There's only one more month until 2025, and some Florida laws are set to go into effect as the ball drops. Nine new bills that were passed by state legislators during the 2024 session are about to become law. Here's what they are and what they will do: HB 3: Online Protections for Minors This law will require social media platforms to prohibit minors under 14 from creating an account. Companies will also terminate any existing accounts held by someone younger than 14. For minors who are 14 or 15, parental consent will be needed to make an account. Social media is defined as forms of electronic communication to share information, ideas and other content with "addictive designs" such as "infinite scroll" that can cause people to spend excessive time on the platform. HB 135: Voter Registration Applications House Bill 135 is designed to address issues with voter registration updates at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. It will prohibit the party affiliation of a person updating his or her registration record from being changed unless the applicant consents in writing to a change in the party affiliation, It prohibits the department from using a voter registration application to change the affiliation unless the applicant designates the change and provides a separate signature. This stems from issues in the past where voters had their party affiliation unintentionally changed due to software issues, causing some to be excluded in primary elections. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/politics/florida-laws-going-into-effect-january-1-2025/67-15153942-b671-467d-a9a2-fa8f08659416