Sen. Joe Gruters

Consumer Finance Loans; Prohibiting a person from operating a branch of a business making consumer finance loans before obtaining a license from the Office of Financial Regulation; revising the maximum interest rate and the calculation of interest rates on consumer finance loans; requiring licensees offering an assistance program to borrowers after a federally declared major disaster to send a specified notice to the office within a certain timeframe; requiring certain licensees to suspend specified actions for a certain timeframe after a federally declared disaster, etc.

Florida Kratom Consumer Protection Act; Creating the "Florida Kratom Consumer Protection Act"; prohibiting processors from selling, preparing, distributing, or exposing for sale certain kratom products; prohibiting processors from distributing, selling, or exposing for sale a kratom product to an individual under 21 years of age; requiring processors to annually register kratom products with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, etc.

Florida Atlantic University Men’s Basketball Team; Recognizing and celebrating the incredible accomplishments of the Florida Atlantic University men’s basketball team and the university’s commitment to both academic and athletic excellence, creating a collegiate brand that is nationally renowned, etc.

Public Nuisances; Prohibiting a person from intentionally dumping onto private property litter that evidences religious or ethnic animus toward an owner or invitee of such property; providing criminal penalties; prohibiting a person from willfully and maliciously harassing, threatening, or intimidating another person based on the person’s wearing or displaying of any indicia relating to any religious or ethnic heritage; removing a minimum damage requirement for a violation, etc.

Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards; Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to require members of a district school board to be elected in a partisan election, etc.

Pregnancy and Parenting Support; Citing this act as the “Heartbeat Protection Act”; requiring the Department of Health to contract for the management and delivery of parenting support services, in addition to pregnancy support services; prohibiting physicians from knowingly performing or inducing a termination of pregnancy after the gestational age of the fetus is determined to be more than 6 weeks, rather than 15 weeks, with exceptions; providing an exception if the woman obtaining the abortion is doing so because she is a victim of rape, incest, or human trafficking, subject to certain conditions; requiring that medications intended for use in a medical abortion be dispensed in person by a physician, etc. APPROPRIATION: $30,000,000

Public Safety; Requiring sheriffs to assist private schools in complying with a certain statute; authorizing a person to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm if he or she is licensed to do so or meets specified requirements; specifying that the state bears the burden of proof for certain violations; requiring a person who is carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm without a license to carry valid identification and display such identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer; providing that a person who is authorized to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm without a license is subject to specified penalties for possessing such weapon or firearm at a school-sponsored event or on school property; requiring the Office of Safe Schools to develop a behavioral threat management operational process by a specified date; authorizing a private school to partner with a law enforcement agency or security agency for specified purposes, etc. APPROPRIATION: $60,177,846

Narcolepsy Awareness Day; Recognizing March 11, 2023, as “Narcolepsy Awareness Day” in Florida, etc.

Public Records/Trust Proceedings; Requiring clerks to take certain actions relating to court records for proceedings under ch. 736, F.S., and ch. 738, F.S., in which a family trust company, licensed family trust company, or foreign licensed family trust company is a party and upon written notice; creating an exemption from public records requirements for such records; authorizing certain persons to inspect such records if certain requirements are met; providing a statement of public necessity, etc.

Dissolution of Marriage; Requiring the court to make certain written findings in its awards of alimony; removing the court’s ability to consider adultery of either spouse in determining the amount of an alimony award; revising factors that the court must consider in determining the proper type and amount of alimony; revising a provision authorizing the modification of rehabilitative alimony upon completion of the rehabilitative plan to include a certain condition; requiring the court to consider specified factors when determining an alimony award involving the existence of a supportive relationship between the obligee and another person, etc.