Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a new law that strengthens renter safety and is named for a young college student who was murdered last year at the apartment complex where she lived and worked.
"Miya's Law," named after slain college student Miya Marcano, elevates security on residential properties with stricter background checks and limitations on the use of master keys.
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Apartments will be required to maintain a log accounting for the issuance and return of all keys and establish policies for their issuance, return, and storage.
The law also increases notification requirements for maintenance and repairs from 12 to 24 hours.
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“Every tenant deserves to be safe in their own home," DeSantis said in a statement Monday. “By signing this legislation, we are making it safer to live in a rental unit and giving renters more peace of mind in their homes. Miya’s death was a tragedy, and our prayers continue to be with the Marcano family. I am proud to act on their behalf to help prevent a tragedy like that from happening to another Florida tenant."
Marcano's family had been pushing for the protection since the 19-year-old was killed in September 2021 when police said a maintenance worker who had a master key to her unit killed her.
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Marcano's was found in October in Orlando following a week-long search. She had moved there from South Florida after graduating from Flanagan High School.
The suspect in her death — a maintenance worker who lived at the apartment complex where Marcano lived and worked — killed himself shortly after the college student was reported missing.
Rep. Robin Bartleman of Weston, one of the bill's sponsors, called it "common-sense legislation."
"Although this legislation will not bring Miya back, it will help save lives and bring a greater sense of security to college students moving into their first apartment, seniors residing in apartment communities, and all the 2 million renters in Florida," Bartleman said in a statement.
