On Friday, March 11, Florida’s legislative session drew to a close, leaving many bills to become laws and many more to die.
Below are a few bills that the Madison County Carrier and its readers were following.
SB 306, which authorizes municipalities to ban or regulate the use of disposable bags, passed in the Environmental Preservation and Conservation committee on Jan. 20. The Community Affairs committee, however, never considered the bill. It officially died at the close of session.
HB 803, which allows avocationals to conduct archaeology on state lands, passed in the Economic Development and Tourism subcommittee on Jan. 21. It was referred to the Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations subcommittee, where it was never considered. It officially died at the close of session.
SB 1072, which eliminates arrest-booking websites that require payment to remove mugshot photos, passed in the Criminal Justice Committee on Feb. 20. However, the Judiciary committee never considered it. It officially died at the close of session.
SB 1148, which requires self-service gas pumps to have working printers, was never concidered in its first committee, Commerce and Tourism. It officially died at the close of session.
SB 1440, the bill, which establishes an Educator Hall of Fame at the Old Capitol, was proposed by Senator Bill Montford. It passed in the Pre-K to 12 Education committee on Jan. 27. It was placed on the agenda of the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government on Feb. 12 but was postponed. It was never placed back onto the agenda for that subcommittee, where it died at the close of session.
HB 47, which strengthens consequences for committing violent crimes against Realtors, passed unanimously in all three of its committees. It was placed on the House calendar for its three readings and subsequent vote but died on the calendar at the close of session.
SB 128, which creates a program to provide behavioral health services to combat veterans and their families, was co-sponsored by Senator Bill Montford. It passed in two of its three committees. It was sent to Appropriations where it was never placed on the agenda. It officially died at the close of session.
SB 1098, which adds Florida to the states that ignore Daylight Savings time, was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in Community Affairs at the close of session.
HB 190, which raises the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in the Economic Development and Tourism subcommittee at the close of session.
SB 96, which requires financial literacy to be taught in high schools, was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in the Education Pre-K to 12 committee at the close of session.
SB 474, which provides criminal penalties for landlords who provide below-standard or abusive conditions to tenants, was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in the Criminal Justice committee at the close of session.
SB 188, which allows victims of domestic violence to voluntarily leave their workplace in order to escape their abuser without being disqualified for benefits, was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in the Commerce and Tourism committee at the close of session.
SB 134, which prohibits drivers from using a cellular device in school zones, was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in the Communications, Energy and Public Utilities committee at the close of session.
SB 1668, which establishes research and education on the invasive lionfish, was sponsored by Senator Bill Montford. The bill was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in the Environmental Preservation and Conservation committee at the close of session.
SB 154, which prohibits the display of the Confederate flag on any publicly owned or leased property, was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in the Judiciary committee at the close of session.
SB 852, which allows and regulates the use of medical marijuana, was never placed on the agenda of its first committee. It officially died in the Regulated Industries committee at the close of session.
SB 168, which resurrects the long-dead ”red light camera” program, passed in the Transportation committee in a hotly contended vote of 4-3 in favor. It landed in its second committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development, where it was never placed on the agenda. There it died at the close of session.
All of these dead bills, especially the hot-button issues and ones sponsored by determined Senators and Representatives, will likely be seen again in the next session.