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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Over the course of the past few days, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed another 19 bills into law, adding to the bevy of legislation enacted so far this year.
These latest laws deal with issues like boating crimes, wrongful incarceration, and housing support for in-need students. Nearly all of them took effect on Tuesday, alongside over 120 other state laws.
However, DeSantis also vetoed a handful of bills during this period that delved into topics like substance abuse recovery, public officials’ legal status, and insurance for state employees.
[BELOW: Check out another 5 laws approved by DeSantis just last week]
Those latest laws, the vetoed bills and DeSantis’ reasonings are as follows:
HB 289 — Boating Safety
House Bill 289 aligns the penalties for certain boating crimes with their corresponding driving crimes. These charges include the following:
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Leaving the scene of a boating accident
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Reckless operation of a vessel
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BUI manslaughter
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Vessel homicide
The law also prohibits people from providing false information in a vessel accident report, and it requires the FWC to set standards for online boating safety education courses.
The law took effect on July 1.
HB 5013 — Property Reinsurance
House Bill 5013 would lower the amount of money afforded to the Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders (RAP) program, which reimburses certain insurers for covered losses.
More specifically, the bill aims to decrease the funding from $2 billion to $900 million.
In addition, the bill would repeal the FORA program, which was enacted in 2022 provide other optional layers of reinsurance alongside the RAP program for the 2023 hurricane season.
The law took effect upon being signed.
HB 5017 — Debt Reduction
House Bill 5017 creates a “Debt Reduction Program” within the SBA to reduce the state’s tax-supported debt by accelerating the retirement of bonds prior to maturity.
Under this law, these funds will go toward paying off outstanding state bonds (other than those of the FDOT or the Florida Turnpike Enterprise).
The law took effect on July 1.
HB 7031 — Budget Bill
House Bill 7031 includes the state budget, which also repeals the business rent tax and establishes an annual back-to-school tax holiday for the entire month of August.
In addition, HB 7031 creates a permanent sales-tax exemption for a number of different items within the state to help residents prepare for hurricane season. See the full list of those items here.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 8 — School Bus Crash Victim
Senate Bill 8 provides relief for Marcus Button, a former student at Wesley Chapel High School.
When he was 16 years old, Button was en route to school when a Pasco County school bus pulled out in front of the car he was riding in, sparking a crash that left Button with brain damage, skull fractures and vision loss.
As a result of the incident, the bill authorizes the school board to pay Button $1 million as compensation, along with another $200,000 to his parents.
The law took effect upon being signed.
SB 10 — Wrongful Conviction Victim
Senate Bill 10 provides relief for Sidney Holmes, a Florida man who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for over 34 years.
Holmes was arrested in 1988 and accused of working with two armed robbers, eventually being sentenced to 400 years in prison.
But in 2023, Holmes was finally released after a nonprofit highlighted errors in the investigation, which led to his exoneration.
As a result, the bill provides over $1.7 million to Holmes as compensation.
The law took effect upon being signed.
SB 14 — Drowning Victim
Senate Bill 14 provides relief to the estate of Peniel Janvier, who drowned in 2022 after being pushed into a youth center’s community pool in Miami Beach.
According to the bill, lifeguards and city workers failed to notice Janvier being pushed into the pool, ultimately resulting in his death.
As a result, the bill authorizes the city of Miami Beach to pay $1.7 million to Janvier’s estate as compensation.
The law took effect upon being signed.
SB 26 — Officer Crash Victims
Senate Bill 26 provides relief to Kristen and Lia McIntosh, sisters whose parents were killed in a 2022 crash in Nassau County.
According to the bill, a state officer was trying to cross I-95 at the time, but in doing so, he drove into the path of a vehicle containing the two sisters and their parents.
The resulting crash killed the officer, as well as seriously injured the sisters and their parents, the bill states.
As a result of the incident, the bill provides over $2.2 million between Kristen and Lia McIntosh as compensation.
The law took effect upon being signed.
SB 130 — Wrongful Incarceration
Senate Bill 130 amends state statutes regarding compensation for victims of wrongful incarceration.
Under this law, someone who’s been wrongfully incarcerated now has two years to file a petition under those statutes, as opposed to just 90 days.
In addition, the law removes the state’s “Clean Hands” provision, which made someone ineligible for compensation if he/she had been convicted of another felony in the past.
The law also mandates that a dead person’s successors don’t have standing to file a petition on behalf of the dead person.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 268 — Public Records (Lawmakers)
Senate Bill 268 creates a public record exemption for state lawmakers, public officers, and their immediate family members.
More specifically, the exemption applies to their partial home addresses and telephone numbers, as well as the personal information of any of their minor children.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 584 — Housing Support
Senate Bill 584 expands housing access and support services for homeless students who are current or former foster youth.
Under this law, Florida state universities must work with the state to develop plans to prioritize the placement of these students in campus housing.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 2500 — Appropriations
Senate Bill 2500 provides funding for the state’s expenses for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
Some key parts of the budget included paying down state debt and giving many state employees a hike to their pay.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 2502 — Implementing Appropriations
Senate Bill 2502 provides the necessary statutory authority to implement the budget.
However, a key provision in SB 2502 allows the Office of Policy and Budget to review the budgets of local governments to ensure proper spending and prevent waste.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 2504 — Collective Bargaining
Senate Bill 2504 directs the resolution of collective bargaining issues that are at impasse for the 2025-2026 fiscal year regarding state employees.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 2508 — New Judges
Senate Bill 2508 amends state statutes to set up 10 new circuit court judgeships, 17 new county court judgeships, and two new judgeships in the district court of appeal.
