TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – As Florida gears up for its next Legislative session, lawmakers are already busy crafting bills to be considered.
On Monday, five more of these new bills were filed, meaning these proposals could become law if approved next year.
These latest bills deal with issues like swimming pool safety, hairstyle discrimination, and even a new license plate design for drivers to pick from.
All five of these new bills are as follows:
SB 244 — Swimming Pools
Senate Bill 244 would require residential swimming pools — regardless of the year built — to be equipped with at least one of the following pool safety features:
Equipped with an approved safety pool cover
A proper exit alarm on all doors and windows that lead out to the pool
A self-closing, self-latching device on all doors leading out to the pool, with a release mechanism no lower than 54 inches above the floor
A swimming pool alarm that sounds off upon accidental or unauthorized entrance into the water
Furthermore, a home inspector would be required to report any violations of these rules to law enforcement, which could lead to a second-degree misdemeanor charge.
If approved, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2026.
However, the new safety-feature rule would be applied to residential pools sold on or after Oct. 1, 2026.
SB 246 — License Plates (UFC)
Senate Bill 246 would establish a new specialty license plate geared around the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
The word “Florida” would have to appear at the top of the plate, with the words “UFC Lives Here” being printed at the bottom.
Annual-use fees from plate sales would then go to the UFC Foundation, which could use most of the funds to support charities and nonprofits like children’s hospitals, youth mentorship programs, and support for military and first responders.
If approved, the bill would take effect on Oct. 1, 2026.
SB 248 — Public Records (Local Clerks)
Senate Bill 248 seeks a public records exemption for municipal clerks and their staff.
This exemption would apply to personal details like home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, places of work for any spouses or children.
If approved, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2026.
SB 252 — Hairstyle Discrimination
Senate Bill 252 — dubbed the “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act” — aims to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles.
Under this bill, a “protected hairstyle” would refer to those historically associated with race, such as afros, braids, locks or twists.
Thus, it would no longer be allowed to discriminate based on these hairstyles in K-20 education programs, similar to factors like race, sex, religion or marital status.
If approved, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2026.
SB 254 — Nursing Education Programs
Senate Bill 254 would allow prospective nurses to get ahold of temporary provisional licenses, which could let them work for around six months under the guidance of an actual registered nurse as they pursue licensure via examination.
If approved, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2026.
Meanwhile, other sets of bills filed this month include the following:
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