Legislative Update - May 5, 2023

The House and Senate are getting ready to end the 2023 session.  This is the 100^th year of the official “hankie drop” the ceremony held to end the 60-day legislative session.  We are not sure exactly what time the session will end. Rumors are noon … 1:00 pm at the latest.  They still need to vote on the budget and the tax package.

Below you will find highlights of some of the bills that have passed so far:

• Information on the Hurricane Resiliency Plan passed this session as well as $4 billion in state investments in hurricane recovery is available here.

• Information on historic tax relief measures for Florida’s families and businesses is available here.

• Information on Florida’ balanced budget and key investments in infrastructure, education, & historic reserves is available here.

• Live Local Statewide Workforce Housing Strategy - Senate Bill (SB) 102, Housing, by Senator Alexis Calatayud (R-Miami), was signed into law on March 29. The legislation, entitled the Live Local Act, contains a comprehensive, statewide workforce housing strategy designed to increase the availability of attainable housing options for Florida workers who seek to live in the communities they serve.

• Expanding Access to Florida’s Wildlife Corridor - Senate Bill 106, Florida Shared-Use Nonmotorized Trail Network, by Senator Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford) expands access to Florida’s iconic Wildlife Corridor. The bill, signed into law by Governor DeSantis on April 11, connects the corridor to Florida’s Greenways and Trails System and the SUN Trail Network, as well as recreational pathways to heritage small towns across Florida.

• Enhancing Public Safety, Codifying Constitutional Right To Keep And Bear Arms - Senate Bill 150, Public Safety, Senator Jay Collins (R-Tampa), was signed into law on April 3. This robust public safety package codifies the constitutional right of citizens to keep and bear arms and expand tools available to law enforcement and educators working to keep our communities and schools safe.

• Historic School Choice, Parental Empowerment Legislation - House Bill 1, Education, sponsored in the Senate by Senator Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee), Chair of the Senate Committee on Education Pre-K-12, was signed into law on March 27. HB 1 contains a comprehensive package of innovations that promote parental involvement and customized K-12 education in Florida. The legislation empowers parents to guide their children’s education by providing for an Education Savings Account for every student in the K-12 system. Incorporating recommendations from the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, the bill also takes the first step towards reducing onerous and excessive regulations on public schools.

• Career and Technical Education, Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Grades 6-12 - SB 240, Education, by Senator Travis Hutson (R-St. Augustine), furthers ongoing legislative initiatives that promote career and technical education (CTE), with a focus on work-based learning linked to local employment opportunities for Florida students in Grades 6-12.

• Increasing Consumer Protection and Insurer Accountability - Senate Bill 7052, Insurer Accountability, sponsored by Senator Travis Hutson (R-St. Augustine), contains various provisions intended to increase consumer protection and insurer accountability in Florida.

• Heartbeat Protection Act - Senate Bill 300, the Heartbeat Protection Act, by Senator Erin Grall (R-Vero Beach), was signed into law on April 13. The legislation protects innocent, unborn life by prohibiting abortions after six weeks gestation, with exceptions for women who are victims of rape, incest and human trafficking, or whose baby has a devastating diagnosis of a fatal fetal abnormality.

• Comprehensive Legal Reforms - House Bill (HB) 837, Civil Remedies, sponsored by Senator Travis Hutson (R-St. Augustine), was signed into law on March 24. The bill reforms Florida’s tort laws to decrease frivolous lawsuits, while protecting the rights of Floridians who suffer a loss.

• HB 1069, Child Protection in Public Schools, by Senator Yarborough prohibits classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity in Pre-K through Grade 8, and expands the role of parents in reviewing and approving instructional materials, with a clear process when a parent wants to object to specific content.   The bill also protects students and teachers from being required to use language that violates their personal convictions. Specifically, the bill prohibits a school from requiring, as a condition of employment, that a teacher refer to a student or another teacher by a pronoun that does not correspond to that person’s sex. Similarly, students cannot be forced to refer to a teacher or to other students by pronouns that do not correspond to the person’s sex.

• SB 1438, Protection of Children, by Senator Yarborough authorizes the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to fine, suspend, or revoke the license of any public lodging establishment or public food service establishment if the establishment admits a child to a live adult performance that depicts or simulates nudity, sexual conduct, or lewd exposure.

• SB 254, Treatments for Sex-Reassignment, by Senator Yarborough protects children from being subjected to sex-reassignment prescriptions and procedures. Exceptions are provided for patients with genetic or biochemical disorders as well as those with certain injuries or illnesses.