TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The latest Legislative session is set to come to a close this week, though lawmakers have already filed hundreds of bills for consideration.
But of these hundreds of bills, only a handful or so have actually been approved by both the state House and Senate.
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As of Tuesday evening, there are 70 bills that have been passed by both chambers of the Legislature. They now await Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature, meaning that any of these bills could be the first new Florida law in 2026.
According to Legislative analysts, these bills are as follows:
HB 33 — New Road Names
House Bill 33 renames the following roadways in Florida:
- Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue — The portion of State Road 985 between Southwest 24th Street and State Road 90 in Miami-Dade County
- President Donald J. Trump Boulevard — The portion of State Road 870 between West Tradewinds Avenue and the eastern end of Commercial Boulevard in Broward County
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Under this bill, the FDOT must erect suitable markers for these new designations.
If approved, HB 33 takes effect on July 1.
HB 47 — Medical Diagnoses
House Bill 47 lets parents whose child is removed from their home by the DCF ask for a second medical evaluation (or a compilation of differential diagnoses) within five days of an initial examination.
The healthcare practitioner who performs the second evaluation must submit a written report to both the DCF and the parents within 10 days.
Furthermore, the bill allows the DCF to delay forwarding allegations of criminal conduct to law enforcement pending the outcome of the child protection investigation if the parent alleges the child has a certain preexisting condition or asks for a second evaluation.
If approved, HB 47 takes effect on July 1.
HB 89 — Veterinary Prescriptions
House Bill 89 requires licensed veterinarians to clearly inform clients of their right to receive a written prescription for medication that can be filled at the pharmacy of a client’s choice.
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The bill also mandates that if the veterinary clinic is able to fill the prescription, the vet should disclose that option to the client, as well.
If approved, HB 89 takes effect on July 1.
HB 91 — Candidate Qualifications
House Bill 91 provides that someone’s compliance with the 365-day party affiliation requirement can be challenged in court by a qualified candidate in the same race.
That requirement mandates that candidates must have been registered members of their political party for 365 days before the beginning of the qualifying period preceding the general election.
If approved, HB 91 takes effect immediately.
HB 131 — Estate Curators
House Bill 131 amends the state’s Probation Code, which outlines how estates may be administrated.
More specifically, the bill modifies provisions like curator bond requirements and when courts may appoint curators.
If approved, HB 131 takes effect on July 1.
HB 175 — Stablecoin Payment
House Bill 175 creates a regulatory framework for issuers of “payment stablecoin,” a type of cryptocurrency that’s typically pegged to a currency like the U.S. dollar to maintain stability.
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The bill requires money services businesses to obtain a license from the Office of Financial Regulation to issue payment stablecoin.
If approved, HB 175 takes effect immediately.
HB 177 — CCCRC
House Bill 177 allows a court to appoint the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Council (CCCRC) from a different region, rather than a private attorney, to represent an indigent defendant in a capital case under certain circumstances.
If approved, HB 177 takes effect on July 1.
HB 199 — Veterans Affairs
House Bill 199 allows eligible defendants to be placed into a veterans treatment court with the approval of the court — no longer needing approval by the state attorney.
If approved, HB 199 takes effect on July 1.
HB 249 — State Flagship
House Bill 249 redesignates the official state flagship, which is currently the schooner Western Union.
Under this bill, that would be replaced with the S.S. American Victory.
If approved, HB 249 takes effect on July 1.
HB 253 — Dental Care
House Bill 253 expands eligibility for the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program.
The bill accomplishes this by providing explicit statutory authorization for the program to provide services to veterans with incomes of up to 400% of the federal poverty level.
If approved, HB 253 takes effect on July 1.
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HB 271 — Bail Bonds
House Bill 271 subjects foreign and alien bail bond insurers doing business in Florida to the same reporting requirements as domestic bail bond insurers.
If approved, HB 271 takes effect on July 1.
HB 277 — Domestic Violence
House Bill 277 enhances domestic violence penalties if the suspect has already been convicted of that crime in the past.
The bill also increases the funding amount for relocation assistance claims for victims of domestic violence from $1,500 to $2,500 for a single claim (lifetime maximum bumped from $3,000 to $5,000).
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Furthermore, the bill adds threatening to kill/injure a family pet and the existence of a military protective order to the list of factors that judges can consider when determining whether to grant a domestic violence injunction.
If approved, HB 277 takes effect on July 1.
