Sen. Carlos Smith

Music Therapy; Creating the Music Therapy Advisory Committee within the Department of Health for a specified purpose; authorizing the committee to facilitate the development of certain materials and act as a facilitator of statewide dissemination of information between certain entities; requiring the department to issue a license to practice as a professional music therapist to applicants meeting specified criteria; specifying collaboration requirements for licensees engaging in the practice of music therapy, etc.

States of Emergency; Providing that a state of emergency renewed by the Governor expires within a specified timeframe; authorizing the Legislature to extend the state of emergency under specified circumstances; requiring the Governor to immediately issue a certain executive order or proclamation consistent with the Legislature’s concurrent resolution terminating a state of emergency; requiring the Auditor General to update quarterly a specified audit, rather than annually, etc.

Government Waste and Misconduct; Requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, the Auditor General, and the Government Efficiency Task Force to prepare a specified report; requiring that the report include an investigation and evaluation of all state spending; creating the Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program within the Department of Commerce for a certain purpose; defining the term “waste”; granting certain state funds to people and households that received the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and meet certain criteria, etc.

Fortification of Enriched Grain Products with Folic Acid; Requiring that enriched grain products offered for human consumption in this state contain folic acid; providing labeling requirements for such products; providing penalties; requiring the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in coordination with the Department of Health, to enforce certain provisions, etc. APPROPRIATION: $250,000

Insurance Solutions Advisory Council; Creating the advisory council within the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services Commission for specified purposes; requiring the office to provide the advisory council with staffing and administrative assistance; providing for expiration of the advisory council, etc.

Maddy summarySB 226 clarifies how trade-in vehicle values are calculated in new car purchase contracts under Florida's Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act. It revises the definition of "purchase price" to require that any trade-in allowance be based on either J.D. Power or NADA valuation guides if the consumer and manufacturer disagree on the amount. The bill mandates that manufacturers provide the applicable valuation guide (J.D. Power or NADA Official Used Car Guide) to ensure transparency. This directly affects consumers buying new vehicles and dealers handling trade-ins by standardizing how trade-in values are reflected in contracts. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.

Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote; Providing for enactment of the agreement; providing a method by which a state may become a member state; requiring a statewide popular election for President and Vice President of the United States; establishing a procedure for appointing presidential electors in member states; providing that the agreement becomes effective upon the occurrence of specified actions, etc.

Large-scale County Destination Marketing Organizations; Defining the term “large-scale county destination marketing organization”; requiring large-scale county destination marketing organizations to register with the Department of State; requiring a one-to-one match of private to public contributions to fund large-scale county destination marketing organizations, etc.

Assault Weapons and Large-capacity Magazines; Prohibiting the sale or transfer of an assault weapon or a large-capacity magazine; providing exceptions; providing criminal penalties; prohibiting possession of an assault weapon or a large-capacity magazine; requiring certificates of possession for assault weapons or large-capacity magazines lawfully possessed before a specified date, etc.

Division of Labor Standards; Creating the Division of Labor Standards within the Department of Commerce for specified purposes; revising the protected rights of an employee; authorizing and providing the division certain powers to conduct investigations, issue citations, enforce and collect judgments by certain means, and partner with other entities for enforcement and education outreach; creating the Division of Labor Standards Community Advisory Board within the Division of Labor Standards, etc.