05-05-2025
Florida legislative session to resume May 12. Here are the key measures already on the governor's desk
The Brief
Florida lawmakers will work beyond the typical 60-day legislative session to iron out the state budget.
The session will resume on May 12 in Tallahassee.
Several key bills have already been passed and await the governor's signature.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida legislative session is set to be extended as the House and Senate struggle to agree on terms for the upcoming fiscal year's budget.
House Speaker Daniel Perez and Gov. Ron DeSantis reached a point of contention where Speaker Perez announced the legislative session will pick back up on Monday, May 12, and conclude on Friday, June 6.
Throughout the session there has been notable disagreement on topics like immigration and condo fees.
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Meanwhile, the fate of a number of bills that have been passed in the House and Senate is now in the hands of Gov. DeSantis.
Lucy's Law is named after a 17-year-old killed in a reckless boating incident and has garnered bipartisan support.
The measure would align penalties for reckless boating offenses with those for dangerous driving offenses. Current Florida law only requires boaters born after 1988 to take a boater education and safety course to obtain a boater safety card. With Lucy's Law, anyone who's lived in the state for less than five years, regardless of age, would also be required to take the course.
Lucy's Law would also force anyone with one reckless boating criminal charge or two reckless boating citations in the span of 12 months to take a boater education and safety course.
RELATED: Parents of teen killed in boating crash want stronger penalties for reckless boaters
Dexter's Law stems from a case out of Pinellas County last May in which a dog adopted from the shelter was found bagged, decapitated, and dumped in Fort DeSoto Park days after he was adopted.
If signed into law, it would strengthen penalties for offenders of especially heinous aggravated animal cruelty crimes, like Dexter's case. It would also create an FDLE online database for animal abusers.
PREVIOUS: Fight for 'Dexter's Law' heads to Tallahassee
This measure would block the construction of pickleball and tennis courts, hotels, and golf courses in more than 20 Florida state parks, following the introduction of Gov. DeSantis' "Great Outdoors Initiative" last summer.
HB 1103/SB 1050 would give people the freedom to choose whether they want their loved ones in managed care. It would also speed up access to state-funded care for families that have been on a waitlist for months, or even years.
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The Source
Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis.
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