Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs 14 more bills into law. Here’s what they are, when they take effect

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed 14 bills into law that cover a variety of issues, including tax collection, home construction warranties and swimming lessons for children.

DeSantis also received another bill on his desk — House Bill 1285 — which deals with changes to public education in the state. He has until April 30 to sign that bill into law.

Meanwhile, the new laws signed on Monday include:

HB 113 – Tax Collections and Sales

House Bill 113 amends the state statutes regarding partial payments of current-year taxes.

The new law eliminates a $10 processing fee to the tax collector for partial payments.

In addition, there is a new clause for situations involving delinquent tax bills on real estate. Tax collectors must provide additional information in reports to county commissions about situations where credit is given, including federal bankruptcies and properties in which taxes are below the minimum tax bill.

This law will take effect on July 1.

HB 151 – Florida Retirement System

House Bill 151 amends the state statutes regarding the Florida Retirement System.

Starting later this year, retirees who have been “terminated” can be reemployed by any employer that is part of the state’s retirement system.

They can also receive retirement benefits and compensation from the employer, though these retirees may not receive both a salary from the employer and retirement benefits during the six months after they begin retirement.

This law will take effect on July 1.

HB 353 – Alternative Headquarters for District Court Judges

House Bill 353 amends the state statutes regarding the district courts of appeal in Florida.

The changes allow for a district court of appeal judge to work at a courthouse in an adjacent county from where they live, provided it’s within the same district.

Before, these judges would be required to live within the same county as the courthouse.

If such a judge lives in an adjacent county, this legislation could provide possible reimbursement for the judge’s travel expenses between their official headquarters and the headquarters of the appellate district.

This law will take effect on July 1.

HB 537 – STEM Music Program for Middle Schools

House Bill 537 establishes a pilot program for “mSCALES” — Music-based Supplemental Content to Accelerate Learner Engagement and Success.

The program is aimed at providing “music-based supplemental materials” to support science and math classes for middle-school students.

According to the bill’s text, only the Alachua, Marion and Miami-Dade school districts would be eligible to participate in the pilot program.

In addition, participating school districts are set to receive $6 per student, though eligible middle schools would have to be in the same “attendance zone” as an elementary school that participated in the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Program.

This pilot program is also set to be evaluated by the College of Education at the University of Florida, which will put together a report on the program’s efficacy by Oct. 1, 2026.

This law will take effect on July 1.

HB 623 – Builder Warranties

House Bill 623 creates a new law that requires builders to warrant newly constructed homes for one year after the home is either sold or occupied.

These warranties involve construction defects of “equipment, material or workmanship” that cause the home to violate Florida’s Building Code.

However, the law doesn’t require the warranty in the following situations:

• Normal wear and tear

• Normal house settling

• Defects caused by buyers or their contractors

• Natural disasters

This law will take effect on July 1, 2025.

HB 781 – Public-Private Partnerships

House Bill 781 involves public-private partnerships (P3s), which are contract agreements between local governments and private firms to help fund public infrastructure projects.

Typically, local governments who want to engage in a P3 with a private firm via an unsolicited proposal have to publish notices both of the proposal itself and that the government is still accepting bids.

This legislation allows local governments to go ahead with unsolicited proposals for infrastructure projects without having to go through the whole public bidding process.

To do so, the bill requires local leaders to hold meetings to hear from the public and determine whether the proposals fit the public’s best interests.

In addition, local governments entering a P3 under this bill would no longer have to publish a notice in newspapers or mail copies to each local government in the affected area.

This law is expected to help local governments fund their infrastructure projects more easily with the help of outside businesses.

The law will take effect on July 1.

HB 813 – Certified Public Accountants (CPA)

House Bill 813 amends the state statutes for public accountants.

The bill allows CPAs who are at least 65 years old to apply to have their Florida CPA license “retired,” as opposed to being placed as “inactive.”

This allows retired licensees to reactivate their licenses based on standards set by the Florida Board of Accountancy, which requires fees and additional education — around 120 hours of professional education for every two years that the license is placed in retirement.

This law will take effect on July 1.

HB 1147 – Broadband Access

House Bill 1147 is aimed at bringing more broadband Internet access to areas of Florida that lack it.

In 2021, the Florida Legislature established a promotional rate for broadband providers who use poles owned by municipal electric utilities to bring more access to “underserved consumers.”

While the promotion was initially set to end later this year, this bill extends the promotional rate to Dec. 31, 2028.

This law will take effect on June 30.

HB 1555 – “Cyber Florida”

House Bill 1555 amends the state statutes for cybersecurity.

The bill renames the Florida Center for Cybersecurity — which provides education and research to bolster the cybersecurity sector in Florida — as “Cyber Florida.”

In addition, the bill redefines the center’s mission: to “conduct, fund, and facilitate research and applied science that leads to the creation of new technologies and software packages that have military and homeland defense purposes or for sale or use in the private sector.”

Alongside that, the bill allows — but does not require — Cyber Florida to help state agencies with cybersecurity training and improving cybersecurity for government tech infrastructure, including within public schools.

This law will take effect on July 1.

HB 7011 – Inactive Special Districts

House Bill 7011 deals with special districts, which are units of local government created for a particular purpose.

The bill dissolves four special districts, which were already declared “inactive.” They are as follows:

• Calhoun County Transportation Authority

• Highland View Water and Sewer District

• West Orange Airport Authority

• Dead Lakes Water Management District

In addition, the Sunny Isles Reclamation and Water Control Board were also dissolved.

This law will take effect on July 1.

SB 276 – Review of Advisory Bodies

Senate Bill 276 amends the state statutes for organizational structure in the executive branch.

The changes require executive agencies with an advisory body to upload a report each year by Aug. 15 with the following information:

• Whichever statute is responsible for the advisory body

• A brief description of the advisory body’s purpose

• A list of each member on the advisory body and who appointed them

• Any vacancies on the advisory body

• A list of the advisory body’s meeting dates and times

• A brief summary of the advisory body’s work plan over the next two years

• The amount of funds appropriated to the advisory body

• A recommendation about why the advisory body should be continued/terminated/modified

In addition, any laws that create an advisory body must now include a provision that repeals the body on Oct. 2 of the third year after enactment, unless the law is reviewed and saved from repeal by being passed through the Legislature again.

This law will take effect on July 1.

SB 478 – Lifeline Service

Senate Bill 478 amends the state statutes for the federal Lifeline program.

That program aims to make communications services more affordable for low-income households, giving subscribers discounts on certain types of services.

Under this new bill, the Florida Public Service Commission has the authority to designate mobile phone service providers as eligible carriers under the Lifeline program.

This law took effect upon being signed.

SB 544 – Swimming Lesson Vouchers

Senate Bill 544 aims to reduce the number of child drownings in the state by expanding access to swim lessons.

The bill creates a Swimming Lessons Voucher Program, which gives low-income families vouchers to enroll their children in swimming lessons at participating vendors.

According to the bill’s text, it applies to Florida families with children ages 4 and under and who have an income that can be up to 200% of the national poverty level.

This law will take effect on July 1.

SB 958 – Local Government Employees

Senate Bill 958 raises the base salary rates for tax collectors and district school superintendents by $5,000.

The bill also allows tax collector employees to be eligible for monetary benefits if they adopt a child from the child welfare system, and tax collectors may pay out a retention bonus to employees if approved by state or county officials.

In addition, this legislation lets a school board contract with a county tax collector to have road tests administered on school grounds for driver’s licensing.

This law will take effect on July 1.

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