Establishes an “Honest Service Registry” to help state residents make better-informed choices about which charities to support
• Repeals the Consumer Unit Pricing Act, which required sellers to display prices per unit (ex: square foot, pound, fluid ounce) for consumer products
• Allows the state to temporarily suspend a concealed carry license/application if the person is arrested with a disqualifying charge

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 738 — Child Care Facilities

Senate Bill 738 directs the DCF to establish minimum standards for licensing childcare facilities, including classification levels for violations that compromise the health and safety of a child.

In addition, the law makes the following changes:

• Provides for a 45-day provisional-hire status upon a delayed background screening of childcare personnel
• Adjusts training requirements for introductory childcare and CPR
• No longer requires facilities to provide parents with pagers or beepers during drop-in childcare
• Removes requirements for facilities to provide parents with information about influenza and the dangers of a distracted adult leaving a child in a vehicle
• Exempts preschools from special assessments levied by local governments

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 768 — Countries of Concern

House Bill 768 requires a health care provider to ensure that a person or entity with a direct controlling interest in the provider to not also have an interest in an entity that has a business relationship with a foreign country of concern or a scrutinized company.

In Florida, foreign countries of concern include China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria, and Venezuela.

Meanwhile, scrutinized companies are considered those that boycott Israel or have prohibited operations in Cuba, Iran, Sudan or Syria.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 784 — Plat Reviews

Senate Bill 784 requires local governments to review and approve plat submittals through a designated authority.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 796 — Sewage Systems

Senate Bill 796 grants general permits for the replacement of existing sewage treatment systems so long as the permittee conducts proper reporting, annual inspections and recordkeeping.

In addition, the law allows for the installation of a distributed wastewater treatment unit without further action by the DEP so long as the permittee notifies the agency at least 30 days ahead of time.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 830 — Migrant Vessels

Senate Bill 830 prohibits people and firms from leaving a “migrant vessel” in state waters.

Under this law, a “migrant vessel” refers to the following:

“...Irregularly constructed and equipped maritime vessel designed, intended, or used for the purpose of undocumented immigrant transportation, which was built or assembled using or combining makeshift or improvised materials or material components and meets at least one of the following criteria:

1. The vessel was not constructed by a boat manufacturer.

2. The vessel was not assigned a hull identification number."

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 910 — Veteran Benefits

Senate Bill 910 targets unaccredited parties that claim to advise or help veterans with their benefits.

The law bans referral kickbacks and misleading guarantees with regard to benefit outcomes, and it also mandates that anyone offering paid benefits must pass a high-level background check.

In addition, the law provides compensation for benefits advisors who actually help veterans secure a real increase in benefits.

Date of Effect: June 6

SB 940 — Restaurant Reservations

Senate Bill 940 prohibits third-party reservation platforms from selling restaurant reservations without having an agreement with the restaurant in question.

Platforms violating this rule can be penalized with fees of up to $1,000 per violation.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 944 — Insurance Claims

Senate Bill 944 reduces the timeframe for a health insurer or HMO to submit claims to a licensed psychologist.

More specifically, the law reduces that timeframe from 30 months to 12 months.

The law takes effect on July 1, though it applies to claims for services provided starting on Jan. 1, 2026.

Date of Effect: July 1 (Applies to claims provided starting on Jan. 1, 2026)

SB 948 — Flood Disclosures

Senate Bill 948 requires landlords and mobile home park owners to disclose certain details about flood risks and past flooding at the property to prospective tenants.

As such, the law also allows tenants who suffer major flood damage after not being given the disclosure to terminate their lease and receive refunds for advance rents paid.

Furthermore, the law requires that people trying to sell their homes must disclose any flood damage that occurred while they lived there.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 954 — Recovery Residences

Senate Bill 954 requires local governments to streamline rules to make it easier for certified recovery residences (CRRs) to open.

In addition, the law eliminates staffing requirements when patients aren’t present, and it doubles the number of residents that a CRR administrator may oversee if the operator maintains a proper ratio of personnel to residents.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 958 — Diabetes Detection

Senate Bill 958 requires the FDOH to work with local school districts and charter schools to educate families about Type 1 diabetes.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 994 — Driver’s Licenses

Senate Bill 994 mandates that adults applying for a driver’s license must complete a traffic law and substance abuse education course.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1070 — Electrocardiograms

Senate Bill 1070 — dubbed the “Second Chance Act” — requires electrocardiogram (EKG) assessments for student athletes before they can participate in athletics.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1080 — Land Regulations

Senate Bill 1080 amends state statutes involving developer land regulations by local governments.

