Sinkholes, solar and spirituality: Here are some Florida laws that take effect July 1

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.

HB 221 puts some definitions on the strained relationship between the Legislature and ride-sharing companies, or “transportation network companies,” like Uber and Lyft. Background checks and insurance coverage are now a must for drivers.

HB 111 seeks to protect the identity of murder witnesses for two years after the crime is observed. While the law was criticized by open government supporters, including the Florida First Amendment Foundation, State Rep. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, told the Bradenton Herald, “Witnesses are sometimes afraid of dealing with alienation of their local communities,” for speaking out about a crime.

HB 711 was inspired by the disappearance of Tequesta teenagers Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen in July 2015. The law makes it easier for boaters to buy certain discounted locator beacons, which facilitates the search-and-rescue process in case of emergency.

HB 305 allows law enforcement officers to review body camera footage before writing a report on the recorded incident or making a statement. As the practice has expanded in recent years, the debate on whether to use them has been up in the air, but the law is backed by law enforcement groups.

SB 436 prevents school districts from discriminating against students, parents or faculty based on their religion. The bill, co-introduced by State Sen. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, also prohibits reward or penalty for a student’s religious expression on a school assignment.

And, last but not least, SB 2500 is the state’s behemoth of an $80 billion spending budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Some of that money designated to Manatee projects includes $500,000 for the Manatee County Opioid Addiction Recovery Peer Pilot Program, $1.5 million for a major stormwater project in Rubonia, and $2.5 million for temporary facilities for the World Rowing Championship at Nathan Benderson Park, which starts in September.

This story was originally published June 30, 2017 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Sinkholes, solar and spirituality: Here are some Florida laws that take effect July 1."