Overview
- Governor Ron DeSantis has signed three major measures that reshape driving enforcement and DMV processes, with HB 35 (Isaiah’s Law) taking effect July 1, 2026 and SB 488 scheduled to start October 1, 2026.
- HB 35 broadens the state’s ‘habitual traffic offender’ label to include repeated driving without a valid license, increasing the risk of longer suspensions, criminal charges, and prison time for repeat offenders.
- SB 488 modernizes DHSMV services, allows decorative license plate frames so long as they do not hide numbers, raises the accident-reporting threshold from $500 to $2,000 in apparent damage, and expands electronic renewals and fuel-tax reporting for carriers.
- HB 991 requires a citizenship marker (‘NC’ for noncitizens) on state IDs in a phased rollout in 2027 and is already facing federal lawsuits challenging its legality.
- Investigations show roughly $991 million in state contracts for two detention sites, with at least $335 million paid from emergency reserves, only about $58 million received from FEMA so far against a possible $608 million reimbursement, and concerns about noncompetitive contracting and political ties to vendors.