Watercraft Restrictions Based on Energy Source; Authorizes state agencies, governmental entities, & local governments to restrict use of watercraft based on energy source used to power watercraft if such watercraft is used on certain bodies of water.
Pub. Rec./Injunctions for Protection in Cases of Repeat or Serious Violence; Provides exemption from public records requirements for petitions, & contents thereof, for injunctions for protection against serious violence by known person; provides exemption from public records requirements for information that can be used to identify petitioner or respondent in such petition for injunction; provides statement of public necessity.
Speech and Debate Education; Designates Florida Speech & Debate Week annually in February; subject to legislative appropriation, establishing Florida Debate Initiative, Inc., (FDI) as statewide speech & debate organization that performs certain functions in support of Florida Civics & Debate Initiative (FCDI) in DOE; provides duties of FDI & FCDI.
Career Offender Registration; Requires driver license or ID marking for career offender; specifies reporting location and required information for initial career offender registration; specifies manner in which information changes must be reported; revises information & documentation certain career offenders must provide to DHSMV; removes provision relating to career offender's registering at FDLE; specifies procedure for career offender to establish residence; requires annual reregistration; requires at least yearly verification of career offender information; revises provisions relating to career offender information & document sharing among law enforcement agencies, departments, & entities having custody of or supervising career offenders; revises provisions relating to removal of registration requirements; revises circumstances in which law enforcement may notify community of career offender or sexual predator in community; prohibits FDLE from publicly displaying information about vehicle owned by person who is not career offender; revises manner in which career offender addresses are verified & reported; revises provisions relating to failure to register, punishments, notice, & defenses; enhances penalty for assisting in career offender noncompliance; expands jurisdictions in which career offender may be prosecuted; requires law enforcement to notify community of sexual predator when career offender who is also sexual predator is in such community.
Athletics in Public K-12 Schools; Requires FHSAA to adopt bylaws authorizing coach to support welfare of student by using personal funds to provide certain effects to student; requires coach to report such use of personal funds to FHSAA; provides that such use of personal funds is presumed not to be impermissible benefit; provides exceptions & provides specified limitations on amount of personal funds coach may use.
Maddy summaryHB 603 updates Florida's ethics rules for public employees by expanding the definition of "relative" to include foster parents and foster children. This change directly affects public employees and school board members, who must now consider foster relationships when applying gift restrictions. The bill revises Section 112.312 to include foster parents/children in the "relative" definition, ensuring school board members (per Section 1001.421) cannot accept gifts over $50 from foster relatives. The policy clarifies existing ethics standards without creating new restrictions, applying to all public employees subject to these rules. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.
Victims of Domestic Violence and Dating Violence; Requires Division of Telecommunications within DMS to consult with certain entities to conduct feasibility study regarding specified alert system; provides requirements for such alert system; requires division to report to Legislature results of feasibility study by specified date; revises legislative findings to include victims of dating violence; authorizes victims of dating violence to apply to participate in Attorney General's address confidentiality program.
Statute of Limitations Period for Violations Involving Required Reports Concerning Children; Provides that limitations period for offenses concerning specified required reports concerning children does not begin to run until law enforcement agency is made aware of violation.
Local Housing Assistance Plans; Authorizes county or eligible municipality to expend certain funds on lot rental assistance for mobile home owners for specified time period; requires counties & eligible municipalities to develop certain strategies in their local housing assistance plans; provides that lot rental assistance is approved home ownership activity for certain purposes; authorizes certain funds to be provided to mobile home owners for rehabilitation & emergency repairs; removes prohibition that only certain percentage of funds may be used for manufactured housing.
Domestic Animals; Requires FDLE to post on its website specified information relating to individuals convicted of specified animal cruelty offenses; requires clerk of each court & county detention facility to provide FDLE with such information; requires pet dealers to disclose financing terms before sale of animals & provide copies of specified medical records to consumers; revises provisions relating to purchase, exchange, & return of animals; authorizes certain actions for contestation of veterinary expenses or demands of pet dealer for refund or exchange; provides for award of punitive damages; provides that certain violations constitute unfair method of competition or unfair or deceptive act or practice & subject to penalties; requires DBPR to post on its website certain best management practices & information related to selection of breeders, purchase of animals, & animal cruelty.
