Rotunda Report Week 7 | February 21-25

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Below is a high-level update on the five most significant bills and issues that occurred during the 2022 Florida Legislative session’s seventh week, February 21-25.

Bills Signed by Governor

Governor Ron DeSantis signed nine bills into law this week, including SB 7014. The bill extends the length of time that health care providers can receive certain liability protections from COVID-19-related claims for about 14 months, from March 29, 2022, to June 1, 2023. To date, Governor DeSantis has signed a total of 11 bills into law.

Budget Conference Ready Next Week

House and Senate leaders released a joint memorandum stating that budget conference meetings are expected to begin next week. Both chambers have already adopted their budgets, and will begin negotiations to bridge the $3.3 billion gap.

Condo Regulations Ready

The Legislature’s responses to the condominium collapse in Surfside are ready for the House and Senate floor. SB 1702 was reported favorably by the Senate Rules committee. The bill requires a two-phase inspection when a condominium building reaches 30 years of age and once every 10 years afterward. The bill was amended to require community association boards to conduct reserve studies and add those reports to the condominium’s official records. Condominium boards may waive the reserve study, but the bill requires disclosure of the decision. HB 7069 was passed by the House and sent to the Senate where they will attempt to reconcile both bills before sending it back to the House for concurrence.

Data Privacy Moves in the House

HB 9 is ready for its final vote on the House. The bill requires certain businesses to publish a privacy policy for personal information, and gives consumers rights related to personal information collected including the right to access, delete or correct personal information collected and to opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information. The bill allows the Department of Legal Affairs to enforce the provisions of the law but also creates a private cause of action for consumers to enforce the provisions of the law if a consumer’s personal information was sold or shared after opting-out or was retained after a request to delete or correct such information. The Senate companion, SB 1864, has yet to be heard in its first committee of reference.

Senate Confirms Three Agency Heads

The Florida Senate confirmed the heads of three state agencies: Secretary Eric Hall of the Department of Juvenile Justice, Secretary Michelle Branham of the Department of Elder Affairs and Dr. Joseph Ladapo, State Surgeon General and Secretary of the Department of Health.

I would be happy to speak with you about any of the issues above. For more information, please contact me.

Warmly,

Our Government Affairs practice group closely monitors both the legislative and executive branches to keep our clients well-informed of emerging legislative and regulatory developments. By regularly analyzing and tracking the progress of significant legislation and agency actions that will impact our clients, we are able to protect their interests and provide them with critical insights into avoiding regulatory obstacles. Additionally, we proactively advocate for clients’ positions, enabling them to take advantage of new opportunities. Our representation is ongoing, advising clients before, during and after changes occur. We are committed to relentlessly championing for our clients to ensure they are well-represented before the Florida legislature, executive agencies, and local governments year-round. For more information on our Government Affairs group, please visit our website.