New Year. New Florida Laws.
After the iconic orange dropped in downtown Miami early Sunday to usher in 2023, a handful of new laws went into effect on January 1st.
The new laws range from state toll road credits to screenings for newborn babies and apartment rental safety.
Here’s a look at some of the new rules passed by state legislature that became law in 2023.
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Toll Road Savings
Starting Sunday, drivers in South Florida could see some savings as they travel the state’s toll roads. Lawmakers passed a bill that will provide 50% credits for drivers who have taken 35 or more trips per month on toll collection devices.
Property Insurance
New property insurance laws will also take effect. The laws, which lawmakers say were designed to stabilize the insurance market, will attract more insurers to the state and eventually reduce premium costs for homeowners.
Some critics, however, say homeowners will likely not see any savings at all.
In fact, people who have their insurance with state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will likely see rates tick up, as those policyholders will now be required to purchase flood insurance.
Newborn Screenings
Another law is designed to protect newborns. All infants in Florida will be tested for Cytomegalovirus, commonly referred to as CMV.
“CMV is the most common infectious cause of birth defects in the United States,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “About one out of 200 babies is born with congenital CMV. One out of five babies with congenital CMV will have symptoms or long-term health problems, such as hearing loss.”
Apartment Renter Safety
“Miya’s Law,” which was named after slain college student Miya Marcano, was designed to strengthen safety measures for apartment renters.
The new law requires stricter background checks for employees, maintaining logs for each unit’s keys, and increasing notification requirements for maintenance and repairs from 12 to 24 hours.
Taxes
Ahead of the 2023 tax season, a new law will go into effect that lowers the electronic filing and payment threshold for taxpayers remitting and filing taxes from $20,000 to $5,000.
Lobbying
The timeframe for some government officials to begin lobbying after leaving office will expand from two to six years. The extension applies to former justices, judges, lawmakers, state agency leads, and other public office positions.
Public Notices
The new year will also see local governments take another step into the digital age by posting notices of public meetings on websites instead of printed newspapers.
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