John Willoughby: Greene Publishing, Inc.
State Budget (HB 5001):
Florida lawmakers passed a budget of $88.7 billion for the upcoming 2018-2019 fiscal year. Most notably, the plan increases funding for public schools by $101.50 per student. The budget plan includes appropriations for a building replacement at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where the fatal school shooting took place in February. In addition, $109.6 million will go to affordable housing programs.
Education (HB 7055):
Will this bring more hope? According to the summary, this education bill expands state school choice scholarship programs and streamlines accountability for participating private schools. Throughout the bill, the Hope Scholarship program is established, providing a public school student who was subjected to an incident of bullying with a scholarship to transfer to another public school or an eligible private school.
Opioid Crisis (HB 21):
The opioid epidemic has plagued the United States and Florida lawmakers have decided to take an extra step in securing the lives of their citizens by aiming to prevent patients from getting addicted to prescription painkillers and using them for illegal purposes. In part, the bill will place limits on prescriptions, only allowing providers to prescribe opioids for no more than three days to treat acute pain. The bill clarifies the exemption from the "three-day rule" to patients with cancer, a terminally-ill condition, a patient in palliative care or with a serious traumatic injury. Ensuring the identity of a patient, pharmacists and dispensing practitioners will now be required to verify a patient's identity prior to dispensing controlled substances.
Child Marriage (SB 140):
In the past, minors under the age of 18 were allowed to be married under consent of their parents. Now, it looks like happily-ever-after will have to wait. State Bill 140 restricts minors under the age of 18 from being issued marriage licenses. However, the bill allows exceptions for minors who have been married previously, who are expecting a child or minors who are the parents of a child. For 17-year-old minors, a marriage license may be issued if the parents provide consent or the older person to the proposed marriage is no more than two years older than the younger person.
Public Beach Access (HB 631):
Though the beach is a place of fun in the sun, you may now want to pay attention to where you walk or sunbathe. This controversial law, in layman's terms, draws an invisible line (unless the owners put up a fence) where public property and private property differ and prohibits local governments from adopting an ordinance allowing the customary use of dry-sand areas which may be of private property. The "wet areas" of the sand are not subject to this law and are available for customary use.
Written Threats to Conduct Mass Shootings/Act of Terrorism (HB 165):
One controversial topic over the last few months has been addressed in one bill that will take effect on Sunday, July 1. The law now allows authorities to charge any person who makes, posts or transmits a threat in a writing or other record, including an electronic record, to conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism, in any manner that would allow another person to view the threat. That act would be considered a felony of the second degree.
More than 100 bills were signed by Florida Governor Rick Scott during the 2018 legislative session. Most of which are taking effect on Sunday, July 1, Florida will now have new laws regarding anything from public beach access to restricting the issue of marriage licenses to minors.
Out of the 105 laws that will take effect, some of the most important laws detail scholarship programs for public school students who have been subjected to bullying and a state budget appropriating money to certain state programs and departments. One law that will be commonly referred to throughout Florida will now limit opioid use to three days.
These are only a handful of the laws that were signed by Governor Rick Scott and will go into effect on Sunday, July 1. Prepare for the changes ahead by visiting flsenate.gov.