These bills include:
- HB 919, which would require disclaimers for political ads, electioneering communications or other miscellaneous advertisements that use AI.
- SB 758, which would prohibit the use of tracking devices to determine the location of another person without their consent.
- SB 1616, which would require certain information to be publicly available through a searchable database on a county recorder or court clerk’s official website.
- SB 1680, which would create a Government Technology Modernization Council within the Department of Management Services “to study and monitor the development and deployment of new technologies and provide reports on recommendations for procurement and regulation of such systems to the governor.”
Meanwhile, HB 1555 has officially been signed by the governor and will go into effect July 1.
For context, the legislation will revise the mission and goals of Cyber Florida. According to the center’s website, “The Florida Center for Cybersecurity, also known as Cyber Florida, was created by the Florida State Legislature in 2014 to help Florida become a national leader in cybersecurity education, academic and practical research and community outreach and engagement.”
The University of South Florida in Tampa is the host institution for Cyber Florida and provides administrative, budgetary and oversight support.
After the bill goes into effect, HB 1555 will make the following changes to Cyber Florida:
- The center will be able to conduct, fund and facilitate research and applied science to create new technologies and software packages that have military and civilian applications that can be transferred for military and homeland defense purposes or for sale or use in the private sector.
- The center will be able to conduct, consult on or assist any state-funded initiatives related to cybersecurity training, professional development and education for state and local government employees, including school districts and the judicial branch, along with increasing the cybersecurity effectiveness of the state’s and local governments’ technology platforms and infrastructure, including school districts and the judicial branch.
More information about these bills can be found online.