SB 290 — FDACS
Senate Bill 290 makes several changes related to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), including:
- Prohibits local governments from enacting a local policy to restrict the use of gas-powered farm or landscape equipment
- Adds criminal penalties for receiving or providing unauthorized help on a commercial drive license exam
- Adds penalties for contractors who fail to timely compensate their subcontractors and suppliers
- Prohibits the possession, use, and sale of signal jamming devices
- Increases insurance requirements and maximum fine amounts for fumigation providers
- Prohibits commercial solicitation on properties that comply with ‘no solicitation’ signage requirements and provides penalties for violators
If approved, SB 290 takes effect on July 1.
HB 325 — Inmate Development
House Bill 325 expands the scope of career and technical education (CTE) programs that are allowed under the Correctional Education Program.
In addition, the bill allows the development and implementation of a CTE curriculum to train and license inmates to operate commercial motor vehicles.
If approved, HB 325 takes effect on July 1.
HB 359 — Search Warrants
House Bill 359 generally requires law enforcement agencies to return a search warrant to the issuing court within 10 days, except for the following scenarios:
- 20 days if the search warrant is issued to an out-of-state provider for electronic communications data
- 30 days if the search warrant is issued to search for and seize specimens for DNA analysis or entry into the DNA database
- 365 days if the search warrant is issued for a computer, computer system, or electronic device
If approved, HB 359 takes effect on July 1.
HB 397 — Pretrial Release
House Bill 397 creates a new criminal offense for willfully violating a condition of pretrial release relating to a no-contact order with a victim.
This charge can be brought about if the suspect was arrested for crimes like murder, assault, battery, stalking, kidnapping, sexual battery, robbery, or false imprisonment.
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Violations under this bill are punishable as a first-degree misdemeanor (subsequent violations are treated as third-degree felonies).
If approved, HB 397 takes effect on Oct. 1.
HB 429 — Criminal Gangs
House Bill 429 will add the following criteria to the definition of a “criminal gang member” under state law:
- Admits in person or online that he/she is a criminal gang member
- Is identified or claimed by a criminal gang as one of its members
- Is identified as a criminal gang member by a spouse living with the person
- Has been seen with one or more known criminal gang members at least two times
- Has authored any communication indicating gang affiliation or activity, or accepted responsibility for the commission of any crime by a criminal gang member
- Uses gang-related language in furtherance of criminal gang-related activity online
If approved, HB 429 takes effect on Oct. 1.
HB 441 — Conservation Lands
House Bill 441 requires that when a water management district considers selling conservation lands, the governing board publish the following information at least 30 days before meeting:
- The district-owned parcels of land for sale or proposed for exchange
- The privately owned parcels proposed for exchange
- The portions of those parcels that will be preserved in a permanent conservation easement
- A statement from the district explaining why those lands are no longer needed for conservation purposes
If approved, HB 441 takes effect on July 1.
HB 445 — Dangerous Crimes
House Bill 445 adds any violation related to computer pornography and child exploitation to the list of dangerous crimes under state law.
As such, anyone arrested for such an offense may not be granted nonmonetary pretrial release at a first appearance hearing under this bill.
If approved, HB 445 takes effect on July 1.
HB 453 — High School Diploma
House Bill 453 allows students with disabilities to substitute one school year of participation in the Special Olympics for the P.E. requirement for a standard high school diploma.
Furthermore, the bill revises high school graduation requirements to specify that completion of two years of marching band satisfies both the one-credit requirements in P.E. and performing arts.
If approved, HB 453 takes effect on July 1.
HB 461 — Poll Volunteers
House Bill 461 provides that the prohibition on the use of private funds for election-related expenses doesn’t ban high school students who are registered to vote from volunteering to help poll workers for the purpose of receiving community service hours for high school graduation requirements.
If approved, HB 461 takes effect on July 1.
HB 477 — Drug Paraphernalia
House Bill 477 expands the type of narcotic-drug-testing products that are currently excluded from the definition of “drug paraphernalia.”
More specifically, the bill excludes products that are solely used to determine whether a controlled substance contains xylazine.
If approved, HB 477 takes effect on July 1.
HB 491 — Batterers’ Intervention
House Bill 491 allows Batterers’ Intervention Programs (BIP) to offer supplemental faith-based activities as a voluntary service to participants referred to a BIP by court order or by consent for acts of domestic violence.
If approved, HB 491 takes effect on July 1.