Under this law, these governments must:

• Specify the minimum information needed for certain zoning applications
• Process applications for development permits within 30 days
• Give refunds to applicants if the government fails to meet certain timeframes when processing applications
• Not limit the number of public hearings held each month if doing so would delay the consideration of an application

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 1102 — School Readiness

Senate Bill 1102 expands the eligibility criteria for children with special needs in the School Readiness program.

Under this law, such children must have their accommodations validated by a licensed health care professional, mental health professional, or educational psychologist.

In addition, the law requires an IEP and an IFSP to determine the child’s eligibility for accommodations.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1156 — Medically Fragile Children

Senate Bill 1156 amends laws relating to the Home Health Aide for Medically Fragile Children program.

These rules involve new training regulations, Medicaid reimbursement rates, and reporting requirements for home health agencies.

Date of Effect: June 23

SB 1168 — Tracking Devices

Senate Bill 1168 amends state statutes regarding tracking devices.

Under this law, anyone who — during the commission of a dangerous crime — places a tracking device on someone’s property without consent to track them is committing a second-degree felony.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 1286 — Harming Children

Senate Bill 1286 amends the definition of “harm and neglect of a child” in state statutes.

The law allows caregivers to let a sufficiently mature child engage in independent, unsupervised activities without automatically considering them harmful or neglectful. This includes:

• Traveling to/from school or nearby locations via bicycle or on foot
• Playing outdoors
• Remaining at home or other places for a “reasonable period of time,” unless doing so endangers the child’s safety

However, the law still considers these actions as harmful if the child is subjected to obvious danger that the caregiver knew or should have known about.

In addition, the law considers a caregiver neglectful is he/she fails to provide the child with the necessary services to maintain the child’s physical and mental health.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1374 — Teacher Misconduct

Senate Bill 1374 aims to improve reporting and accountability regarding teacher arrests/misconduct.

Under this law, school boards must adopt a policy to temporarily remove instructional personnel from classrooms within 24 hours of a felony arrest notification.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1386 — Utility Workers

Senate Bill 1386 is aimed at offenses where someone assaults or batters a utility worker while he/she is working on critical infrastructure.

Under this law, a “utility worker” refers to the following:

“...A person who bears at least one patch, emblem, organizational identification, or other clear marking that is intended to be plainly visible, that identifies the employing or contracting utility, and that clearly identifies the person as a utility worker under contract with or employed by an entity that owns, operates, leases, or controls a plant, property, or facility for the generation, transmission, distribution, or furnishing to or for the public, of electricity, natural or manufactured gas or propane, water, wastewater, telephone, or communications service, including two or more utilities rendering joint service.”

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 1388 — Boater Freedom Act

Senate Bill 1388 — dubbed the “Boater Freedom Act” — establishes that law enforcement officers may not board any vessels or pull a vessel over without probable cause.

This rule takes effect regardless of whether the owner of the vessel is on board, and it means that officers may not pull a vessel over simply to make a safety or marine sanitation equipment inspection.

Instead, the law requires state agencies to create a “Florida Freedom Boater” safety inspection decal for boaters demonstrating proper use and storage of safety equipment.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1402 — Dropout Retrieval Programs

Senate Bill 1402 requires all dropout retrieval programs — programs aimed at helping students who’ve officially withdrawn from high school — to choose between a school improvement rating or a school grade.

In addition, the law requires Virtual Instruction Providers to receive a school grade/improvement rating based on the assessment scores of all students served within those districts.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1430 — Terrorist Seizures

Senate Bill 1430 expands the ability of international terrorism victims under state law to collect a civil judgment against a terrorist or any terrorist agency.

The law allows for the seizure of intangible assets from a terrorist or terrorist agency as part of such a judgment.

Furthermore, the law applies to any postjudgment execution proceeding served, filed before, on, or after July 1.

Date of Effect: May 22

SB 1470 — School Safety

Senate Bill 1470 is aimed at strengthening school safety with a variety of new rules.

Under this law, school security guards must be trained and approved by a sheriff, and their training requirements are aligned with those for school guardians.

In addition, the law allows firearm-detection canines to be employed for school security.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1490 — Children’s Medical Services

Senate Bill 1490 transfers the operation of the Children’s Medical Services Managed Care Plan from the Department of Health to the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Date of Effect: May 23

SB 1514 — Anaphylaxis

Senate Bill 1514 adds requirements to ensure that K-8 schools are equipped to respond to allergic reactions and anaphylaxis.

Under this law, school staff are required to undergo training on how to respond to allergic reactions, including how to administer epinephrine.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1516 — Aerospace Industry

Senate Bill 1516 creates the International Aerospace Innovation Fund to help fund aerospace-related research and development projects in the state.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1546 — Athletic Coaches

Senate Bill 1546 amends state statutes regarding athletic coaches.

