“Miya’s Law,” SB 898, sponsored by Senator Linda Stewart (D – Orlando) and Representative Robin Bartleman (D – Weston), has been signed into law by the Governor. Miya’s law will improve tenant safety through required background screenings of apartment employees.
“Today is the day we have all been waiting for. I’d like to thank the Governor for his approval of this very important bill, but I would also like to thank the many stakeholders and the group of bi-partisan supporters who all worked countless hours to get this bill to where we are today,” said Stewart.
In addition to the background screenings of all employees, the new law reinforces rules on an employee or landlord’s access to units at apartments. The bill increases the required notice before entry of a unit to 24 hours, and requires apartments to maintain a key log monitoring the issuance and return of all keys granting access to each unit.
“While Miya’s family will never receive justice and nothing can bring back their daughter, I do hope that with this new law going into effect, in honor of Miya, that some peace will be brought to the family in knowing that their daughter’s death was not in vain,” said Stewart.
The majority of the bill focuses on tenant safety; however, in an effort to curb human trafficking, a provision is also included that prohibits hourly rentals at lodging establishments.
