Bradenton Herald by Hannah Morse
After 11 bills hit the chopping block, 234 Florida measures made it through the 2017 legislative session. Some measures will help local issues, like funding Manatee County projects to combat opioid and flooding issues; others will have a statewide reach, like providing incentives to expand solar energy. Here are some of the laws that go into effect Saturday:
SB 1018 stemmed from the Mosaic sinkhole incident, when 215 million gallons of wastewater drained into the Floridan Aquifer at the phosphate fertilizer company’s manufacturing facility in Mulberry last August, taking three weeks for the public to find out. When Gov. Rick Scott visited the site a month later, he said it looked “all messed up.” A 90-day emergency rule was issued, which a judge then overruled. State Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, co-introduced the current legislation that requires major pollution events to be made public within 24 hours.
SB 90 is what 73 percent of Florida voters have been waiting for since August: tax incentives for solar devices and equipment. Now commercial and industrial properties can enjoy property value tax breaks. [READ MORE]
