Veto these bills, Governor. Don’t make matters worse | Editorial
Florida’s 2024 legislative session ended three months ago, but Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet decided the fate of dozens of bills, some of which would go into effect July 1.
Some of these pieces of legislation are good, some are bad, and some are downright dangerous. We have chosen 10 bills. Five of them deserve the governor’s signature and five should be rejected. This is what a veto pen is made for.
First, let’s start with the good news.
Sign here, Governor
Balloon ban: Releasing helium-filled balloons would be a violation of Florida’s anti-litter law and could carry a $250 fine. They can kill birds and are a serious threat to the environment (HB 321).
Condo reform: Thousands of volunteer directors at condo complexes would face closer state scrutiny, which is long overdue, and it will now be a crime for condominium board members to refuse to provide records, willingly destroy them, or accept kickbacks (HB 1021).
Criminal histories: Barbers and cosmetologists could not be denied state licenses for most criminal records that are more than three years old. The current standard is five years (HB 133).
Dozier victims: Victims of abuse over four decades at the state-run Dozier School for Boys in Marianna could finally receive compensation, if they live long enough (HB 21).
PACE reform: Needed consumer safeguards could help reduce rip-offs in a loosely regulated home loan program known as PACE, or Property Assessed Clean Energy, that has become notorious for predatory practices (SB 770).
Whip out the veto pen
Bears targeted: Floridians could claim self-defense if they kill bears that wander onto their property. This idea is “disastrous,” the Sierra Club Florida chapter said. If more people would secure their garbage containers, this wouldn’t be a problem (HB 87). Save the bears, Governor, and kill this bill.
Consumer loans: Cash-strapped consumers could be charged up to 36% interest on loans of up to $25,000, up from the current 30%. A few minimal consumer protections that were sought by the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops were left out of the bill. Six conservative Republican senators voted against this bill, and it passed by just three votes (HB 1347).
Ethics laws: A gutting of Florida ethics laws would require complainants to have personal knowledge of the circumstances of every case, an impossibly high threshold that would allow corruption to flourish. The weakening of watchdog oversight would also apply to local ethics commissions such as the one in Palm Beach County (SB 7014). If we were to choose the worst of the worst among this list, this bill would be it.
Gambling secrecy: Most information about members of the Florida Gaming Control Commission — politically well-connected people chosen by the governor who oversee casinos and race tracks and award or deny slot machine licenses — would be kept secret (SB 692). More secrecy is never good.
Vacation rentals: The latest stick in the eye of Florida cities and the people who live there, this bill would impose new restrictions on how communities regulate vacation rentals (SB 280). This issue features two powerful and opposing lobbying forces, with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association supporting the bill and the Florida Association of Realtors opposing it.
This was a terrible legislative session for the people of Florida, and the cumulative impact of the damage is not yet clear.
The Florida Constitution gives the governor sole power to veto a bill, even if it passes the Legislature unanimously. It’s the supreme use of executive power.
DeSantis has already approved bills that eliminate heat protections for outdoor workers, strip away workplace protections for 16-year-olds, abolish civilian review boards to monitor police, prevent homeless people from camping outdoors, and erase mentions of climate change from state laws.
Follow these simple instructions, Governor, and don’t make things worse than they already are.
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Opinion Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writer Martin Dyckman and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Editorials are the opinion of the Board and written by one of its members or a designee. To contact us, email at letters@sun-sentinel.com.