The measure comes after the Supreme Court issued an order back in December certifying the need for new judges.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 2510 — Grade School Education
Senate Bill 2510 confirms applicable statutes to appropriations provided for prekindergarten through Grade 12 education in the 2025-2026 budget.
Some of the changes made by this law include requiring the DOE to make recommendations on a Title I performance incentive program and removing new student eligibility for the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts program.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 2514 — Health and Human Services
Senate Bill 2514 conforms state statutes to funding decisions related to the Health and Human Services in the budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
The law took effect on July 1.
SB 7018 — Public Records (Abortions)
Senate Bill 7018 keeps in place a public record exemption for personal information of a minor who is petitioning for a judicial waiver of parental consent under the Parental Notice of and Consent for Abortion Act.
The law is set to take effect on Oct. 1.
SB 7022 — Retirement
Senate Bill 7022 establishes the contribution rates paid by employers that participate in the Florida Retirement System.
These modifications are expected to bring in over $300 million more revenue to the FRS Trust Fund annually.
The law took effect on July 1.
BILLS VETOED BY GOV. DESANTIS
HB 1095 — Substance Abuse
House Bill 1095 would have created the “Substance Abuse Accountability Pilot Program” to be administered by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The program would have required those convicted of felonies or first-degree misdemeanors to abstain from alcohol or controlled substances as a condition of probation.
DeSantis provided the following statement for why he chose to veto the bill:
“HB 1095 creates a new pilot program in Hillsborough County for certain offenders whose conditions of probation require an abstention from drugs and alcohol; however, the program was not provided a specific appropriation within the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. While innovative solutions to address public safety are welcome, without clear, committed resources, the program cannot be responsibly implemented or evaluated.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, “An act relating to the Criminal Offender Substance Abuse Program”
HB 1133 — Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
House Bill 1133 would have created the FWC Regional Representation Act.
That act would have set up residency requirements for members of the FWC Commission and required the governor to ensure compliance with the act when appointing members to the commission.
In addition, the law would have specified that members of the commission must follow the same requirements as law enforcement officers when entering private land.
DeSantis provided the following statement for why he chose to veto the bill:
“HB 1133 amends the governance and operations of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). While the bill’s intent is to prevent personnel from entering hunting property without probable cause, the bill fails to achieve this.
The legislature should instead enact legislation that clearly provides Floridians with these protections, as was done with the Boater Freedom Act. A more comprehensive revision to Florida Statutes is necessary to effectively protect the property rights of Floridians.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, “An act relating to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission”
HB 1445 — State Officials
House Bill 1445 would require anyone appointed to a state office to be a U.S. citizen and a Florida resident as of Oct. 1.
In addition, the bill would require that members of the Board of Governors and state university boards of trustees be both a U.S. citizen and a Florida resident as of Jan. 6, 2027.
DeSantis provided the following statement for why he chose to veto the bill:
“Florida’s board of governors (BOG) and university boards of trustees (BOT) are constitutionally-created offices with constitutionally-prescribed eligibility criteria. Specifically, pursuant to the Florida Constitution, the BOG consists of 17 members: 14 ‘citizens dedicated to the purpose of the state university system,’ the commissioner of education, the chair of the advisory council of faculty senates or the equivalent, and the president of the Florida student association or the equivalent. Article IX of the Florida Constitution states each BOT ‘consists of six citizen members appointed by the governor and five citizen members appointed by the board of governors,’ as well as the chair of the faculty senate or the equivalent and the president of the student body of the university.
The requirement in Article IX that certain members of the BOG and BOT must be ‘citizens’ has long been understood to mean members who do not hold public office, not members who are citizens of Florida.
HB 1445 attempts to impose additional eligibility criteria by requiring members of the BOG and BOT to be ‘either a resident of this state or a graduate of (a/the) state university.’ However, the Florida Supreme Court has ‘consistently held that statutes imposing additional qualifications for office are unconstitutional where the basic document of the constitution itself has already undertaken to set forth those requirements.’”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, “An act relating to Public Officers and Employees”
HB 5015 — State Group Insurance
House Bill 5015 would have required the DMS to submit recommendations on the kinds of prescription drugs and supplies covered by the state employee prescription drug plan.
The recommendations would have applied to the 2026 plan, though DeSantis provided the following statement for why he chose to veto the bill:
“The State of Florida has historically provided access to comprehensive health care coverage at an affordable cost to state employees through the State Group Insurance Program(Program) – a benefit used by state entities to recruit and retain highly skilled employees in Florida’s competitive employment market.
HB 5015 will have a negative impact on state employee families’ cost and access to prescription drugs and supplies. The Department of Management Services (DMS) is continuously researching industry trends and opportunities to achieve cost savings while balancing member impact; however, a comprehensive analysis and implementation is not feasible in an abbreviated timeframe without an abrupt impact to state employees.
While I support DMS developing recommendations as required by the bill to reduce the rate at which costs are increasing, the implementation of the provisions contained in the bill will have a negative impact on thousands of Florida’s families. Therefore, the recommendations should be carefully evaluated, with all options available for review and approval by the entirety of the Legislature, not solely by a 14-member budget panel.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, “An act relating to State Group Insurance”
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