Lazaro Aleman: Greene Publishing, Inc.
In keeping with the doings of the Florida Legislature, the following 10 bills are the most monitored bills in the current 2017 session, as identified by www.legiscan.com, which bills itself as “bringing people to the process.”
House Bill (HB) 0183: Sponsored by Representatives Kristin Jacobs (D), Charlie Stone (R), Gayle Harrell (R), Mike Miller (R), and George Moratis (R). It is 99 pages and identified as a moderate partisan bill.
HB-0183 relates to controlled substance. It amends state law to make Mitragynine and Hydroxymitragynine, which are constituents of Kratom, controlled substances subject to penalty. The bill provides an exception for any drug product that contains Mitragynine or Hydroxymitragynine, provided the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved it.
Senate Bill (SB) 0140: Sponsored by Senator Greg Steube (R). It is a one-page bill, identified as a partisan bill.
SB-0140 authorizes a complaint licensee to openly carry a handgun. It also revises the list of specified places where a licensee may not openly carry a handgun or concealed weapon or firearm. The bill defines a concealed weapon or firearm as a handgun, electronic weapon or device, tear gas gun, knife, or billy club, but not a machine gun.
SB-096: Sponsored by Representatives Clovis Watson (D), Bruce Antone (D), and John Cortes (D). It is six pages and identified as a partisan bill.
SB-096 is designated as a "Restoration of Civil Rights Act." It provides for the automatic restoration of a former felon's civil rights (but not the right to own, possess, or use firearms) following completion of the incarceration period and whatever community supervision. The bill also provides conditions for and exemptions from automatic restoration, plus more.
SB-0096: Sponsored by Senator Greg Steube. It is one-page and identified as a partisan bill.
SB-0096 revises the definition of the term “medical director” to mean a physician who is employed or under contract with a clinic and who maintains a full and unencumbered physician license in accordance with state law. The term also may apply to an advanced registered nurse practitioner who is employed or under contract with a clinic and maintains a full and unencumbered license to practice professional nursing in accordance with law, plus more.
HB-6001: Sponsored by Representatives Jason Raburn (R), Dane Eagle (R), Julian Fant (R), and Jason Fischer (R). It is three pages and identified as a partisan bill.
HB-6001 revises the areas of an airport where persons are prohibited from openly carrying a handgun or concealed weapon or firearm to the sterile area of an airport.
The “sterile area” refers to portions of an airport defined in the airport security program and that provide passengers access to boarding aircraft and into which the TSA or other authorities generally control access. Under current law, the prohibition applies to the entire passenger terminal, unless the weapon is encased for shipment or is intended as baggage in an aircraft.
HB-0035: Sponsored by Representative Evan Jenne (D). It is one page and identified as partisan bill.
HB-0035 relates to the prohibition of well stimulation treatments for the exploration or production of oil or natural gas in Florida. The bill defines "well stimulation treatment" to mean any treatment of a well designed to enhance oil and gas production or recovery by increasing the permeability of the formation or the flow of fluid through the well, including, but not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, acid fracturing, and acid matrix stimulation.
SB-0128: Sponsored by the Senate Judiciary Committee, nine Republican Senators. It is one page and identified as a moderate partisan bill.
SB-0128 puts the burden of proof on the state to show that a defendant is not immune from prosecution under certain circumstances. The specific added language reads: In a criminal prosecution, a defendant may file a pretrial motion claiming the right to the immunity from prosecution set forth in this subsection.
The motion must clearly state the reasons that the defendant is immune and allege the facts on which the claim of immunity is based. The court shall grant the motion after a pretrial hearing unless the state proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is not immune. If motion is not granted, the motion and its contents are inadmissible at trial.
HB-0017: Sponsored by the House of Delegates Careers and Competition Subcommittee Committee (Representatives Randy Fine (R) and Paul Renner (R)). It is two pages and identified as slight partisan bill.
HB-0017 prohibits local governments from imposing or adopting certain regulations on businesses, professions and occupations after a given date and preempts to the state the regulations pertaining to businesses, professions and occupations, with some exceptions to the preemption. Critics of this bill claim it poses a threat to the home rule of cities and counties.
HB-0019: Sponsored by two House subcommittees and several Republican legislators. It is three pages and identified as a slight partisan bill.
HB-0019 creates a cause of action for physical and emotional injury resulting from the termination of a pregnancy.
The bill states that a woman who suffers injury or death as a result of an abortion or who suffers emotional distress as a result of a physician's failure to obtain the required informed consent has cause for legal action for damages against the physician who performed the abortion or failed to provide the statutorily required consent form.
HB-6005: Sponsored by six Republican Representatives. It is two pages and identified as a partisan bill.
HB-6005 removes the provision prohibiting concealed carry licensees from openly carrying handguns or concealed weapons or firearms into colleges or universities.