Sarasota and Manatee legislators pitch illegal immigration, cannabis access, and AI bills
Sarasota and Manatee legislators have introduced bills regarding illegal immigration, cannabis access, and artificial intelligence. These proposed laws aim to address important issues within the community. The legislators are working towards finding solutions and making positive changes in these areas. The bills are set to be discussed and debated in the legislative session.
Bills introduced by Sarasota and Manatee County state lawmakers could soon impose stiff penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants, increase public access to cannabis despite additional efforts to curb public smoking, and establish more standardized procedures for hurricane recovery.
Legislators and their Bills
Three local Sarasota and Manatee area legislators, Sen. Joe Gruters, Rep. Fiona McFarland, and Rep. Bill Conerly, have filed numerous bills aimed at addressing major political topics of statewide impact if approved during the current 60-day session of the Florida Legislature. These bills cover a wide range of issues such as illegal immigration enforcement, hurricane recovery, public smoking, environmental problems, and more.
Penalties for Employment of Illegal Immigrants
Gruters introduced SB 782 to enhance penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants. The bill proposes penalties such as license suspension or revocation, fines up to $250,000, and permanent revocation for repeat violations. Employers injuring others could face even stricter penalties, and fines collected would go to the Florida Highway Patrol Safety Operating Trust Fund.
Streamlined Hurricane Recovery
McFarland introduced HB 1535 to address hurricane recovery issues, requiring training for local governments, assistance with debris removal, and penalties related to crane safety. The bill also aims to prevent post-hurricane development restrictions and updates election procedures affected by natural disasters.
Public Smoking and Cannabis Access
Gruters proposed bills to ban public smoking and vaping in various places and increase access to medical cannabis through cultivation at home and registration for nonresidents in medical cannabis programs. These bills are still in the legislative process.
Identification of AI-Made Media
McFarland's bill aims to ensure proper identification of media created using artificial intelligence (AI) by requiring provenance data. The bill also establishes a digital content provenance pilot program within the Division of Emergency Management to authenticate digital content used in emergency operations.
Curbing Hit-and-Runs
The Lilly Glaubach Act, named after a Sarasota teen killed in a hit-and-run, aims to reduce hit-and-run fatalities by requiring collision repair shops to prepare reports for tracking runaway drivers. This bill is currently in the committee process.
Industry Solutions to Environmental Problems
Conerly introduced bills to facilitate industry solutions to environmental issues, including permitting distributed wastewater treatment systems to replace septic tanks and using reclaimed water for spring recovery projects. These bills are also in the committee process.
"Gulf of America" Name Change
Gruters proposed renaming the "Gulf of Mexico" to "Gulf of America" in official records and instructional materials. While a stretch of U.S. 41 renaming proposal was withdrawn, the bill continues with the directive for the name change and is in the committee process.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota and Manatee legislative delegation targets a range of issues.