By Staff Writer — The Brooksville Signal
Brooksville, Fla — When your daily routine shifts for reasons beyond your control — new weather rules, stricter traffic enforcement, or tougher criminal penalties — sometimes it takes a moment to catch up. As of October 1, 2025, nearly 30 new statutes in Florida officially went into effect, bringing sweeping changes across criminal justice, property rights, tenant protections, animal welfare, and more.
Below is a breakdown of the top new laws Floridians should know — and how they might affect you here in Hernando County and beyond.
1. Tougher Penalties for Fleeing Law Enforcement (HB 113)
This law raises the stakes for those fleeing or attempting to elude police. Offenses that previously held lower severity designations under Florida’s Criminal Punishment Code now may receive stiffer minimum sentences.
Moreover, law enforcement vehicles may no longer be required to display agency insignias in select pursuit situations.
2. License Plate Obscuring & Impersonation (HB 253)
What was once treated as minor traffic citations may now lead to criminal charges.
Key provisions:
Altering or covering license plates or registration certificates is now a second-degree misdemeanor.
Buying, owning, or using a device (commonly called a “license plate flipper”) to obscure plates is likewise prohibited under the same penalty tier. Manufacturing or selling such devices is elevated to a first-degree misdemeanor. Using these devices to commit or evade law enforcement may now qualify as a third-degree felony.
The new law also cracks down on using aftermarket lighting that mimics law enforcement equipment.
In short: equipment once considered a novelty may now carry serious legal consequences.
3. “Trenton’s Law” — Harsher DUI, BUI & Vehicular Homicide Penalties (HB 687)
Named in memory of an 18-year-old killed by a DUI driver, this statute tightens penalties on repeat offenders and creates new consequences for first-time refusals to submit to chemical tests.
Highlights:
Repeat DUI or BUI convictions for manslaughter or vehicular/vessel homicide now carry second-degree felony classification. A first-time refusal to submit to a lawfully requested breath or urine test is now a second-degree misdemeanor (formerly a civil infraction). The law also requires that offenders be informed of the consequences of refusing chemical testing.
4. Animal Protection During Disasters — “Trooper’s Law” (SB 150)
Inspired by a widely publicized case involving a dog named “Trooper” abandoned during a storm, this law makes it a third-degree felony to restrain or abandon a dog outdoors during a natural disaster.
Under the statute:
Pet owners who tether dogs outside when disaster is imminent or abandon them may face up to 5 years in prison and fines. The proposal aims to deter cruelty during already dangerous conditions.
5. Flood Risk Disclosures for Renters (SB 948)
Until now, flood disclosure rules focused primarily on property sales. The new law extends responsibility to landlords.
Key points:
Landlords must now disclose flood risk information and past flooding history to prospective tenants before or at lease signing. If nondisclosure results in “substantial losses,” tenants may terminate the lease via written notice and vacate under a defined window. The law also extends to disclosures for buyers of condominium units and to mobile home park owners in their lease agreements.
6. Elimination of the Business Rent Tax
Effective October 1, Florida officially ended its decades-old commercial lease tax (commonly called the business rent tax).
Impact:
The tax had been part of Florida’s tax code since 1968, and its removal is projected to save businesses $1.15 billion in the current fiscal year. Supporters say this helps lower the cost of doing business and, by extension, may contribute to reduced costs for consumers.
7. Mental Health Diversion & Behavioral Health Data (SB 168 – “Tristin Murphy Act”)
This act is designed to better divert individuals with mental illness away from incarceration and toward treatment.
Provisions include:
A 24-hour screening for detainees to assess suitability for diversion programs. Increased grants, training for first responders, and expansions to veteran court programs. The Northwest Regional Data Center must develop and analyze behavioral health data and trends.
8. Criminalizing Non-Consensual AI-Generated Sexual Content (HB 757)
As concerns over generative AI and deepfakes escalate, Florida will make it a third-degree felony to create, share, or possess AI-generated pornographic images or videos of an identifiable person without their consent.
This targets so-called “deepfake porn” and altered sexual images.
What This Means for Residents & Businesses in Hernando County
Drivers & vehicle owners: Be extra cautious with aftermarket lighting, tinted covers, or devices that obscure your license plate — what was once a ticket may now be a criminal charge.
Pet owners: With hurricane season still unsettled, planning ahead for pets is more critical than ever.
Landlords & tenants: If you’re signing a new lease, expect new disclosure forms. Tenants should ask whether flood history has been disclosed.
Small businesses & commercial landlords: Without the business rent tax, many will see lower costs. Use this window to revise budgets and lease agreements.
Individuals with criminal charges: If you or someone you know is facing charges under the new laws, the elevated penalties underscore the importance of legal counsel.
Everyone: The legal landscape is shifting quickly in Florida — staying informed is more than a matter of civic awareness; it may affect your rights, your bills, or your liability.
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