Legislative Issues

POLICE REFORM Passing both chambers unanimously, this legislation requires police agencies to develop new policies around the use of force, including barring certain restraints, reporting of officers using excessive force and training aimed at de-escalating potentially violent situations.

CONSTITUTION REVISION COMMISSION This joint resolution would abolish the Constitution Revision Commission. The proposal will be placed on the 2022 ballot for voter consideration.  In related legislation, a $3,000 limit on individual contributions to citizen-led ballot initiatives passed. The limit would be lifted once the Florida Supreme Court approves the language of the proposed constitutional amendment.

SOCIAL MEDIA DEPLATFORMING Political candidates and journalistic enterprises can no longer be banned from social media platforms. Fines for doing so are in place — $250,000 per day for statewide candidates and $25,000 per day for all others.

TRANSPORTATION The termination of the MCORES highway projects was tucked into two transportation bills. Also, in the final hours of the session, portions of the seaport pre-emption bill were added to Florida Department of Transportation package. Local referendums cannot restrict maritime commerce in ports. The seaports bill failed the previous week with strong opposition from the City of Key West who had passed a local referendum limiting vessel capacity and capped daily cruise ship visitor limits last November.

BOATING REQUIREMENTS This legislation includes: enhanced penalties for drunken or impaired boating; implied consent to biometric tests if a boater is suspected of impaired operation; provisions for temporary protection zones for space flight launches and reentry/recovery; regulations for “human powered vessels,” such as rowboats and kayaks; requirements for boating safety identification cards; creation of no-discharge zones; and a mechanism for removal of derelict vessels, among other issues.