Starting January 1, 2025, nine new laws will go into effect in Florida, addressing topics such as social media restrictions for minors, building regulations, and protections for vulnerable adults. For full details, you can visit the Florida Legislature’s official website: Florida Statutes & Constitution.
HB 3 – Social Media Restrictions for Children
Bans children under 14 from having social media accounts. Teens aged 14 and 15 can create accounts with parental consent.
Key Criteria for “Social Media”:
- Users can upload or view content.
- Platforms where at least 10% of active users under 16 spend an average of two hours daily.
- Features like infinite scrolling, push notifications, and algorithms analyzing user data.
HB 135 – Voter Registration Applications
Amends voter registration statutes to prevent unauthorized party affiliation changes.
- Party changes now require written consent.
- Ensures the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles updates do not alter affiliations without explicit consent.
HB 267 – Building Regulations
Streamlines the permitting process by setting deadlines for local governments to approve or deny applications:
- 30 business days for structures under 7,500 sq. ft.
- 10 business days for certain disaster recovery projects.
Other changes include: - Standards for auditing private providers.
- Pathways to licensure for residential building inspectors.
- Eliminates sealed drawings for window, door, or garage door replacements if they meet state standards.
HB 1093 – Florida Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act (FUFIPA)
Modernizes trust and estate management laws by replacing the Florida Uniform Principal and Income Act.
- Aligns with modern portfolio theory for total-return investing.
- Allows converting existing trusts into unitrusts.
- Provides flexibility for personalized estate planning.
SB 184 – Threatening First Responders
Establishes first-degree misdemeanors for:
- Disrupting or interfering with first responders.
- Threatening physical harm to first responders.
- Harassing responders in the course of their duties.
SB 362 – Medical Treatment
Increases medical reimbursement rates for physicians, surgical procedures, and expert witness fees under Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Law.
SB 556 – Protection from Financial Exploitation
Provides safeguards for adults 65+ and vulnerable individuals:
- Allows financial institutions to delay disbursements if exploitation is suspected.
- Requires written notice to account holders and trusted contacts within three days.
- Mandates internal reviews of flagged transactions, with delays capped at 15 business days (extendable to 30).
SB 892 – Dental Insurance Claims
Implements protections for dentists and patients:
- Prohibits restrictive contracts that limit payment methods.
- Bars health insurers from charging fees for payment transmissions without consent.
- Prevents denial of claims for pre-authorized procedures.
SB 7054 – Private Activity Bonds
Revises regulations for bonds issued for public-benefit projects:
- Encourages maximum utilization of bonds for public improvements.
- Consolidates rarely used bond pools.
- Extends carryforward provisions for unused volume cap allocations.
For complete details, visit the Florida Legislature’s website
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