Statement From Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez: Support For Isaiah’s Law (HB 35) To Hold Repeat Unlicensed Drivers Accountable And Protect Public Safety

I strongly support Isaiah’s Law (HB 35), signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, which aims to combat repeat unlicensed driving by reclassifying a third offense within five years as a third-degree felony.

This legislation finally closes a dangerous and unacceptable gap in our laws that allowed repeat unlicensed drivers to continue putting innocent lives at risk without real consequences. That era is over. This law sends a direct and unmistakable message: if you repeatedly choose to break the law and endanger others, you will be held accountable.

For too long, individuals who never had a valid license treated our roads like there were no rules, ignoring citation after citation with little escalation in penalties. That failure in the system put families, children, and entire communities in danger. Isaiah’s Law corrects that failure by ensuring that repeated violations carry serious consequences, including felony exposure. This is not just about punishment, it is about protecting lives and restoring respect for the law.

This law carries the name of Isaiah Raposa, a young man whose life was tragically taken in a preventable crash involving a driver with a known history of driving without a license. His story is not just a statistic. It is a painful reminder of what happens when accountability is missing. We have a duty to make sure tragedies like this are not repeated.

Let me be clear. Driving is a privilege, not a right. It comes with responsibility. If you choose to ignore the law once, that is a violation. If you choose to ignore it again and again, that becomes a threat to public safety. And when that threat becomes a pattern, the system must respond with strength and clarity. That is exactly what Isaiah’s Law does.

As the government entity responsible for issuing driver licenses and identification in Miami-Dade County, we see firsthand the importance of maintaining the integrity of our licensing system. A driver license represents more than permission to drive. It represents that an individual has met the legal requirements, understands the rules of the road, and has been properly vetted to operate a vehicle safely. When someone repeatedly chooses to drive without ever meeting those standards, they are not just breaking the law, they are undermining the safety of every person on the road.

I also want to recognize and thank Webster Barnaby, the primary House sponsor, and Jonathan Martin, the Senate sponsor, for their leadership and commitment to protecting our communities. Your efforts to bring this legislation forward demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of accountability and public safety. I extend my gratitude as well to all the members of the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives who supported this measure and stood on the side of safer roads and stronger laws for our state.

Every family in Miami-Dade County and across Florida deserves to feel safe when they get behind the wheel. No parent should have to fear that the driver next to them has repeatedly ignored the law with no consequences. No life should be lost because the system failed to act when it had the chance.

Strong laws must be backed by strong enforcement. This is about deterrence. When people understand that there are real and escalating consequences for their actions, behavior changes. That is how you prevent the next tragedy. That is how you protect lives.

As Miami-Dade County Tax Collector, I am fully committed to working with our state leaders, law enforcement partners, and agencies to ensure this law is enforced effectively and consistently. We will do our part to support a system that values accountability, prioritizes safety, and puts people first.

This is what leadership looks like. Clear rules. Fair enforcement. Real consequences. And above all, a commitment to protect the lives of our residents.

God bless Miami-Dade County, and God bless the United States of America.

Dariel Fernandez

Tax Collector