ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On Monday, a bill named after Miya Marcano was signed into law. The 19-year-old was murdered in her apartment last year by a maintenance worker.
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Marcano’s family were the only guests there when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the new tenant safety rules into law.
“Today’s one of our better days — like one of the brighter days throughout this darkness that we’ve been through,” said Yma Scarbriel, Marcano’s mother.
Scarbriel beamed in Tallahassee, holding the newly signed law honoring her daughter.
READ: ‘Miya’s Law’: Bill aimed at enhancing renter protections signed into law
“We were like on pins and needles one point whether it was gonna happen,” Scarbriel said.
Investigators said the worker who killed Marcano used his access to her unit to wait for her and kill her.
“These things are not supposed to happen,” Scarbriel said.
READ: ‘A complete and utter nightmare’: Miya Marcano’s family speaks out on losing loved one
The bill tightens apartment security measures through expanded employee background screenings.
It also increases the required notice to enter a unit from 12 to 24 hours.
Complexes must now log the use of all keys that grant access to any unit.
“What we’ve done here on her behalf is to make apartment dwelling safer for everyone in the state of Florida,” said state Sen. Linda Stewart.
Read: Newly released documents shed light on Miya Marcano disappearance
Stewart worked with Marcano’s family to co-sponsor the bill.
Marcano’s family said this isn’t just a win for them, but for the millions of renters in Florida.
“I got justice in a sense that this bill was passed. So another family shouldn’t or hope not, they will ever have to go through this tragedy that we did. But as far as justice for Miya, I know, we will never get justice for her,” Scarbriel said.
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