The new year brings new laws in Florida and at least one of them will affect just about each and everyone of us. That’s because the battery operated smoke alarm you probably have in your home can no longer be installed.
In 2014, 114 people in Florida died in fires. Almost half of those homes didn’t have working smoke detectors.
Now as the calendar turns to 2015, Florida Building Code requires homeowners without hard-wired smoke detectors to install 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms. The longer life lithium batteries inside can’t be tampered with or changed out to operate other electronics in your home.
The code only requires homeowners to make the switch when replacing outdated or non-working alarms or installing new ones.
The alarms are available at most hardware stores and typically cost between $25 and $50.
One of the other big changes going into effect today involves car seats.
Now anyone under the age of 6 will have to be in a car seat or booster seat. Previously the law only applied to children under 4.
Drivers caught violating the law face $60 fines and up to three points on their license.
Meanwhile, Florida's minimum wage is also going up, as per an amendment to the state constitution. The Florida minimum wage goes from $7.93 to $8.05 in the new year. Tipped employees in Florida now make $5.03. The minimum wage is tied to the inflation rate in Florida.