ORLANDO, Fla. – After a busy legislative session, well over 100 bills were passed that now await Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature.
However, 24 bills have already been approved by the governor as of Friday, with many of these new laws set to take effect later this year.
You can find the full list below. Be sure to check back, as News 6 will update this list as more laws are signed.
HB 91 — Candidate Qualification
House Bill 91 requires that someone who wants to run for office must affirm that he/she hasn’t changed his/her name in the year prior to qualification, with few exceptions.
DATE OF EFFECT: April 1
SB 212 — Sex Offenders
Senate Bill 212 amends state statutes regarding sexual offenders and predators in the state.
Under this law, those convicted of certain sex offenses against children 16 years of age or younger may not live within 1,000 feet of a public swimming pool.
[BELOW: Florida attorney general unveils Sanford ‘house of horrors’]
Current law already prohibits these sorts of sex offenders from living near schools, childcare facilities, parks and playgrounds, though this bill cracks down even harder via the following rules:
- Contacting Children: Such offenders may be arrested without a warrant if they knowingly contact a minor at any park, playground or public swimming pool.
- School Grounds: Such offenders may be arrested without a warrant if they’re purposefully present in any pre-K-12 school while the school is still in operation, with few exceptions.
- Prowling Offenders: The bill increases the restricted distance for loitering and prowling by such sex offenders from 300 feet to 500 feet of places where children congregate.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
HB 245 — Child Pornography
House Bill 245 replaces the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” under state law.
This shift does not change any other elements of the law, including offenses related to child pornography.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
HB 249 — State Flagship
House Bill 249 redesignates the official state flagship.
More specifically, the law replaces the current state flagship (the schooner Western Union) with the S.S. American Victory.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
[BELOW: New Florida bill could change meaning of ‘criminal gang member’]
SB 288 — Electric Cooperatives
Senate Bill 288 revises a state statute that prohibits certain bylaws, tariffs and policies from being used by rural electric cooperatives.
Under this law, the statute is limited to only those cooperatives that sell electricity at retail.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
SB 290 — FDACS
Senate Bill 290 makes a number of changes to state law related to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
Some of these changes include a prohibition on local governments from banning gas-powered landscape equipment, and criminal penalties for those receiving unauthorized help on a CDL exam.
You can read a list of more changes here.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
SB 302 — Coastal Resiliency
Senate Bill 302 prohibits any dredging or filling of submerged lands at the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, with some exceptions provided for public safety and environmental protection.
This law is also expected to streamline the permitting process for nature-based methods aimed at improving coastal resiliency, helping to accelerate restoration timelines.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
SB 386 — Farm Equipment
Senate Bill 386 sets up a process for consumers and manufacturers to remedy defective farm equipment.
If farm equipment is defective, this law lets buyers report the defect to the manufacturer during the warranty period or the one-year period after the original delivery date of the farm equipment.
The law also requires the manufacturer to either replace or refund any defective farm equipment.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
HB 399 — Development Regulations
House Bill 399 requires application fees for development permits to be reasonably related to the costs associated with processing the application and prohibits fees based on a percentage of project costs.
The legislation also mandates that each local government’s land development regulations must include factors for assessing compatibility of residential uses.
DATE OF EFFECT: March 27
HB 445 — Dangerous Crimes
House Bill 445 adds certain offenses dealing with child exploitation and certain kinds of computer porn to the list of dangerous crimes under Florida law.
This means that someone arrested for one of these offenses can’t be given nonmonetary pretrial release at a first appearance hearing.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
HB 569 — Forensic Client Services
House Bill 569 allows the Agency for Persons with Disabilities to house non-forensic clients and forensic clients within the same wards in secure APD facilities.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
SB 572 — Public Ethics
Senate Bill 572 revises the term “relative” in the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees to include foster parents and foster children.
DATE OF EFFECT: April 1
HB 697 — Drug Prices
House Bill 697 makes it unlawful for a PBM to force a pharmacy to take a loss when dispensing a drug or to reimburse a nonaffiliated pharmacy less than an affiliated pharmacy.
Furthermore, the law requires PBMs to allow in-network pharmacies to submit consolidated appeals comprised of multiple adjudicated claims featuring identical drugs, day supplies, and dates of service.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
SB 844 — Sickle Cell Disease
Senate Bill 844 requires that the standard continuing education course on prescribing controlled substances include information regarding the treatment of pain for patients with sickle cell disease.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
HB 919 — Donald Trump Airport
House Bill 919 preempts to the state the ability to name major commercial service airports.
