Scott Signs Year Round Daylight Saving Time Bill, 73 Others

March 24, 2018

Gov.  Rick Scott signed 74 bills into law on Friday, including a tax-cut package, a measure that declares the Legislature’s intent to observe daylight-saving time year-round and a bill that prevents most minors from getting married.

The tax package (HB 7087), which totals about $171 million in tax and fee cuts, authorizes a three-day tax “holiday” in early August that will allow back-to-school shoppers to buy clothes and school supplies without paying sales taxes. Also, the bill will lead to a similar seven-day “holiday” in early June for residents to buy tax-free hurricane supplies.

The bill also includes tax breaks for farmers and ranchers who suffered damage in Hurricane Irma and trims a commercial-lease tax paid by many businesses. Other parts of the package include a property-tax break for homeowners displaced by Hurricane Irma and a break for nursing homes and assisted living facilities that purchase electric generators.

Scott’s office released the list of 74 bills early Friday evening. The measures were passed during the legislative session that ended March 11. About two-dozen of the measures were what are known as “local” bills, which involve issues in individual communities across the state.

The daylight-saving time bill (HB 1013) drew widespread attention during the legislative session. It expresses the Legislature’s support for keeping Florida on daylight-saving time throughout the year.

While the Legislature and Scott agree on the issue, such a change would ultimately require congressional approval. To that end, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has filed legislation to begin the process of making the change.

Scott on Friday also approved a measure (SB 140) that bars people under age 18 from getting marriage licenses. The bill includes an exception, though, for 17-year-olds who have written consent from their parents or guardians. Also, the 17-year-olds could not marry people who are more than two years older than them.

The Legislature passed 195 bills during this year’s session, and Scott has signed 154 into law. To date, he hasn’t vetoed any bills.

Scott, however, issued a signing letter Friday with a bill (HB 7043) that would allow the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to assume administration of a federal wetland-permitting program. Scott’s letter said the bill gives the department authority to “undertake rulemaking to explore whether the state should issue” permits now administered by the federal government.

“The Department of Environmental Protection’s rulemaking process is done with public input and scrutiny,” Scott wrote. “Also, the Department of Environmental Protection must demonstrate that their permitting program’s standards are just as stringent, if not more stringent, than what is in place currently with the federal government.”

Comments

8 Responses to “Scott Signs Year Round Daylight Saving Time Bill, 73 Others”

  1. Joseph Sceville on March 27th, 2018 4:02 am

    @J. Larry Seale

    Technically speaking, the people who live in Alabama and Georgia didn’t elect Scott into office so he isn’t abusing the people who elected him. A vast majority of the states income is a result of tourism so pr

    There are good and bad points to the daylight saving time bill however, the economic good for the entire state outweighs the bad in my opinion.

  2. Joel Muncie on March 26th, 2018 10:08 am

    Yes, the whole concept of Daylight Savings does seem dumb! Passing a marriage law when kids can have sex at the drop of the hat then get an abortion at any age without parents consent, seems dumber! Scott did not pass these laws! Talk to your elected officials! And for pete sake, GO VOTE. Until we get off our seats and let our voices be heard to our officials, we will not be heard. Every party in every county, has an Executive Committee that offers a place for their party candidates to get “the will of the people”. Get involved people! Your one vote and one voice can make a difference if you get involved in the process!

  3. Really people! on March 25th, 2018 2:20 pm

    What’s up with u people thinking it should be ok for a kid of 16 yrs old, to be able to get married? And comparing it to 16 yr olds getting an abortion!?! 1st- They should be 18 or 19 to be able to marry.. 16 is too young..19 is too young, but u can’t tell the kids nothing at that age..! The need for an abortion could be prevented if these kids were raised to wait til marriage! Be parents, not friends and enablers! Get them in church and back to being a respectable, responsible society..geez.

  4. David Huie Green on March 24th, 2018 4:40 pm

    Groan

    David for less unneeded confusion

  5. J.Larry Seale on March 24th, 2018 1:24 pm

    Gov Scott,
    DOESN’T KNOW nor does he CARE on how
    much this going to DST year round is going to effect
    people who live in Alabama and Georgia and work
    in Florida ………………
    All the cares about is the business in South Florida
    and the tourist…………..The governor is suppose to
    car for the people which elected him not abuse them.
    We get enough abuse from our county comm……………….

  6. anne 1of2 on March 24th, 2018 1:01 pm

    Now they are after Alabama to stay on the same time! What is up with these people? 2 years on the marriage age is stupid too! Some of us like older men so he has no right to that 2 year stipulation either. Public office does not make them Gods.

  7. np630ss on March 24th, 2018 11:39 am

    Scott proves that government exists simply to prove it is needed. NOT! Passing senseless legislation just for the sake of passing it. Year round daylight savings time? Really? That antique concept should have passed with the dinosaurs. All this new law will do is throw us out of sync with our surrounding states. No marriage lisence for 16 year olds? Excuse me – they can get an ABORTION without a lisence. This is another example of senseless legislation. Pass these idiotic laws while ignoring matters of REAL concern. Like watching clowns pile out of a VW at the circus.

  8. Nod on March 24th, 2018 10:38 am

    Marriage law is STUPID. But you can kill your unborn kid at any age without premission.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News