Rep. Juan Alfonso Fernandez-Barquin

Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors; Revises requirements for commencement of proceedings for general assignments; provides courts with judicial discretion to determine compliance; provides for assignee's ability to rely on, & defense for good faith compliance with, court orders, judgments, decrees, & rules of law; establishes nonliability of assignee when certain requirements are met; limits assets creditor or other party in interest may pursue in action against assignee; excludes creditors from being required to turn over assets of estate upon notice of assignment action or proceeding; requires negative notice in assignment action by assignee upon filing of notice of rejection.

Gender Clinical Interventions; Authorizes court of state to enter, modify, or stay child custody determination under specified circumstances; prohibits persons & entities from expending funds for reimbursement for specified clinical interventions; prohibits person's biological sex from being changed on birth certificate; prohibits gender clinical interventions for minors; authorizes certain persons to refuse to participate in gender clinical interventions; prohibits health insurance policy & health maintenance contract from providing coverage for gender clinical interventions; provides physician liability & authorizes award of specified damages, fees, & costs.

Sentencing Proceedings in Death Penalty Cases; Requires determination of specified number of jurors, rather than unanimity, for sentencing recommendation of death; requires court to impose recommended sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of parole if fewer than 8 jurors recommend death; authorizes court to impose life imprisonment without possibility of parole or sentence of death if at least 8 jurors recommend sentence of death; requires court to include in its written order reasons for not accepting jury’s recommended sentence, if applicable.

Florida Retirement System; Revises provisions relating to Special Risk Class normal retirement date, DROP participation, interest accrual rates, COLA, employer retirement contribution rates, investment plan member accounts, member disability coverage, & line-of-duty death benefit coverage.

Education; Revises provisions relating to Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, part-time enrollment in public schools, transportation of students, graduations requirements, Commissioner of Education duties, & educator certifications.

Housing; Removes authority of local governments to adopt or maintain laws, ordinances, rules, or other measures that would have effect of imposing controls on rents; specifies requirements & restrictions on counties in approving housing developments; authorizes local governments to adopt ordinances to provide ad valorem tax exemption for portions of property used to provide affordable housing; revises total amount of community contribution tax credits which may be granted for projects; provides sales tax exemption for building materials used in construction of affordable housing units; authorizes department to make information available to corporation to administer Live Local Program; prohibits deduction of General Revenue Fund service charge on documentary stamp tax proceeds; provides appropriations. APPROPRIATION: $711,000,000

Statewide Prosecutor; Authorizes Office of Statewide Prosecution to investigate & prosecute election-related specified crimes.

Transportation Facility Designations; Designates 98 Points of Light Way in Miami-Dade County; directs DOT to erect suitable markers.

Grandparent Visitation Rights; Creates presumption for maternal or paternal grandparent or stepgrandparent visitation of child; provides burden for overcoming such presumption.

Homestead Property Tax Exemptions for Classroom Teachers, Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, Child Welfare Professionals, and Servicemembers; Specifies information that must be supplied annually to property appraiser by specified professionals who qualify for specified exemption; provides conditions under which those specified professionals may receive additional homestead property tax exemption; specifies amount of homestead property tax exemption; provides requirements for applying for & receiving exemption; specifies actions property appraiser may take if taxpayer improperly claims exemption; provides penalties under certain conditions; requires Legislature to appropriate moneys to offset reductions in ad valorem tax revenues experienced by fiscally constrained counties due; specifies procedures for distributing such moneys.