TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed about 220 bills into law this year, and more than half went into effect on Wednesday.
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The list of more than 130 new Florida laws includes legislation to rename an airport and a highway after President Donald Trump.
The newCommercial Service Airportslawrenames the Palm Beach International Airport to the President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
The new Transportation Facility Designations law defined the new President Donald J. Trump Highway as State Road 870, from State Road A1A or South Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach County, continuing westward through Hendry and Lee counties, and Commercial Boulevard in Broward County. It also designates a portion of State Road 985, or Southwest 107th Avenue, in Miami-Dade County as the Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue.
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The list also included legislation related to terrorist organizations, the environment, new technology, education, and safety.
Terrorism
The new Foreign Influencelaw limits ties with “foreign countries of concern,” expands criminal penalties related to “foreign terrorist organizations,” and bans pre-planned adoption agreements or surrogate contracts involving “countries of concern.”
The new Systems of Law and Terrorist Organizations law allows the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s chief of domestic security to designate “terrorist organizations.”
Public safety
The new Dangerous Crimes law, better known as Missy’s Law after 5-year-old murder victim Missy Mogle, includes “any violation related to computer pornography or child exploitation” and requires pre-trial detention regardless of the defendant’s plea.
The new Sexual Offenses law revises mandatory minimum sentences for convicted sex offenders, and increases penalties for knowingly soliciting, possessing, controlling, or intentionally viewing and creating child sexual abuse material.
The new Habitual Traffic Offender Designation law, better known as Isaiah’s Law, creates a new designation for drivers who get three or more convictions of driving without a valid license within five years.
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The new Domestic Violence and Protective Injunctions law reclassifies penalties for committing a domestic violence offense if a person has a prior conviction for domestic violence.
The newDrowning Preventionlaw expands the Swimming Lesson Voucher Program and directs the Florida Department of Health to develop educational materials.
Education
The newSchool District Unimproved Real Propertylawrequires an annual inventory of “unimproved” or vacant property for the Florida Department of Education. Without an agreement by July 1, 2027, the law requires districts to offer such properties to charter schools.
The newAthletics in Public K-12law allows athletic coaches in high schools to make personal contributions of up to $15,000 annually to help support their players’ transportation, food, and recovery.
Environment
The newProhibited Governmental Policies Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissionslawbans “net-zero” greenhouse gas emission policies.
The newPerfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substanceslaw directs the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to regulate Aqueous Film-Forming Foam, or AFFF, which is used for fire suppression.
The new Coastal Resiliencylaw bans cruise ship operations and dredging or filling within the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve near Manatee County, and it directs DEP to issue new permitting processes by Jan. 1.
New tech
The new Vertiports law allows the Florida Department of Transportation to fund 100% of the cost of projects at public vertiports that don’t have federal funds and 80% when federal funds are available.
The new Data Centerslaw empowers local governments with more control over the planning and land development of large-scale data centers, and it prohibits passing on the utility costs to residents or small businesses.
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