Rep. Lindsay Cross

Surface Waters; Requires DEP to incorporate habitat equivalency analysis in uniform mitigation assessment method; requires that permits for dredging & filling include certain requirements; requires permitted entities to bear full cost & responsibility for any damage or destruction caused by dredging, filling, or related activities; designates coral reefs as critical natural infrastructure & nature-based solutions.

Services During a State of Emergency; Authorizes DMS to enter into state term contracts for specified services; authorizes individuals to work in specified positions if they meet certain requirements.

Local Government Land Development Regulations and Orders; Requires certain counties & municipalities, respectively, to follow certain application procedures for applications for certain development permits & development orders; creates "Florida Starter Homes Act"; prohibits local governments from imposing certain regulations if residential lot is connected to public water system & sewerage system; prohibits local government from imposing regulations that require more than certain minimum number of parking spaces for specified residential lots; prohibits local government from imposing certain regulations on residential lots that contain historic property; prohibits local government from treating off-site constructed residential dwellings differently than factory-built buildings; authorizes local government to adopt compatibility standards that are limited to certain architectural features; requires approval of lot split; limits criteria that may be required by local governments for applications for & approvals of lot splits; authorizes placement of residential manufactured building on any lot in recreational vehicle park.

Endangered or Threatened Marine Animals; Prohibits collection & transportation of endangered or threatened marine animals from state waters; prohibits FWCC from issuing, renewing, or approving certain licenses.

Health Care Autonomy; Establishes fundamental right to reproductive health care; provides that every individual has fundamental right to make autonomous decisions about individual's own reproductive health; provides that individuals who become pregnant have fundamental right to make certain decisions in exercise of such right; prohibits state from denying or interfering with individual's right to access reproductive health care; prohibits state & local law enforcement agencies & officials from harassing or discriminating against individual for providing or obtaining reproductive health care or assisting another person in doing so; prohibits such state & local entities from penalizing, prosecuting, or otherwise taking adverse action against individual for exercising specified rights, or against individual for assisting another in exercising such rights; provides individuals with immunity from civil liability for exercising specified rights or aiding or assisting another in exercising such rights; provides that fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent rights under laws of this state; prohibits local units of government from regulating individual's ability to exercise right to reproductive health care in manner more restrictive than that set forth in specified provisions.

Tributaries of the St. Johns River; Requires DEP to hire project lead to oversee implementation of act, to develop project plan for restoration of Ocklawaha River, & to develop specified outdoor recreation plan; creates Northeast Florida River & Springs Recreation & Economic Development Advisory Council; requires Department of Commerce to develop specified economic development program for Marion & Putnam Counties.

Affordable Housing; Revises upwards length of time that certain rental units must remain affordable in order to qualify for specified zoning variance; requires certain incentives be used for construction of affordable housing; revises downward maximum median income used to determine eligibility for certain tax incentives; specifies that certain taxes do not apply to first-time homebuyers.

Government Waste and Misconduct; Requires specified parties prepare a report investigating & evaluating specified subjects & identifying certain funds; requires AG to take certain actions to recover specified funds; requires such recovered funds be used for certain purpose; requires specified funds be transferred & used for certain purpose; creates Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program within DOR for certain purpose; requiring the program be funded in a specified manner; granting state funds to certain people who have received federal Earned Income Tax Credit.

Luggage for Children Placed in Out-of-home Care; Requires DCF to provide certain children with piece of luggage for certain purposes; provides department requirements; requires department to submit specified annual report to Legislature; provides sources of funding for distribution of pieces of luggage; requires department's direct-support organization to receive & use certain funding to administer law.

Maddy summaryHB 409 requires all Florida K-12 public school districts to observe Veterans' Day as an official school holiday, directly affecting school calendars and operations. The bill amends Florida Statutes to mandate that school boards designate Veterans' Day - listed in Section 110.117(1)(f) - as a holiday, replacing current discretionary observance. This policy change ensures consistent recognition of Veterans' Day across all public schools, with implementation required by July 1, 2026. The law does not alter the holiday's date or create new requirements beyond standard school holiday designation.