Week 3 and 4 Update: 2023 Florida Legislative Session

2023 Florida Legislative Session

Week 3 – 4 Update

By Dallas Thiesen, FSPA Sr. Dir. Of Government Affairs

The 2023 Florida Legislative Session is half over, there are only five weeks remaining until this session wraps up. Week four marks the “make or break” point for many bills under consideration. With the legislature moving in to the budget process next week, bills that have not had a committee hearing by this week are very unlikely to make it through the committee process and to the Governor’s desk after legislature finalizes the state budget.

There are several bills to watch including water safety bills, an update on the statute of limitations for construction claims, stricter requirements on building officials when reviewing building permit plans, and a set of bills to allow more occupational license reciprocity with other states. FSPA will be tracking the progress of these bills, the description and status of all bills that FSPA is tacking are below.

2023 Bills to Watch

Child Water Safety Requirements

SB 74 by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez

HB 1541 by Rep. Chambliss

Requires childcare facilities that provide access to swimming pools or bathing places to have the parents or guardians of children attest in writing whether the child is able to swim or is at risk of injury or death when swimming. Requires that facilities provide US Coast Guard Type II or III personal flotation devices for children unable to swim or at risk of death or injury from swimming when near or interacting with public bathing places or swimming pools. Swim schools are exempted from these requirements.

Status:          

Water Safety

SB 84 by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez

Requiring a state park to have a certified lifeguard on duty at designated swimming areas within the park during certain timeframes; requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to install a water rescue station at each designated swimming area; requiring comprehensive age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate 9-12 instruction on water safety, etc.

Status:

Statute of Limitations for Claims on Improvements to Real Property

SB 360 by Judiciary Committee

HB 85 by Regulatory Reform Subcommittee

Specifies that the Statute of limitations for claims based on improvements to real property starts at the issuance of certificate of occupancy, certificate of completion, or date of abandonment of the project whichever is earliest. The statute of limitations is set for four (4) years generally but limits latent claims based on defect not immediately discoverable at the time of completion to seven (7) years.

Status:

Residential Building Permits

SB 682 by Sen. Nick DiCeglie

HB 671 by Rep. Esposito

Requires local building departments to reduce building permit fees by 75% if a contractor or homeowner elects to use private provider plan review. Reduces the amount of time in which a building department must notify a permit applicant of deficiencies in the application from 10 days to 3 days.

Building Permit Applications to Local Governments

HB 765 by Rep.  Roth

Revises the electronic permit application requirements to include mobile submissions, requires building departments to notice upcoming expiration of permits, requires local governments to list all available permits and necessary documents for permits on their website.

Status:

Building Construction

SB 512 by Sen. Ed Hooper

HB 89 by Rep. Randal Maggard

Revises definition of term "class A air-conditioning contractor" to include an expanded electrical scope of work; prohibits building officials from making substantive changes to building plans after permit has been issued; provides exceptions; requires building officials to provide certain information to contractors and property owners; provides that building officials are subject to disciplinary action for failure to meet the information requirements.

Status:          

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

SB 1150 by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia

HB 1307 by Rep. Lawrence McClure

Revises the definitions of “Category I liquefied petroleum gas dealer” and “Category V LP gas installer” to include the design of LP and natural gas systems.

Status:          

Interstate-Mobility and Universal-Recognition Occupational Licensing Act

SB 1364 by Sen. Collins

SB 1366 by Sen. Collins

HB 1333 by Rep. Koster

Requires DBPR Licensing Boards to recognize equivalent out of state occupation licenses for Florida occupational licensing. Allows to the board to determine license equivalency via rule and allows for testing requirements to remain in place for out of state reciprocity applicants.

Local Occupational Licensing Act

SB 1584 by Sen. Keith Perry

SB 1570 by Sen. Ed Hooper

HB 1625 by Rep. Mooney

HB 1383 by Rep. Trabulsy

Extends the local licensing preemption effective date to July 1, 2024.