Recap of Week 7 & Preview of Week 8 of Session
Classes resume this morning (April 21) at Florida State University here in Tallahassee following last Thursday’s mass shooting by a student who in a span of less than 5 minutes killed two and injured six others. Student attendance this week will be voluntary, however, with remote options for many courses, per FSU President Richard McCullough, who wrote in a letter to the campus community that “it won’t feel like a normal week.”
McCullough and others praised the massive response from law enforcement officers for preventing an even bigger tragedy. There are few people in Tallahassee or Leon County who don’t have an FSU connection: they either attended, have sons and daughters attending, have friends and colleagues who work there or have students there, or regularly visit the campus for business or recreational events. To have witnessed – either up-close or from word-of-mouth news – this tragedy unfold and the heartbreaking loss of life, visibly shook people here. Out of the horror however, came a community coming together in a heartening display of support, love, prayer, and comfort – and optimism that we will get through this together.
As last week’s mass shooting unfolded, its effects were felt at the Capitol, where legislators were meeting in committees. Everyone was advised to remain in place and all doors to the Capitol Complex except the main front door were locked. The shooting comes at a time when the legislature is considering a bill that would repeal a law limiting the sale of shotguns to those 21 years or older, passed right after the 2018 Parkland High School mass shooting. The 20-year-old FSU suspect is believed to have used a handgun last week, but police said a shotgun was found in his vehicle.
Lawmakers return to the Capitol today for the last two weeks of the regularly scheduled session. They will have to bridge the nearly $4.5 billion divide between the Senate’s $117.36 billion budget and the House’s $112.95 billion budget for the next fiscal year. Look for floor action in the House on condominium bills, while various insurance bills remain in limbo for the moment. Some bills have been combined with others in the hope of increasing the success of passage; others have been moved into our “Bills Not in Play” section, while others already there are now marked “dead.”
As you will see in reading our Bill Watch, many of the House of Representatives’ proposed legislation are aimed at restoring and/or increasing attorney fees in many lines of insurance – PIP, Medical Malpractice, Homeowners and in local government. Please let us know if we can add any additional information for you.
“Updated” bills are so noted with updates within each bill noted in blue font:
Property Insurance – Litigation & Claims:
Property Insurance Claims
Court Judgment Interest Rates and Insurance Reports and Practices
Attorney Fee Awards in Insurance Actions Updated
Insurance (Truenow)
Insurance (Berfield)
Litigation Financing
Mandatory Human Reviews of Insurance Claim Denials Updated
Evidence of Damages to Prove Medical Expenses in Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Suits Updated
Property Insurance – Regulation:
Office of Insurance Regulation Updated
Insurance and Hurricane Mitigation Grants
Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form
Property Insurer Financial Strength Ratings
Residual Market Insurers Updated
Insurer Accountability to Insureds Updated
Roof Contracting Updated
Insurance Research Updated
Property Insurance – Citizens Property Insurance Corporation:
Coverage by Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
Property Insurance – Condominiums:
Condominium Associations Updated
Automobile Insurance:
Motor Vehicle Insurance
Attorney Fees and Costs for Motor Vehicle Personal Injury Protection Benefits Updated
Preparedness & Resilience:
Resilient Buildings
Nature-based Methods for Improving Coastal Resilience
Emergency Preparedness and Response Updated
Property Insurance – Litigation & Claims:
(UPDATED) Attorney Fee Awards in Insurance Actions ̶ HB 1551 by Rep. Hillary Cassel (R-Dania Beach), an attorney, and the similar SB 426 by Senator Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers), another attorney, would essentially undo the 2023 session’s elimination of one-way attorney fees signed into law under HB 837. The Senate bill would require courts to award attorney fees to the prevailing party in both admitted and surplus lines insurance litigation. It would also allow the plaintiff to move to declaratory judgment after the insurance company issues a reservation of rights, but before a coverage denial. The House bill also repeals the attorney fee for declaratory judgments enacted by the 2023 tort reforms.
