Rep. Shane Abbott

Pub. Rec./Dozier School for Boys and Okeechobee School Victim Compensation Program; Provides exemption from public records requirements for personal identifying information in an application submitted to DLA by person seeking compensation through Dozier School for Boys & Okeechobee School Victim Compensation Program; creates exceptions; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Florida laws regarding wills, estates, and the handling of community property acquired by married couples. It expands the types of probate documents that must be recorded with the clerk of the circuit and clarifies which assets count toward a person's probate estate. The legislation also establishes specific rules for waiving a surviving spouse's rights to community property, requiring written agreements with particular language to be valid. Additionally, it sets a strict deadline for filing lawsuits related to these property disputes and removes certain legal duties to search for specific types of property.

Safe Exchange of Minor Children; Provides requirements for parenting plan relating to exchange of child; requires court to order parties to parenting plan to exchange child at neutral safe exchange location or supervised visitation program; requires sheriffs to designate areas as neutral safe exchange locations; provides immunity from liability; revises forms for injunctions for protection against domestic violence; requires court-ordered injunctions for protection against domestic violence to designate locations for exchange of child of parties.

Surrendered Infants; Authorizes parent to surrender infant with medical staff or licensed healthcare professional at hospital after delivery; authorizes parent to surrender infant by dialing 911 to request that EMS provider meet surrendering parent at specified location; requires surrendering parent to stay with infant until EMS provider arrives to take custody of infant.

Economic Development; Removes requirement that certain grants received by regional economic development organization must be matched in certain manner; removes certain demonstration requirements of program applicants; removes requirement that interest be deposited in specified manner; provides that specified earnings may be retained & used to make specified awards or for administrative costs.

Permanency for Children; Revises & creates provisions relating to dependent children, including criminal history records checks, removing children from court-ordered placement, evidence required to amend case plans, Guardianship Assistance Program, notice requirements, review of DCF denial of application to adopt, home studies, adoption assistance services, adoption fees & court orders, required reports, advertising adoption services, & photo listing component of statewide adoption exchange.

Consumer Protection; defining terms; revising requirements for payment settlement entities, or their electronic payment facilitators or contracted third parties, in submitting information returns to the Department of Revenue; authorizing a residential property owner to cancel contracts to replace or repair a roof without penalty or obligation within a specified timeframe under certain circumstances; providing requirements for certain notice of change in insurance renewal policy terms; providing that certain actions or certain failure of financial institutions to cooperate in specified investigations constitute violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act; etc.

Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day; Designates Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day, which occurs on fourth Thursday in March, as legal holiday.

Department of Transportation; Provides & revises DOT authority & responsibilities; revises provisions regarding prepaid toll accounts, Florida DOT Financing Corporation projects, & public transit providers, projects, & vehicles; prohibits certain DOT actions & expenditures; provides responsibilities of DOC & DOT with respect thereto; authorizes DOC & DOT to adopt rules; requires certain unallocated funds for New Starts Transit Program to be reallocated for purpose of Strategic Intermodal System.

Placement of Surrendered Newborn Infants; Requires community-based care lead agencies to maintain specified registry; requires that certain information be removed from registry; prohibits lead agency from transferring certain costs to prospective adoptive parents; revises entity responsible for surrendered infants from licensed child-placing agencies to community-based care lead agencies; provides requirements for lead agencies once they take physical custody of surrendered newborn infant.