159 New Florida Laws Start Friday

When Floridians wake up Friday morning there will be 159 new laws in effect across the Sunshine State.

July 1 is the effective date for the bulk of legislation signed by Gov. Rick Scott following the regular legislative session, which ended in March. A total of 272 bills were sent to Scott during the session. Scott vetoed only three.

Some of the bills signed by Scott went into effect immediately upon receiving his signature. Twenty-five have effective dates set for Oct. 1. A few others require approval from local voters before going into effect.

See also:

• Law Protects Pastors Who Say No To Gay Marriages
• Supreme Court Ruling Could Impact Florida Abortion Law

Among the crop of bills set to go into effect on Friday are a few controversial measures, including one that would end public funding for abortion clinics. Another measure protects clergy members who object to performing same-sex marriage ceremonies based on their religion. Parents will also gain greater access to school choice for their children.

Here are just a few of the new laws that go into place on Friday, July 1:

• HB 7099 – This $129.1 million package offers a number of tax breaks, including exemption from sales taxes on food and drink sold by veterans’ organizations. It also sets the back-to-school sales tax holiday for Aug. 5-7.
• SB 636 – This law requires local law enforcement agencies to submit “rape kits” to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement within 30 days of an investigation’s start.
• HB 1411 – This bill cuts off taxpayer funding for groups affiliated with abortion clinics, such as Planned Parenthood. It also requires that doctors who perform abortions have admitting privileges at hospitals “within a reasonable proximity.” The bill’s ultimate fate, however, remains unclear following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a similar measure in Texas.
• HB 7029 – Gives parents the ability to transfer their children to any public school in the state that isn’t at capacity, among other educational changes.
• HB 43 – Protects clergy, churches and church employees who object to performing wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples when the objections are based on religious beliefs.
• HB 103 – Allows people to use EBT cards (food stamps) to make purchases at fresh produce markets.

For a complete list of the bills acted upon in the 2016 Legislative session, see the document below:

To look up bills introduced by the Florida House, visit it online. To find bills introduced by the Senate, go to its website.

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