Under this law, the date to require a Level 2 background screening for athletic coaches is pushed from Jan. 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026, at the latest.

Furthermore, this law mandates that someone who hasn’t received a background screening may still act as an athletic coach if he/she is directly supervised by another coach who has met the screening requirements.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1620 — Baker Act Changes

Senate Bill 1620 strengthens Florida’s Baker Act, which allows a person to be involuntarily detained and examined if they may be having a mental health crisis and pose a danger to themselves or others.

The law requires that individual treatment plans for people under this act be reevaluated at least once every six months.

In addition, this law requires the state to prioritize licensing for short-term residential treatment facilities in underserved counties and high-need areas.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1622 — Gulf Beach Access

Senate Bill 1622 protects the ability of members of the public to use Gulf Coast beaches for recreational purposes.

More specifically, this law repeals a 2018 law that required local governments to go through a lengthy (and sometimes costly) judicial process to allow recreational customary use on a parcel-by-parcel basis.

In addition, the law gives the DEP the authority to advance restoration work in areas that are declared critically eroded as of August 2024.

Date of Effect: June 24

SB 1640 — Public Records (Lethality Forms)

Senate Bill 1640 creates a public records exemption for lethality assessment forms, which are used to determine a victim’s risk of serious injury or death in domestic violence cases.

Per the Open Government Sunset Review Act, the exemption is set to be repealed on Oct. 2, 2030, unless reenacted by lawmakers.

Date of Effect: May 23

SB 1652 — Public Records (Courts)

Senate Bill 1652 creates a public records exemption for certain information in documents stricken by a court in a noncriminal case.

More specifically, the exemption applies if the court finds that the information is irrelevant, false, defamatory, or could potentially cause unwarranted damage to a person’s reputation.

This sort of material often pops up during vexatious lawsuits, where plaintiffs submit documents that may be considered scandalous or harassing.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1662 — Transportation

Senate Bill 1662 makes several rule changes related to transportation. Some of these new rules include the following:

• Allows certain disabled veterans to receive a special license plate embossed with “DV” in the top left-hand corner
• Prohibits camping on the right-of-way in the Florida State Highway System, except on the Florida National Scenic Trail with an appropriate permit
• Prohibits the FDOT from providing funds to transportation-related entities for projects that are inconsistent with the state’s energy policy
• Requires seaports to submit semiannual reports to the FDOT about their operations
• Prohibits airports from charging new landing fees for aircraft operations related to flight training conducted by certain academic institutions
• Requires airports to provide the FDOT with the opportunity to use certain airport property as a staging area during declared states of emergency

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1678 — Israel Boycotts

Senate Bill 1678 expands the definition of a “boycott of Israel” to include situations where a school has restrictive policies that inhibit academic relationships or research due to ties to Israel.

In addition, the law requires that the SBA — on behalf of the public fund — divest from companies and any other entities that are boycotting Israel.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1730 — Affordable Housing

Senate Bill 1730 amends the Live Local Act regarding zoning and land-use rules to better allow affordable housing developments.

Some of the changes made by this law are as follows:

• Prohibits local governments from requiring amendments to developments of regional impact before allowing development
• Prohibits local governments from requiring a certain amount of residential usage in mixed-use developments
• Requires local governments to reduce parking requirements for proposed developments by 20% if the development meets any of the necessary criteria under current law
• Prohibits local governments from enforcing a building moratorium that would delay the construction of affordable housing developments, with few exceptions

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1768 — Stem Cell Therapy

Senate Bill 1768 allows physicians to perform stem cell therapies that haven’t been approved by the FDA when used for orthopedic conditions, wound care, or pain management.

In these situations, the physician must disclose to the patient that the treatment isn’t approved by the FDA.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 1804 — Human Trafficking

Senate Bill 1804 creates a new crime under state law: Capital Human Trafficking of Vulnerable Persons for Sexual Exploitation.

The crime applies to adults who knowingly start, manage, plan or fund the human trafficking of children under 12 years old and people who are “mentally defective.”

This new crime is considered a capital felony, meaning convictions can result in a life sentence or death penalty.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 1808 — Patient Refunds

Senate Bill 1808 requires health care practitioners to refund a patient’s overpayment within 30 days.

Failure to do so can incur fines of up to $500.

Date of Effect: Jan. 1, 2026

SB 2500 — Appropriations

Senate Bill 2500 provides funding for the state’s expenses for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Some key parts of the budget included paying down state debt and giving many state employees a hike to their pay.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 2502 — Implementing Appropriations

Senate Bill 2502 provides the necessary statutory authority to implement the budget.

