State: Everglades restoration cash flows with new laws

TALLAHASSEE -- People who loiter around schools or spray paint on them face new penalties as of today. Other new laws help the state pay for the Everglades restoration, require HIV testing of prisoners and allow underage culinary students to sip wine -- as long as they spit it out.

There are more than 100 new laws covering a wide range of areas, from technical measures dealing with state trust funds to new rules governing foreigners' driver's licenses.

The Everglades measure authorizes the state to borrow about $100-million a year for eight years to buy land as part of a project to undo a half century of artificial drainage of the massive South Florida ecosystem.

"It's a major commitment of a lot of money," said Eric Draper, Audubon of Florida's policy director. "Land is getting expensive and there's a lot of competition for it. If we don't go about the business of buying it quickly, we won't be able to restore the Everglades."

Tacked onto the bill, however, was a provision that upset many environmentalists. Environmental groups in existence for less than a year or with fewer than 25 members living in a county where development is proposed will not be allowed to file the initial challenge of a project.

"It would have been much better if the Everglades bill, which is a great victory, wasn't signed into law with this other stuff," Draper said.

Among other laws that take effect today is a measure requiring inmates to be tested for HIV before they are released. It also requires local health officials be notified if the tests are positive.

Another law requires courts to order HIV testing of sexual offenders whose victims are children or disabled or elderly persons and requires registration of sexual offenders working at or attending a college.

Gov. Jeb Bush is particularly proud of a victims' rights law that takes effect today, spokeswoman Jill Bratina said.

Judges now must make crime victims aware of their rights to seek restitution, make statements and appear at or be notified of court hearings. Judges tell victims of their rights or can post the rights on their courtroom doors.

Drivers with two DUI convictions must pass a breath test hooked up to their car's ignition, but the devices don't have to be installed until next year. The law also makes it a misdemeanor to refuse a breath test and a third DUI conviction is a felony leading to permanent loss of license.

Among other new crime laws is a measure that increases penalties for making false bomb reports from a third degree to second degree felony, which can be punished by up to 15 years in prison.

Another creates or increases criminal penalties for people who injure or kill guide dogs.

Sports agents who give false information, make false representations or pay students can be charged with a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

It's now be a crime to loiter within 500 feet of a school from an hour before school starts until an hour after classes end. And people convicted of placing graffiti on buildings or other structures would face minimum fines and have to perform community service.

People obtaining Florida driver's licenses must state the country they were born in. Foreign nationals' licenses will expire in either four years or when their visa other federal identity papers expire, whichever is first. Florida driver's licenses held by U.S. citizens expire every six years.

And drivers now must move over a lane and slow down when approaching a parked emergency vehicle with its flashing lights on.

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Lucy Morgan

From the Times state desk