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Bush signs bill allowing stillborn birth certificates

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published June 10, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Parents of a stillborn child will be able to get a certificate of its birth under a bill Gov. Jeb Bush signed Friday.

Florida is now the 14th state to offer such certificates to mothers who carry their children at least 20 weeks and deliver them.

The bill was pushed in the Legislature by Daryl and Beth Logullo of Vero Beach, whose child Katherine was stillborn last year. It was called Katherine's Law.

Bush also signed bills:

Repealing Florida's per drink tax on served alcoholic drinks. The tax has long been a bane of restaurants and bars, who say it costs more to collect than it brings in for the state.

Outlawing the sale of consumer telephone records, including those for cell phones. Violators could face jail or prison time.

Making it a crime to intentionally give false information to police conducting a felony or missing-person investigation. The bill was a response to misleading statements allegedly made to police investigating the abduction and murder of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford.

Prohibiting sexual predators from possessing prescription drugs to treat erectile dysfunction. Violators could face 60 days in jail for a first offense and a year for a second.

Banning machines that vaporize alcohol with oxygen or other gases so people can inhale the alcohol.

Exempting the Holy Land Experience biblical theme park near Orlando from paying property taxes.

A bill creating 66 new judgeships became law without Bush's signature. Bush wrote that he agrees Florida needs more judges but wouldn't sign the bill because of provisions prohibiting the governor from filling vacancies by appointment.

[Last modified June 10, 2006, 07:16:37]