JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The 2024 Florida legislative session is officially underway and First Coast News is On Your Side examining legislation that could impact you and your family.
There are more than 1,750 bills you can look through on the legislature’s website. Some could impact your family's health, and others could impact your children's use of social media.
Healthcare is a priority for lawmakers. Several bills aim to grow the healthcare workforce and encourage innovation. Expanding access to Medicaid is not included.
Another priority for lawmakers involves governing minors' social media use. One bill would prohibit minors younger than 16 from creating new accounts.
One thing many viewers tell First Coast News is that they hope Florida’s ongoing property insurance "crisis" is worked on. Brennan Reed says he's paying about $1,000 more than he was a few years ago and that's on the low end of what others have disclosed.
"The ones who haven't been so vocal about it, we ask and demand you start to speak up,” Reed said. “Florida residents, we're drowning in these prices. We have to do something."
First Coast News asked Director of the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab Michael Binder if he thinks change will come.
"No, I'm skeptical," Binder said. "I don't think they're going to do anything this time around that's particularly meaningful. You hope that your insurance company doesn't pack up and leave."
Here are several other bills to watch during the legislative session:
- HB 1223 would lower the age that you can buy a gun to 18
- SB 94 would reduce the criminal penalties for the possession of cannabis
- SB 484 would require people selling property to disclose flooding information
- HB 873 would create a "dangerous dogs registry"
- SB 64 would limit rent increases and require landlords to provide air conditioning in certain cases
- HB 49 would let minors work longer hours
- HB 1233 would legally define the words "man" and "woman" based on biological sex at birth
- HB 901 would prohibit government agencies from putting up flags that represent what the bill calls a "political ideology viewpoint"
- HB 753 and SB 918 would make the American flamingo the Florida state bird, replacing the mockingbird