Truenow, also a former state representative, was easily elected to the Senate last year. His district includes Windermere, portions of Dr. Phillips and Winter Garden and Lake County.

‍Amending home insurance policies

Bracy Davis's Senate Bill 128 would amend current law and require insurers to reimburse homeowners for up to $300 toward the cost of a roof inspection if an authorized inspector determines that the roof has five or more years of useful life.

“An insurer must notify a homeowner of the right to have a roof inspection and of the insurer’s obligation to reimburse the homeowner as specified under this paragraph at the time of issuing or renewing a homeowner’s insurance policy,” according to the bill.

SB 128 has been referred to the Banking and Insurance and Rules committees as well as the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government.

‍Protecting victims of domestic, sexual violence

Bracy Davis’s Senate Bill 142 would bar landlords from ending a tenant’s lease early or evicting them if they or their minor child are “a victim of … actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence or stalking,” the bill states. Under the bill, landlords would also not be able to include provisions in leases that allowed terminations in these circumstances. 

The bill would protect the tenant from penalties for breaking the lease if they or their child is the victim of the violence or — if they wanted to remain in the rental unit —allow them to have the locks changed. Documentation, such as a police report or protective injunction, would be needed, unless the landlord waives that requirement. Further, landlords would be prohibited from refusing to rent to anyone because they broke a previous lease under these conditions. (They could refuse if a prospective tenant could not provide the documentary evidence. The information is meant to remain confidential.) 

Additionally, perpetrators who shared the lease with the tenant or child they victimized, would still be liable for the rent and other obligations under the rental agreement. 

The bill  has been referred to the Judiciary, Regulated Industries, and Rules committees.

‍Public nuisances, nursing

Truenow’s SB 168 adds gambling houses to the list of places that can be declared a public nuisance. The current law establishes procedures that permit local governments to address and eliminate ongoing activities at places considered public nuisances, such as those related to drugs, prostitution, stolen property and criminal gangs.

His bill would also increase penalties to address those public nuisances. Currently, local governments can impose fines of up to $250 per day, but SB 168 would increase that to $500 per day if the problem has not been resolved within one year.

“In determining the amount of the fine, the nuisance abatement board shall consider the gravity of the public nuisance and any actions taken by the property owner to correct the public nuisance,” the bill states.

The bill also widens the range of legal fees that can be recovered for work expended during investigations and hearings. It also allows municipalities to take greater action to satisfy liens imposed on properties. SB 168 has not yet been referred to a committee.

SB 138 would expand the “autonomous practice” of advanced practice registered nurses to include mental health services. APRNs are registered nurses with advanced education and clinical training with master’s and/or doctoral degrees, and who hold specialized certification to provide high-level patient care.

Truenow’s bill would allow APRNs who are certified in psychiatric-mental health training to independently evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients without physician supervision. The law currently allows APRNs to provide primary care in family medicine, general pediatrics and general internal medicine, according to the bill.

The bill has been referred to the Health Policy and Rules committees as well as the Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services.

‍Assessments and taxes

‍Truenow has filed three other bills, including:

SB 118, which would bar a municipality from levying a non-ad valorem special assessment “against the portion of a recreational vehicle parking space or campsite which exceeds the maximum square footage of a recreational vehicle-type unit … regardless of the size of the recreational vehicle parking space or campsite.” The bill has been referred to the Community Affairs, Finance and Tax, and Appropriations committees.

SB 122 would repeal certain provisions related to local business taxes and authorize some municipalities to continue to impose a business tax and revise the definition of the term “merchant,” according to the bill summary. The bill has been referred to Community Affairs, Finance and Tax, and Appropriations committees.

SB 290 is an omnibus agriculture bill that proposes several new laws, including protecting gas-powered farm equipment and landscaping equipment from being restricted or outlawed as electric vehicles become more available and accessible. The bill states that even as municipalities aren’t prohibited from encouraging the use of alternative farm equipment, they “may not create differing standards for such equipment or distinguish such equipment from any electric or similar equipment in a retail, manufacturer, or distributor setting.”

Among other things, SB 290 would also make it illegal to possess or use a signal-jamming device in the state for any purpose. A violation could result in a first-degree misdemeanor. However, law enforcement agencies and the Federal Communications Commission, which use these devices as part of investigations, would be exempt. The bill defines a signal jamming device “as a phone jammer, global positioning systems blocker, or other similar device designed to intentionally block, jam, or interfere with radio communications, such as cellular and personal communication services, police radar, or global positioning systems.” Filed Friday, this bill has not yet been assigned to any committees.