TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed another batch of 12 bills into law, covering issues like public records, welfare programs, and rules about wills and estates.
Some of these laws will be joining over 150 others that are set to go into effect next month. For a full list of those laws, click here.
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According to the Legislative analyses, each of the new laws signed on Thursday is as follows:
HB 103 — Attorney Public Records
House Bill 103 creates public record exemptions for local government attorneys, including county and city attorneys.
Under this bill, the following information about such attorneys will be exempt from public record requirements:
- Home addresses
- Telephone numbers
- Dates of birth
- Photographs
- Names of spouses and children
- Names and location of schools/daycares attended by attorney’s children
However, these exemptions don’t apply to local government attorneys who are running for public office. In addition, these exemptions will be automatically repealed on Oct. 2, 2029 thanks to the Open Government Sunset Review Act — unless reenacted by lawmakers.
The law will go into effect on July 1.
HB 379 — State Contract Public Records
House Bill 379 creates a public record exemption for prospective bidders on state projects.
Under current state law, to prequalify for bidding on a Florida Department of Transportation construction project, contractors must be able to prove their financial health.
HB 379 exempts the financial information necessary to verify a prospective bidder’s financial adequacy from public disclosure.
However, this exemption will be automatically repealed on Oct. 2, 2029 thanks to the Open Government Sunset Review Act — unless it’s reenacted by lawmakers.
The law will go into effect on July 1.
HB 521 — Distribution of Marital Assets
House Bill 521 amends state statutes regarding the distribution of marital assets during a divorce.
Specifically, the law clarifies the circumstances that justify an interim partial distribution, providing a list of factors that courts can use to determine whether interim partial distribution should be used.
This law also requires that interspousal gifts of real property be made in writing, and the law recognizes that enterprise goodwill in a business should also be distributed as a marital asset.
The law will go into effect on July 1.
HB 741 — Hillsboro Beach
House Bill 741 creates an exception to Florida’s Beverage Law.
Specifically, the law lets the Department of Business and Professional Regulation issue a special alcoholic beverage license to any residential condominium in Hillsboro Beach on the following conditions:
- No fewer than 50 condo units in a single building or multiple buildings under the control and operation of the same association of condo owners
- Is owned by or rented to nontransients
- Is licensed as a food service establishment under state law
Under this law, these licenses may only be issued to whichever entity is managing the food and beverage operations of the condominium, though sales under this license may only go to residents or guests for consumption on the premises during the hours when food is sold.
This law took effect upon being signed.
HB 823 — North Okaloosa Fire District
House Bill 823 provides more authority to the North Okaloosa Fire District, a special district in Okaloosa County.
Under this bill, the district’s board of fire commissioners is allowed to schedule impact fees to pay for new facilities and equipment, as well as enter agreements with the county to share public funds if the county government already imposes impact fees for fire protection services.
This law took effect upon being signed.
HB 897 — Dorcas Fire District
House Bill 897 changes the Dorcas Fire District, an independent special district in Okaloosa County.
Under this bill, the district is changed into a dependent special district, with a board made up of Okaloosa County commissioners or their appointees.
This law took effect upon being signed.
HB 923 — Wills and Estates
House Bill 923 amends state statutes regarding probate records — those involved in gathering and distributing a dead person’s assets.
This law expands the types of probate records that a clerk must file, including orders determining beneficiaries.
In addition, the law makes certain clarifications to state law to reduce the risk of unintended forfeitures of community property rights.
This law took effect upon being signed.
HB 983 — Clerk Public Records
House Bill 983 amends state statutes regarding public records exemptions for public officials.
Under this law, an exemption is created for clerks of circuit courts, deputy clerks of circuit courts, clerk personnel, and their families. The exempted information includes the following:
- Home addresses
- Telephone numbers
- Dates of birth
- Photographs
- Names of spouses and children
- Names and location of schools/daycares attended by clerk’s children
These exemptions will be automatically repealed on Oct. 2, 2029 thanks to the Open Government Sunset Review Act — unless reenacted by lawmakers.
The law will go into effect on July 1.
HB 1267 — Economic Self-Sufficiency
House Bill 1267 revises certain parts of the TANF, SNAP, and School Readiness programs.
The law creates case management as a transitional benefit for families getting off of Temporary Cash Assistance. It also lets participation in adult general education exam prep count toward certain TCA work requirements.
In addition, the law requires the DCF to expand mandatory SNAP Employment and Training participation to include adults ages 18-59 without children in the home.
Beyond that, the law creates the School Readiness Plus Program, which gives money to families who no longer qualify for school readiness program funding.
The law will go into effect on July 1.
SB 702 — Attorney Fees
Senate Bill 702 requires courts to award reasonable attorney fees to prevailing defendants during certain civil cases.
Specifically, the law involves civil cases about property rights — such as title disputes, boundary disputes, and easement disputes — where improvements made by a defendant property owner primarily complied with regulatory approvals issued by a political subdivision of the state.
This law took effect upon being signed.
SB 984 — Judgment Liens
Senate Bill 984 amends legislation passed last year regarding judgment liens.
These changes include the following:
- Clarifying that a judgment lien in payment intangibles and accounts only applies to property interests that are located in the state.
- Allows filing of a corrective judgment lien certificate
- Provide that the Uniform Commercial Code lien priority law prevails over the lien priority of the statute on judgments
- Allow an account debtor to pay a judgment creditor instead of paying the judgment debtor through a settlement agreement between the judgment creditor and the judgment debtor without the need for a final order directing the payment
The law will go into effect on July 1.
SB 1420 — Department of Commerce (DCM)
Senate Bill 1420 makes several changes regarding the Florida Department of Commerce.
Specifically, the law:
- creates a Supply Chain Innovation Program within the DCM and require the department to jointly select grants with the FDOT.
- specifies that an HOA’s proposed revived declaration of covenants and articles of incorporation and bylaws must be submitted to the DCM within 60 days of obtaining valid written consent from the majority of affected parcel owners (or within 60 days after the documents are approved by the owners by vote at a meeting).
- requires the DCM to establish a direct-support organization and rename the Florida Defense Support Task Force.
- provides that if a local government doesn’t hold a second public hearing and adopt a comprehensive plan amendment within 180 days after the DCM provides comments, the amendment is considered withdrawn.
The law will go into effect on July 1.
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