Starting January 1, 2025, Florida will see the introduction of nine new laws covering various aspects from digital safety to public safety, voter rights, and financial protections. Here’s a comprehensive overview:
Online Protection for Minors
- Social Media Restrictions: A new law prohibits children under 14 from having social media accounts. Minors aged 14 and 15 can have accounts with parental or guardian consent. Social media platforms must close accounts of users under 14, and all personal data associated with these accounts must be permanently deleted unless legally required to be retained.
Threatening First Responders
- First Responder Protection: This law mandates individuals to maintain a distance of at least 25 feet from a first responder performing duties after being warned not to approach. Violations such as impeding, threatening, or harassing first responders are considered second-degree misdemeanors.
Voter Registration Applications
- Party Affiliation Changes: Changes to a voter’s party affiliation now require written consent. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) is barred from altering party affiliations without this consent during voter registration updates. Applicants will receive a printed receipt confirming their registration details and any changes in party affiliation.
Building Regulations
- Permit Processing: This legislation introduces specific timeframes for local governments to approve or deny building permit applications and to notify applicants of any issues. It also modifies the certification process for building code inspectors and plans examiners.
Medical Treatment Under Workers’ Compensation Law
- Reimbursement Increases: Adjustments are made to the payment rates for health care providers giving depositions and the reimbursement for doctors and surgical procedures under Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Law.
Protection of Specified Adults
- Financial Safeguards: Enhanced protections are introduced for adults over 65 or vulnerable adults against potential financial exploitation by financial institutions, allowing delays in transactions if exploitation is suspected.
Dental Insurance Claims
- Insurance Code Amendments: Updates to the Florida Insurance Code aim to streamline dental services coverage, contractual agreements, and claim payments by insurers or similar organizations.
Florida Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act
- Trust Law Modernization: This act replaces the existing principal and income allocation laws with a new framework that supports total-return investing, allows conversion of trusts into unitrusts, and offers more personalized estate planning options, aiming to minimize jurisdictional conflicts.
Private Activity Bonds
- Bond Allocation Reforms: The law aims to maximize the use of private activity bonds for public benefit projects by consolidating bond pools, expediting bond usage, and updating application processes to electronic submissions. This includes revising regions, pools, and timelines for bond allocations, and ensuring all allocated volume cap can be carried forward.
These laws reflect Florida’s legislative effort to address contemporary issues ranging from digital safety for children to enhancing public service operations and protecting vulnerable populations. Residents should familiarize themselves with these changes to ensure compliance and take advantage of new protections or opportunities.
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(Image credit: WKMG Orlando)
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