BILL SUMMARY DETAILS

HB 1359 (Roach) provides that a political committee or electioneering communications organization that over a 24-month period does not make or receive expenditures or contributions exceeding $5,000 in the aggregate is dissolved and must dispose of surplus funds in accordance with the Florida Elections Code. The bill also revises campaign contribution limits for candidates for legislative office, the Governor and members of the cabinet. (O'Hara)

HB 202 (Farmer) – Small Business Website Development Grant Program

HB 217 (Trabulsy) and SB 946 (Trabulsy) – Film, Television and Digital Media Rebate Program

HB 247 (Salzman) and HB 1310 (Rodriguez, A.) – Florida Main Street Program and Historic Preservation Tax Credits

HB 359 (Eskamani) – Agreement for Best Practices in Economic Development

SB 1098 (Brodeur) and HB 835 (Duggan) – Smart Region Zones

HB 6059 (Eskamani) ad SB 1896 (Farmer) – Confidentiality of Economic Development Agreement Information

CS/CS/HB 685 (Drake) reduces the required non-state match amount for the Regional Rural Development Grants Program from 25% to 15% and allows in-kind contributions to count toward this threshold. The bill removes the requirement that repaid funds from the Rural Community Development Revolving Loan Fund be matched to be retained to fund future loans. Finally, the bill revises the uses of the Rural Infrastructure Fund to remove the requirement that grants be linked to financing specific projects. It increases the proportion of an infrastructure project that may be covered by the grant from 50% to 75% and increases the maximum grant for infrastructure feasibility studies, design and engineering activities, or other infrastructure planning and preparation activities to $300,000 for all projects. The bill removes the local match requirement for surveys, feasibility studies, and other activities related to the identification and preclearance review of land which is suitable for preclearance review and removes the requirement that a grant for an employment project creates a minimum number of jobs. (Taggart)

SB 434 (Hooper) delays the scheduled repeal of the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation (Visit Florida) and the Division of Tourism Marketing of Enterprise Florida, from 2023 to 2028. SB 434 passed the House (98-17) and the Senate (36-3) and is awaiting action by the Governor. (Taggart)

CS/SB 800 (Albritton) authorizes municipalities to exempt by ordinance the public service tax on electrical energy for qualified purchasers determined by the Department of Revenue (DOR). The bill also provides a sales tax exemption for building materials being used to revitalize real property located within an opportunity zone. The bill specifies that the sales tax exemption will be distributed in the form of a refund on previously paid taxes if the property owner, lessee or lessor files an application with the local government that the opportunity zone is located. The bill specifies the information that the applicant will be required to provide in their application to the local government and give the local government 10 business days to certify the application for completeness and transmit it to DOR. The applicant is also required to forward the application to DOR. Applications for a sales tax refund must be submitted to DOR within six months of the real property being deemed “substantially completed” by the local building inspector. Applicants are limited to one application per property, and the amount must exceed $500. Additionally, the bill expands this tax exemption to include electrical energy being used by a business that operates in an opportunity zone for up to 50% of the tax imposed if the municipality chooses to adopt an ordinance. The bill also modifies some parameters of the Rural Job Tax Credit Program by removing the minimum number of employees and increasing the tax credit per employee from $1,000 to $2,500. The bill also creates the Rural Opportunity Tax Refund Program intended to provide tax relief for new, qualified targeted businesses that bring economic diversity and high-wage jobs to rural areas. In order for a qualified targeted business to receive this tax benefit, the municipality where the business will be located must adopt a resolution recommending the applicant be approved. (Taggart)

HB 499 (Gregory) and SB 1298 (Gruters) require agreements between a governmental entity and a professional sports team or sporting event entered into after July 1, 2022, to include a requirement that the U.S. National Anthem be played at the beginning of each sporting event if the agreement includes a financial commitment from the governmental agency. The government that enters into the agreement would be responsible for enforcing this requirement. The bills also specify penalties for the sports entity for failure to comply. (Taggart)

SB 1740 (Wright) and CS/CS/HB 1287 (Botana) provide an exemption from public records information related to threat technology and operational technology systems of a utility owned or operated by a unit of local government, including but not limited to plans and actions made or taken in response to a ransomware attack or other cyberattack. CS/CS/HB 1287 was amended to expand the exemption to include insurance information and critical energy infrastructure information to information held by all local governments, not just utilities owned or operated by a local government. The amendment also added a public meeting exemption for portions of a meeting of a local government that would reveal data or information made confidential under the bill. The bills also exempt from public record information related to insurance or other risk mitigation products or coverages, including but not limited to deductible or self-insurance amounts, coverage limits, and policy terms and conditions. (Taggart)

