(The Center Square) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed 29 of the final remaining bills and vetoed three this week to cap this year’s legislative session.
Here are the bills that the Republican governor signed into law:
House Bill 125 allows public water and wastewater utilities to use an alternative fair market valuation method to establish the rate base for an acquired water or wastewater utility system.
HB 1275 establishes the “Protect Our Loved Ones” Act that authorizes law enforcement agencies to develop and maintain a voluntary database called the “Persons with Disabilities Registry.” The registry will be used for people with certain psychological or developmental conditions and disabilities to help with any future interactions the person may have with law enforcement.
Senate Bill 250 changes various laws regarding the preparation and response of state and local governments during natural emergencies. Changes include local governments being required to expedite building permits following a natural disaster, and counties and municipalities affected by Hurricanes Ian or Nicole are prohibited from increasing building fees until October 2024.
HB 1121 allows a retiree to volunteer with a Florida Retirement System employer while maintaining their bona fide termination status — a requirement to pay retirement benefits — and the retiree must not volunteer more than 20% of the regular hours they worked before retirement.
HB 387 requires a qualified physician to examine a person applying for a medical marijuana card physically before approval. The bill also establishes renewals with qualified physicians via telehealth under certain conditions.
Vetoed bills include:
SB 1188 was related to contract liability, as the bill would have required that certain procurement agreements include specified provisions.
SB 284 would have revised the vehicle procurement requirements for the state purchasing plan while requiring the Department of Management Services to recommend purchasing electric vehicle fleets.
HB 1267 prohibited a person from operating a loan business without getting approval and a license. It also would have revised the maximum interest charged on a consumer loan.
