DeSantis signs bill clarifying what license-plate frames can and can’t cover

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a series of bills into law, including a measure aimed at clearing up confusion over what drivers can legally place around their license plates.

The legislation (SB 488), signed late Tuesday, clarifies a 2025 law targeting drivers who obscure their plates. Lawmakers said the earlier measure led to uncertainty about how much a frame could cover, particularly whether blocking the state name or yellow registration sticker would violate the law.

Under the clarification, license-plate frames are allowed as long as they do not cover key identifying features, including the plate’s letters and numbers or the registration. The update follows a December memo that came from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and offered similar guidance.

DeSantis also approved a measure (SB 428) expanding eligibility for Florida’s Swimming Lesson Voucher Program. The change broadens access from children age 4 and younger to those between 1 and 7 years old, allowing more families to qualify for financial assistance for swim lessons.

In addition, the governor signed a bill (HB 1219) naming a mangrove-covered spoil island in Jupiter Sound after Andrew “Red” Harris, a Jupiter native and insurance broker who was killed in a 2014 boating accident. A foundation created in Harris’ honor has worked to build artificial reefs off Palm Beach County.

This report was produced by Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami.