A ban on synthetic marijuana and bath salts is now going to Gov. Scott for his signature.
The bill passed unanimously in the Florida Senate, and unanimously in the House on Wednesday.
The bill adds 27 of those types of drugs onto the "Schedule I" list of controlled substances. That makes it a third-degree felony for a person to sell, make, deliver or possess the drugs.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, a champion of the bill, issued this statement:
“I applaud Representative Ingram and the House of Representatives for their support on this legislation that will protect Floridians from deadly synthetic drugs. I look forward to Governor Scott signing this important public safety legislation into law.”
Drone restriction bill goes to Gov. Scott
The Florida Legislature has passed a bill limiting law enforcement agencies' use of the remotely controlled aircraft known as drones.
The House unanimously approved the Senate's bill (SB 92) 117-0 on Wednesday with no debate.
It now goes to Gov. Rick Scott. The governor has previously said he would sign it into law.
The measure restricts the use of drones to the prevention of imminent danger to life -- like a kidnapping or a missing child -- or serious damage to property.
It also makes police get search warrants before using drones to collect evidence. An exception would be a credible threat of terrorist attack.
Only three law enforcement agencies in Florida are currently licensed by the federal government to fly drones. One of them is the Orange County Sheriff's Office, which has three drones. None are yet using them.
Bill to keep mentally ill away from guns passes Florida House
The Florida House has passed a bill aimed at blocking the mentally ill from purchasing weapons.
The bill clearing the House on a 117-1 vote Wednesday is meant to plug a loophole to guard against mentally unstable people from getting firearms.
The measure (HB 1355) is aimed at situations in which people with mental illnesses voluntarily commit themselves for treatment to avoid involuntary commitment, then check themselves out of the facilities. At that point, they can obtain weapons.
Under the bill, someone who is mentally ill could be prohibited from purchasing firearms if the examining physician found the person posed a danger to himself or others. If the patient didn't agree to voluntary commitment for treatment, and thus being barred from purchasing firearms, an involuntary commitment petition would be filed.
Back to school sales tax holiday barely moving
It's a "holiday" many parents look forward to -- the holiday from sales taxes on school supplies and clothes that happen almost every year.
But the tax is barely moving, with three weeks left in the session.
A bill in the Florida Senate has passed two committees and has one more to go before it can reach a vote before the full Senate. An identical bill in the Florida House, though, has gone nowhere.
The Senate bill creates a three day sales tax holiday from August 2 to August 4, on clothing purchases of $75 or less per item, school supplies costing $15 or less per item, and computers costing $750 or less.
Bill requires care for infants surviving abortions
The Florida House has overwhelmingly passed a bill to require medical care for newborns surviving botched abortions.
The measure (HB 1129) passed the House on a 119-0 vote Wednesday a rare show of unanimity in the contentious abortion debate. A similar Senate bill has cleared a couple of committees.
Republican Rep. Cary Pigman says his bill would guarantee that all infants are treated humanely, regardless of how they enter the world.
Under the bill, failure to treat newborns who survive failed abortions and to transport them to a hospital would be a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.
Abortion-rights supporters say the scenario contemplated by the bill is extremely rare. But some abortion opponents have said it's not such a rarity.
Freemasonry specialty plate passes Senate subcommittee
There are dozens of specialty license plates in Florida, and now the enigmatic Freemasons may be the next group to get their own plate.
A bill passed a Florida Senate subcommittee Tuesday allowing for the creation of a Freemasonry plate.
Some of the money from the sale of the plate would go to the Masonic Home of Florida for the care of Masons and their families.