TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Following the latest Legislative session in Florida, state lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis have approved dozens of new laws.
Many of these pieces of legislation took effect on July 1, covering topics like education, state parks, crime, money, and much more.
In total, over 120 new laws were slated to take effect on Tuesday.
WKMG in Orlando compiled a full list of these new laws:
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
HB 515 — Cryptocurrencies
House Bill 515 establishes a baseline framework to let creditors secure liens against digital assets that are owned by debtors.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
HB 987 — Highway Designations
House Bill 987 designates 20 new stretches of road across the state for memorial and honorary purposes.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
HB 1299 — Department of Health
House Bill 1299 expands the Patient’s Bill of Rights to prohibit discrimination on the basis of vaccination status.
HB 1313 — Trust Funds
House Bill 1313 re-creates the Resilient Florida Trust Fund for the associated state grant program.
HB 1353 — Home Healthcare Services
House Bill 1353 provides home health agencies more flexibility to determine how to distribute duties among personnel.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
SB 784 — Plat Reviews
Senate Bill 784 requires local governments to review and approve plat submittals through a designated authority.
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.
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."
Senate Bill 830 (2025)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
SB 1070 — Electrocardiograms
Senate Bill 1070 — dubbed the “Second Chance Act” — requires electrocardiogram (EKG) assessments for student athletes before they can participate in athletics.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.