Rep. Dianne Hart-Lowman

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances; Prohibits, beginning on specified date, certain use & sale, purchase, or distribution of aqueous film-forming foam; requires, beginning on specified date, certain entities to submit aqueous film-forming foam inventories & disposal plans to DEP; prohibits, beginning on specified date, possession & use of aqueous film-forming foam; authorizes DEP to administer certain grants or cost share programs; provides penalties & injunctive relief; requires certain public entities disposing of domestic wastewater biosolids and treated effluent to quarterly conduct specified samplings & submit results to DEP; limits purpose such samplings until specified standards are established by EPA & adopted by DEP.

Maddy summaryHB 477 revises Florida's definition of "drug paraphernalia" to exclude specific testing products like fentanyl test strips and reagent kits. These products, which identify dangerous substances such as fentanyl, xylazine, cocaine, or amphetamines, are now explicitly exempt from being classified as drug paraphernalia. The bill excludes only products used solely to detect presence - not quantity or potency - and aims to support harm reduction by enabling users to avoid lethal substances. This change directly affects Floridians who use these testing tools to prevent overdoses, aligning with legislative findings on the opioid crisis.

Domestic Violence and Protective Injunctions; Reclassifying penalties for committing a domestic violence offense if a person has a prior conviction for domestic violence; providing that sentencing and incentive gain-time eligibility determinations are made without regard to a penalty enhancement; establishing an electronic monitoring pilot program in a specified county; requiring the sheriff, in consultation with certain persons, to design and implement the pilot program; providing requirements for the pilot program; requiring the Department of Corrections to complete an evaluation and provide specified reports to the Legislature; requiring the Department of Law Enforcement to enter injunctions against dating violence and sexual violence into a statewide verification system, etc.

Temporary Cash Assistance Eligibility; Provides that benefits may not be denied to certain individuals solely on basis of drug trafficking conviction.

Enforcement of School Attendance; Requires district school boards to implement mandatory alert system within specified systems or platforms to notify certain persons when student reaches truancy threshold for absences.

Relief/Patricia Ermini/Lee County Sheriff's Office; Provides appropriation to compensate Patricia Ermini for injuries sustained as result of negligence of Lee County Sheriff's Office; provides limitation on payment of attorney fees. CLAIM: $626,769

Incentive Gain-time; Authorizes award of incentive gain-time for attaining vocational certificates & completing educational or rehabilitation programs; authorizes award of incentive gain-time for participation in vocational or workforce preparedness programs; authorizes award of incentive gain-time for using time constructively & diligent commitment to rehabilitation; requires that inmates serve minimum of 65 percent of their sentence for non-violent felony & 85 percent for offense other than non-violent felony.

Responsible Firearm Safety Awareness Month; Designates month of June as "Responsible Firearm Safety Awareness Month" for specified purpose; encourages FDLE, local governments, & other agencies & organizations to sponsor certain events.

Objective Parole Guidelines; Provides additional requirements for objective parole guidelines; requires specified statistical analysis to be provided to Legislature.

Treatment of Inmates; Specifies rights of inmates in state correctional system; requires written copy of rights to be provided to each inmate; authorizes relief for deprivation of rights; revises definition of "permanently incapacitated inmate" for purposes of conditional medical release.