However, a key provision in SB 2502 allows the Office of Policy and Budget to review the budgets of local governments to ensure proper spending and prevent waste.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 2504 — Collective Bargaining

Senate Bill 2504 directs the resolution of collective bargaining issues that are at impasse for the 2025-2026 fiscal year regarding state employees.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 2508 — New Judges

Senate Bill 2508 amends state statutes to set up 10 new circuit court judgeships, 17 new county court judgeships, and two new judgeships in the district court of appeal.

The measure comes after the Supreme Court issued an order back in December certifying the need for new judges.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 2510 — Grade School Education

Senate Bill 2510 confirms applicable statutes to appropriations provided for prekindergarten through Grade 12 education in the 2025-2026 budget.

Some of the changes made by this law include requiring the DOE to make recommendations on a Title I performance incentive program and removing new student eligibility for the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts program.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 2514 — Health and Human Services

Senate Bill 2514 conforms state statutes to funding decisions related to the Health and Human Services in the budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 4017 — Bermont Drainage District

Senate Bill 4017 codifies the charter of the Bermont Drainage District, a water-control district that provides services to nearly 3,000 acres in Charlotte County.

The district was created by circuit court decree in 1965, though that decree was set to expire in March. As a result, this law ratifies the decree retroactively, meaning it remains in effect.

Date of Effect: June 24

SB 4021 — North River Ranch District

Senate Bill 4021 amends the boundaries of the North River Ranch Improvement Stewardship District, an independent special district in Manatee County.

More specifically, this law adds around 640 acres to the district’s boundaries.

Date of Effect: June 24

SB 4059 — Sunbridge District

Senate Bill 4059 amends the boundaries of the Sunbridge Stewardship District, an independent special district in Osceola County.

More specifically, this law annexes land in the city of Orlando into the boundaries of the district, increasing its size by over 7,300 acres.

Date of Effect: June 24

SB 4061 — West Villages District

Senate Bill 4061 revises the charter of the West Villages Improvement District, an independent special district in Sarasota County.

More specifically, this law adds a process to the charter for transitioning from a landowner-elected board to a board elected by voters in the district.

In addition, the law removes requirements that the district get permission from the city of North Port or Sarasota County to obtain real property or exercise eminent domain.

Date of Effect: June 24

SB 7000 — Public Records (Endangered Species)

Senate Bill 7000 keeps in place a public records exemption for site-specific location information about endangered and threatened species.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 7004 — Public Records (Housing Programs)

Senate Bill 7004 keeps in place a public records exemption for personal information and photographs of properties belonging to someone is a presidentially declared disaster-related federal, state or local housing assistance program.

The exemption applies to records held by the Department of Commerce, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, a local government, or a local housing finance agency.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 7006 — Public Records (911)

Senate Bill 7006 keeps a public records exemption for building plans, blueprints and diagrams that show the structural elements of 911 infrastructure.

This applies to towers, antennas, equipment, and facilities used to provide 911, E911, or public safety radio communication services.

Date of Effect: May 23

SB 7010 — Public Records (Insurers)

Senate Bill 7010 keeps in place a public record exemption for insolvent insurers whose information is held by the Department of Financial Services.

Per state statutes, the exemption was slated to be automatically repealed on Oct. 2, though this law will allow it to remain.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 7012 — Child Welfare

Senate Bill 7012 requires the DCF to create a CPI and case manager recruitment program for people with prior public safety and service experience.

In addition, the law mandates that the DCF create a pilot program for treatment foster care. This program aims to introduce a “short-term, family-like placement option” for children in foster care who have high resource indicators.

Lastly, the law requires specialized training for foster parents and 24-hour on-call workers to provide crisis intervention services if needed.

Date of Effect: July 1

SB 7018 — Public Records (Abortions)

Senate Bill 7018 keeps in place a public record exemption for personal information of a minor who is petitioning for a judicial waiver of parental consent under the Parental Notice of and Consent for Abortion Act.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 7020 — Public Records (Cybersecurity)

Senate Bill 7020 keeps in place a public record exemption involving a state agency’s cybersecurity program.

This exemption covers portions of reports like risk assessments and evaluations that would allow someone to get unauthorized access to data, information or IT resources of a state agency.

Date of Effect: Oct. 1

SB 7022 — Retirement

Senate Bill 7022 establishes the contribution rates paid by employers that participate in the Florida Retirement System.

These modifications are expected to bring in over $300 million more revenue to the FRS Trust Fund annually.

Date of Effect: July 1