Florida News That Impacts You – January 2nd, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- Several new laws are in effect with the new year. The new law with the widest reaching impact is the expansion of Florida’s “move over” law. Under previous Florida law all drivers are to slow down and/or move over if possible, for emergency, sanitation, utility and construction vehicles stopped on interstates and highways. That law is now expanded to all disabled vehicles with hazard lights, emergency flare or signage in use.
- Another law, which impacts local officials, calls on commissioners and mayors of cities, villages and towns along with members of ethics commissions to file regular disclosure forms revealing their net worth, asset values, liabilities and streams of income.
- A school sales tax holiday is underway through January 14th. The second sales tax holiday of the state’s fiscal year is part of the state’s expanded tax breaks passed in last year’s state legislative session. Most school supplies valued at $50 or less are tax free during the two weeks of the holiday.
- Florida businesses are getting a break. Florida based businesses are set to receive an average 15.1% decrease in workers’ compensation insurance rates in 2024.
- One law that ended on Sunday was the 50 percent toll discount for heavy users across the state. The program was set up as an experiment last year and is under consideration for potential renewal or expansion in this year’s state legislative session which begins a week from today.
- Temperatures will remain below the seasonal norms today by 6 to 10 degrees as a calm cool front continues to make its way through Florida.
- Gas prices to start the year are twenty cents lower than a year ago. The average price statewide for regular unleaded is $3.06 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.22 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.15 and in Indian River County the average is $3.07 per gallon.