More specifically, the bill renames the Palm Beach International Airport as the “President Donald J. Trump International Airport.”
All other major airports, including the Orlando International Airport, may keep their current names for now.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
[BELOW: New Florida law could let lawmakers rename Orlando airport]
HB 991 — Elections
House Bill 991 makes several revisions to the Florida Election Code, including:
- Driver’s License: Requires the state to include a person’s legal status on any new, replacement or renewal driver’s licenses and ID cards
- Voter Oath: Voter registration applicants must affirm that they are U.S. citizens and may face criminal penalties for perjury if that is not the case
- Forms of ID: Debit/credit cards, student IDs, retirement center IDs, neighborhood association IDs, and public assistance IDs are no longer acceptable forms of identification for voters
- Campaign Contributions: Political parties and candidates may not willfully accept a contribution from a foreign national in connection with any election held in the state.
- Federal Courts: Requires the state to provide voter registration lists to federal courts to aid in their jury selection process, and requires those courts to provide the state with information about voters being ineligible due to convictions, death, or being a non-U.S. citizen
- Statute of Limitations: Creates a five-year statute of limitations for the prosecution of a felony under the Election Code
- New Penalties: Provides new fines and penalties for those who violate the law of involvement of foreign nationals in state elections
- Early Voting: Election supervisors must use local time when uploading the results of all early voting and vote-by-mail ballots by 7 p.m. the day before the election
DATE OF EFFECT: Jan. 1, 2027
HB 1153 — Juvenile Justice
House Bill 1153 includes “juvenile detention officers” and “juvenile probation officers” in multiple state statutes related to correctional officers.
This allows such positions to be eligible for a Medal of Heroism or Valor, as well as subjects a person to first-degree aggravated manslaughter if he/she causes such an officer to die through culpable negligence.
DATE OF EFFECT: March 30
HB 1159 — Sexual Offenses
House Bill 1159 sets up harsher penalties for various sexual offenses. These changes include:
- CSAM: Replacing the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” in Florida statutes
- Harsher Penalties: Increases penalties for use of a child in a sexual performance; possession and transmission of child porn; creation of generated child porn; possession of a child-like doll; and certain sex acts involving animals
- Mandatory Sentencing: Adults must receive a mandatory minimum sentence for certain offenses related to using children in sexual performances and transmitting child porn
- Repeat Offenders: Raises mandatory minimum sentences for certain repeat sex offenders
- Life Felony: Creates a life felony for aggravated use of a child under 12 years old in a sexual performance
- Generated Child Porn: Creates a second-degree felony for transmitting generated child pornography
- No Pets: Prohibits anyone convicted of certain sex offenses involving animals from owning or working with animals for at least five years
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
HB 1417 — Department of Environmental Protection
House Bill 1417 repeals the Environmental Regulation Commission, which is expected to streamline rulemaking for environmental protection.
This law also requires erosion and sediment control plans for the construction of solar facilities to include stormwater best management practices.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
HB 1443 — Parkinson’s Disease Registry
House Bill 1443 requires the Florida Institute for Parkinson’s Disease at USF to set up a statewide Parkinson’s disease registry.
Under this legislation, physicians who diagnose a patient with Parkinson’s disease must report nationally recognized performance measures to the registry beginning on Jan. 1, 2027.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
[BELOW: Here’s what to know about Florida’s ‘license plate’ law]
HB 1445 — Public Records (Parkinson’s Disease Registry)
House Bill 1445 creates a public record exemption for patient-identifying information held in the Parkinson’s disease registry set up by HB 1443.
The exemption will be repealed on Oct. 2, 2031, unless reenacted by lawmakers.
DATE OF EFFECT: July 1
SB 7006 — Public Records (Florida PSC)
Senate Bill 7006 continues a public records exemption for for portions of hearings conducted by the Florida Public Service Commission.
More specifically, this exemption extends to proprietary confidential business information that is already exempt under state law.
DATE OF EFFECT: April 1
HB 7011 — Public Records (Aquaculture)
House Bill 7011 continues a public records exemption for certain aquaculture records held by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
That exemption refers to the following:
- Shellfish receiving and production records generated by licensed shellfish processing facilities
- Audit records and supporting documentation required for submerged land leases
- Aquaculture production records and receipts generated by certified aquaculture facilities
DATE OF EFFECT: March 27
SB 7016 — Public Records (Loan Programs)
Senate Bill 7016 continues a public records exemption for certain details held by an economic development agency pursuant to the administration of a state/federally funded small business loan program.
More specifically, the exemption protects tax returns, financial information and credit information.
DATE OF EFFECT: April 1