Rep. Johanna López

Hope Cards for Persons Issued Orders of Protection; Requires clerks of circuit court, in consultation with Office of Attorney General, to develop & implement Hope Card Program; requires clerks to implement program; authorizes persons to request Hope Card after specified date; specifies when & how person may request Hope Card; requires clerks' offices to create Hope Card & provide such card to petitioners within specified time frame; prohibits assessment of fee; provides requirements for Hope Card; provides criminal penalties for fraudulent use of Hope Card.

Value of Motor Vehicles Exempt from Legal Process; Revises upward value of motor vehicle owned by natural person that is exempt from legal process.

Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network; Requires DOS to contract with Florida African American Heritage Preservation Network for specified purpose; specifies functions that must be provided under contract; provides that certain expenses are eligible for funding under contract.

Affordable Housing in Counties Designated as Areas of Critical State Concern; Excludes land designated as area of critical state concern from affordable housing provisions; adds requirements to local comprehensive plans relating to hurricane evacuation study; provides requirements for conveying affordable housing homeownership units; excludes land designated as area of critical state concern from award requirements for purpose of providing eligible housing as part of local housing assistance plan; authorizes counties that have been designated as areas of critical state concern to use tourist development tax revenue & tourist impact tax revenue for affordable housing.

Independence of Sheriffs; Authorizes sheriffs in consolidated government, as well as all other sheriffs, to transfer funds after his or her budget is approved by board of county commissioners, city council, or budget commission; preserves independence of sheriff in consolidated government concerning certain powers.

Treatment by a Medical Specialist; Authorizes firefighter, law enforcement officer, correctional officer, & correctional probation officer to receive medical treatment by medical specialist for certain conditions; requires continuing care & treatment by medical specialist to be reasonable, necessary & related to firefighter's or officer's condition & authorized by workers compensation carrier, self-insured employer, or third-party administrator; specifies reimbursement percentage for such treatment.

Electronic Access to Official Records; Requires county clerk of court to make certain information publicly available through searchable database on county recorder's or clerk of court's official website; authorizes such requirement to be satisfied by providing link to official records index; provides requirements for such link; provides requirements for certain notices.

Retention of Sexual Offense Evidence; Establishes minimum timeframe for retention of specified sexual offense evidence; requires specified entities to transfer such evidence to FDLE within specified time period; requires FDLE to retain such evidence; requires protocols for transferring & storing of specified sexual offense evidence & authorizes destruction of such evidence in specified circumstances.

Puerto Rican Heritage Month; Designates November 2024 as "Puerto Rican Heritage Month" & celebrates rich cultural tapestry & myriad contributions of Puerto Ricans to Florida's diverse & dynamic heritage.

Improvements to Real Property; Authorizes program administrator to offer program for financing qualifying improvements for commercial & residential property; creates seller's disclosure statements for properties offered for sale which have assessments on them for qualifying improvements; requires any financing agreement executed be submitted for recording in public records of county where property is located; prohibits recorded financing agreement from being removed from attachment to property; requires program administrator comply with act & any related contracts, agreements, or interlocal agreements be amended to comply with act.