Tallahassee, FL - Two bills involving a local county representative move their way through the house and to the Governor's desk.
With the end of the Florida Legislative Session looming, legislators met again yesterday (May 2nd) in an afternoon session with a few House Bills on the table.
Once of which was House Bill 7071, which revises provisions related to pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, secondary & postsecondary workforce educations and high school graduation requirements.
But, in the language of HB7071 was a measure that former senator Dorothy Hukill has tried to pass since 2014.
That measure pushed for financial literacy to be taught in high school's, meaning that students entering ninth grade beginning in the 2019-2020 school year will be required to earn one-half credit in personal financial literacy and money management.
Following Hukill's passing in October of last year, one of her former aides, Elizabeth Fetterhoff (R-DeLand), and District 7 Senator Travis Hutson (R-St. Augustine, filed separate, but similar bills in the memory of Hukill.
The bill was dubbed the "Dorothy L. Hukill Financial Literacy Act."
Then, after their session today, HB7071 was passed unanimously 113-0, making a new requirement that Florida high schools will have to offer courses in personal financial literacy.
The passing was a happy and emotional moment for Fetterhoff.
"I think Senator Hukill would be incredibly happy that this finally passed, she had put a lot of time and energy into this legislation." said Fetterhoff, speaking on the legacy of the late Port Orange senator. "I'm not going to lie, I cried a little bit after the vote."
The day before (May 1st), another measure that was sponsored by Fetterhoff and Senator Rob Bradley (R- Fleming Island) moved through the house, known as House Bill 145.
HB145 will prohibit local governments from outlawing vegetable gardens on residential properties.
This bill stems from a dispute involving a Miami Shores couple who fought an ordinance that banned front-yard vegetable gardens.
That couple maintained the garden for around 20 years, until they decided to uproot the garden to avoid facing a fine of $50 a day until it was removed.
"Essentially it's protecting private property rights," said Fetterhoff. "You have a piece of property that you have put a lot of time and energy into and local governments come in and say you can't plant certain plants in your garden because it doesn't meet the certain aesthetics of what we think out city should look like."
Both bills are now headed to Governor Ron DeSantis' desk, where the next step would be to sign them into law.
