TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Following Florida’s latest legislative session, nearly 30 new laws are set to come into effect on Wednesday, October 1st.
This is a complete list of new laws that will take effect.
HB 113 – Trying to escape or escape a law enforcement officer
House Bill 113 will increase the minimum penalty for escape and avoidance. It also increases punishment for repeat offenders.
The new law will reclassify the rankings of the Criminal Penalty Code’s “Crime Severity Ranking Chart” and increase the minimum felony charged.
Officially legal in Florida. Some restrictions still apply
SB 150 – abandoning dogs detained during a natural disaster
Senate Bill 150, known as the “troopers’ law,” makes a felony to abandon animals and leave them chained during natural disasters.
SB 168 – Mental Health
The “Tristin Murphy Act,” Senate Bill 168, creates a new transformation program for people with mental illness.
That too:
It will allow counties and municipalities to establish misdemeanor mental health conversion programs and felony diversion programs for trials. It provides sheriffs, courts and care providers with a clear process for routing people with severe mental illness from the criminal justice system to care. It expands its criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse reinvestment grant programmes with a new focus on veteran treatment court programs and emergency responder training. Mental health assessments of individuals with a history of incompetent arbitrage are placed on probation, returning to society and closing dangerous loopholes.
The law is named after Tristin Murphy, who took his life in a Florida prison in 2021.
HB 253 – Crimes involving automobiles
House Bill 253 makes changes to certain Florida laws, including:
Reclassify drivers who use prohibited lights or attempt to pull another vehicle as a third felony. Increase penalties for changing your car registration certificate, license plate, temporary license plate, mobile home sticker, or verification sticker, or obscure license plates for two misdemeanors. Penalties are imposed on anyone who uses obscure license plate devices to commit crimes or avoid traffic tickets.
HB 437 – Tamper with electronic monitoring devices
House Bill 437 increases penalties for tampering with court-ordered electronic monitoring devices (EMDs).
The violation is based on a charge of a person who wears EMD being found guilty in lieu of a third felony penalty.
HB 479 – Leave the crash scene that contains only damage to the vehicle or property
House Bill 479 allows courts to order drivers convicted of leaving the crash scene to pay compensation to the property owner.
HB 687 – Driving and Boat Crime
House Bill 687, known as the “Trenton Law,” strengthens the penalty for manslaughter of DUI and Bui, and for murder of vehicles and vessels if a person is previously convicted.
The law also first refuses to submit to a breathing/urine test following a second misdemeanor, a DUI arrest.
It is named after 18-year-old Trenton Stewart, who was hit and killed in the 2023 DUI crash.
Former Hillsboro detention aide was found guilty of vehicle murder and reckless driving
HB 693 – Factors that exacerbate capital felony
House Bill 693 allows ju judges to consider additional factors when determining whether someone convicted of a capital felony qualifies for death or life sentence.
The ju judge can consider whether the victim of the capital felony has gathered with others for school activities, religious activities, or public government meetings.
HB 703 – Utility Transfer
House Bill 703 requires that communications service providers begin the work required to relocate communications facilities if they receive notification from local authorities that the facility is on public roads.
The law also creates utility transfer refund grant programs to help reimburse communication providers for transfer costs.
HB 757 – Sexual Images
House Bill 757 prohibits anyone from having an indecent or sleepy image with the intent to promote it, making it a second felony. Deliberately soliciting child pornography is a third felony.
Additionally, the law prohibits prohibiting the generation, possession or solicitation of changes to sexual depictions without the consent of the person depicted, making it a three-time felony.
Someone portrayed in altered sexual depictions without consent can sue the offender.
HB 777 – Crimes involving children
House Bill 777 increases penalties for seducing children into buildings for illegal purposes.
Claims can now be applied if the victim is under the age of 14.
Also, increase the scope of the attack to include children when they are seduced by a building, house, or vehicle.
SB 948 – Flood Disclosure
Senate Bill 948 requires landlords, developers and mobile home park owners to disclose flood information to tenants, buyers and borrowers.
HB 989 – Family foster parent license
House Bill 989 requires Florida’s Children and Family Division to promote family foster licence applications for licensed foster parents relocating to the state.
This allows families to nurture a home in excellent condition, with priorities reviews and quick background checks.
HB 1049 – Tampering, harassing, or retaliation against court officials
House Bill 1049 creates criminal penalties for those who knowingly and intentionally intimidate, harass, alter or retaliate against court officials.
