On June 29, 2026, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 State Budget (HB 5001E), totaling $117.6 billion following nearly $810 million in line-item vetoes. As a reminder, the Legislature passed the final budget on May 29 after a budget stalemate during the Regular Session led to Special Session E.

July 1 marked the deadline for final action on legislation passed during the 2026 Legislative Session. In total, Governor DeSantis signed 228 bills and vetoed eight bills. The Business Law Section worked closely with legislators to advance the following two pieces of legislation, both of which were signed into law:

• HB 797 – Nonprofit Corporations by Representative Kaylee Tuck (R-Sebring) and Senator Mack Bernard (D-West Palm Beach)
• Signed by the Governor on June 25, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026.
• HB 679 – Registration of Trademarks by Representative Sam Greco (R-Palm Coast) and Senator Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers)
• Signed by the Governor on April 14, 2026, and effective July 1, 2026.

Newly elected legislators will return to Tallahassee on November 17, 2026, for Organization Session to prepare for the 2027 Legislative Session. Interim committee meetings are expected to begin in December/January and continue through February. The 60-day Regular Session will begin on March 2, 2027, and conclude on April 30, 2027.

Published by the Journal of Technology Law & Policy, University of Florida Levin College of Law The Coming Use and Misuse of Artificial Intelligence in the Courtroom: A Judicial Perspective and Proposal

By Judge William Matthewman

While attorneys, litigants, and judges have always had to be vigilant for the attempted introduction of improperly enhanced or fabricated evidence in court proceedings, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its subset, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), has substantially

increased the stakes. The task of identifying and exposing such fake or improperly enhanced AI evidence has become significantly more challenging. The current Federal Rules of Evidence and the Federal Rules of Civil and Criminal Procedure are insufficient to effectively address the

coming advance of AI-generated or AI-enhanced evidence. The rules must be amended, in certain respects, to provide attorneys, litigants, and judges with the necessary tools and guardrails to handle issues arising during pretrial and trial proceedings concerning deepfakes and AI- generated or AI-enhanced evidence.

Read on

A Compliance Roadmap for Florida Employers: Addressing Identity-Based Harassment at Work

By Deedee Bitran

Employers often hesitate to intervene when workplace conflict involves politically charged language, but that can be a mistake. At City College of San Francisco (“CCSF”), a union leader publicly berated Jewish professor Abigail Bornstein, calling her a “colonizer” and mocking her Jewish sounding last name. The case, in which StandWithUs and the Louis D. Brandeis Center represented Professor Bornstein pro bono, establishes a critical principle for employers everywhere: identity-based harassment, even when repackaged as “mere” political advocacy, can violate workplace policies.

Read on

In 2015 the BLS Pro Bono Committee issued its Best Practices Guide for a Law Firm Pro Bono Policy. The Best Practices Guide has been revised twice, most recently this past June. As noted in the Best Practices Guide –

The Pro Bono Committee of the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar has developed this Best Practices Guide to encourage you to adopt a formal pro bono policy in your firm, or, if you have a policy in place, to review that policy and determine whether you wish to make changes in accordance with these suggestions. The Guide is set up to provide you with a general checklist of recommended procedures followed by detailed commentary that provides in-depth analysis, where necessary, of the checklist. 

The Committee wishes to thank the many volunteers who helped draft the initial Best Practices Guide and worked on the revisions. However, we are always open to comments and additional suggestions. Please feel free to send those comments to the current Chairs of the Business Law Section Pro Bono Committee; contact information for the Chairs is available on the Section’s website here.

Get the Best Practices Guide here.

Senior$mart$ is an engaging program developed by the Financial Literacy Task Force designed to teach seniors to avoid scams.

Interested in getting involved? Do you know of an organization that would like a presentation? Let us know!

Learn more here.

BLS Email Lists

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CLE on Demand

Need CLE? Miss a program? Many of our past programs are available on demand.

Planning a CLE

Do you have an idea for a great CLE? Learn more here.

Florida isn’t just a state—it’s a global economic powerhouse. If it were an independent nation, Florida would rank among the top 15 largest economies in the world, boasting a GDP that rivals many major countries. The Business Law Section of The Florida Bar plays a critical role in shaping the commercial legal landscape of this economic titan. Our members are not only top-tier business lawyers—they’re the very individuals Florida legislators turn to when drafting or revising key commercial statutes. Sponsoring Business Law Section events like the Labor Day Retreat puts your organization directly in front of the thought leaders, power brokers, and policy shapers who influence business law and practice statewide—and often nationally.

This is more than a networking opportunity. It’s your chance to engage with the legal professionals guiding Florida’s economic future. In addition to the Labor Day Retreat, there are plenty of other sponsorship opportunities that provide year-round exposure through our Section’s ongoing programming, communications, and events. If your brand wants to be seen, respected, and remembered by the attorneys who help write the laws that govern business in one of the world’s most dynamic markets, this is where you need to be.

Please reach out to Will Blair and Bob Charbonneau for sponsorship opportunities.