Measures signed last week by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will shutter Florida’s business-recruitment agency, allow cameras that could nab drivers illegally passing school buses, and boost state oversight of the insurance industry.
The newly signed laws came out of the 2023 legislative session and are set to take effect in July. DeSantis OK’d the bills as he traveled the country in his bid for president.
Supporters of the insurance bill (SB 7052), including House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, said it will increase “accountability” in the industry.
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“It not only empowers homeowners but also cultivates market-driven competition, ultimately leading to lower costs. By establishing clear standards, fostering consumer trust and promoting fair practices, we can pave the way for a resilient and affordable insurance landscape that benefits homeowners and their communities,” Renner said in a statement after DeSantis signed the bill Wednesday.
The bill will ramp up regulations, including increasing fines that regulators can slap on insurers, requiring property insurers to use claims-handling manuals and requiring that rate filings reflect changes in laws aimed at helping insurers.
The bill came amid widespread problems in the property-insurance market, and after lawmakers in recent months passed measures to help shield insurers from lawsuits.
DeSantis on Wednesday also signed a bill (HB 5) that will lead to the business-recruitment agency Enterprise Florida going the way of the dinosaur, while shifting contracts and more than 20 programs to the Department of Economic Opportunity.
The Department of Economic Opportunity also will get a rebrand as the Department of Commerce.
A news release from DeSantis’ office described the changes as an effort “to streamline and modernize Florida’s economic development agencies.”
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The governor also announced that J. Alex Kelly, who has served as a deputy chief of staff to DeSantis, will lead the revamped Department of Commerce.
The commerce department will pick up 20 positions and $10 million a year as part of the shift.
Another measure (SB 766) that got ink from the governor’s pen Wednesday will allow school districts to use cameras designed to capture images of drivers who illegally pass school buses, potentially leading to $225 fines.
The bill will allow districts to contract with companies to install cameras on school buses. Each camera will have to be capable of producing a recorded video and two or more still images documenting infractions. The law also will prevent the contractors from getting paid based on the numbers of violations detected.
Districts will have to give notice to motorists of plans to install cameras, including by conducting 30-day public-awareness campaigns. And if that doesn’t get the word out, drivers likely will spot “high-visibility reflective signage” on buses with cameras.
The signs, in part, will have to say, “CAMERA ENFORCED.”
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