Staff Reports
Gov. Rick Scott on Friday acted on the last of the bills passed during the 2018 Legislative Session, signing 17 and vetoing one that had become known as the “toilet-to-tap” bill.
Bills OK’d by the governor will “increase student access to computer science instruction,” increase penalties for trespassing at airports, and devolve reviews of “developments of regional impact” to local governments.
A separate story on the “toilet-to-tap” measure (HB 1149) is here.
Bills signed Friday are below:
| HB 55 | Sale of Firearms – This bill requires the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s procedures for firearm background checks to allow electronic payment methods, including credit or debit cards. |
| HB 141 | Transportation – This bill makes several changes within the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), including providing additional categories under which FDOT can contract with local governments for turnpike projects and expanding existing toll exemptions to include law enforcement in unmarked vehicles on official business. |
| HB 411 | Public Records and Public Meetings/Firesafety Systems – This bill creates public record and public meeting exemptions for fire-safety system plans and information relating to fire-safety systems. |
| HB 417 | Public Records/Child Advocacy Center Personnel and Child Protection Team Members – This bill creates a public record exemption for information of current and former employees of Child Advocacy Centers and Child Protection Teams. |
| HB 449 | Children’s Initiatives – This bill codifies two existing children’s initiatives in statute. |
| HB 483 | Unfair Insurance Trade Practices – This bill increases the maximum limit of advertising, promotional gifts and charitable contributions permitted by insurance companies or agents from $25 to $100 in any calendar year. |
| HB 495 | K-12 Public Education – This bill increases student access to computer science instruction and expands protections for students. |
| HB 523 | Trespass on Airport Property – This bill enhances criminal penalties for trespassing with the intent to injure another person, damage property or impede the operation of certain areas of an airport. |
| HB 529 | Florida Fire Prevention Code – This bill revises regulations relating to combustible waste and refuse in apartment buildings. |
| HB 533 | Unfair Insurance Trade Practices – This bill allows a property and casualty insurer to condition the sale of insurance on the purchase of certain motor vehicle services. |
| HB 577 | High School Graduation Requirements – This bill allows students to use apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs to satisfy elective and arts high school graduation requirements. |
| HB 703 | Water Management District Surplus Land – This bill provides flexibility to water management districts when selling certain surplus lands. |
| HB 705 | Public Records/Water Management District Surplus Lands – This bill authorizes a public records exemption for certain information during the process of selling surplus lands for water management districts. |
| HB 1009 | Closing the Gap Grant Program – This bill adds Lupus as a priority area for the Closing the Gap Grant Program. |
| HB 1151 | Developments of Regional Impact – This bill eliminates state and regional review of existing Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs), eliminates the Florida Quality Development (FQD) program, and transfers the responsibility for DRI and FQD development orders to the local governments in which the developments are located. |
| HB 1173 | Lands Used for Governmental Purposes – This bill prioritizes purchase of available military base buffering lands by the Division of State Lands, adds additional criteria for the selection of lands under the Military Base Protection Program, and creates a way for certain counties to use tourist impact tax revenues for affordable housing. |
| HB 1383 | Tax Deed Sales – This bill makes changes to the tax deed sale process. |
