New State Laws Take Effect
Monday, July 2, 2012
By: Tom Parkinson

July 2, 2012 | WMFE - On this first business day after July 1st, more than 150 new state laws went into effect. The measures, passed by the state Legislature during its 2012 session, include several that critics call constitutionally questionable.

A law banning local governments from contracting with companies that do business in Cuba or Syria is temporarily on hold while courts sort through constitutional challenges.

Another new law, the Scott administration’s second attempt to require random drug testing of state employees, will also have to wait until a challenge to the first attempt is resolved.

Yet another measure will allow local school boards to set guidelines for students who want to offer so-called "inspirational messages" at school sponsored events.
That bill is being challenged by opponents who call it a thinly disguised attempt to allow prayer in public schools. The bill’s Senate sponsor, Orlando Democrat Gary Siplin, maintains the law is constitutional because students, not school employees, would deliver the messages.

Also among the new laws is a measure meant to reform the Personal Injury Protection (or PIP) Auto Insurance program.
That law is intended to crack down, what state officials say, is an epidemic of fake accidents in Florida.

Also, as of Sunday, new laws kick in to crack down on deceptive marketing practices by timeshare sales companies, increase penalties for human trafficking and for video voyeurism.

Florida’s new $70 billion budget also goes into effect at the start of the new fiscal year.
The new spending plan restores tax credits for renewable energy, allows new tax breaks for some businesses and expands online education for elementary school students. That measure is expected to help home school students and their parents.