A number of proposed criminal law reforms didn’t make it through the Florida legislative session that ended on April 30th.Tampa Bay Online, provided an update on what got passed and what got dropped in the final session.
Failed Efforts
- The bill to reform Florida sexting laws failed to pass, so teens sexting explicit images to other teens via cell phone remains a felony charge, and can result in prison and lifetime status as a registered sex offender. That is exactly what happened to this teen.
- A bill to restrict texting and driving, or reading emails also failed to survive. So text away!
- You can also feel free to smoke with kids in the car. There was a proposal to ban that, which also failed.
Successful Efforts
- Automatic traffic ticket cameras that photograph people who run red lights, scan license plates, and automatically send you a citation in the mail are now allowed.
- There are now tougher restrictions on registered sex offenders, which limit such people from loitering within 300 feet of where children gather: schools, playgrounds, etc.
- There are tougher restrictions on so called “pill mills”, clinics that issue prescription drug pain medications. Patients who pay for services in cash (without an insurance plan) are restricted to a 72 hour supply of certain addictive pain medication prescriptions.
Some of the failed laws may return in the next session, but many likely will not.