Sen. Debbie Mayfield

Property Tax Administration; Revising the definitions of the terms "maximum total county ad valorem taxes levied" and "maximum total municipal ad valorem taxes levied" to conform to changes made by the act; revising limitations on the maximum millage rate that may be levied by certain units of government; authorizing the ballot summary of a specified proposed amendment or revision of the State Constitution to exceed a specified word limit, etc.

Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes; Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to revise the limitation on annual assessment increases for specified real property, to increase the homestead exemption, to provide a limitation on the use of ad valorem taxes levied by counties and municipalities, and to provide an effective date, etc.

Maddy summarySB 800 increases penalties for individuals who repeatedly practice engineering without a valid license in Florida. It sets escalating fines: $10,000 for a second violation, $15,000 for a third, $20,000 for a fourth, and $25,000 for a fifth or subsequent violation. The law applies directly to people who violate licensing rules multiple times, not to licensed professionals or the general public. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and is not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Retirement; Authorizing an elected officer, except while serving as a legislator, to remain in elective office and receive accumulated Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) proceeds after the officer attains a certain age; revising the cost-of-living adjustment for eligible Special Risk Class retirees; defining the term “eligible Special Risk Class retiree”; revising required employer retirement contribution rates for each membership class and subclass of the Florida Retirement System; revising required allocations from the Contributions Clearing Trust Fund to provide disability coverage to members of the investment plan of the Florida Retirement System, etc.

Newborn Screenings; Citing this act as “Mattie’s Law”; requiring that newborns, beginning on a specified date, be screened for biliary atresia; requiring the Department of Health to consult with the Genetics and Newborn Screening Advisory Council before adopting certain rules; requiring hospitals that provide birthing services to screen for biliary atresia in a specified manner, etc.

Speech and Debate Education; Creating the Florida Speech and Debate Hall of Fame; designating Florida Speech and Debate Week annually in February; establishing the Florida Debate Initiative, Inc., (FDI) as a statewide speech and debate organization that performs certain functions in support of the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) in the Department of Education; requiring the Board of Governors of the State University System and the State Board of Education to develop specified undergraduate and graduate coursework, certificates, and micro-credentials, etc. APPROPRIATION: $2,400,000

Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death; Deleting a provision that precludes certain persons from recovering damages for medical negligence resulting in death, etc.

Compensation of the Descendants of Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd, and Ernest Thomas; Providing that certain facts are found and declared to be true; providing that a sum is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of State for specified relief; requiring that a specified percentage of such relief be provided to certain individuals and estates; providing that specified persons are ineligible for further compensation, etc. APPROPRIATION: $4,000,000

Smoking in Public Places; Defining the term “public place”; revising the definition of the terms “smoking” and “vape” or “vaping”; prohibiting smoking or vaping a marijuana product in public places in this state, with exceptions, etc.

Public Officers and Employees; Requiring that, beginning on a specified date, secretaries and executive directors of departments, chief administrative officers of certain units of state government, members of commissions and licensing boards, chairs of governing boards or certain chief executives of certain statewide entities, or any persons appointed to hold state office in the executive branch of state government be United States citizens and residents of this state; providing that such an office is automatically deemed vacant if the person holding that office does not meet certain requirements; requiring the Commission on Ethics to investigate certain lobbyists or principals who make prohibited expenditures, etc.