Stop WOKE Act, Officer Bonuses, Parental Rights and Other Bills Take Effect Friday

By Lydia Nusbaum

Published Jul. 1, 2022, 2:39 p.m. ET | Updated Jul. 1, 2022

Gov. Ron DeSantis signs law eliminating the FSA in St. Petersburg, March 15, 2022

July 1, 2022 Updated 2:37 P.M. ET

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – A slew of 144 bills went into effect Friday which included officer bonuses, the “Stop WOKE Act,” and the Parental Rights in Education Law.

HB 5: The new law bans abortions in Florida after 15 weeks in most cases. However, a Florida judge said he would grant a statewide temporary emergency injunction to block the ban. That injunction would not take place until next week. Governor Ron DeSantis is appealing the judge’s decision.

HB 7: The new law bans educators and workplace employers from teaching Floridians that their “moral character” is determined by race, sex, or national origin. The DeSantis administration dubbed it the “Stop WOKE Act.” The bill aims to prohibit corporations from mandating employees go through critical race theory training.

HB 1557: The Parental Rights in Education Act prohibits lessons teaching K-3 grades about gender and sexual identity. It also provides parents with more access to information about their children’s personal education experience, and prevents school districts from withholding certain information that is “critical” to the child’s mental health. Democrats have dubbed the bill “Don’t Say Gay.”

HB 3: The new law provides $5,000 for new law enforcement recruits who decide to serve in Florida. It also covers up to $1,000 for any necessary equivalent training programs for officers relocating to Florida.

You can see all of the bills in effect July 1st here.

Florida’s budget for the new fiscal year went into effect July 1st as well. The Governor’s $109.9 million “Freedom First Budget” includes record breaking investments. The budget also includes a record $1.24 billion in tax relief for Floridians. A gas tax holiday will go into effect on October 1st to reduce the tax by $0.25 per gallon.

The Governor also set a new state record by vetoing $3.1 billion which DeSantis said will prepare the state for any economic downturn caused by federal policies.