HB 1551 still awaits its third and final committee stop but the provisions of this bill are now also part of HB 947 below. By doing so, backers may believe the provisions here, combined with those of HB 947, have a better chance of passing. (See HB 947 below.) The Senate bill has yet to receive its first hearing. A recent report by the Consumer Choice Center says 2023’s HB 837 has proved “worthwhile,” citing “steady insurance rates, transparency in medical costs at trial, reduced litigation, and spurred innovation and competition.” Read More (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) Evidence of Damages to Prove Medical Expenses in Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Suits ̶ HB 947 by Rep. Omar Blanco (R-Miami) and SB 1520 by Senator Erin Grall (R-Fort Pierce) are pro-litigation measures. Last week, the House “reimagined” HB 947 and passed it out of its last committee stop on a vote of 16-4. It now awaits action on the House floor. The new version of the bill includes HB 1551 (above) language that would essentially undo the 2023 session’s elimination of one-way attorney fees, a new out of the blue provision creating a cause of action against phosphate mines, and the original provisions of the old HB 947 dealing again with giving an advantage to trial lawyers in personal injury lawsuits. While its Senate counterpart SB 1520 never received a hearing, there is always a chance of a bill like this progressing. In the legislative process, it’s called an omnibus bill or a “catch all” bill when provisions of other bills resurface in a single bill, such as HB 947 now, with the hope this single bill will have a better chance of passing.
HB 947 as originally filed at the beginning of session provoked business community and other leaders to vehemently oppose its provisions which would reverse the impactful 2023 tort reform legislation by repealing parts of the accuracy in damages law while changing other parts. In essence, the 2023 tort reform requires juries to see all the relevant medical costs versus the often inflated “sticker price” of medical care which could lead to higher damage awards, increasing medical malpractice insurance premiums. Former House Speaker Paul Renner, who presided over the 2022-2023 litigation reforms, urged lawmakers to vote “no” on HB 947 in an explosive tweet on April 3, warning “Billboard lawyers want those savings back in their pockets.” (Return to Top of List)
Insurance ̶ HB 1047 by Rep. Kim Berfield (R-Clearwater) is a wide-ranging bill that touches on various aspects of Florida’s insurance laws. HB 1047 is comparable to SB 230 by Senator Truenow below (the “Bills Not in Play” section) and SB 790 by Senator Bradley, which is also not in play. A new version of HB 1047 added a provision making it easier for liability lawsuits to be filed. The new language shrinks the notice requirement and timeline for insurers to react to a lawsuit. It passed the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee on March 27 on a 12-6 vote, with most Democrats opposing the bill. The bill’s next and last stop is the House Commerce Committee but as we went to press the agenda for Commerce’s April 22 hearing had not been released. Read More (Return to Top of List)
Property Insurance – Regulation:
(UPDATED) Insurer Accountability to Insureds ̶ HB 881 by Rep. Griff Griffiths (R-Bay County) was supported by the CFO’s office and contained many consumer protection provisions. The version released April 1 has anything but and in fact, has provisions that would inhibit a vibrant competitive market, not reduce rates, and thwart the market momentum currently in place. It adds language that would require insurance companies to provide more details on their affiliate relationships (including Managing General Agents) and allow regulators much greater powers, including even determining the amount of payments and dividends allowed. When weighing whether a fee or commission is fair and reasonable, OIR must look at the actual cost of the service the affiliate provided to the insurer, the financial condition of both companies, the level of debt, the amount and purpose of payments and dividends, whether the contract benefits the insurer, and other information the office needs to make the determination. We recommend that you peruse the proposed committee substitute that became the new bill version. It contains some very charged language as well, including “The Legislature finds that criminal activity of insurers poses a particular danger to the residents of this state.” Many are shaking their heads in disbelief at this defaming characterization within formal bill drafting.
This bill passed the Insurance and Banking Committee on April 3 on a 17-1 vote, but not without some members questioning if it would continue the improvements in the marketplace. The bill’s next and last stop is the House Commerce Committee but as we went to press the agenda had not been released for Commerce’s April 22 hearing.
The Senate bill, SB 1428 by Senator Nick DiCeglie (R-Pinellas County), was temporarily postponed from having its first hearing on March 26 and since the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee will no longer meet, this bill is dead. However, there is still a chance of the House bill progressing. (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) Roof Contracting ̶ SB 1076 by Senator Stan McClain (R-Ocala) and the identical HB 715 by Rep. Juan Porras (R-Miami) expand the definition of a “roofing contractor” to include the evaluation and enhancement of roof-to-wall connections for structures with wood roof decking. This would allow roofing contractors to install hurricane straps and clips, something that is currently considered structural work to be performed only by building contractors. The measure reflects proposed changes by the Florida Roofing & Sheetmetal Contractors Association and the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. You can read more in the Insurance Journal. The bill also limits the current right for residential property owners to cancel a roof replacement or repair contract within 10 days of signing the contract or the official start date by limiting it to contracts signed within 30 days after a declared state emergency. HB 715 is awaiting a vote by the full House and SB 1076 is awaiting a vote by the full Senate having unanimously passed the Rules Committee on Wednesday, April 16. (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) Insurance Research ̶ SB 114 by Senator Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City) and the similar HB 1097 by Rep. Hillary Cassel (R-Dania Beach) would rename the Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center to the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management and move it from Florida International University to Florida State University. Further, the bill would:
- Transfer the public hurricane loss projection model from FIU to FSU as well.
