This week, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed “Miya’s Law” from state Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, and state Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston.
“Named in honor of Miya Marcano, a graduate of Flannigan High School in Pembroke Pines who was tragically killed by a maintenance worker who used his master key to enter her apartment, the law makes changes to Florida’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act as well as public lodging establishment laws in an effort to provide safety and security to apartment tenants,” Bartleman’s office noted.
“Every tenant deserves to be safe in their own home,” said DeSantis. “By signing this legislation, we are making it safer to live in a rental unit and giving renters more peace of mind in their homes. Miya’s death was a tragedy, and our prayers continue to be with the Marcano family. I am proud to act on their behalf to help prevent a tragedy like that from happening to another Florida tenant.”
“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 bipartisan supporters who all worked countless hours to get this bill to where we are today,” said Stewart.
“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,” added Stewart.
“As a mother of a college student, the loss of Miya is incomprehensible,” said Bartleman. “I am grateful for Miya’s mother and father’s courage and strength. In the wake of their personal tragedy, they were committed to ensuring that this never happens to another family. Although this legislation will not bring Miya back, it will help save lives and bring a greater sense of security to college students moving into their first apartment, seniors residing in apartment communities, and all the 2 million renters in Florida. I am also grateful for my colleagues in the House who worked with me to ensure the unanimous passage of this bill, Senator Stewart, Representative Plakon and to Governor DeSantis, for signing this common-sense legislation into law.”
“The law directs landlords of apartments to require that all employees undergo a background screening, reinforces rules on an employee’s or landlord’s access to individual units, 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 the focus of the law is tenant safety, it includes a provision prohibiting hourly rentals of public lodging establishments to discourage sex trafficking,” Bartleman’s office noted.
Stewart was able to get the bill through the Senate without opposition. Bartleman got the bill through the House on a unanimous vote.
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