Bills passed during 2017 & 2018 Session – Senator Dennis Baxley, SD 13
Revises legislative intent concerning obligations of bail bond agent.
Signed by Governor on 6/26/2017
Revises elements that constitute theft of utilities; specifies types of damages that may be recovered for damaging property of utility or for theft of electricity services and specifies methods used to determine and assess damages for damaging property of utility or for theft of electricity services.
Signed by Governor on 6/23/2017
Providing that a client of the Division of Blind Services is considered an employee of the state for workers’ compensation coverage.
Signed by Governor on 6/15/2017
Clarifies who is and who isn’t a mortgage broker.
Signed by Governor on 3/21/2018
Requires the State to pay for Worker’s Compensation costs when an employer hires a person with disabilities.
Signed by Governor on 3/21/2018
Requiring state, county, municipal, or other law enforcement agencies that conduct lineups to follow specified procedures.
Signed by Governor on 6/15/2017
Requires sexual predators and sexual offenders to register each internet identifier’s corresponding website homepage or application software name with FDLE through sheriff’s office.
Signed by Governor on 6/26/2017
Prohibits time-sharing plan from requiring or being interpreted to require visitation at recovery residence between specified hours and requires court to consider certain factors to determine best interest of the child/children.
Signed by Governor on 6/12/2017
Gives law enforcement 180 days to investigate a sexual offense against a minor prior to subpoena recipient alerting customer they are under investigation.
Signed by governor on 3/23/2018
Prohibits a school district from discriminating against students, parents, or school personnel on the basis of religious viewpoints or expression prohibiting penalty or reward for a student’s religious expression in coursework, artwork, or other specified assignments.
Signed by Governor on 6/12/2017
Revises eligibility requirements for students to receive part-time instruction at the Florida Virtual School and allows students including home education and private school students to participate in virtual instruction options.
Signed by Governor on 6/12/2017
Provides parents/students a parent-directed home educational option that satisfies the requirement for regular school attendance. Parents have the freedom to determine their child’s educational path and the plan for reaching their goals. Students have the opportunity to explore and learn at their own pace, in any location or at any time.
Signed by Governor on 3/11/2018 (Bill amended into HB 7055 Education)
The bill creates a second-degree felony for an authority figure who solicits or engages in sexual, romantic or lewd conduct with a student enrolled at the school where they are employed, regardless of the student’s age.
Signed by Governor on 4/6/2018
Revises requirements related to home school and private school dual enrollment costs.
Signed by Governor on 3/11/2018 (Bill amended into HB 7055 Education)
Creates the “Campus Free Expression Act” establishing definitions codifying right to free-speech activities. Prohibits public institutions of higher education to designate any area of campus as a free-speech zone, but authorizes restrictions under specified conditions.
Signed by Governor on 3/11/2018 (Bill amended into SB 4 Higher Education)
St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) adopted by rule the minimum flow and water level (MFL) for Silver Springs, which is an Outstanding Florida Spring (OFS). If an OFS is below or projected to fall below the MFL within 20 years, then concurrent adoption of a recovery or prevention strategy is required.
Signed by Governor on 3/19/2018
Requiring a Water Management District (WMD) to publish notice or its intent to sell surplus property on its website in addition to a newspaper in the county where the land is located and to publish notice of its intent to sell surplus property at least 30 days, but not more than 360 days, before the WMD approves a sale. It also allows WMD to sell land valued at $25,000 or less to an adjacent property owner, giving such property owners the opportunity to purchase the property before the rest of the general public.
Signed by Governor on 4/6/2018
Creates a public records exemption for written valuations of WMD land determined to be surplus lands.
Signed by Governor on 4/6/2018
Requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration to establish a technical advisory panel to develop procedures and standards for measuring outcomes of pediatric cardio catherization programs and pediatric open-heart surgery programs.
Signed by Governor on 6/23/2017
Provides exemption from ad valorem taxation for first responders who have worked for a state of Florida agency and spouses of first responders who have died. (Must have applied during 2017 tax year)
Signed by Governor on 6/15/2017
Designates a portion of road in Marion County to be named the Nelle Needham Memorial Highway.
Signed by Governor on 3/23/2018 (Bill amended into SB 382 Road Designations)
The statutory authority for VFF is scheduled to repeal on October 1, 2018, unless reviewed
and reenacted by the Legislature. The bill removes the scheduled repeal of the law
authorizing the commission to create a DSO.
Signed by Governor on 3/21/2018
