The fate of key bills this session
Here's a look at important bills considered this year by the Florida Legislature, and whether they passed or failed in the House or Senate. Bills that pass will become law unless they are vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist.
AbortionStatus: FAILED
Would have required any woman seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound scan and have the image shown to her unless she signed a waiver.
Appraisal UmpiresStatus: FAILED
Would have created training and licensing requirements for umpires used in insurance settlement appraisals.
AutismStatus: PASSED
Mandates health insurance coverage for autism treatment.
BeastialityStatus: FAILED
Would have made it a felony for humans to have sex with animals.
BullyingStatus: PASSED
Bullying of every public school student or employee is banned and school districts must adopt an anti-bullying policy.
Caller-ID SpoofingStatus: PASSED
Makes it a first degree misdemeanor to use computer software to manipulate the name and number that appears in a caller ID.
Car InsuranceStatus: FAILED
Would have increased required amount of bodily injury coverage for taxicab, jitney, and limousine owners.
Catastrophe FundStatus: FAILED
Would have boosted back-up insurance of the hurricane catatrophe fund to $25 billion, reducing the exposure for the state and policyholders.
Cell PhoneaStatus: FAILED
Would have banned people from texting on a cellphone while driving.
Children's ZoneStatus: PASSED
Funds $3.6 million for the creation of a Magic City Children's Zone in Liberty City that will provide social service and educational programs to increase high school graduation rates.
Commercial Property InsuranceStatus: FAILED
Would have creates commercial property insurance policies exempt from assessments to make up deficits for Citizens Property Insurance.
Commuter RailStatus: FAILED
Would have provided Tri-Rail the additional money it needs to pay for expansion and avoid service cuts.
CompensationStatus: PASSED
Gives $1.25 million to Alan Crotzer, a Florida man imprisoned for 24 years for two rapes he did not commit -- about $137 for every day he spent wrongfully incarcerated.
CranesStatus: FAILED
Would have created state safety and licensing standards for crane operators.
Cuba TravelStatus: PASSED
Requires travel agencies selling trips to Cuba and other countries on the U.S State Department's terrorist nation list -- such as Cuba -- to register with the state, and carry bonds of $300,000.
Doctors
Status: FAILEDU.S. doctors who received medical training in Cuba, except Cuban exiles, would have been banned from practicing in Florida.
Dog Racing
Status: FAILEDDormant jai-alai frontons would have been allowed to switch to greyhound racing, but this was opposed by the Jai-Alai Players Association and other gambling facilities.
Droopy Drawers
Status: FAILEDWould have allowed schools to impose penalties on students who wear their pants below their undergarments.
Economic Development
Status: PASSEDGives the state Board of Administration leeway to invest up to 1.5 percent of state retirement funds -- about $2 billion -- in technology and growth sectors in Florida.
Education (Higher Ed)
Status: FAILEDWould have put a constitutional amendment on the ballot creating an elected education commission and stripping budget authority from the state Board of Governors.
Energy
Status: PASSEDFlorida's energy policy emphasizes conservation, efficiency and renewable sources in everything from gasoline to the generation of electricity, creates green building standards and a framework for a cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
English
Status: FAILEDWould have required increased training for teachers of students learning English.
Evolution
Status: FAILEDThe bill would have empowered teachers to more easily criticize evolution as spelled out in the state's new education standards.
FCAT
Status: PASSEDStarting in 2009, high schools would be graded on graduation rates and other factors instead of just FCAT scores. FCAT tests will occur later in the spring. Schools will be prohibited from suspending their normal curriculum to prepare for FCAT tests.
Food Donations
Status: PASSEDRemoves food-poisoning liability from restaurants that donate leftover food to homeless shelters.
Forclosure
Status: PASSEDHomeowners will be entitled to information about their rights when they sign contracts with foreclosure-rescue consultants and the consultants must comply with new regulations.
Foreclosure Moratorium
Status: FAILEDWould have given subprime borrowers three additional months to try to resolve payment issues.
Gambling Tax Cut
Status: FAILEDWould have decreased the tax rate on slot machines.
Gangs
Status: PASSEDGives law enforcement more power to arrest suspected gang members and lock them up for longer.
Gas Tax
Status: FAILEDWould have given drivers a two-week break on the state gas tax of 10 cents a gallon.
Guns at Work
Status: PASSEDAllows employees to keep guns in their cars when at work if they have concealed-weapon permits.
Health Care Info
Status: PASSEDRequires hospitals to provide prices for 150 of the most commonly performed medical procedures on a state website, give uninsured patients an estimate of charges for nonemergency care and tell them about discounts and charity programs.
Health Insurance
Status: PASSEDAbout 3.8 million uninsured Floridians could obtain stripped down, low-cost health insurance under a plan pushed by Gov. Charlie Crist and House Speaker Marco Rubio.
Health Records
Status: FAILEDWould have provided loans for hospitals and doctors to adopt an electronic medical records system and grants to regional health information networks.
Home (My Safe Florida Home)
Status: PASSEDCreates new no-interest loan program for consumers to purchase products to strengthen their homes against storms.
