News outlets are reporting that Governor Rick Scott signed 94 new bills into law in Florida on June 13th. The bills that were made law cover a wide range of topics, ranging from abortion to charities. While not all of the laws may have an effect on every citizen of Florida, it is possible that a significant portion of the new laws will have an effect on a large number of people in one way or another.
Issues to be Addressed by Florida Legislature in 2014
The 2014 legislative session is upon us in Florida, and there is no shortage of issues expected to be addressed. A recent article highlighted some of the key issues that have arisen in the state recently, and gave some insight as to what sort of action Florida citizens can expect from their elected officials concerning each topic.
Topics to be Addressed
Some of the topics especially relevant in the legal field include the following:
Tax cuts: It is well known that the governor’s number one priority this year is to make tax cuts and eliminate some fees – in the amount of $500 million. Members of the legislature are on board with doing away with certain vehicle fees and holding a sales tax holiday during back-to-school time. However, there are a number of other issues associated with the cuts that need to be addressed.
Lawmakers Vote to Expand Stand Your Ground Law in Florida
News stories involving Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law have been making headlines across the nation, which can likely be attributed to the Dunn and Zimmerman cases. The two recent criminal trials both involved the shooting of African-American teenagers and each defendant’s invocation of self-defense as the result of a threat that made them fear for their life. Both defendants were acquitted of murder.
The results of each trial and the facts surrounding each case are highly controversial and have spurred much debate over the Florida law. In light of the more recent Dunn ruling, many speculated that the law may be overturned. However, as a recent article reported, lawmakers in Florida took the opposite approach.
New Program to Help Released Inmates Start Over
The Orlando Sentinel recently reported on the difficulty of inmates who have a hard time starting their life on the outside once released from prison. The article stated that the thousands of inmates released from prison each year are given a bus ticket and $40 upon their release. For many, this makes it difficult to complete even basic life tasks, especially when they often also lack driver’s licenses or identification cards.
Plan for Released Prisoners to Obtain ID
This has become such a recognized problem, in fact, that an organized coalition and Florida lawmakers are working to address it. Their plan includes implementing a program that provides prisoners an identification card, or the necessary paperwork to get one, when they complete their sentence in prison and are released into the public.Read More
Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law Continues to make Headlines
NBC News, among many other media outlets, recently reported on a Florida case involving many similarities to the George Zimmerman case: a man in Florida was charged for killing a black teen, who was unarmed at the time of his death, and is arguing self-defense at his trial. While most people are familiar with the outcome of Zimmerman’s trial, many are not so sure that Michael Dunn, the man charged in this case, will follow the same path.
What Rises to the Level of Domestic Violence?
Far too many families in Florida and throughout the country are affected by domestic violence. Recognizing the damage done by these crimes, the justice system includes a variety of tools to both protect those harmed and punish residents who commit domestic violence. But not all disagreements between family members actually rise to the level of domestic violence as envisioned by the law. It is critical for residents who have questions about this issue to understand the basics of the applicable rules.
Florida Law
The Florida legislature defines “domestic violence” to be “any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another family or household member.” When a Florida resident believes they were a victim of domestic violence, an injunction for protection can be sought. In these cases a court orders an abuser to stay away from the harmed family member. Importantly, the victim can be anyone in the household, as the provision is not limited solely to disputes between spouses.Read More
2014: New Year, New Laws Taking Effect in Florida
Florida has added over 200 new laws to their books in the last several months. While some had gone into effect in the latter part of 2013, some will begin with the New Year in 2014. Naples News reported on a number of the new laws, and the topics they cover range from sex trafficking to the state of Florida’s foster care program. Notably, also included is an increase in the amount of Florida’s minimum wage from $7.79 per hour to $7.93, which is higher than the federal minimum wage at $7.25.
Some of the new laws taking effect in 2014 include:
- Victims of human-trafficking can get criminal records expunged for crimes committed while they were being threatened, forced, or coerced. Typically the relevant charges would include prostitution. This measure accompanied a previous bill which made it illegal for certain massage businesses to operate between the hours of midnight and 5:00 a.m.Read More
No Charges Filed Against Florida State Quarterback
Florida State Seminoles’ quarterback Jameis Winston made headlines last month, but this time it was not for his performance on the football field. Winston was involved in a criminal investigation since December 2012, in which he was accused of sexual battery. Fortunately for the QB star, late last month he learned that he would not face charges as the result of a report of sexual battery against him.
As CBS Sports reported, State Attorney Willie Meggs stated in a news conference that after an investigation of the case and allegations against him, it was decided that no charges will be filed against Winston in connection with the matter. The Tallahassee Police Department and Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation and released documents related to it after the news conference. According to the accuser’s statement, she remembered sharing numerous beverages with friends at a local restaurant, and did not remember how she ended up riding in a cab with Winston and other men, including other Florida State football players. She reported being assaulted in a residence matching the description of Winston’s, but she did not identify him as her attacker until January 2013 when she saw him in class. Winston was informed of the allegations against him, but the Tallahassee Police department then suspended the case because the victim stopped cooperating.Read More
Foreclosure Activity Continues to be a Problem for Florida Residents
The state of the American economy and the financial state of its citizens continues to be a topic that is ever present in the news. While media outlets seem to be reporting a gradual improvement in the U.S. economy, many individuals are still feeling the financial strain of the recession in significant ways, from credit card and to student loan debt to wage garnishment and car loans and everything in between. For many, the hardship is felt most noticeably and pressingly in their home loans and monthly mortgage payments.Read More
Police Procedure Violates Constitutional Rights
The Miami Herald recently reported on a disturbing case involving law enforcement’s repeated run-ins with a particular man in Miami Gardens. Over the course of the last four years, Earl Sampson has been stopped and questioned by Miami Gardens police 258 times, searched 100 times, and arrested and taken to jail 56 times. Considering these substantially numerous run-ins with the law, it is surprising that he has never been convicted of any crime besides simple possession of marijuana. The offense he has repeatedly been arrested for? Trespassing at a convenience store. Sampson works at the store as a clerk.
Samson is apparently just one of many other store employees and customers who are stopped and searched by police. The majority of the suspects are low-income and African American. The Owner of the store grew so desperate at the interaction that he decided to install surveillance cameras. As a result, he has obtained more than two dozen videos since June of 2012 that depict some concerning conduct on the part of Miami Gardens police.Read More