LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 2024
Elections
HB 359 Rep. Jacques Voting Systems. Provides counties the option to count ballots by hand at precinct level; secures elections by not approving voting systems from foreign countries and requires voting systems programs, software, etc. to be made available to the public on its website 3 months before use in an election.
CDF SUPPORTS.
SB 1752 Sen. Igoglia Elections. Prohibits the DoS from approving foreign-made voting systems; requires the dept. to make certain information and materials available to the public on its website within a certain timeframe; requires the county canvassing board to conduct a manual count in certain precincts before certification of certain elections.
CDF SUPPORTS (with recommendations):
CDF Amendment Recommendations: Precinct manual counts should be randomly selected, picked by county officials with oversight from the public, no earlier than as soon as polls close on election day.
HB 1669 Rep. Roth Elections. Requires DOS to adopt rules relating to election security; requires DOS to create certain manuals; authorizes PACs & political committees to have poll watchers; authorizes designate watchers for absentee vote processing locations; provides requirements for printed ballots & voter certificate envelopes; requires retention of materials; requires audits; provides requirements for transportation & chain of custody for ballots; revises storage, identification, and signature verification requirements; provides requirements for absentee vote processing workers; revises county canvassing board composition; authorizes removal from office of supervisor of elections; revises requirements for recounts; provides criminal penalties.
CDF SUPPORTS
HB 135 Rep. Gossett-Seidman & Rep. Caruso/SB 1256 Sen. Martin Voter Registration Applications. Revising the information that the uniform statewide voter registration application must be designed to elicit; provides an exception to a requirement that certain voter registration applicants must be registered without party affiliation; prevents the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles from changing a voter’s party affiliation without consent in writing.
CDF SUPPORTS
HB 671 Rep. Borrero/SB 190 Sen. Garcia. Ballot Boxes. Requires a law enforcement officer to transport ballot boxes or ballot transfer containers from a supervisor of elections to a precinct and requires that all ballot boxes and ballot transfer containers be always supervised by a law enforcement officer.
CDF SUPPORTS
HB 965 Rep. Daniels/SB 782 Sen. Yarborough Election Board Composition. Requires Election Boards to be comprised of at least one member from each of the two major political parties.
CDF SUPPORTS
HB 57 Rep. Salzman/SB 438 Sen. Ingoglia Term Limits. Establishes term limits for county commissioners.
CDF SUPPORTS
HB 919 Rep. Rizo/SB 850 Sen. Nick DiCeglie Use of Artificial Intelligence in Political Advertising. Provides definitions for “Generative Artificial Intelligence”, requires disclaimer on political advertisements utilizing AI and provides for civil penalties for non-compliance.
CDF SUPPORTS
Education
HB 1403 Rep. Tomkow School Choice. Repeals Hope Scholarship Program; Revises FTC/FES programs
CDF OPPOSES
HB 7025 Rep. Trabulsy Education. Lines 647-652 “A school district may assess a $100 processing fee for each objection submitted by a parent or resident who does not have a student enrolled in the school where the material is located if the parent or resident has objected to more than five materials during the calendar year. The school district must return to the parent or resident the processing fee for each objection that is upheld.”
CDF OPPOSES and includes the following recommendations:
Instead of schools charging concerned citizens $100 for a book that should not even be in the school in the first place, CDF recommends levying fines to schools and/or criminal charges to administrators who continue to allow inappropriate, pornographic, and harmful content to minors that violate Florida statute.
HB 399 Rep. Temple/SB 394 Sen. Igoglia School Employees. Requires disclosure of prior arrests and any expunged criminal records by instructional personnel.
CDF SUPPORTS
HB 109 Rep. Andrade /SB 246 Sen. Harrell Conversion Charter Schools. Authorizes municipalities to apply for conversion of specified public schools to charter schools.
CDF SUPPORTS
Health
HB 459 Rep. Rudman & Rep. Yarkosky /HB 1623 Rep. Beltran /SB 402 Sen. Yarborough Public Health Emergencies. Provides that administration of vaccines is not included within meaning of terms “treat”, “treated”, or “treatment”, authorizes individuals to refuse exams, testing, or treatment under SHO’s order during public health emergency.
CDF SUPPORTS
SB 636 Sen. Garcia /SB 1094 Sen. Martin Exemptions from Immunization Requirements. Authorizes a person to claim an exemption from any immunization if a vaccine meeting specified criteria is not available to fulfill the requirement. Prohibits employers, school districts, the DOH and certain public entities from requiring a person to meet any other conditions to claim the exemption. (SB1094) Requires the DOH to obtain approval of the Legislature to add any new immunization requirements for school attendance.
CDF SUPPORTS
HB 327 Rep. Abbott & Rep. Temple /SB 306 Sen. Harrell Placement of Surrendered Newborn Infants. Requires immediate placement of all safe haven babies surrendered to Fire Stations, Baby Boxes, Emergency Medical Facilities, and Hospitals to the state as opposed to local adoption agencies as is the current law. This bill would require safe haven babies to remain in the state’s care for 100 days before becoming eligible for adoption.
CDF OPPOSES given the following reasons:
- This bill shifts the financial burden of adoption to the taxpayers as opposed to the adoptive family. Adoptive families can apply for adoption grants, use fundraisers, and employer adoption benefits to pay for adoption.
- There has been a sharp rise of safe haven babies due to the border crisis. This will create a significantly higher financial burden to the taxpayers.
Freedom
HB 401 Rep. Overdorf /SB 758 Sen. Martin Tracking Devices. Prohibits placement or use of tracking device or tracking application to determine location or movement of another person or another person’s property without that person’s consent.
CDF SUPPORTS
HB 485 Rep. Brackett & Rep. Barnaby /SB 1286 Sen. Collins Return of Weapons Following an Arrest. Requires weapons or arms taken from a person pursuant to arrest that are not seized as evidence be returned to person from whom they were taken if specified conditions are met. Prohibits Sheriff or Chief of Police from requiring court order.
CDF SUPPORTS