Rep. Fentrice Driskell

Maddy summaryHB 253 clarifies eligibility for Florida's Veterans Dental Care Grant Program, which provides dental care to veterans residing in the state. The bill specifies that veterans must have incomes at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify for the program. Administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the program ensures access to oral health care for eligible veterans. This clarification takes effect on July 1, 2026.

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.

Customer Service Callback Queues; Defines "callback queue"; establishes pilot program to require the Department of Commerce to use a callback queue for returning certain calls; requires calls to be returned in specified manner and timeframe; requires the department to report specified information to the Legislature by a certain date.

Medical Assistance Eligibility for Working Individuals with Disabilities; Provides definition of term "department"; creates Working People with Disabilities program within AHCA; provides for purpose of program; provides eligibility requirements; provides income & assets requirements for eligibility in program; requires department to provide written notice to eligible adults within specified timeframe; provides requirements for such notice; requires agency to share specified information with department.

Historic Cemeteries Program; Requires local governments to approve applications from historic African-American cemeteries to change land use category & zoning district of excess vacant land under certain conditions to allow development consistent & compatible with adjacent land uses.

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.

Elections During Emergencies; Requires that elections, in event of emergency, be conducted in accordance with specified provisions & carried out in certain manner; authorizes supervisors of elections to request approval from Secretary of State to take specified actions under specified conditions; requires that supervisors submit all such requests at once, to extent practicable; authorizes submission of revised or additional requests; requires secretary to approve or deny requests within specified timeframe; requires secretary to consider specified factors; provides that requests are deemed approved under specified conditions; requires secretary to publish approvals & denials on DOS's website; etc.

Testing of Cosmetics on Animals; Provides that it is unlawful for person to manufacture, repackage, sell, hold, or offer for sale cosmetics that have been tested on animals as part of manufacturing process; prohibits manufacturers from using animal testing as part of cosmetics manufacturing process; prohibits manufacturers from repackaging, selling, holding, or offering for sale cosmetics that have been tested on animals; provides that manufacturers, upon issuance of cosmetic manufacturer permit, consent to specified inspections by DBPR & to submit to DBPR certain written documentation by specified date each year; provides for criminal penalties; provides administrative penalty; provides for cause of action by DBPR.

Abandoned and Historic Cemeteries; Authorizes use of specified funds deposited in Florida Forever Trust Fund for acquisition of lands which preserve certain historic cemeteries; subject to appropriation, authorizing use of additional funds for acquisition of such lands; requires state to be granted easement for ingress & egress to abandoned cemeteries on private lands for specified purposes; requires abandoned cemeteries on private lands to be included in Florida Master Site File; provides that owner of such private land is entitled to conservation easement.

Florida Museum of History; Authorizes DOS to partner with certain county commissions & local entities for specified purpose; requires each Florida Museum of History to be owned, managed, & operated by certain entity; establishes Florida Museum of History Advisory Committee; provides membership & duties of committee; requires each county commission & local entity to create Florida Museum of History Board; provides for membership & duties of operating board; requires that certain entities develop & execute marketing plan to promote each Florida Museum of History; requires financial feasibility studies; provides for funding from specific sources for certain purposes; provides requirements for Florida Museum of History.