- Require the center to use the public hurricane loss projection model when necessary.
- Require the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) to contract with the center to manage the public hurricane loss projection model.
- Require the center to collaborate with OIR to produce an annual report analyzing the property insurance market in this state.
SB 114 having passed the Senate awaits action now in the House. HB 1097 is now awaiting passage by the full House. (Return to Top of List)
Property Insurance – Condominiums:
(UPDATED) Condominium Associations ̶ HB 913 by Rep. Vicki Lopez (R-Miami) is a 99-page bill yet again refining Florida’s condominium laws but with one striking provision: It bars Citizens from providing coverage to condominiums that fail to comply with laws requiring associations to fully budget for future building repairs after a milestone inspection. It also allows associations to take on loans or levy special assessments “without the approval of the membership” to pay for the repairs, along with other provisions. It allows insurance companies to price coverage on the replacement value of the property “as determined by an independent insurance appraisal or update of a previous appraisal…and must be determined every 3 years, at a minimum.”
This House bill has received some public pushback from a few Senate lawmakers. The comparable Senate bills, SB 1742 by Senator Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) and SB 1600 by Senator Kristen Aston Arrington (D- Kissimmee) don’t have the Citizens prohibition. Both Lopez’ and Bradley’s bills allow condo association members to vote to seek lines of credit, in place of reserves, to fund maintenance and repairs. Bradley’s bill would also authorize a condo board to invest its reserve funds. It would also require creation of a standard inspection form with specific items and establish a statewide database of buildings subject to inspection.
SB 1742 will be heard in the Senate Rules Committee today (April 21) at 2pm. You can read more about it in this latest April 18 bill analysis. HB 913 most likely will be heard by the full House on Wednesday (April 23). Governor DeSantis has expressed his preference for SB 1742, while criticizing HB 913.
More than half of the 18,468 condominium buildings insured by Citizens are located in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Per published news articles, approximately 12,000 (3 stories or higher) are required to comply but only 4,096 have done so as of February, according to state officials who said compliance is self-reported and therefore difficult to verify. (For more, read Plea for Condominium Relief Reflected in Bills from our March 3 newsletter.)
Other condominium bills moving through the legislature:
- SB 592 by Senator Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach) would restrict the use of grant funds in the My Safe Florida Condo Pilot Project to those buildings three stories or higher, to help pay for structural fortification against storms. The bill will be heard in the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee tomorrow (April 22) at 11am but as we went to press, the agenda for this committee had not been formally released. The House has a similar bill, HB 393 that will most likely be heard on the full House floor on Wednesday (April 23). In all, Florida legislators are considering 15 bills to revive program that helps homeowners with storm prep work, including enhanced funding of the My Safe Florida Home program, for which the Governor has asked the legislature for $600 million in funding.
- SB 948 (Real Property and Condominium Flood Disclosures) by Sen. Bradley requires landlords to disclose flood propensity of real property. It was passed unanimously by the full Senate; its comparable House bill, HB 1015, is awaiting passage by the full House. (Return to Top of List)
Automobile Insurance:
Motor Vehicle Insurance ̶ SB 1256 by Senator Erin Grall (R-Fort Pierce) and the identical HB 1181 by Rep. Danny Alvarez (R-Brandon) are a perennial effort to do away with Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage under Florida’s No-Fault insurance law and replace it with bodily injury (BI) liability coverage. The primary difference between PIP and mandatory BI is that under PIP, someone injured in an auto accident seeks coverage first under their own PIP policy, whereas under mandatory BI, someone injured in an auto accident would seek recovery from a responsible third-party’s (other driver’s) BI coverage. And more to the point for the trial bar that supports these measures: After an accident, the victim could sue the offending driver directly rather than their insurance company. The bills are similar to the bill vetoed in 2021 by Governor DeSantis, and filed again in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Last year’s bills never received a hearing. Governor DeSantis remains opposed to the idea, telling reporters in early March “I don’t want to do anything that’s going to raise the rates.” HB 1181 passed on a 13-2 vote before the House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee on March 27, its first of three committee stops. HB 1181 is now awaiting its last committee stop in the House Judiciary Committee but as we went to press the bill was not on the agenda for Judiciary’s April 22 hearing. This is yet another bill in a growing list that would allow more insurance lawsuits. “This feels good for the trial attorneys, and maybe we should call this the ‘Insurance and Trial Attorneys Subcommittee’,” said Rep. Mike Caruso (R-Delray Beach) before voting against the bill. SB 1256 never received its first hearing and its referenced committee of first stop is no longer scheduled to meet this session. (Return to Top of List)
Preparedness & Resilience:
(UPDATED) Emergency Preparedness and Response ̶ SB 180 by Senator Nick DiCeglie (R-Pinellas County) and the comparable HB 1535 by Rep. Fiona McFarland (R-Sarasota) address needed changes to emergency preparedness, response, and recovery identified after 2024’s Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. HB 1535 passed the House State Affairs Committee last week and is waiting to be heard by the full House. SB 180 passed the Senate unanimously and still awaits action by the House. Senate President Ben Albritton described SB 180 as “robust” in this press release.
