Effective July 1, more than 150 new laws were passed in Florida. These laws affect various groups of people throughout the Sunshine State. We uncovered some of these laws in a previous blog, but here is a look at eight more interesting ones — some that may even pertain to you in your daily life.
- Wine Containers
This law updates container size limits for wine sold in the state. In the past, you could not sell wine in a container larger than 1 gallon, unless it was in a specific, large, reusable, or glass container. With his law, “reusable container” wording is replaced with “recyclable or reusable container,” meaning you can now sell wine in recyclable containers of up to 5.16 gallons, along with the specified glass sizes
- Medical Debt
Here’s a law that will affect patients with extraordinary debt. Previously, hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers could only use aggressive collection tactics, such as selling debt to a collector, on bills covered under their financial assistance policies.
- Diabetes Management in Schools
This is an important law for children who have diabetes. School districts and public schools (including charters) are now authorized to acquire and maintain a supply of undesignated glucagon (meaning not tied to any specific student) for emergencies. It must be stored in a secure yet immediately accessible location. Glucagon must be made available and administered according to a student’s diabetes medical management plan or healthcare provider’s orders. After administration, school employees must call 911 and notify the school nurse and the student’s parent/guardian.
- Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death
This is an important new criminal law for those who sell drugs. This law adds a subsection defining a new third-degree murder charge — a second-degree felony — for cases where a person under 18 distributes a substance they know or should reasonably know contains fentanyl or a fentanyl analog, and that substance causes or substantially contributes to the death of the person who used it. The bill does not impose charges against users who overdose; it’s focused solely on the distributor’s actions. It excludes cases involving the administration or prescribing of pharmaceuticals, centering on illegal distribution.
- Probation for Misdemeanor Offenses
Here’s another criminal law matter to be aware of. This law expands probation eligibility for misdemeanor convictions where controlled substances, controlled substance analogs, or chemical substances played a significant role. Courts may now impose probation for up to one year, instead of being capped at six months, under those circumstances.
- Construction Regulations
This law outlines several new updates to the construction industry, including:
- Synthetic turf standards. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) must set statewide minimum standards for installing synthetic turf (artificial grass) on residential properties less than 1 acre. Local governments can’t enact rules that conflict with these DEP standards.
- Prompt payment for change orders. For local government construction contracts starting July 1, 2025, agencies must approve or deny change order quotes within 35 days of submission.
- Certified alarm contractors. Certification for alarm system contractors is now expanded to include installation and servicing of surveillance cameras
- Elevator safety standard. Only one interior support rail in an elevator must be continuous and at least 42 inches long, removing previous requirements for all rails
- No-contract submission with building permits. Local building departments cannot require a builder to provide a copy of the contract (or related documents) with the permit application.
- Bid evaluation rules. The state and its subdivisions may not penalize or reward bidders in public works bidding based on the size or volume of their ongoing contracts.
- Surrendered Infants
There are new criteria for what constitutes an infant. An infant is now defined as a child that a licensed physician reasonably believes is 30 days old or younger when surrendered. The law also introduces “infant safety devices,” which are defined as secure wall-mounted units with an exterior slot for placing a surrendered infant and an interior door for staff retrieval. In addition to hospitals, a 24‑hour staffed EMS or fire station may lawfully accept infants via such devices.
- Child Care and Early Learning Providers
For those who operate child care centers or have children in these facilities, here’s what you need to know. Public and private preschools are now exempt from municipal special assessments, aligning them with religious and traditional schools.
There will also be faster background checks and provisional hires. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) must deliver criminal history results within three business days of receiving them. If delayed, a candidate may be granted a 45-day provisional-hire status, but only with direct supervision by properly screened staff. There are training and safety protocol updates as well. Revised personnel training requirements include a 40-hour child care introductory course and a mandatory in-person CPR training for at least one staff member on site. DCF must provide the introductory course online at no cost.
In addition, there are new requirements. Facilities are no longer required to provide pagers or beepers for drop-in care, distribute flu educational materials, or maintain specialized programs for mildly ill children.
Contact Us Today
July 1 brought about dozens of new laws to Florida. Residents and tourists alike need to be aware of how they will be affected.
Have questions? Contact a Florida lawyer from Brill & Rinaldi, The Law Firm. We can help you understand the new laws and how they can affect you legally and financially. Schedule a consultation with our office today. Call (954) 876-4344 or fill out the online form. We have offices in Weston, Coral Gables, and Daytona Beach.