HB 9241 (Giallombardo) would provide a nonrecurring sum of $5 million to fund the Cyber Florida - Local Government Infrastructure and Technical Assistance. This funding would create a program for Cyber Florida to offer threat assessments and grant funding to help local governments update their information technology. (Taggart)

CS/SB 828 (Hutson) requires local governments when procuring automation and control system components, services, or solutions or entering into a contract for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, or design of a critical infrastructure facility that such components, services, and solutions conform to the ISA 62443 series of standards as referenced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF), beginning July 1, 2022. The bill also requires local governments to ensure that all contracts for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, or design of a critical infrastructure facility require that installed automation and control system components meet the minimum standards for cybersecurity as defined in the ISA 62443 series of standards as referenced by NIST CSF. 

HB 1147 (Giallombardo) is similar to CS/SB 828 but has different implementing requirements and timelines. By July 1, 2022, when local governments procure automation and control system components, services, or solutions, or when contracting for facility upgrades for critical infrastructure, the local government must require those new components or services to meet the ISA/IEC 62443 standards. The main difference in these two bills is that HB 1147 encourages local governments who operate critical infrastructure to, by July 1, 2022, have those systems and controls comply with and meet operational standards as defined in the ISA/IED 62443 series of standards as determined by NIST CSF. The bill also encourages asset owners to annually conduct a risk assessment and create a risk mitigation plan. (Taggart)

CS/HB 7057 (State Administration and Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, Giallombardo) provides a public records exemption for coverage limits and deductible or self-insurance amounts of insurance or risk mitigation coverages acquired for the protection of information technology systems, operational technology systems or data of a local government. The bill also exempts information related to an agency’s critical infrastructure. Additionally, any information related to an agency’s network schematics, hardware and software configurations, or encryption information or details that identify detection, investigation, or response practices or confirmed cybersecurity incidents are exempt under the bill. Finally, the bill creates a public meeting exemption for any portion of a meeting that would reveal the confidential and exempt information described above. The meetings must be recorded and transcribed, but those records are exempt. CS/HB 7057 passed the House (111-0) and the Senate (38-0) and is awaiting action by the Governor. (Taggart)

CS/HB 7055 (State Administration and Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, Giallombardo) creates the Local Government Cybersecurity Act. The bill requires all local government employees with access to the government’s network to complete a basic cybersecurity training within 30 days after they begin employment and annually thereafter. All local government technology employees and employees with access to highly sensitive information will be required to complete more advanced cybersecurity training. The Florida Digital Service will develop and provide these trainings. The bill also requires local governments to adopt cybersecurity standards that safeguard their data, information technology and information technology resources to ensure availability, confidentiality and integrity. The standards must be consistent with generally accepted best practices for cybersecurity, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Technology Cybersecurity Framework. Municipalities with a population over 25,000 must comply by January 1, 2024. Municipalities with a population under 25,000 must comply by January 1, 2025. The bill also requires local governments to report cybersecurity incidents and ransomware incidents to the State Watch Office as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours after discovery for a cybersecurity incident and 12 hours after discovery for a ransomware incident. The bill also prohibits state agencies, counties and municipalities from paying or otherwise complying with a ransom demand. The budget includes $67 million of nonrecurring state funding to assist local governments in complying with the provisions of the bill. 

The bill was amended to add more clarity regarding the type of cyber incidents that need to be reported by a local government. The amendment defines the levels of severity of a cybersecurity incident set by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security National Cyber Incident Response Plan. All incidents that could be described as levels 3-5 in severity shall be reported to the Cybersecurity Operations Center with the timelines specified above. Level 1-2 incidents may be reported if the local government chooses. The amendment also requires the advanced training to include training on the incident levels. CS/HB 7055 passed the House (110-0) and the Senate (38-0) and is awaiting action by the Governor. (Taggart)

SB 352 (Hooper) – Construction Liens

HB 263 (Bell) – Notice of Commencement Requirements

HB 1397 (Geller) and SB 1774 (Pizzo) – Condominium Associations

HB 626 (Wright) and SB 659 (Harding) change the effective date of the Florida Fire Prevention Code so that the Code will take effect no sooner than six months after the latest occurrence of the publication of the updated Florida Building Code. (Branch)

