On Sept. 11, the family of 22-year-old Gabby Petito reported her missing to authorities in Suffolk County, New York. This is a timeline of events that led to the report and things that have occurred since.
Two new bills have been filed in the Florida legislature, as a response to the 2021 Gabby Petito tragedy -- when the 22-year-old was allegedly murdered by her fiancé, Brian Laundrie.
Body camera footage captured Utah police responding to a reported domestic violence incident between Petito and Laundrie, just weeks before her death.
The Petito family even filed a 50-million-dollar wrongful death lawsuit in 2022, alleging that Moab Police Department failed to recognize their daughter was in a life-threatening situation.
Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book and Rep. Robin Bartleman filed the pair of bills as the Gabby Petito Act.
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It would require all law enforcement officers to complete a lethality assessment when investigating domestic violence incidents.
The department would need to consult with specified entities on the policies, procedures, and training necessary to implement the use of the form -- prohibiting law enforcement officers from using the form if they have not received certain training, according to SB 610.
Gabby Petito's father, Joseph Petito, reportedly brought the initiative to Senator Book, in hopes of helping future victims of domestic violence.
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So, what other new legislation has been proposed as we near the end of 2023?
Electric-Vehicle fees
On Dec. 6, The Senate Transportation Committee backed a proposal (SB 28) that would require electric-vehicle owners to pay $200 registration fees to try to offset anticipated losses in gas-tax dollars as more people convert to electric and hybrid vehicles.
Gas-tax money is used to pay for transportation projects.
Annual fees of $50 a year would be imposed on plug-in hybrids that use a combination of electricity and gas and $25 fees would be imposed on electric motorcycles.
The proposal has the backing of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida League of Cities, according to the News Service of Florida.
Grade retention changes
A Senate education committee unveiled a proposal in early November, to end Florida’s third-grade retention rule.
The proposal was outlined in a 50-page document that aims to reduce regulations on public schools, that would not only allow third-grade students to move onto fourth grade without passing the state reading test -- but, also allow high school students to graduate without passing certain exams.
'Live Healthy'
The Senate's 'Live Healthy' proposal is designed to grow Florida’s health care workforce, increase access,
and incentivize innovation, according to a press release from early December.
Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo joined Senator Colleen Burton and Senator Gayle Harrell to announce the proposal.
“Live Healthy will expand Florida’s health care workforce with new opportunities for education, training and retention," said President Passidomo. "This includes enhancing partnerships between our hospitals and Florida colleges and universities that train health care workers, as well as more residency slots and creative loan repayment options that drive providers to underserved areas."
It would also fund provider increases that incentivize our health care workers to continue serving in needed fields like mental health, labor and delivery, and helping Floridians with disabilities,
Protection of minors on social media
Filed in mid-November, SB 454 focuses on the protection of minors on social media platforms.
It would require social media platforms to develop and implement a content moderation strategy to prevent a minor from being exposed to certain materials on the social media platform.
Social media platforms would also be required to verify the ages of users creating accounts on the platforms, as well as provide parents or legal guardians with parental control settings that place controls on a minor child’s account --- providing penalties under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, etc.
Human trafficking
SB 502 is aimed at increasing human trafficking awareness and action.
It would require venues, such as sports or entertainment, to display a human trafficking awareness sign as well as increase the number of training hours in identifying and investigating human trafficking which each certified law enforcement officer must successfully complete as part of specified training.
It would also define the term “entertainment venue."
Firearm sales
The 'Responsible Gun Ownership Act' -- or SB 518 -- has a focus on gun sale safety.
Among the list of requirements are background checks on everyone involved in a firearm sale or other transfer, as well as requiring firearm sales between unlicensed persons to be conducted through, and processed by, a licensed dealer.
It would also prohibit licensed dealers from selling firearms without trigger locks or gun cases.
