|
Key Bills:
HB 7, SB 72
- Civil Liability for Damages Relating to COVID-19
HB 7: Favorable with CS by
Judiciary Committee; 14 Yeas, 7 Nays (last committee)
SB 72: Temporarily Postponed by Commerce and Tourism (2nd of 3
committees)
These
bills provide several COVID-19-related liability protections for
businesses, educational institutions, government entities, religious
organizations, and other entities. Under the bill, a covered entity that
makes a good faith effort to substantially comply with applicable
COVID-19 guidance is immune from civil liability from a COVID-19-related
civil action.
The bill also provides that for any COVID-19-related civil action against
a covered entity, a plaintiff must:
- Plead his or her complaint with
particularity.
- Submit, at the time of filing suit, a
physician's affidavit confirming the physician's belief that the
plaintiff's COVID-19-related injury occurred because of the
defendant's conduct.
- Prove, by clear and convincing
evidence, that the defendant was at least grossly negligent.
The bill's liability protections do
not apply to a health care provider, such as a hospital, nursing home,
assisted living facility, or other healthcare-related entity. The bill
provides a one-year statute of limitations for COVID19-related claims.
For a plaintiff whose cause of action has already accrued, the one-year
period does not begin to run until the bill becomes effective.
HB 3395 - Florida
Swims: Swimming Lessons
No movement
Appropriates $200,000 to fund the Florida Swims: Swimming Lessons.
SB 124, HB 703 - Residential Swimming Pool Safety
No movement
Requiring that new residential swimming pools meet 2 safety requirements,
rather than just 1, to pass the final inspection and receive a certificate of
completion. Prohibiting a property owner from transferring ownership of a
parcel that includes a swimming pool unless certain the new requirements
are met.
SB 332 - Unlicensed Contracting
No movement
Revising the criminal penalties for persons who engage in contracting or
advertise themselves as contractors without proper registration or
certification.
SB 338 - Specialty Contracting Services
No movement
Allows swimming pool contractors to use individuals who will work under the supervision and scope of the contractor’s license. Similar to the Jim
Walters exemption, safety, and quality will be ensured by requiring
oversight of these individuals by a licensed swimming pool contractor.
SB 344, HB 471 - Legislative Review of Occupational
Regulations
No movement
Establishes a schedule for systematic review of the costs and benefits of
occupational regulatory programs. The Legislature intends to review each
program before the scheduled date on which each occupational regulatory
program is set to expire through scheduled repeal to determine whether to
allow the program to expire, renew the program without modifications,
renew the program with modifications, or provide for other appropriate
actions.
Any occupational regulatory program that expires through scheduled repeal
in accordance with this act may not be subsequently regulated by a local
government. The regulation of any occupation repealed by this act is
preempted to the state unless local regulation of such occupation is
expressly authorized by law.
SB 358 - Water Safety
SB 358: no movement
HB 1119: filed
Requiring
district school boards and the governing authorities of private schools to require children going into kindergarten to present a water safety and swimming certificate beginning in a certain school year. Providing an exemption from certain water safety and swimming certifications for a
child whose parent follows a specified procedure. Takes effect beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.
SB 366 - Apprenticeship and Pre Apprenticeship
Training
No movement
Revising the general duties of the Department of Education about
apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs; revising the membership
of the State Apprenticeship Advisory Council; providing that
apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship program sponsors are responsible for
the selection and training of certain personnel, as approved by the
department.
SB 378, HB 585 - Payment for Construction Services
SB 378: Favorable with CS by Governmental Oversight and Accountability; 6
Yeas, 0 Nays (2nd of 3 committees)
HB 585: No movement
Increasing
the interest rate for certain payments for purchases of construction
services; specifying that a person, firm, or corporation who fails to
make certain payments relating to public projects commits misapplication
of constructions funds and is subject to criminal penalties; increasing
the interest rate for overdue payments for the purchase of construction
services.
SB 902, HB 463 - Public Pool Regulations
No movement
Exempts from supervision or regulation pools serving condominium,
cooperative, and homeowners’ associations with no more than 32 units or
parcels, which are not operated as a public lodging establishment.
The addition of homeowners’ associations is the key change in this bill
HB 401, SB 1146 - Florida Building Code
No movement,
The department may not require compliance with rules relating to swimming
pool lifeguard standards for pools serving assisted living facilities.
SB 268, HB 735 - Preemption of Local Occupational Licensing
No movement
The licensing of occupations is expressly preempted to the state. Current
local government licensing of occupations expires on July 1, 2023.
SB 270, HB 21- Construction Defects
HB 21: On Favorable by Civil Justice & Property Rights Subcommittee;
10 Yeas, 8 Nays (1st of 3 committees)
SB 270: Favorable by Judiciary; 9 Yeas, 1 Nay (1st of 3 committees)
Establishes
additional requirements for submitting a construction defect claim.
SB 960 - Residential Swimming Pools
No movement
Requires a home inspector to report whether a swimming pool meets the requirements for pool safety devices. Requires pools with a young child at the residence to have a barrier in place any time the pool is not being used. The seller of a home with a pool must provide the buyer with
information on the requirements for pool safety in law.
SB 1042, HB 791 - Vocational Pathways
No movement
The bill is aimed at enhancing existing Career and Technical Education
and apprenticeship
programs overseen by the Florida Department of Education. Additionally,
it will ensure more
postsecondary pathways are accessible to empower Florida’s students.
|