HB 559 — Animal Welfare
House Bill 559 establishes a new third-degree felony if an adult causes a minor to commit any of the following:
- aggravated animal cruelty
- fighting or baiting animals
- sexual activities involving animals
The bill also requires children who commit animal cruelty to undergo a psychological evaluation and possibly receive specified counseling or treatment.
If approved, HB 559 takes effect on Oct. 1.
HB 561 — Educator Preparation
House Bill 561 makes it easier for teachers whose licenses expired to get back into the classroom, but without having to retake subject area exams that have already been passed.
The bill also gives these educators a temporary license so that they can work and earn the classes or training hours they need, and it sets up free training to help them renew or fix their license.
If approved, HB 561 takes effect on July 1.
HB 565 — Disabilities
House Bill 565 requires the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) to recognize Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome as a qualifying condition for APD services, including the iBudget waiver.
The bill also requires all employees (as opposed to just managers and supervisors) of APD-licensed adult day training and residential facilities to undergo a level 2 background screening.
If approved, HB 565 takes effect on July 1.
HB 569 — Forensic Client Services
House Bill 569 allows the APD to house non-forensic clients and forensic clients within the same wards in secure APD facilities.
If approved, HB 569 takes effect on July 1.
HB 655 — Public Records (Attorney Meetings)
House Bill 655 establishes a public meeting exemption for when government boards meet privately with their lawyers about certain property-rights complaints before a lawsuit is filed.
However, these boards must still tell the public when such a meeting will happen and keep a full record, but these records are exempt from the public until the case is settled or the deadline to sue runs out.
If approved, HB 655 takes effect on July 1.
HB 753 — School Counselors
House Bill 753 exempts prospective school counselors from certain professional preparation and educational competence requirements otherwise imposed on classroom teachers by state law.
However, the bill clarifies that individual school districts may still require these requirements as a condition of employment for school counselors.
If approved, HB 753 takes effect on July 1.
HB 797 — Nonprofits
House Bill 797 revises the Florida Not For Profit Corporation Act to conform with the Model Nonprofit Corporation Act and the Florida Business Corporation Act.
If approved, HB 797 takes effect on July 1.
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HB 809 — Temporary Certificates
House Bill 809 allows health care practitioners who hold temporary certificates for practice in an “area of critical need” to continue providing primary care services in that area even if it loses that designation.
If approved, HB 809 takes effect immediately.
HB 867 — Dry Needling
House Bill 867 allows occupational therapists to perform dry needling, and establishes minimum experience, education, and training requirements to do so.
If approved, HB 867 takes effect on July 1.
HB 883 — Insurance Companies
House Bill 883 allows protected cell captive insurance companies to operate and be domiciled in Florida.
A protected cell is a separate account established by such a company, which segregates a participant’s assets and liabilities from those of other participants.
If approved, HB 883 takes effect on July 1.
HB 893 — Trust Fund Interest
House Bill 893 allows a financial institution to hold funds in interest-bearing trust accounts of lawyers or law firms (“IOTAs”).
Under the bill, these institutions must remit any interests or dividends earned on IOTAs to entities established by the Florida Supreme Court to provide free legal services to low-income individuals.
If approved, HB 893 takes effect on July 1.
HB 895 — Trustee Settlement
House Bill 895 establishes a summary procedure for trustee liability and claims discharge under the Florida Trust Code.
This applies to non-adversarial irrevocable trust administrations where the trustee has substantially complied with certain trustee duties, negating the need for judicial process to achieve such discharge.
If approved, HB 895 takes effect immediately.
HB 913 — Inmate Services
House Bill 913 requires money in the Contractor-Operated Institutions Welfare Trust Fund to be used exclusively for programs to help inmates reintegrate back into society, as well as environmental/health upgrades in contractor-operated institutions.
If approved, HB 913 takes effect on July 1.
HB 915 — Medical Assistance
House Bill 915 codifies the Working People with Disabilities Program to let adults with developmental disabilities employed and enrolled in a Medicaid home and community-based services waiver to have increased income and asset limits while enrolled in the Medicaid program.
This will allow such individuals to work while maintaining Medicaid eligibility.
If approved, HB 915 takes effect immediately.
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.
If approved, HB 919 takes effect on July 1.
HB 927 — Land Planning
House Bill 927 requires certain local governments to create a registry of qualified contractors to conduct pre-application reviews of plans, permits or plats submitted as part of compliance with a local government’s land development regulations.
If approved, HB 927 takes effect on July 1.
