Every year, new laws are passed during the Florida Legislative Session in the spring, and most of them go into effect on July 1. Here are a few of interest that were passed during the 2025 session.
No Wake Law (SB 462)
More than welcome at a time when sudden and deadly floods have occurred across the country, Florida’s new No Wake Law prohibits motorists from driving at speeds high enough to cause dangerous waves on flooded streets. The bipartisan « anti-wake law, » signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, allows cities and counties to establish reduced speed zones when streets are flooded, and law enforcement officers can issue citations to violators.
Kevin Batdorf, president of the Shore Acres Civic Association in St. Petersburg, told WMNF that the law originated in his neighborhood. The idea came about after Hurricane Idalia in 2023, when many homes were flooded only after a vehicle passed by and pushed excessive waves toward them.
The turbulence caused by the waves can indeed penetrate homes and cause serious damage.
Batdorf said, « You’re causing more damage not only to your vehicle driving through saltwater, but to people’s homes, and we’re talking thousands and thousands of dollars, by thousands, I mean hundreds of thousands per house. Imagine you’re hoping and praying that the water doesn’t come in, you’re standing on your front step, you’re watching the water rise, it comes up your driveway, it comes up your sidewalk, comes right to your front door, and you, you breathe a sigh of relief, and then some clown comes driving by in a four-wheel drive truck and just pushes the water into your house. »
This is an issue that the Shore Acres Civic Association has been actively campaigning for several years to have regulated by law.
Mike Kovacsev, deputy chief of the St. Petersburg Police Department, said they have used several public service announcements to encourage people to slow down and not drive through flooded areas.
The city’s police department is counting on citizens’ common sense to follow the guidelines without the need for tickets.
The law was initiated by St. Pete, but it applies throughout the state of Florida.
Super Speeder Law (HB 351)
Florida has passed a new law, commonly known as the « Super Speeder Law, » which imposes stricter penalties for speeding.
– Criminal offense: exceeding the speed limit by 50 mph (approximately 80 km/h) or driving at 100 mph (160 km/h) or more, regardless of the speed limit, is now considered « dangerous speeding. »
– First offense: up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both.
– Repeated offenses: if the offense is repeated within five years, the offender may face up to 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, and a driver’s license suspension of up to one year.
– Mandatory court appearance: anyone cited for exceeding the speed limit of 50 mph (approximately 80 km/h) or more must appear before a judge.
– Vehicle impoundment: in some cases, the vehicle may be impounded for up to 30 days.
During the first 21 days after the new law went into effect, law enforcement issued at least 61 tickets to drivers who exceeded the speed limit by 50 mph or more. Lieutenant Jim Beauford of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that this represents an average of nearly three violations per day. Among the offenders was a man from Orlando who was stopped on Interstate 4 while driving at 155 mph (250 km/h), 95 mph (153 km/h) above the posted speed limit of 60 mph (97 km/h). The 20-year-old man is charged with speeding and illegal racing, and his car has been impounded for 30 days.
New law on life jackets for children (SB 1388)
The Florida Boating Safety Law: Life Jacket Mandate, known as the Boater Freedom Act, requires all children under the age of six to wear a US Coast Guard-certified life jacket when on board a boat less than 26 feet (7.9 meters) in length, even when the boat is docked. This safety measure applies to private boats, fishing boats, and boat rentals, and is intended to reduce the risk of drowning.
For more information on other aspects of the Boater Freedom Act and a reminder of Lucy’s Law, which strengthens penalties for hit-and-run accidents and reckless boating, see our article:
