Two important Florida bills were signed into law this week

DORAL, FL – Two Florida bills were signed into law this week by Governor Ron DeSantis to regulate food delivery platforms and reduce retail theft, respectively. 

SB 676 was signed Monday in order to provide the state regulatory control over food delivery platforms by demanding from them to have the consent of restaurants before taking orders or arranging deliveries, while also preventing that prices differ from what is listed on restaurant menus. 

The new measure was supported in this year’s legislative session by groups and businesses like the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, Associated Industries of Florida, and Uber Technologies.

And as part of the Florida bills signed into law this week, there is HB 549 aimed at addressing retail theft, specially “smash and grab” ones, and porch piracy in the state. 

“In Florida, we’ve seen a decline in retail theft in the past four years,” said DeSantis. “We’re going to make sure our retailers are able to sell products, that consumers are able to benefit, and that people are held accountable when they break the law.”

The bill, signed at a news conference Tuesday at a Walgreen’s in Stuart, will allow law enforcement to impose harder punishments for retail theft, porch piracy and inciting looting through social media. 

Depending on several factors, offenders would face different penalties: criminals who commit retail theft with five or more individuals would be punished with up to 5 years in prison for a third-degree felony, while criminals who commit retail theft with five or more individuals and use social media to solicit others to engage in the theft would be punished with up to 15 years in prison for a second-degree felony.

Also, criminals who commit retail theft with a firearm or with two or more prior convictions of retail theft would be punished with up to 30 years in prison for a first-degree felony.

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