HB 961 — Electronic Signatures
House Bill 961 requires that insurance companies implement secure control processes and procedures for electronic signatures that are acceptable to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
If approved, HB 961 takes effect on July 1.
HB 967 — Electronic Payments
House Bill 967 requires local governments to accept the following forms of payment:
- Credit cards
- Charge cards
- Bank debit cards
- Electronic funds transfers (EFTs)
If approved, HB 967 takes effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
HB 1069 — Background Screenings
House Bill 1069 makes several changes to background screenings in the state, including:
- Prohibits a person from acting as an athletic coach if he/she doesn’t pass specified background screening qualifications
- Specifies that volunteers required to undergo such background screenings are limited to volunteer coach, assistance coach, manager, or referee for a youth athletic team
- Prohibits a person from denying or failing to acknowledge arrests covered by expunged or sealed criminal records if he/she is screened through the Clearinghouse by a qualified entity
If approved, HB 1069 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1081 — Cybersecurity
House Bill 1081 requires Cyber Florida at the University of South Florida to develop a Cybersecurity Experiential Learning Program.
If approved, HB 1081 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1093 — Vertiports
House Bill 1093 amends state statutes to specifically include vertiports and charging systems as qualifying projects for funding under public-private partnerships between state and private entities.
Furthermore, the bill allows the FDOT to fund all of the project costs of a public vertiport if federal funds aren’t available.
If approved, HB 1093 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1103 — Vessel Restrictions
House Bill 1103 allows local governments to authorize a code enforcement officer to administer the provision of law concerning vessels at risk of becoming derelict on state waters.
This can be done by way of local ordinances.
If approved, HB 1103 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1115 — Genetic Counseling
House Bill 1115 creates the Genetic Counseling Education Enhancement Grant Program in the State University System to support the development of graduate genetic counseling programs.
If approved, HB 1115 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1137 — Alcoholic Beverage Taxes
House Bill 1137 allows alcoholic beverage distributors to take a deduction from alcoholic beverage excise taxes for standard product losses, including breakage, spoilage, evaporation, and expiration.
If approved, HB 1137 takes effect immediately.
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.
If approved, HB 1153 takes effect immediately.
HB 1159 — Sexual Offenses
House Bill 1159 establishes new crimes and revises penalties for various other sexual offenses.
More specifically, the bill:
- Increases penalties for use of a child in a sexual performance, possession/transmission of child porn, creation of child porn, possession of a child-like sex doll, and certain sex acts involving animals
- Increases mandatory minimum sentences for certain repeat sex offenders
- Creates a life felony for aggravated use of a child in a sexual performance when a child is under 12
- Creates a second-degree felony for transmitting generated child porn
- Prohibits someone convicted of specified sex offenses involving animals from owning or working with animals for at least five years
If approved, HB 1159 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1175 — Safety Standards
House Bill 1175 requires that safety design standards for office surgical suites be included in the Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code.
This is so that physicians can provide services or treatment simultaneously for up to six patients who, due to treatment, anesthesia, illness or injury, are unable to take action for self-preservation during an emergency without the help of others.
If approved, HB 1175 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1201 — Epilepsy Training
House Bill 1201 clarifies that charter schools are also required to provide epilepsy and seizure disorder care and training, not just public schools.
Furthermore, the bill clarifies that any school employee whose duties include regular contact with a student who has a seizure/epilepsy disorder on file by an ISAP must complete training in the care for such students.
If approved, HB 1201 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1219 — Spoil Island
House Bill 1219 designates a mangrove island within Jupiter Sound as the “Andrew ‘Red’ Harris Spoil Island.”
The island would be named for Andrew “Red” Harris, a native of Jupiter who started his own insurance brokerage agency in 2011 and was killed in a boating accident roughly three years later.
If approved, HB 1219 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1245 — Biosolids Management (AA)
House Bill 1245 creates new regulations for Class AA biosolids.
If approved, HB 1245 takes effect on Nov. 1.
HB 1285 — Biosolids Management (Permits)
House Bill 1285 prohibits the DEP from issuing or renewing land application site permits that allow the disposal or land application of septage as Class B biosolids if there is a permitted wastewater treatment facility within 30 miles of the site that accepts septage for higher levels of treatment.
If approved, HB 1285 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1293 — Fraudulent Entry
House Bill 1293 creates the crime of fraudulent entry of a residential dwelling unit, a third-degree felony.
