Sen. Vic Torres

Compensation for Advising or Assisting in Veterans’ Benefits; Citing this act as the "Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding (GUARD) VA Benefits Act"; prohibiting a person from receiving compensation for advising or assisting an individual with regard to a veterans’ benefits matter except as authorized by law; providing requirements for advertising services related thereto; requiring a person who provides such services to an individual in return for compensation to enter into a written agreement with and provide a certain disclosure to such individual; providing disclosure requirements, etc.

Fines Levied by Homeowners’ Associations; Prohibiting fines imposed by homeowners’ associations from exceeding $500 in the aggregate, etc.

Municipal Solid Waste-to-Energy Program; Revising the state agency responsible for administering the Municipal Solid Waste-to-Energy Program; revising the requirements necessary for municipal solid waste-to-energy facilities to be eligible to receive financial assistance and incentive grant funding, etc.

Water Safety; Requiring state parks to have a certified lifeguard on duty at designated swimming areas within the park during certain timeframes; requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to install a water rescue station at each designated swimming area; requiring that the staffing for each shift at a fire station include at least one firefighter who is certified in rescue diving, etc.

Housing; Citing this act as “Keep Floridians Housed Act”; creating the Department of Housing and Tenant Rights as a new department of state government; providing requirements for rental agreements; requiring that a landlord provide written notice of a rent increase to a tenant by a specified time; prohibiting landlords from charging tenants a security deposit that is more than 1 month’s rent; revising and specifying grounds for termination of a rental agreement; authorizing local governments and special districts to adopt a specified impact fee, etc.

Immigration and Immigrants; Citing this act as the “Welcoming Florida Act”; repealing provisions relating to patient immigration status data collection by hospitals; deleting a requirement that an employer discontinue employing a person after learning that the person is or has become an unauthorized alien; adding freedom from discrimination because of immigration status to the purposes of the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992; specifying duties of certain officials concerning certification of certain activities in support of visa applications; requiring certain persons and businesses offering immigration assistance to make a required disclosure, etc.

H.R. 490, the Federal Infrastructure Bank Act of 2023; Urging Congress to pass H.R. 490, which creates a Federal Infrastructure Bank to finance urgently needed infrastructure projects in this state and across the nation, etc.

Limited Temporary Cash Assistance; Repealing provisions relating to limited temporary cash assistance for children born to families receiving temporary cash assistance, etc.

Food Allergy Education; Requiring the Division of Hotels and Restaurants of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to develop a course for food service managers that addresses issues surrounding food allergies and actions to assist a person experiencing an allergic reaction; requiring public food service establishments to post notices in prominent places that address allergic reactions and appropriate actions to assist a person experiencing an allergic reaction, etc.

Workforce Retention; Designating the “Florida Jobs Retention Act of 2024”; defining the terms “department” and “employer”; requiring employers that intend to relocate out of state or cease operation to notify the Department of Business and Professional Regulation within a specified timeframe before taking such action; providing that such employers are ineligible for state grants, loans, or tax benefits for a specified timeframe; requiring the head of each state agency to ensure that certain services are performed by state contractors within the state, etc.