SB 1604 (Perry) and HB 771 (Andrade) require the Florida Building Commission to develop uniform standards for the maintenance and periodic inspections of existing building structures and facilities across the state. (Branch)

HB 1365 (Maggard) and SB 1784 (Burgess) create the Rural Roads Initiative Pilot Program within the Florida Department of Transportation with the purpose of paving state, county or municipal roads within East Pasco County that are currently unpaved. Within the program, Pasco County Board of County Commissioners or the governing board of a municipality within East Pasco County may apply to the Department of Transportation for funding to pave roads that are currently unpaved and the cost of which cannot be met by the residents. The bills specify that a road paving project funded under the program is subject only to construction standards established by the county or the municipality in which the road is located and is not subject to department standards. (Branch)

HB 6057 (Eskamani) removes provisions requiring counties and municipalities to provide incentives to fully offset the costs of certain affordable housing contributions or linkage fees. (Branch)

CS/HB 7069 (Pandemics & Public Emergencies Committee) does the following:

•Creates a statewide structural inspection program for aging multifamily residential buildings

•Defines the term "milestone inspection" to mean a structural inspection of a building by a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state for the purposes of attesting to the life safety and adequacy of the structural components

•Makes known that the cost associated with the inspections are the responsibility of the condominium owner or association

•Requires multifamily residential buildings that are greater than three stories in height to have a milestone inspection performed by December 31 of the year in which the building reaches 30 years of age and every 10 years thereafter

•Requires multifamily residential buildings located within 3 miles of a coastline and are greater than three stories in height to have a milestone inspection performed by December 31 of the year in which the building reaches 25 years of age and every 10 years thereafter

•Requires local enforcement agencies to provide certain written notice to condominium associations and cooperative

•Requires the condominium association to complete the milestone inspection report within 180 days after receiving written notice

•Requires any multifamily residential building whose certificate of occupancy was issued on or before July 1, 1992, to have their initial milestone inspection performed before December 31, 2024

•Requires the architect or engineer who performed the inspection to submit a sealed copy of the report to each condominium unit owner and to the building official of the local government of jurisdiction

•Allows the local enforcement agency the ability to prescribe timelines and penalties with respect to compliance with the above section

•Allows a board of County Commissioners to adopt an ordinance specifying when repairs must commence. If the association fails to commence repairs within 365 days, the local enforcement agency must review and determine if the building is unsafe for human occupancy 

•Requires the Florida Building Commission to develop comprehensive structural and life safety standards for maintaining and inspecting all building types and structures by December 31, 2022. 

CS/HB 7069 passed the Senate (38-0) and is awaiting action by the House. (Branch)

SB 1942 (Pizzo) and HB 1393 (Geller) address inspection and reserve requirements for community associations. Of interest to municipalities, the bills:

•Require the local jurisdiction to issue a notice or required recertification inspection to the association when the condominium building is 20 years of age or older

•Requires the architect or engineer who performed the inspection to submit a sealed copy of the report to the local authority within seven days after the board receives the completed report

•Require the Condominium Board to complete any repairs or modifications within six months after receipt of the recertification report according to the Florida Building Code

•Requires the Board, under a seal signature of a licensed architect or engineer and within seven days of the completion of repairs or modifications, to provide the local authority a copy affirming that the remedial action has been completed

•Require the Board of Directors to provide a copy of the reserve study or financial statement to the local authority having jurisdiction within a specified time

•Authorize the local authority having jurisdiction to order a mandatory evacuation of the residential condominium under certain circumstances. (Branch)

SB 1780 (Pizzo) and HB 1391 (Geller) address inspection requirements for community associations. Of interest to municipalities, the bills require each association to include in their bylaws the following: for a building that is four stories or more and located within a one-half mile radius of the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean, the Board must have the building inspected by a licensed architect or engineer once the building reaches 30 years of age and every five years thereafter, and provide that report to the local authority having jurisdiction. (Branch)

CS/CS/SB 758 (Diaz) creates the Charter School Review Commission within the Florida Department of Education. Of interest to cities, the bill amends local government regulations dealing with zoning of charter schools. The bill does the following: 

•Prohibits a charter school from being subject to any land regulation that would not be required for a public school in the same location

•Expands the list of properties or facilities that may provide space to charter schools within their facilities under their preexisting zoning without needing to obtain a special exception. 

CS/CS/SB 758 passed the House (86-28) and the Senate (27-11) and is awaiting action by the Governor. (Branch)