This applies in situations where someone enters and takes possession of a home by lying about his/her identity in a rental application; presenting counterfeit documents to the landlord; or impersonating someone else whose name is submitted on a rental application to the landlord.
If approved, HB 1293 takes effect on Oct. 1.
HB 1311 — Legal Tender
House Bill 1311 ratifies rules promulgated by the Department of Financial Services and the Office of Financial Regulation in order for HB 999 (2025) to take effect.
HB 999 designates qualifying gold and silver coin as legal tender.
If approved, HB 1311 takes effect immediately.
HB 1337 — Estate Authority
House Bill 1337 amends several provisions of Florida law to reduce the necessity for court involvement or formal proceedings in the distribution of a decedent.
More specifically, this bill does the following:
- Gives a personal representative more authority with respect to a decedent’s safe deposit box
- Expressly allows a personal representative to institute a proceeding to enforce his/her authority as personal representative
- Increases the amounts of what Florida law considers “small estates,” such that procedures other than formal probate proceedings may be instituted to dispose of the subject property under certain conditions
If approved, HB 1337 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1343 — Insurance Customer Representative
House Bill 1343 provides that anyone who has earned a high school diploma in Florida satisfies the education requirement for an insurance customer representative’s license.
This only applies if the person has completed a course in insurance and personal finance as part of the curriculum.
If approved, HB 1343 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1347 — Lab Personnel
House Bill 1347 revises current state requirements for performing moderate- or high-complexity laboratory testing by adopting federal laboratory personnel qualifications as the minimum licensure requirements for technologists and technicians to perform such testing.
If approved, HB 1347 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1405 — Missing Persons
House Bill 1405 reestablishes the Missing Persons with Special Needs Statewide Project.
The project would be implemented through centers for autism and related disabilities (CARD), each of which must provide personal search-and-rescue devices for distribution to project participants.
If approved, HB 1405 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1407 — Civil Actions
House Bill 1407 sets clear time limits for people who claim to have been illegally discriminated against at work to file a lawsuit after they complain to the state.
If approved, HB 1407 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1445 — Public Records (Parkinson’s Disease)
House Bill 1445 creates a public record exemption for patient-identifying information held in the Parkinson’s disease registry.
If approved, HB 1445 takes effect at the same time as HB 1443, which is legislation that sets up the registry.
HB 1509 — Veterinarian Licensure
House Bill 1509 revises requirements for veterinarian licensure by endorsement.
More specifically, the bill removes the requirement that such applicants have held a valid, active out-of-state license for the three years immediately preceding their application.
Instead, such an applicant’s valid, active out-of-state license be “in good standing.”
If approved, HB 1509 takes effect on July 1.
HB 1525 — Lewd or Lascivious Acts
House Bill 1525 creates a third-degree felony for indecent exposure of sexual organs while observing a child under 16 if the person:
- intentionally exposes his/her sexual organs in a lewd/lascivious manner
- intentionally performs any sexual act that does not involve actual physical or sexual contact with the child, such as sadomasochistic abuse, sexual bestiality, masturbation or the simulation of any act involving sexual activity
If approved, HB 1525 takes effect on Oct. 1.
HB 5401 — Trust Funds (SCS)
House Bill 5401 terminates the Mediation and Arbitration Trust Fund within the State Courts System.
The bill also provides that all current balances and revenues be transferred to the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund.
If approved, HB 5401 takes effect on July 1.
HB 6507 — Neglect Victim
House Bill 6507 appropriates $3.8 million to compensate L.E., a young Florida girl who suffered several injuries at the hands of her parents due to neglect by the DCF.
If approved, HB 6507 takes effect immediately.
HB 6509 — Tractor Crash Victim
House Bill 6509 appropriates $2.2 million to the estate of Mark LaGatta, a man who was critically injured after a crash with a tractor in 2020.
If approved, HB 6509 takes effect immediately.
HB 6515 — Gate Arm Victim
House Bill 6515 seeks to authorize Miami-Dade County to pay $500,000 to compensate Lourdes and Edward Latour after Lourdes Latour was seriously injured by a malfunctioning automatic gate arm while leaving the Gables by the Sea community on her bicycle in 2017.
If approved, HB 6515 takes effect immediately.
HB 6517 — Bus Crash Victim
House Bill 6517 seeks to appropriate $2.3 million to compensate Heriberto Sanchez-Mayen, who was left severely injured after an encounter with a police officer in 2023.
If approved, HB 6517 takes effect immediately.
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
If approved, HB 7011 takes effect immediately.