Week 5 and 6 Update: Florida Legislative Session 2023

2023
Florida Legislative Session

Week 5 – 6
Update

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

There are only three weeks remaining in the 2023 Florida
Legislative Session. With week six wrapped up the legislature has finished it
initial state budget framework and has continued work to move substantive bills
through the policy committee process.

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.

If you have any questions on these bills or other government
affairs issues, please reach out to FSPA Senior Director of Government Affairs
Dallas Thiesen at Dallas@FloridaPoolPro.com.