Hurricane Tax Holiday
Status: FAILEDA sales tax holiday on hurricane supplies was rejected because of sagging tax collections.
Immigration
Status: FAILEDWould have expanded the authority of local law enforcement agencies to arrest and report illegal immigrants to the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Insurance Bill
Status: PASSEDFreezes current rates for Citizens insurance for another year, until Jan. 2010.
Land Preservation
Status: PASSEDExtends Florida Forever, the state's land-buying and conservation program for another 10 years, allowing annual purchases valued at up to $300 million.
Law Enforcement Murders
Status: PASSEDIncreases penalties for anyone convicted of murdering or attempting to murder a law enforcement officer.
License Plates
Status: PASSEDA ban is imposed on introducing specialty license plates.
License Plate -- "I Believe"
Status: FAILEDSenate blocked new license plate that featured a cross and the words "I Believe."
Lottery
Status: FAILEDWould have given more money to the Lottery Department for instant ticket vending machines and advertising.
Marijuana
Status: PASSEDCracks down on people who grow indoor marijuana crops.
Medicaid Reform
Status: FAILEDWould have accelerated the expansion of a controversial experiment to shift more Medicaid patients to managed-care plans.
Money Services
Status: PASSEDCheck cashiers, wire transmitters, and pay-day lenders will be regulated more stringently in an effort to curb rampant money laundering.
Mortgage Fraud
Status: PASSEDIncreases criminal penalties for mortgage fraud and allows property appraisers to reassess property values that may have been affected by fraudulent home sales.
Motorcycle (Wheelies)
Status: PASSEDOutlaws motorcyclists from popping wheelies and increases penalties for all motorists caught driving more than 50 miles per hour above the speed limit.
Online Dating
Status: FAILEDWould have required online dating sites to disclose whether or not they do background checks on people who use the site.
Partial Property Taxes
Status: PASSEDAllows taxpayers to negotiate partial payments of their tax bills.
Personal Injury Fraud
Status: FAILEDWould have created new penalties for people who file false personal injury claims in auto accidents.
Poker
Status: FAILEDCardroom hours at parimutuel facilities would have expanded to 18 hours a day on weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends, and allow them to host high-stakes televised poker tournaments.
Prescription Drugs
Status: FAILEDA pilot prescription drug monitoring database would have been created in Broward County.
Property Appraisers
Status: FAILEDWould have banned property appraisers from assessing their own property.
Property Tax Cap
Status: FAILEDA constitutional amendment to cap property taxes at 1.35 percent of assessed value passed the House but died in the Senate.
Public Insurance Adjusters
Status: PASSEDRequires licenses and limits fees charged on contingency; regulates client solicitation.
Red-Light Cameras
Status: FAILEDThe state would have regulated local government ordinances that use red-light cameras to catch drivers who run lights.
Revenue Cap
Status: FAILEDA Colorado-styled plan to cap the growth in all government revenues based on a formula tied to inflation and population growth passed the House but failed to get a vote in the Senate.
School Curriculum
Status: PASSEDOrders the state Department of Education to overhaul the curriculum in public schools to make it more rigorous.
School Tax Holiday
Status: FAILEDWould have given a break from the state's sales tax, for one week in August, for clothes $50 or less and school supplies $10 or less.
Service Contracts
Status: FAILEDWould have required cell phone companies, online dating services and security and alarm companies to notify consumers at least 30 days before their contracts were set to automatically renew.
Sewage
Status: PASSEDRequires Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties to end the practice of pumping sewage into the ocean by the year 2025.
Small Business
Status: PASSEDThe Small Business Regulatory Relief Act creates a small business council that will look out for small businesses when state agencies are writing rules.
State Song
Status: PASSEDCreates a new state anthem Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky, and cleans up the racially offensive lyrics to the controversial state song Old Folks at Home, also known as Swanee River.
Subprime Loans
Status: FAILEDWould have curbed subprime loans and most so-called no-documentation and low-documentation mortgages in Florida that have led to record foreclosures.
Surveillance
Status: FAILEDLate-night businesses would have been required to install outdoor surveillance cameras.
Tickets
Status: FAILEDWould have regulated online ticket sales to keep scalpers from scooping up the majority of tickets with automated technology.
Toy Safety
Status: PASSEDRegulates the amount of lead and other toxic substances in children's toys.
Tuition Hikes
Status: PASSEDState budget includes a 6 percent tuition hike for community college and university students. Lawmakers also passed a separate bill that lets Florida International University charge a higher tuition rate above the rate set by legislators.
Victim's Rights
Status: PASSEDRequires courts to order defendants convicted of certain violent crimes from contacting the victims.
Vouchers
Status: PASSEDIncreases the state's corporate income tax scholarship program from $88 million to $118 million, which will let 5,000 more low-income children receive private school vouchers.
Waterfront Property
Status: PASSEDTaxes commercial and residential property on the coast or high value-waterfronts on current use rather than potential use.
Wrongful Convictions
Status: PASSEDSets up automatic compensation for people who are wrongfully imprisoned at $50,000 for every year served in prison up to $2 million, if they have no unrelated felony convictions on their records.