BILL SUMMARY DETAILS

CS/SB 400 (Burgess) and HB 853 (McClure) specify that retired law enforcement officers can be reemployed in a position that qualifies for the Special Risk Class by an employer that participates in the Florida Retirement System. The bills reduce the timeframe from 12 months to 6 months during which a former employee is prohibited from receiving both a reemployment salary and retirement benefits. CS/SB 400 was amended to apply to all FRS retirees, not just law enforcement and includes employer contribution rate adjustments to meet actuarial projections. (Chapman)

SB 628 (Simon) requires certain contractors who contract with governmental entities to provide an affidavit attesting the contractor does not use coercion for labor or services. (Cruz)

HB 195 (Chambliss) requires the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission to consult with a national organization with expertise in mental health crisis intervention to establish minimum standards for basic skills and continued education training for law enforcement officers by July 1, 2025. (Cruz)

HB 765 (Daley) and SB 818 (Avila) provide that certain public officials and employees are entitled to their full pay for a leave of absence in which they are performing federal military service that is 90 days or more. (Cruz)

SB 710 (Ingoglia) and HB 443 (Alvarez) make several changes to the "The Police Officers' Bill of Rights." The Police Officers Bill of Rights is designed to ensure certain protections for law enforcement and correctional officers are provided to officers throughout the process of investigating complaints against an officer if the investigation can lead to disciplinary action, demotion or dismissal of the officer. The bills delete provisions from current law relating to complaint review boards. The bills authorize an officer to file a civil suit if he or she is subject to disciplinary action in violation of the Officer Bill of Rights. The bills grant officers certain increased protections for alleged violations of the process required in the Officer Bill of Rights. Lastly, the bills authorize an officer to address and remedy any violation in a court of competent jurisdiction and provide for the reversal of any disciplinary action requiring the employing agency to pay for an officer’s monetary damages, attorney fees and costs for any intentional violation of the Officer Bill of Rights. (Cruz)

HB 993 (Holcomb) and CS/SB 1490 (Burgess) expand the conditions in which first responders and certain personnel may receive posttraumatic stress benefits. The bills redefine the term “first responder” to include any full-time, part-time or volunteer law enforcement officer, firefighter, correctional officer, 911 public safety telecommunicator or federal law enforcement officer. The bills create a statutory framework for crime scene investigators to receive a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) evaluation and receive a diagnosis as a compensable occupational disease under specific circumstances. The bills also specify correctional officer PTSD evaluations may be conducted in person or through telehealth. The bills require an employing agency of a crime scene investigator to provide educational training related to mental health. (Cruz)

CS/HB 637 (Yeager) and CS/SB 808 (DiCeglie) authorize a firefighter, a law enforcement officer, a correctional officer or a correctional probation officer requiring medical treatment for tuberculosis, heart disease or hypertension resulting in a total or partial disability to be treated by a medical specialist of their choosing. The treatment by a medical specialist must be reasonable, necessary, and related to tuberculosis, heart disease or hypertension and reimbursed at no more than 200% of the Medicare rate. The bills were amended to require written notice to the firefighter's or officer's workers’ compensation carrier, self-insured employer, or third-party administrator, and the carrier, self-insured employer, or third-party administrator must authorize the selected specialist or authorize an alternative specialist meeting the same or greater qualifications. The carrier, self-insured employer, or third-party administrator must, within five business days of the receipt of the notice, authorize treatment and schedule an appointment to be held within 30 days of the receipt of the notice with the selected specialist or the alternative specialist. If the carrier, self-insured employer, or third-party administrator fails to provide an alternative specialist within the five business days of receipt of the notice, the specialist selected by the employee shall be automatically authorized. (Cruz)

CS/HB 151 (Busatta Cabrera) and SB 242 (Hooper) create an unfunded mandate for government entities that provide retirement benefits through the Florida Retirement System (FRS). Beginning on July 1, 2024, the cost-of-living benefit of each retiree and annuitant shall be adjusted without a requirement for the Legislature enacting sufficient funding. CS/HB 151 was amended to conduct a study on the feasibility and cost of providing a cost-of-living adjustment for employees initially enrolled in the FRS after July 1, 2011. The amendment also includes adjustments to the employee contribution levels to the FRS in order to meet actuarial projections. (Chapman)