SB 1080 – Local Government Land Regulations
Senate Bill 1080 requires local governments to:
Specifies the minimum information required for a particular zoning application. Process the application for development permission within 30 days. If the government does not meet a specific time frame when processing an application, it will refund the application. If limiting them delays your application considerations, don’t limit the number of hearings held each month. If the applicant does not meet a specific time frame when processing the application, a refund will be issued to the applicant.
HB 1121 – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems
House Bill 1121 makes several changes related to drones.
Increases criminal penalties if someone runs a drone above or near a critical infrastructure facility, or if they are operating with a weapon or firearm installed. Prohibits modifying drones to intentionally irritate designated remote identification requirements and prohibits ownership or operation of such modified aircraft or systems. It prohibits people from owning or operating drones carrying weapons of mass destruction or hoax weapons of mass destruction. Allows law enforcement agencies to use drones to provide or maintain public safety for crowds of 50 or more, providing security to elected officials. We provide criminal penalties when a person illegally uses a drone to monitor a person or private property, and we provide an enhanced penalty when we intentionally distribute such surveillance.
SB 1168 – Install or use a tracking device or application
Senate Bill 1168 will intensify criminal penalties for those who install or place tracking devices on another person’s property without consent.
SB 1198 – Unauthorized use of gift cards
Senate Bill 1198 defines gift card fraud in Florida law and establishes it as a first-degree misdemeanor.
HB 1351 – Sexual Predators and Sex Offender Registration
House Bill 1351 amends reporting requirements for sexual predators and offenders.
Sexual predators and criminals should report where they work and the phone number for their work.
The law also requires local law enforcement officials to examine sexual predator speeches four times a year and once a year for sex offenders.
SB 1386 – Utility Worker Assault or Battery
Senate Bill 1386 expands protections for utility workers.
If someone attacks or hits a utility worker working on a critical infrastructure, it will be reclassified as one high assault or battery crime.
HB 1451 – Sexual Cyber Harassment
House Bill 1451 punishes sexual cyberharassment crimes as a third-degree felony, rather than a first-degree misdemeanor, if done for economic benefits.
The law also extends the law on limiting violations of sexual cyberharassment, allowing victims to sue criminals for damages.
HB 1455 – Sexual offences by someone previously convicted of a sexual offence
House Bill 1455 creates mandatory minimum sentences for those previously convicted of sexual offences.
The law also disqualifies offenders for gain time or early releases before placing a mandatory minimum sentence.
SB 1804 – Trafficking the capital of vulnerable people for sexual exploitation
Senate Bill 1804 creates new crimes in trafficking of people vulnerable due to sexual exploitation.
A person over the age of 18 will knowingly launch, organize, plan, finance, direct, manage or oversee a venture that has subjugated a child under the age of 12, or a venture that commits a sexual felony for sexual exploitation of a person who is mentally flawed or mentally neutralized.
Those convicted of capital trafficking must register as sexual predators.
The bill also requires courts to hold a sentencing hearing to determine whether a defendant convicted of human trafficking should be sentenced to death or prison life.
Amazon will reach a $2.5 billion settlement with the FTC over “deceptive” prime practice. Who is eligible for payment?
HB 4033 – San Carlos Estate Water Management District, Lee County
House Bill 4033 changes the status of the San Carlos Estate Water Management District (district) from an independent special district to a special district that depends on the city of Bonita Springs.
SB 7000 – OGSR/site-specific location information for endangered and and endangered species
Senate Bill 7000 maintains a public record exemption for site-specific location information for endangered species or endangered species.
HB 7003 – OGSR/Financial Technology Sandbox Application/OFR
House Bill 7003 maintains a public record exemption from designated confidential information held by the Financial Regulation Authority, which is used to evaluate sandbox applications in financial technology.
SB 7004 – OGSR/Applicants or Participants for a Specified Federal, State, or Local Housing Assistance Program
Senate Bill 7004 maintains public record waiver for applicants or participants for disaster-related housing assistance programs.
SB 7010 – OGSR/Finance Services Bureau
Senate Bill 7010 maintains the exemption from public records for insolvency insurance companies whose information is maintained by the Department of Financial Services.
The exemption was scheduled to be automatically repealed on October 2nd. However, the new law will maintain that.
The information that is no longer confidential and exempts include:
Specific underwriting files. Name of executive officer, benefits, and compensation. Unique risk and solvency assessment summary reports, substantially similar reports, and support documents. Annual Corporate Governance Disclosure and Support Documentation.
SB 7018 – OGSR/parent consent requirements before ending pregnancy
Senate Bill 7018 protects certain information that can be used to identify minors petitioning for a judicial exemption from parental consent, based on parental notice and consent under the abortion law.
