TALLAHASSEE, FL (352today.com) — More than 70 new laws will take effect in Florida starting Monday, July 1, 2025, impacting areas from school safety to public health, animal cruelty, and property rights.

Among the most talked-about changes:

  • Capital punishment laws now allow executions by methods not deemed unconstitutional, such as firing squads or lethal gas.
  • Schools and state agencies must begin referring to the “Gulf of America” instead of the Gulf of Mexico in instructional materials and official documents.
  • The “Pam Rock Act” increases penalties for owners of dangerous dogs that cause harm, and mandates microchipping and liability insurance.
  • A new public registry for animal cruelty convictions, called Dexter’s Law, goes into effect, along with harsher sentencing for severe abuse cases.
  • Swatting calls that result in serious harm will now carry tougher penalties.
  • Florida will recognize August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness Day to raise awareness about the drug’s deadly risks.
  • A nonjudicial process is now in place for commercial property owners to remove unauthorized squatters.
  • Schools must now develop plans to manage severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis in K-8 students.
  • The state has launched a Spectrum Alert system to help locate missing children with autism.
  • A new law expands school safety programs and the Guardian Program to include certain childcare facilities.
  • Crypto and digital asset transactions now have a legal framework in Florida’s commercial code.
  • Landlords and tenants may now send legal notices by email, if both agree in writing.
  • New regulations support first responders’ mental health and expand peer support protections.
  • CPR and AED training is now required for middle and high school students.
  • Teens who sell drugs that lead to fatal overdoses could now face murder charges under SB 612.
  • The state has launched new protections against human trafficking, especially in schools.
  • Schools are now required to educate students about the Holocaust every January 27, which is officially recognized as Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Other laws affect speeding penalties, eviction processes, school start time policies, support for people with disabilities, and more.

To explore the full list of changes, visit the Florida Legislature’s website.

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