HB 15 (Rudman) – Contracts for Live Entertainment

HJR 335 (Roth) – Requiring Broader Public Support for Constitutional Amendments or Revisions

HB 217 (Mooney) and SB 222 (Rodriguez) – College Campus Facilities in Areas of Critical State Concern

HB 939 (Griffitts) and SB 1066 (Burton) – Consumer Protection

HB 1625 (Beltran) – Procedures of the Legislature

HB 1527 (Joseph) – Immigration and State-issued Identification

SB 1598 (Torres) – Immigration and Immigrants 

SB 40 (Stewart) – Review of Employment Contracts

HB 175 (Benjamin) and SB 984 (Rouson) – Judgement Liens

SB 1166 (DiCeglie) and HB 1183 (Barnaby) – Main Street Historical Tourism and Revitalization Act

HB 1143 (Dunkley) and SB 1508 (Wright) – 911 Public Safety Telecommunicators

HB 1471 (Black) and SB 1746 (Ingoglia) – Public Employees

HB 109 (Andrade) and SB 246 (Harrell) – Conversion Charter Schools

HB 275 (Canady) and SB 340 (Yarborough) – Intentional Damage to Critical Infrastructure

SB 674 (Boyd) and HB 779 (Griffitts) – United States-produced Iron and Steel in Public Works Projects

SB 706 (Rodriguez) and HB 719 (Lopez) – Residential Swimming Pool Requirements

HB 1021 (Lopez, V.) and SB 1178 (Bradley) – Community Associations

HB 1421 (Fine) and SB 1700 (DiCeglie) – Independent Hospital Districts

HB 1623 (Beltran) – Emergencies 

HB 35 (Rudman) and SB 106 (Jones) – Acceptance of Cash Payments by Businesses

HB 141 (Abbott) and SB 196 (Simon) – Regional Rural Development Grants Program

HB 173 (Daniels) – Not-for-profit Corporations that Operate Residential Homeowners' Associations

HB 177 (Andrade) and SB 204 (Brodeur) – Competition for the Sale of Event Tickets

HB 189 (Salzman) – Gambling 

SB 482 (Berman) – Amblyopia Awareness Month

HB 495 (Woodson) – Prohibition of Smoking and Vaping in State Parks

HB 633 (Berfield) – Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Awareness and Assistance Training Program

SB 682 (DiCeglie) and HB 487 (Chaney) – Lost or Abandoned Property

SB 870 (Boyd) and HB 781 (Clemons) – Unsolicited Proposals for Public-private Partnerships

HB 873 (Payne) and SB 1156 (Collins) – Dangerous Dogs

HB 901 (Borrero) and SB 1120 (Martin) – Display of Flags by Governmental Entities

HB 1033 (Killebrew) and SB 1478 (Yarborough) – Animals

HB 1053 (Amesty) – Location of Medical Marijuana Centers, Retail Vape Shops, and On-premises Consumption of Alcohol

SB 1180 (Harrell) and HB 1065 (Caruso) – Substance Abuse Treatment

SB 1206 (Martin) – Live Performances

HB 1459 (McFarland) and SB 1680 (Bradley) – Artificial Intelligence Transparency 

HB 1583 (Steele) and SB 1636 (Gruters) – Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services 

HB 1659 (Botana) – Location of Equipment Owned by Amusement Business Owner

HB 7003 (Ethics, Elections & Open Government Subcommittee, Holcomb) – OGSR/Preregistered Voters

HB 7005 (Ethics, Elections & Open Government Subcommittee, Holcomb) – GSR/Financial Disclosure

HB 7007 (Ethics, Elections & Open Government Subcommittee, Holcomb) – OGSR/Campus Emergency Response

SB 7030 (Governmental Oversight and Accountability) and HB 7043 (Ethics, Elections & Open Government Subcommittee) – OGSR/Agency Personnel Information

HB 661 (Caruso) and CS/SB 332 (Burgess) require counties to establish maximum rates that may be charged for the storage of electric vehicles. Wrecker operators are also permitted to charge fair and reasonable costs, plus 10% for cleanup and disposal of hazardous materials or debris. If the vehicle is stored at a wrecker facility for more than 30 days, the entity that requested the storage is financially liable to the wrecker facility. Whenever a local government entity authorizes the removal of a vehicle, the local government entity is required to notify the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. CS/SB 332 requires municipalities to establish maximum rates that may be charged by wrecker operators for the storage of electric vehicles. Additionally, the bill requires the “governmental entity” to contact the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles within 24 hours, providing a full description of the vehicle or vessel. (Wagoner)

CS/HB 433 (Esposito) and CS/SB 1492 (Trumbull) preempt the regulation of heat exposure requirements to the state. The bills prohibit local governments from providing preference for contractors on the basis of employment benefits offered by the contractor. The bills preempt to the state and remove any requirements a local government can place on a contractor in reference to the minimum wage. Lastly, the bills preempt the regulation of workplace terms and conditions to the state, not allowing a city to exceed or be in conflict with any state or federal workplace terms and conditions. CS/HB 433 preempts all regulation on the terms of employment to the state. CS/SB 1492 was amended to remove the provisions relating to wage and employment benefits by political subdivisions. (Wagoner)

CS/HB 179 (Bell) makes changes related to towing-storage operator practices, including allowable fees, payment, lien requirements, sale of unclaimed vehicles and record retention. Specifically, the bill does the following:

•Reduces the timeframe in which a towing-storage operator must send the notice of lien from seven to five business days, and reduce storage charges that may be charged if a lienor fails to provide this notice.

•Provides that a towing-storage operator may only charge certain fees.

•Requires towing-storage operators to accept specified forms of payment.

•Increases the timeframe an unclaimed vehicle or vessel three years of age or newer may be sold by a lienor from 50 days to 60 days from the storage date, and require the notice of lien must not be sent less than 60 days before the sale.

•Increases the timeframe for the public notice requirement related to sale on an unclaimed vehicle by a towing-storage operator from ten days to twenty days before the sale.

•Requires a towing-storage operator to make a towed vehicle available for inspection during normal business hours within 30 minutes after arrival at a storage facility.

•Requires a towing-storage operator to accept electronic titles as well as paper titles as evidence of a person’s interest in a vehicle or vessel. 

•Requires a towing-storage operator to retain records of all vehicles and vessels recovered, towed or stored; all notice publications and certified mailings; and fees for at least three years.

•Provides that foreclosing a storage lien on a vehicle or vessel must be through the process as opposed to the warehouse lien and landlord and tenant statutes. 

•Creates notice and bond requirements for foreclosure of storage liens on vehicles or vessels held by self-storage facilities. 

•Provides that counties must, and cities may, establish maximum rates for which can be charged for cleanup and disposal, and ensure that those rates are published on its website. In areas where no maximum rates have been established, the maximum rates established by the Division of Florida Highway will apply. (Wagoner)

SB 774 (Perry) and SB 202 (Rodriguez) make changes related to towing-storage operator practices, including allowable fees, payment, lien requirements, sale of unclaimed vehicles and record retention. Specifically, the bills share the following provisions:

•Reduce the timeframe in which a towing-storage operator must send the notice of lien from seven to four business days, and reduce storage charges that may be charged if a lienor fails to provide this notice.

•Provide that a towing-storage operator may only charge certain fees.

•Require towing-storage operators to accept specified forms of payment.

•Increase the timeframe an unclaimed vehicle or vessel three years of age or newer may be sold by a lienor from 50 days to 65 days from the storage date, and require the notice of lien must not be sent less than 60 days before the sale.

•Increase the timeframe for the public notice requirement related to sale on an unclaimed vehicle by a towing-storage operator from ten days to twenty days before the sale.

•Require a towing-storage operator to make a towed vehicle available for inspection during normal business hours within 30 minutes after arrival at a storage facility.

•Require a towing-storage operator to accept electronic titles as well as paper titles as evidence of a person’s interest in a vehicle or vessel. 

