1 of 14 See 15 new laws that took effect on Oct. 1. Click through to see summaries of the laws and how they might affect you. PHOTO: flickr | pdxjeff

2 of 14 1. Parasailing This law prohibits certain commercial and recreational water activities within certain areas. Also, it requires the operator of a vessel engaged in commercial parasailing to ensure that specified requirements are met. The owner of a vessel engaged in commercial parasailing should obtain and maintain an insurance policy and have a current and valid license issued by the United States Coast Guard. It prohibits commercial parasailing unless certain equipment is present on the vessel and certain weather conditions are met. Read more PHOTO: flickr | Loren Sztajer

3 of 14 2. Sexual offense testimony This law authorizes orders limiting testimony in open court and in depositions if the victim or witness was a child under 16 years of age when a specified sexual offense occurred. It also increases the felony degree of certain sexual battery offenses. Read more PHOTO: flickr | Clyde Robinson

4 of 14 3. Sexual predator name changes This law requires the Department of Law Enforcement to inform the clerk of the court if a person petitioning for a name change has registered as a sexual predator or sexual offender. Read more

5 of 14 4. Subsurface rights disclosure This law requires a seller to provide a prospective purchaser with a subsurface rights disclosure summary when selling residential property. Read more

6 of 14 5. Public assistance fraud This law provides enhanced criminal penalties if the value of public assistance fraud is over a certain amount. Read more

7 of 14 6. Human trafficking This law eliminates the statute of limitations for prosecutions under a specified human trafficking provision. It also requires adult theaters to verify the ages of employees and independent contractors. It also provides that victims of human trafficking are eligible for crime victim compensation awards. Read more PHOTO: flickr | Keith Allison

8 of 14 8. Public records exemption for family members of public defenders This law creates an exemption from public records requirements for the names of the spouses and children of current or former public defenders, assistant public defenders, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, and assistant criminal conflict and civil regional counsel. Read more PHOTO: flickr | Surrey County Council


9 of 14 9. Florida Law Enforcement Officers' Hall of Fame This law establishes the Florida Law Enforcement Officers’ Hall of Fame; designating location; providing procedures for selection, nomination, and induction. Read more

10 of 14 10. Offenses against unborn children This law provides a rule of construction that a person who engages in conduct that violates any provision of the Florida Criminal Code or of a criminal offense defined by another statute and causes the death of, or bodily injury to, an unborn child commits a separate offense if such an offense is not otherwise specifically provided for. Read more

11 of 14 12. Legal notices This law requires legal notices to be posted on a newspaper’s website on web pages with specified titles and prohibits charging a fee or requiring registration for viewing online legal notices. Read more

12 of 14 13. Juvenile sentencing This law provides criminal penalties applicable to a juvenile offender for certain serious felonies and also requires a judge to consider specified factors before determining if life imprisonment is an appropriate sentence for a juvenile offender. Read more

13 of 14 14. Medical gas This law specifies guidelines for medical gas, including requiring a person or entity that intends to distribute medical gas within or into this state to obtain an applicable permit before operating. Read more