Several new Florida laws went into effect Monday, Oct. 1.
Here’s a look at some of the new laws that went into effect at midnight:
Expanding workers’ compensation benefits for first responders
Senate Bill 376 expands benefits for first responders. The law eliminates the mandate that a physical injury must accompany a post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis.
Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill at the Tampa Firefighter Museum earlier this year in front of the state fire marshal, first responders and their families, including Megan Vila. 10News has followed Villa’s journey to get this bill passed since last year.
Prior to this law, first responders were only granted workers' compensation benefits for physical injuries.
Villa made 15 trips from Tampa to Tallahassee pleading on behalf of the legislation with lawmakers.
Her passion was personal. Villa's brother killed himself after nearly 30 years with Tampa Fire Rescue. He had been suffering from post-traumatic stress after responding to years of traumatic calls.
In June, Villas was given an award and named an honorary member of the International Association of Fire Fighters.
“Ponce’s Law”
SB 1576 allows judges to bar people convicted of animal cruelty from owning pets.
It’s named after the case of a puppy beaten to death in Volusia County.
The law also increases the severity ranking of animal abuse-related crimes.
Florida law makes it illegal to alert sexual predators about child porn, abuse investigations
A major loophole that allowed child pornographers and abusers to know their internet activities were being investigated by law enforcement, is now closed.
House Bill 581 makes it illegal for internet providers to tip off these perpetrators, possibly leading to their arrest.
It sounds crazy, but it went like this: Those providers that find people watching child porn or see signs that a child might be abused are the ones that alert police. They also let the perpetrator know that an investigation was launched.
Other Florida laws taking effect:
• SB 776 increases the fine for people who steal bee colonies. Advocates of the measure say commercial beekeepers face declining profits with increasing bee deaths and stolen hives. The new law doubles the fine to $10,000 for felony theft of a commercial animal.
• HB 55 allows people buying guns to use credit cards to pay for background checks.
• HB 135 allows deaf people to voluntarily identify themselves as hearing-impaired when they register vehicles.
• HB 523 increases penalties to a third-degree felony for people who trespass on airport property to injure other people, damage property or impede the operations of aircraft.
• HB 961 allows businesses such as bars to receive up to 10 cases of branded glassware — 24 glasses per container — a year from brewers or importers.
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