Transportation; Requiring licensing, rather than registration, of motor carriers; revising reporting periods and due dates for motor fuel use tax returns; revising the apparent amount of property damage that requires the driver of a vehicle involved in a crash to notify law enforcement of the crash; defining the term “REAL ID driver license or identification card”; providing that the use of a license plate frame or decorative border device is not prohibited under specified conditions, etc.
Public Records/E-mail Addresses Collected by the Department of Highway Safety for Providing Renewal Notices ; Expanding an exemption from public records requirements for e-mail addresses collected by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for providing renewal notices to include e-mail addresses collected for use as a method of notification generally and not only for the purpose of providing renewal notices; expanding the exemption to include e-mail addresses collected for use as a method of notification related to vessel registrations; providing retroactive applicability; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemption; providing a statement of public necessity, etc.
Local Administration of Vessel Restrictions; Authorizes counties & municipalities to adopt ordinances authorizing code enforcement officers to administer enforcement of certain provisions relating to vessels at risk of becoming derelict & long-term anchoring permit requirements, respectively; provides that such ordinances may not take effect until reviewed & approved by FWCC; requires FWCC to adopt rules; revises exemption from anchoring limitation area requirements for certain vessels; authorizes municipalities & counties to adopt ordinances to extend boating-restricted areas under certain conditions; requires boundaries of such areas to be clearly marked with specified markers.
HB 1093 authorizes Florida's Department of Transportation (DOT) to fund public vertiport projects - facilities for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft - by covering up to 100% of costs if no federal funds are available, or up to 80% of the nonfederal share if federal funds exist. It directly affects public entities building vertiports by providing clear funding pathways and requires commercial airports to include vertiports in their infrastructure programs starting November 2025. Key provisions include revising definitions to explicitly include vertiports and charging systems under "qualifying projects" and "airport infrastructure," and mandating annual airport certification reports for infrastructure maintenance. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, creating a structured framework for public investment in emerging aviation infrastructure.
Agricultural Enclaves; Authorizing certain persons to apply to the governing body of the local government for certification of certain parcels as agricultural enclaves; requiring the local government to hold a public hearing within a specified timeframe to approve or deny such certification; authorizing certain persons to submit certain development plans; authorizing the development of certain parcels for commercial, industrial, or single-family residential purposes under certain circumstances, etc.
Education; Providing that students may not be dismissed from certain charter schools based on academic performance; requiring students in specified grades to receive instruction in cursive writing; requiring, subject to legislative appropriation, each district school board to adopt rules to require the display of portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln at each public school in the district; establishing the School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program within the Department of Education, etc.
Pub. Rec./Crime Victims; Expanding a public records exemption for crime victims to include the name and personal identification number of a victim and any other information that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass, or abuse the victim; providing that such exemption includes the portions of records generated by any agency that regularly generates or receives information from or concerning victims of crime; providing for a public records exemption for the identity of a victim’s family member, lawful representative, or next of kin and any other information that could be used to locate, intimidate, harass, or abuse these individuals; providing for future legislative review and repeal of the exemptions; providing a statement of public necessity, etc.
Registration of Trademarks; Removes provisions relating to classification of goods and services for trademark purposes; requires DOS to use international schedule of classes of goods and services; requires department to establish & maintain secure Internet website that allows submission of online trademark registration application and renewal application; provides website requirements; requires department to make online application system available by specified date; provides online application requirements.
Specialty License Plates; Requiring certain organizations that have an approved specialty license plate to submit within a specified timeframe certain financial information to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; prohibiting specialty license plate annual use fees or interest earned from such fees from being distributed to certain entities; requiring the department to develop an Endless Summer motorcycle specialty license plate; revising provisions relating to the issuance and fee distribution for Fraternal Order of Police license plates; directing the department to develop specified specialty license plates, etc.
Pub. Rec./Terrorist Organizations; Provides exemption from public records requirements for certain information relating to designation of organization as domestic terrorist organization or foreign terrorist organization by Chief of Domestic Security; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity.
Systems of Law and Terrorist Organizations; Providing that the Department of State may administratively dissolve a corporation that has been designated as a terrorist organization in certain situations; providing that a person who receives military training from a domestic terrorist organization in certain situations commits a specified crime; providing a person who knowingly provides or attempts or conspires to provide material support or resources to a domestic terrorist organization commits a specified crime; providing that a person who willfully becomes a member of a domestic terrorist organization and serves under the direction or control of such organization with a specified intent commits a specified crime; authorizing the Chief of Domestic Security to designate an organization a domestic terrorist organization or a foreign terrorist organization if certain requirements are met; requiring the Chief to provide specified written notice to the Governor, the Cabinet, and the organization of the designation; providing that the Governor and the Cabinet may by a majority vote approve or reject the designation; requiring the Chief to publish such designation in the Florida Administrative Register within a specified time period after approval of the designation by the Governor and the Cabinet; providing that certain students of school districts and Florida College System institutions are ineligible for specified fee waivers; prohibiting students who promote domestic terrorist organization or foreign terrorist organizations from being awarded certain public institution funds, etc.
HB 249 designates the S.S. American Victory - a 1944 World War II merchant vessel now operating as a maritime museum in Tampa - as Florida's official state flagship, replacing the previous designation. The bill amends Florida Statutes to formally recognize this ship, which served in multiple conflicts and now functions as an educational and tourism site. This is a ceremonial designation with no new funding, regulations, or direct impact on residents or businesses, solely updating the state's symbolic representation. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.
