New Laws Take Effect in Florida Today (July 1, 2025)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (July 1, 2025) – Over 120 new state laws, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, officially go into effect today—covering key areas such as public safety, education, environment, and fiscal policy. Below is a breakdown of the most impactful changes:
🎣 Boating & Speeding
Boater protections: Law enforcement will now need probable cause to stop vessels, and routine compliance checks (e.g. sanitation, safety inspections) have been downgraded to secondary offenses axios.com.
“Super-Speeders” crackdown: HB 351 treats drivers exceeding speed limits by 50 mph-plus—or clocking 100 mph—as committing a criminal offense. Penalties range from up to 30 days in jail and/or $500 for a first offense, to 90 days and $1,000 plus license suspension on repeat infractions within five years the-sun.com+1wesh.com+1.
🌊 Rebranding the Gulf
HB 549 mandates state agencies and schools refer to the “Gulf of America” instead of the “Gulf of Mexico” in all official materials and textbooks wusf.org+2axios.com+2wesh.com+2.
🏞️ Environmental Protection
State Parks Preservation Act (HB 209): Bans the development of golf courses, hotels, pickleball or tennis courts, and similar structures within state parks—allowing only low-impact recreational uses and modest cabins/campsites axios.com+1wesh.com+1.
Geoengineering ban: Senate Bill 56 prohibits weather-modification permits in Florida and bans releases intended to alter weather or sunlight axios.com+3news4jax.com+3mynews13.com+3.
🪙 Currency & Taxes
Gold & Silver Legal Tender (CS/HB 999): Recognizes specified gold and silver coins as legal tender, exempting them from sales tax timesofindia.indiatimes.com+2axios.com+2news4jax.com+2.
Permanent sales-tax exemptions: Starting today, key items—including school supplies (≤ $50), clothing/footwear (≤ $100), and electronics (signature items ≤ $1,500)—are tax-exempt year-round; plus seasonal tax holidays later this year the-sun.com.
🚱 Public Health
Fluoride ban in drinking water: Florida becomes the second state after Utah to prohibit fluoride additives in public water systems—a move opposed by dental experts citing benefits of fluoride apnews.com+2wusf.org+2fox13news.com+2.
🏫 Schools & Students
Allergy and EpiPen plans (SB 1514): Public elementary and middle schools must now train personnel and stock EpiPens for managing allergic emergencies en.wikipedia.org+2nbcmiami.com+2wesh.com+2.
Athlete health screenings (SB 1070): Student-athletes are required to provide medical evaluations and electrocardiograms before participating nbcmiami.com+1wesh.com+1.
Diabetes access (HB 597): Students may now carry and use diabetic supplies at school and during activities, with parental and physician approval nbcmiami.com.
Phone ban in lower grades: Elementary and middle schoolers are prohibited from having cell phones during the school day; high schools will pilot full-day bans in six districts wusf.org.
Teen driving education: New laws require 15–17-year-olds to complete a full driver’s education course, pass vision/hearing tests and hold a learner’s permit for 12 months before licensure axios.com+3the-sun.com+3news4jax.com+3.
🐕 Animal Welfare & Safety
“Pam Rock,” “Dexter’s” & “Trooper’s” Laws (HB 593, HB 255, SB 150):
Dangerous dogs must be microchipped, confined, and insured ($100,000 liability).
Dexter’s Law increases penalties for aggravated cruelty and creates a public abuser registry—live online by Jan 1, 2026 local10.com+4wesh.com+4news4jax.com+4local10.com+4wusf.org+4fox13news.com+4.
Trooper’s Law, effective October 1, criminalizes abandoning animals during declared emergencies fox13news.com+2news4jax.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2.
Swatting calls (HB 279): Making false 911 reports is now a felony if it results in injury or death local10.com+1wesh.com+1.
🏨 Lodging & Consumer Protection
Hotel eviction rights (SB 606): Hotel operators can now more easily remove unruly or trespassing guests via immediate notice, enforceable by law enforcement mynews13.com.
Why It Matters
Florida’s new suite of laws coming into effect today reflects a push for stricter public safety standards, greater environmental protections, and stronger individual freedoms. From boating and speeding reforms to tax relief and anti-cruelty measures, these policies aim to reshape the daily life of Floridians—and signal clear priorities for the state legislature in the lead-up to the 2026 midterms.