•Require a towing-storage operator to retain records of all vehicles and vessels recovered, towed or stored; all notice publications and certified mailings; and fees for at least three years.

•Provide that foreclosing a storage lien on a vehicle or vessel must be through the process as opposed to the warehouse lien and landlord and tenant statutes. 

•Create notice and bond requirements for foreclosure of storage liens on vehicles or vessels held by self-storage facilities.

SB 774 prohibits the Florida Highway Patrol from excluding a wrecker operator from its wrecker operator system based solely on a prior felony conviction, unless such conviction is for a specified felony offense. 

Only SB 202 preempts counties and cities from imposing any regulations upon a towing-storage operator more stringent than those within this legislation. (Wagoner)

CS/CS/HB 7013 (Persons-Mulicka) and CS/SB 1058 (Hutson) are comprehensive bills dealing with special districts. Of interest to cities, the bills do the following:

•Establish a term limit of 12 years for members of an elected body governing an independent special district, unless the district’s charter provides for more restrictive terms of office. Any term of office that commenced before November 5, 2024, does not count toward the limitation created by the bill. This provision does not apply to the governing body of a community development district or any independent special district created by a special act.

•Add additional criteria for declaring a special district inactive, including Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRA’s).

•Authorize districts that have been declared inactive to expend funds as necessary to service outstanding debt.

•Reduce the maximum ad valorem millage rate that may be levied by a mosquito control district from 10 mills to 1 mill.

•Require all special districts to adopt goals and objectives, as well as performance measures and standards to determine if those goals and objectives are being achieved. 

•Repeal a provision that allows a special district to convert into a municipality without legislative approval.

•Require each petition to create a community development district to contain a sworn affidavit concerning planned development. 

•Provides that the boundaries of most types of independent special districts may only be changed by an act of the Legislature.

•Require independent special fire control districts to report certain information to the Division of State Fire Marshal. 

•Prohibit the creation of new neighborhood improvement districts (NIDs) after July 1, 2024. (Branch)

SJR 582 (Ingoglia) proposes a constitutional amendment to the State Constitution to prohibit the state, a county, a municipality or any other political subdivision from paying reparations to an individual who is a descendant of an enslaved individual who lived in the United States before December 6, 1865. (Cruz)

HB 421 (Gossett-Seidman) and SB 572 (Rodriguez) require local governments and other entities to make best efforts to provide advance notice to the entity or person who installed a traffic-related roadside memorial commemorating a deceased person before altering, dismantling, destroying or removing it. (Wagoner)

SB 166 (Polsky) creates the Medical Marijuana Public Employee Protection Act. The bill would prohibit a public employer from taking adverse personnel actions against an employee or job applicant who is a qualified patient for their use of medical marijuana unless that use is impairing the employee's ability to perform their job duties or responsibilities. (Chapman)

CS/HB 395 (Black) and SB 1122 (Martin) prohibit a local government from removing historical monuments and memorials. A local government may only relocate a historical monument in certain circumstances. The bills provide that any person or entity that damages, defaces, destroys or removes an existing monument or memorial will be civilly liable for the costs to return, repair or replace the monument or memorial unless the person was authorized, or the entity was the owner. CS/HB 395 was amended to limit the effects of the bill to monuments and memorials located on public property that have been displayed for at least 25 years and applied the provisions on a prospective basis. (Wagoner)

SB 888 (Perry) provides residential property owners an alternative remedy to remove unauthorized persons, such as a squatter, from a residential dwelling. The residential property owners may request the sheriff immediately remove unlawful occupants under specific circumstances. (Cruz)

CS/HB 271 (Lopez, V.) and CS/SB 388 (Garcia) narrow the current preemption on the regulation of private parking lot operations to include a preemption only on the rates charged for parking and for violating the parking lot rules. The bills would restrict parking lot owners from charging a late fee until after 30 days from the date the invoice was postmarked. The bill also prohibits parking lot owners from charging for parking if the vehicle is on the property for less than 10 minutes. CS/SB 388 was amended to require owners or operators of private property used for parking to place signage where it is clearly visible to people entering the parking lot. The bill provides that the signage may be regulated by the local government where the property is located. (Branch)