Miya’s Law Passes in Florida Senate; Named After Murdered South Florida Native

A bill named for a 19-year-old South Florida native Miya Marcano passed unanimously in the Florida Senate earlier today.

Marcano was a beloved college student from Orlando who was murdered presumably by a maintenance worker at the Arden Villas apartment complex where she lived and worked.

Marcano vanished on Sept. 24, 2021, and was found dead on Oct. 2 of “homicide by undetermined means,” according to a report from the medical examiner’s office in Orlando.

Authorities believe Marcano was murdered by 27-year-old Armando Caballero, who subsequently took his own life.

According to its sponsors, the bill will strengthen requirements around access to individual units, increasing the required notice to 24 hours and requiring apartments to establish policies for the issuance and return of all keys.

The bill named “Miya’s Law” will also require landlords to conduct national background screenings, including a criminal history record and sexual offender registries on all employees, and authorizes landlords to disqualify applicants who exhibit a history of violent criminal offenses from employment.

Bill SB898/ HB577 will now be sent to Governor Ron DeSantis for approval.