Governor Rick Scott signed more than 90 bills into law Friday. It includes a bill banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors as well as a controversial abortion bill.
Among the bills Scott approved is a measure seeking to change the 2016 Legislative Session’s start date from March to January. Originally, the bill would have affected all even-numbered year Sessions, but Rep. Jeanette Nuñez (R-Miami) says it later got watered down.
“…sort of an attempt to test the waters. I personally feel we tested them in the past for redistricting and as early as a 1992 and 1994, the Legislature met in February. So, there’s historically been moving dates as it relates to the opening day of Session,” said Nuñez.
Still, she says her hope is to have the even numbered years start in January.
Meanwhile, Scott also signed 93 other bills into law Friday, including the e-cigarette ban, a bill making it easier to sell flood insurance in the state, and another that places additional restrictions on lawsuits against nursing homes.
There’s also the most controversial of the bunch: It prohibits doctors from performing an abortion past the 20th week of pregnancy, if it’s determined the baby can live outside the womb with standard medical care. Current law bans abortions around the 26th week of pregnancy also known as the third trimester. But, opponents say it’s not the Legislature’s job to interfere in a woman’s personal decisions.
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