Rep. Kelly Skidmore

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of State Road A1A in twelve Florida counties as the "Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway." To mark this change, the state Department of Transportation is required to install appropriate signage along the road by August 30, 2024. The legislation applies only to the named highway and does not alter any existing traffic rules or funding allocations.

Specialty License Plates; Exempts collegiate license plates from certain discontinuation & presale voucher requirements for specialty license plates; requires DHSMV to reauthorize previously discontinued collegiate license plates; renames & revises words appearing on certain plates; directs DHSMV to develop specified plates; provides for distribution & use of fees collected from sale of plates.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new section in Florida law that officially defines the term "antisemitism" using the working definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2016. The legislation provides specific contemporary examples of antisemitism, such as denying the Holocaust, holding Jewish people collectively responsible for actions by Israel, or applying double standards to the State of Israel compared to other nations. It explicitly states that criticizing Israel in a manner similar to how other countries are criticized does not count as antisemitism under this definition. The law aims to help monitor and report hate crimes while ensuring it does not infringe on First Amendment rights or conflict with existing antidiscrimination laws.

Dozier School for Boys and Okeechobee School Victim Compensation Program; Establishes Dozier School for Boys & Okeechobee School Victim Compensation Program within DLA; requires DLA to provide specified notice & accept & process applications for payment of compensation claims; requires DLA to pay specified compensation amount to approved applicants; limits compensation applicant may receive; authorizes Commissioner of Education to award standard high school diploma to specified persons. APPROPRIATION: $20,000,000

Veterans; Revises provisions related to veterans including veterans' history program, Florida Is For Veterans, Inc., Veterans Employment & Training Services Program, grants, workforce training & recruitment, exemption from fees, advisory council on brain & spinal cord injuries, & required instruction on Veterans' Day & Memorial Day. APPROPRIATION: $91,207

Supported Decisionmaking Authority; Requires court to consider needs & abilities of person with developmental disability when determining whether to appoint guardian advocate; provides requirements for petition to appoint guardian advocate; authorizes agent acting for principal to grant supported decisionmaking agreement; prohibits such agreement from acting as durable power of attorney; provides certain communications shall be recognized as communication of principal; provides requirements for examining committee member when determining incapacitated person's ability to exercise his or her rights.

Sickle Cell Disease; Creates Sickle Cell Disease Research & Treatment Grant Program within DOH; specifies types of projects eligible for grant funding; revises sickle cell disease & sickle cell trait screening requirements; requires screening providers to notify newborn's parent or guardian, rather than newborn's primary care physician, of certain information; authorizes certain persons other than newborns who have been identified having sickle cell disease or carrying sickle cell trait to choose to be included in registry.

Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative; Requires initiative to develop certain deployment technologies & approaches & submit report to DEP, FWCC, DACS, & specified state agencies; requires DEP to submit evaluation regarding technologies & approaches to Mote Marine Laboratory within specified time period & amend regulatory or permitting processes & expedite regulatory reviews; removes expiration of date of initiative.

Education; Revises provisions relating to K-12 education, postsecondary education, & Education Practices Commission; establishes Purple Star School District Program; creates AA specialized transfer degrees; requires SBE to adopt rules for issuance of classical education teaching certificate.

Florida Retirement System; Authorizing certain retirees to be reemployed after terminating employment; prohibiting such retirees from receiving both a salary from the employer and retirement benefits for a specified period after his or her retirement; removing provisions authorizing the reemployment of certain law enforcement officers as school resource officers; revising employer contribution rates to the Florida Retirement System, etc.