New Florida laws take effect Jan. 1: Here’s what to know

TAMPA, Fla. - From banning children under 14 from having social media accounts to not harassing first responders, there are nine new Florida laws taking effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Online Protection for Minors

Under this law, regulated social media platforms are prohibited from allowing anyone under 14 to hold an account. It allows minors who are 14 or 15 years old to become account holders, but only with the consent of a parent or guardian.

The bill also requires regulated social media platforms to close accounts belonging to anyone younger than 14. However, it does allow the account holders or their parents or guardians to terminate the accounts.

Social media platforms must permanently delete all personal information held by them relating to terminated accounts unless otherwise required by law to maintain the personal information.

Click here to read more.

Threatening first responders

Under this law, anyone who is told by a working first responder not to approach must stay 25 feet away and not:

Impede or interfere with the first responder’s ability to perform such duty
Threaten the first responder with physical harm
Harass the first responder

It is a second-degree misdemeanor to violate the law.

Click here to read the full law.

Voter Registration Applications

Under this law, registered voters can only change their party affiliation if they designate and agree to the change in writing.

The bill also changes the voter-registration duties of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) by:

Prohibiting the DHSMV from changing the party affiliation of an applicant who is updating his or her voter registration record unless the applicant designates and consents in writing to change his or her party affiliation.
Requiring the DHSMV to, after verifying voter registration information and receiving the applicant’s electronic signature, provide the applicant with a printed receipt that includes the submitted voter registration information and documents any changes in party affiliation.
Requiring the DHSMV to ensure that technology processes and updates do not alter an applicant’s party affiliation without the written consent of the applicant.

Click here to read more.

Building Regulations

This law sets timeframes for local governments to process building permit applications and to notify permit applicants of any deficiencies.

Among other things, it also changes the eligibility requirements a person must meet to take an examination for certification as a building code inspector or plans examiner.

Click here to read more.

Medical Treatment Under the Workers’ Compensation Law

This law increases how much health care providers can be paid while giving a deposition and changes reimbursement allowances for doctors and surgical procedures.

Click here to read more.

Protection of Specified Adults

The law provides additional protection for specified adults (a person who is 65 years or older or a vulnerable adult) who have accounts with financial institutions and may be victims of suspected financial exploitation.

Click here to read more.

Dental Insurance Claims

The law changes provisions within the Florida Insurance Code relating to covered dental services, contractual agreements, and dental claims payments by a health insurer, prepaid limited health service organization (PLHSO), or a health maintenance organization (HMO).

Click here to read more.

Florida Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act

This bill replaces the current Florida Uniform and Principal Income Act with the Florida Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act, which:

Allows for total-return investing under the "modern portfolio theory."
Provides for the conversion of an existing trust into a unitrust.
Provides flexibility for more individualized estate planning.
Provides a governing law provision to reduce jurisdictional disputes.

Click here to read more.

Private Activity Bonds

This law updates state statutes on private activity bonds. Among other things, it:

Provides legislative intent to maximize the annual use of private activity bonds to finance improvements, projects, and programs serving public purposes and benefitting the social and economic well-being of Floridians;
Revises the regions, pools, and timelines related to bond allocations to consolidate infrequently used pools and expedite usage of bonds;
Allows for all volume cap allocated in a confirmation to be entitled to be carried forward, rather than limiting it to specific types of projects or basing it on the amount of the confirmation;
Replaces the existing processes for requesting and granting allocation of volume cap with an electronic application wherein all notices and issuance reports will be submitted on the division’s website instead of through certified/overnight mail.

Click here to read more.

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