2024 Session is underway
Below is a list of some of the more interesting bills (not all good). There will be a more detailed version coming soon to the website. Look for “2024 Legislative Session” on the “Government” tab of FloridaCAN.org.
Education & Parental Rights
SB282. Nonpublic Religious Postsecondary Educational Institutions (changes rules for private religions colleges)
Individual Freedom
HB1615. Restrictions on Firearms and Ammunition During Emergencies (repeals ridiculous anti-gun law that prohibits sale or display of guns or ammo during state of emergency)
HB 1619. Carrying and Possession of Weapons and Firearms (allows open carry of firearms; expands concealed carry with permit; more legal protection for “risk protection orders” (red flag law))
Healthcare & Medical Freedom
SB402. Declarations of a Public Health Emergency (harder to renew public health emergencies; removes vaccines as a treatment)
SB636. Exemptions from Immunization Requirements (anyone can claim an exemption for any reason if vax doesn’t satisfy certain rules (including manufacturer assumes liability… so all of them)
SB680. Protection of Medical Freedom (similar to HB1535; no immunization registry or tracking; can’t require proof of vax or immunity status; adds vax or immunity status to civil rights law)
SB1094. Immunization Requirements (need state approval to add immunization requirements for school attendance; allow for parental opt-out)
Culture
HB1. Social Media Use for Minors (no social media under 16; 16-17 have warnings and protections)
HB 3. Online Access to Materials Harmful to Minors (SB1788 (Age verification); SB1792 (Harmful to minors); have to block material that depicts or describes sexual content on website or apps for users under 18)
SB766. Luring or Enticing Children (raises penalty for existing law)
HB1129/SB1196. Harm to Minors (“Protect Our Children Act”; requires manufacturers to have a filter on devices so underage users could not download harmful content)
HB 1135. Lewd or Lascivious Grooming (SB 1238; Defines “lewd or lascivious grooming” as “the process of preparing or encouraging a child to engage in sexual activity through overtly sexually themed communication with the child or in conduct with or observed by the child without permission from the child’s parent or legal guardian.”; violation of the law is a second degree felony (up to 15 years of $10K)
HB 1233. Biological Sex (replaces gender with sex (defined biologically); defines mother and father; if health insurance offers transition coverage, it must also offer detransitioning coverage and must off plans without transition coverage; allows discrimination based on sex for state interests (detention facilities, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, locker rooms, restrooms, etc.))
***BAD***
HB1355/SB1414. Education (“Freedom to Learn Act”; puts CRT, DEI, LGBTQ history, porn and sex instruction back into schools)
***BAD***… sponsored by Rep Michele Rayner-Goolsby (D; District 62; Hillsborough & Pinellas Counties)… this bill hopefully goes nowhere, but you should know what types of evil people are in Tallahassee
HB1639. Gender and Biological Sex (shorter version of HB 1233)
Crime
SB 538. Traveling Across County Lines to Commit Criminal Offenses (makes criminal offense one level higher if crossing county lines)
HB1365/SB1530. Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping (no public sleeping or camping allowed by county unless it provides public restrooms, security, behavioral health services, and it doesn’t negatively affect surrounding properties; individuals and businesses can sue county for damages if adversely affected by public camping or sleeping)
HB759. Solicitation of Contributions Act (prohibits most panhandling on roads or near commercial establishment)
Election Integrity
HB359. Voting Systems (provides for manual hand count; no foreign equipment or software)
HB671/SB190. Ballot Boxes (escort for transport of election materials)
HB1669/SB1752. Elections (tightens absentee process and vote by mail)
SB1602. Elections (voter role clean up and maintenance)
Other bills
***BAD***
SB 1258. Carbon Sequestration
***BAD***… introduced by Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez (R; District 40; Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties)… some WEF, corporatist RINO that needs to be primaried
SB586. Cultivated Meat (prohibit manufacture, sale, or distribution of cultivated meat)
SCR324. Balanced Federal Budget (calls for the article V of the convention of states “for the sole purpose of proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States which requires a balanced federal budget”)
Training opportunities
Training provided by The Leadership Institute:
Hillsborough County (Tampa) Activist & Candidate College on Feb 2-3
Broward County (Ft Lauderdale) Direct Voter Contact Workshop on Feb 6
Okaloosa County (Niceville) Local Leader Workshop on Feb 6
Duval County (Jacksonville) Community Activism & Campaign Training on Feb 10
Volusia County (Port Orange) Community Activism & Campaign Training on Feb 10
Sarasota County (Sarasota) School Board Campaigning 101 on Feb 17
Manatee County (Bradenton) Campaign Fundamentals on Mar 12
Marion County (The Villages) Campaign & Volunteer Strategies Workshop on Mar 13
Sarasota County (Sarasota) School Board Member Boot Camp on Mar 22-23
Alachua County (Gainesville) Campaigns & Media Training on Mar 23
Duval County (Jacksonville) Conservative Leaders Workshop on Apr 10
Scorecards
Do you want to know how good or bad your local representative or senator are? Here are a couple of places to look. We’re hoping to produce something like this for FloridaCAN, but we’re going to limit it only to the bills we deem important. No more getting away with “conservative” labels for voting party-line on unimportant bills.
The Institute for Legislative Analysis. (My local guys seem about right: mid-70s for corporatist Republicans)
Center for Legislative Accountability. (This is from American Conservative Unions, the CPAC people, so it seems way too generous in its ratings)
RINOs of Florida Facebook group. (I don’t really use FB so I can’t comment on how good this is)
State Interposition
Given the issues at the border and the looming battle between the Feds and States, Utah is leading the way with an interposition bill. SB57 authorizes the state legislature to declare federal laws and regs unconstitutional and have the effect of prohibiting state and local officials from enforcing them. It would be nice to get this going in Florida.
Article V Convention of States
Governor DeSantis and Speaker Renner held a press conference today (1/29) to announce Florida will renew its call for an Article V convention of states to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution AND will expand the proposals. The original referendum was just for a balanced budget amendment. Now they want 4 things:
1. Balanced budget
2. Term limits for legislators
3. Line-item veto for the budget
4. Congress cannot exempt themselves from laws