TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed 14 new bills into law, adding to the huge swathe of legislation approved this year.
This latest batch of laws involves reform for condominium associations in the state, new rules for affordable housing developments, and a few payouts for victims of accidents.
In addition, a handful of these laws are set to take effect on July 1, alongside over 100 other laws. For the full list of these upcoming laws, click here.
Meanwhile, the full list of Monday’s new laws is as follows:
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.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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.
The law is set to take effect on 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
The law is set to take effect on 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
The law is set to take effect on July 1.
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.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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.
The law took effect upon being signed.
SB 20 — Child Sidewalk Victim
Senate Bill 20 provides relief to the mother of “J.N.,” a young girl who was severely injured while riding her bicycle back in 2019.
According to the law, J.N. — then 11 years old — was riding on a sidewalk maintained by Hillsborough County, but she hit an even patch of the sidewalk, causing her to tumble down a steep slope next to the sidewalk.
As the law states, J.N. then careened face-forward over the bicycle’s handlebars into a metal drainage culvert pipe, severely damaging her jaw and tearing out several teeth.
The incident necessitated emergency treatment and plastic surgery, and she must now wait until her bones finish growing to receive a much-needed bone graft.
In addition, the law says that necessary repairs hadn’t been performed on that stretch of the sidewalk nor the culvert system, the latter of which had become jagged and rusted.
As a result, the law provides $400,000 to J.N.’s mother as compensation and to help cover the girl’s medical expenses.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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 — was taken to the hospital due to an “intermittent cough, irritability, and a decreased oral intake.”
However, E.E.M. was discharged that same day, though his condition worsened in the days to follow, the bill states. After exhibiting a distended abdomen and going over a week without a bowel movement, the hospital finally discovered he was suffering from a small bowel obstruction.
“Although E.E.M.’s symptoms, laboratory values, and radiological and other clinical findings were consistent with an intestinal blockage or rupture, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital medical staff failed to appropriately evaluate and diagnose E.E.M.’s condition,” the law reads.
E.E.M. was eventually transferred to another hospital for treatment, but he suffered “horrific” injuries as a result of his condition, the law says. In 2023, he passed away at 7 years old.
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.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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.
According to the law, Angervil was over 30 weeks pregnant at the time with J.R., and she was showing symptoms of preeclampsia.
While Angervil was initially given magnesium sulfate to help with her condition, an order was later given to discontinue the magnesium sulfate, and her condition worsened until an emergency cesarean section was performed, the law states.
J.R. was ultimately delivered, though he appeared “cyanotic” and “essentially lifeless,” requiring resuscitation and treatment, the law notes. He was later found to suffer from several debilitating conditions, including cerebral palsy, dysphagia, leukomalacia, seizure disorder, esophagitis and mobility impairment.
Years later, Angervil filed legal action against the South Broward Hospital District, alleging “negligence of the district in failing to meet the standard of care for the monitoring, the evaluation of both Ms. Angervil and J.R., and the timely notification of medical specialists regarding the change in Ms. Angervil’s medical condition.”
As a result of the incident, the law authorizes the South Broward Hospital District to pay $6.1 million to Angervil as compensation.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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.
The law took effect upon being signed.
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
The law is set to take effect on July 1.
Meanwhile, other batches of bills recently signed into law by DeSantis include the following:
- June 20 — Weather Modification
- June 17 — Aerospace Industry
- June 13 — New Highway Designations
- June 11 — South Florida
- June 10 — Sex Crime Crackdown
- June 9 — Auburndale Park
- June 6 — Oviedo Special Zone
- June 5 — Boating Crimes
- June 3 — Sewer Systems
- May 30 — New School Laws
- May 29 — Big Gun Law
- May 28 — Animal Cruelty Laws
- May 27 — Sexual Images
- May 23 — Cryptocurrency Debts
- May 22 — Execution Methods
- May 21 — Swatting Crackdown
- May 20 — Disability History
- May 19 — Motor Crimes
- May 15 — Massive Farming Bill
- May 2 — Citizen Amendment Petitions
- April 29 — Surrendered Infants
- April 18 — Pet Insurance
- April 14 — Gulf of America