Nearly 150 bills set to take effect on July 1, 2024
Florida lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis have been busy passing new laws as part of the 2024 Legislative Session. Nearly 150 bills have been approved and are scheduled to take effect on July 1.
These new laws cover a wide range of topics, including insurance, crime, education, tax relief and more.
Here is a summary of some laws that will go into effect next month.
HB 49 — Teen Labor Rights
House Bill 49 removes certain employment restrictions for 16- and 17-year-olds in Florida, such as how many hours per day and week teens are allowed to work.
The bill (Chapter 2024-25, L.O.F.):
- 1. Clarifies that minors 15 years old or younger may not work more than 15 hours in any one week, when school is in session.
- 2. Provides an exception for minors 16 and 17 years to work for more than 8 hours in any one day when school is scheduled the following day and the day of work is a holiday or a Sunday.
- 3. Provides that the cap of 30 hours per week when school is in session for minors 16 and 17 years old may be waived by a minor’s parent or custodian or by the school superintendent or designee.
- 4. Allows minors 16 and 17 years old to work more than 6 consecutive days in any one week by lowering the age limitation to minors 15 years old or younger.
- 5. Requires that minors 16 and 17 years old who work for 8 hours or more in any one day may not work for more than 4 hours continuously without an interval of at least 30 minutes for a meal period. The bill retains the limitation that minors 15 years old or younger may not work more than 4 hours continuously without an interval of at least 30 minutes for a meal period.
- 6. Provides that the work restrictions do not apply to:
- -Minors enrolled in any educational institution, not just public schools, who qualify on a hardship basis and receive a waiver on hours from the school superintendent.
- -Minors 16 and 17 years old who are in a home education program, or are enrolled in an approved virtual instruction program in which the minor is separated from the teacher by time only.
- 7. Clarifies that the DBPR may grant a waiver of these restrictions.
- 8. Clarifies that a violation by an employer of this section of law is punishable by fine and as a second-degree misdemeanor as provided in s. 450.141, F.S.
HB 59 — HOA Rules and Covenants
House Bill 59 requires HOAs to provide a physical or digital copy of their rules and covenants to each of its members by Oct. 1 — and all new members going forward.
In addition, the HOA must give every member an updated copy of the rule or covenants if the rules or covenants are amended.
HB 113 — Tax Collections and Sales
House Bill 113 eliminates a $10 processing fee to the tax collector for partial payments. The bills makes various clarifying changes to local governments’ annual tax collection administration to reflect current best practices related to errors and insolvencies reports and tax certificate sales.
HB 305 — Offenses Involving Children
House Bill 305 amends to increase the age for the child hearsay exception from 16 to 17 years of age. The hearsay rule is a rule of evidence which prohibits the admission of out-of-court statements that are offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted as evidence in judicial proceedings.
The Bill also amends requiring a person convicted of a human trafficking offense, where the victim is a minor, to be designated a sexual predator on a first offense.
HB 353 — Alternative Headquarters for District Court Judges
House Bill 353 permits an eligible district court of appeal judge to designate an alternate official headquarters in a county that is adjacent to his or her county of residence that is within the judicial district. Current law only permits an official headquarters designation within the judge’s county of residence.
HB 357 — Veterans Appreciation Month
House Bill 357 replaces “Veterans Week,” instead designating all of November as “Veterans Appreciation Month.”
HB 461 — Pregnant Women Excused from Jury Service
Under House Bill 461, a woman who has given birth within six months before the reporting date on a jury summons may be excused from service upon request.
HB 591 — Hot Car Death Prevention Month
House Bill 591 designates April as “Hot Car Death Prevention Month” to raise awareness of the dangers of leaving children alone in vehicles.
The law is also known as “Ariya’s Act,’ in memoriam of a 10-month-old Ariya Paige, who died of a heatstroke after being left in a car.
HB 919 — A.I. Use in Political Ads
House Bill 919 creates a definition for “generative artificial intelligence” and requires a disclaimer be included on specified forms of political advertisements created with generative artificial intelligence (AI).
The bill requires a disclaimer stating the political advertisement was created using A.I. if it appears to depict a real person doing something that didn’t actually happen or it was created with the intent to smear another candidate.
HB 1133 — Vulnerable Road Users
House Bill 1133 provides that a person who commits a moving violation that causes serious bodily injury to a vulnerable road user must pay a fine of not less than $1,500 and attend a DHSMV-approved driver improvement course.
The bill also requires a court to revoke the person’s driver license for at least three months.
Under state law, “vulnerable road users” are defined as:
1. A pedestrian, including a person actually engaged in work upon a highway, or in work upon utility facilities along a highway, or engaged in the provision of emergency services within the right-of-way;
2. A person operating a bicycle, an electric bicycle, a motorcycle, a scooter, or a moped lawfully on the roadway;
3. A person riding an animal; or
4. A person lawfully operating on a public right-of-way, crosswalk, or shoulder of the roadway:
- -A farm tractor or similar vehicle designed primarily for farm use;
- -A skateboard, roller skates, or in-line skates;
- -A horse-drawn carriage;
- -An electric personal assistive mobility device; or
- -A wheelchair
HB 1589 — Driving Without a Valid Driver’s License
House Bill 1589 amends state statutes regarding penalties for those caught driving without a valid driver’s license.
Specifically, any person who drives any motor vehicle upon a highway in this state without a valid driver license commits:
1. For a first offense, a misdemeanor of the second degree.
2. For a second offense, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
3. For a third or subsequent offense, a misdemeanor of the first degree and is subject to a minimum of 10 days in jail as ordered by the court.
The penalties do not apply to the operation of golf carts on roadways.
HB 1653 — Dead Bodies
House Bill 1653 makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to knowingly fail to report a dead body.
Under the law, anyone who becomes aware of someone’s death is required to report it to either the district medical examiner or law enforcement.
SB 544 — Swimming Lesson Vouchers
Senate Bill 544 aims to reduce the number of child drownings in the state by expanding access to swim lessons.
The bill establishes the Swimming Lesson Voucher Program within the Department of Health (DOH) to increase water safety by offering vouchers for swimming lessons to Florida families with children ages 4 and under who have an income of up to 200 % of the federal poverty level.