TALLAHASSEE — Beefed-up lobbying restrictions and breaks for motorists who steadily use toll roads are amongst state legal guidelines and different modifications that may arrive with the brand new 12 months.
The legal guidelines, handed throughout this 12 months’s common legislative session and particular periods, additionally embody making out there land-preservation cash, permitting native governments to publish authorized notices on-line as an alternative of in newspapers and ending a long-controversial observe within the property insurance coverage system.
Many of the payments that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed this 12 months took impact on July 1 or upon his signature. However listed here are some modifications that may take impact Sunday:
LOBBYING: New legal guidelines (HB 7001 and HB 7003) will perform a constitutional modification that voters overwhelmingly handed in 2018 to develop from two years to 6 years the time that sure officers must wait to begin lobbying after leaving authorities positions. The restrictions will apply to lawmakers, state company heads, judges and lots of native officers.
TOLL CREDITS: Throughout a particular session this month, lawmakers permitted a measure (SB 6-A) that may present 50% credit to motorists who report 35 or extra toll highway journeys in a month. This system will final for a 12 months, with lawmakers agreeing to spend $500 million to assist toll companies cowl misplaced income.
DISASTER ASSISTANCE: Responding to the devastating 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South constructing in Surfside, lawmakers permitted making property tax rebates out there when residential properties are rendered uninhabitable for 30 days. Through the December particular session, lawmakers handed a measure (SB 4-A) to supply related rebates to property homeowners who sustained injury in Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole. Property homeowners will be capable to apply to county property appraisers between Jan. 1 and April 1.
LAND PRESERVATION: A part of the state price range will liberate $300 million throughout the Division of Agriculture and Client Companies for land acquisition.
PUBLIC NOTICES: Lawmakers permitted a measure (HB 7049) that may permit native governments to publish authorized notices on county web sites as an alternative of in newspapers. Native governments in counties with fewer than 160,000 residents should first maintain public hearings to find out if residents have adequate entry to the web.
PROPERTY INSURANCE: Lawmakers in the course of the particular session this month permitted ending a controversial observe referred to as project of advantages for property insurance coverage. The observe entails owners signing over claims to contractors, who then pursue funds from insurers. The prohibition on project of advantages (SB 2-A) will apply to insurance policies issued on or after Jan. 1.
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WORKERS’ COMPENSATION RATES: A median 8.4% lower in employees’ compensation insurance coverage charges will take impact in January, marking the sixth consecutive 12 months that common charges have decreased.
APPELLATE COURTS: Florida’s appellate courts will likely be revamped Jan. 1 beneath a legislation (HB 7027) that created a sixth District Court docket of Enchantment and revised the jurisdictions of the first District Court docket of Enchantment, the 2nd District Court docket of Enchantment and the fifth District Court docket of Enchantment.
MIYA’S LAW: Lawmakers handed a measure (SB 898) that may require condo landlords to conduct background checks on all workers. The invoice, dubbed “Miya’s Regulation,” got here after the dying of 19-year-old Miya Marcano, a Valencia Faculty scholar who went lacking from her Orlando condo in September and was discovered useless per week later. The suspected killer, who later died by suicide, labored as a upkeep employee at Marcano’s condo complicated.
SCHOOL BOOK SELECTIONS: As a part of a broader training invoice (HB 1467), lawmakers required {that a} coaching program be out there as of Jan. 1 for varsity librarians, media specialists and others concerned within the number of college library supplies. This system is aimed, partially, at offering entry to “age-appropriate supplies and library sources.”
NEWBORN SCREENINGS: A measure (SB 292) would require hospitals and different state-licensed birthing services to check newborns for congenital cytomegalovirus if the infants fail listening to exams. The virus could cause listening to loss in infants.
By Jim Turner, Information Service of Florida