A bill inspired by the Casey Anthony case is now a law.
The bill (HB 37) was one of more than six dozen signed by Gov. Rick Scott Friday in Tallahassee.
The bill would stiffen the penalties against people who are convicted of giving law enforcement officers false information when a child is missing. The penalties were increased from a maximum of one year in jail to five years in prison.
Casey Anthony was acquitted of murdering her daughter, Caylee, last year, but was convicted of lying to investigators. However, since she had already spent time in jail, she was instead given probation after her conviction.
Several other bills signed into law include two bills that would allow for more property tax exemptions -- this time for widows/widowers of fallen emergency responders, and senior citizens. Those bills would go before voters on the November ballot.
The governor vetoed three bills Friday. One would have created an early release program for non-violent inmates. The governor felt that was unfair to victims of crimes committed by those inmates.
The governor also vetoed a bill that would have allowed zoos and aquariums to use conservation land to raise certain animal species, and for research. Scott said that ability is already available in current law, and the bill did not provide enough safeguards for species native to Florida.
Another vetoed bill would have allowed Pinellas County to hold a referendum on a transportation sales tax in exchange for cutting some of the county's property taxes devoted to transportation funding. The governor said that bill would have led to a "large overall tax increase in the county."
Gov. Scott has dozens more bills to sign. He received 42 more bills to be reviewed and be either signed or vetoed. This includes the budget for the upcoming year.