Both the Senate and the House bills:
- Require local governments each year to designate at least one debris management site and develop post-storm staffing plans.
- Require local governments to develop post-storm permitting processes for homeowners and businesses.
- Prohibit local governments from increasing fees for building permits and inspections for 180 days after emergencies are declared for hurricanes or tropical storms.
- Require local governments establish mutual-aid agreements to bring in help outside their area if needed.
The Senate bill would also require the Department of Environmental Protection to waive or reduce local financial match requirements for beach renourishment projects from Debby, Helene, and Milton. You can read the Senate bill analysis from April 3 for more details.
The House bill would also prohibit counties from imposing moratoriums on rebuilding under disaster declarations from Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton and stop governing bodies from imposing impact fees if rebuilding doesn’t change land-use designations. Rebuilding can also have up to a 130% larger footprint than the pre-hurricane homesteads under the House proposal, allowing for home elevation that often requires it, be it a new external staircase or more space for utilities. The House bill would require all hoisting equipment to be secured 24 hours before anticipated storm impacts, including setting crane towers in a “weathervane position.” This was included as a response to a crane collapse into a St. Petersburg office building during Milton’s high winds. You can read the very latest House bill analysis from April 18 for more details. (Return to Top of List)
Nature-based Methods for Improving Coastal Resilience ̶ SB 50 by Senator Ileana Garcia (R-Miami) and HB 371 by Rep. Jim Mooney, Jr. (R-Islamorada) would require the Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and Innovation to develop guidelines and standards for “green and gray infrastructure” to improve coastal resilience to storms. It would also require the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules for nature-based methods for coastal resilience and require a statewide feasibility study with the Department of Financial Services Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services on the value of applying those methods. Both bills still await final House floor action. SB 50 unanimously passed the full Senate on March 19 and is in House messages. The comparable HB 371 passed the State Affairs Committee on March 20 and is awaiting consideration by the full House. Whichever version passes would then head to the Governor for signature. (Return to Top of List)
Property Insurance – Litigation & Claims:
(UPDATED) Mandatory Human Reviews of Insurance Claim Denials ̶ SB 794 by Senator Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) defines “qualified human professional” and requires an insurance company’s decision to deny claims to be reviewed, approved, and signed off on by the professional. The bill passed unanimously in its March 25 hearing before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. Its second of three committee hearings was scheduled for the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government which has no more meetings in this session.
It prohibits artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms, and automated systems from serving as the basis for denying claims. Of note: Section (4) In all denial communications to a claimant, and insurer shall: (a) Clearly identify the qualified human professional who reviewed the denial decision. There is a comparable House bill (HB 1555) by Rep. Cassel that has yet to receive a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
Property Insurance Claims ̶ SB 1508 by Senator Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach) and the similar HB 1087 by Rep. Randy Maggard (R-Dade City) remove the existing alternative procedure for resolving disputed residential property insurance claims (mediation) and replaces it with a mandatory one. These bills are dead having never received an initial hearing. Read More (Return to Top of List)
Court Judgment Interest Rates and Insurance Reports and Practices ̶ HB 451 by Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Pensacola) and the similar SB 554 by Senator Don Gaetz (R-Pensacola) would essentially undo the 2023 tort reform under HB 837 that eliminated one-way attorney fees for plaintiff attorneys and reverts to something similar to previous attorney fee calculations under SB 76 that were part of the 2021 reforms. These bills are dead having never received an initial hearing. Read More (Return to Top of List)
Insurance ̶ SB 230 by Senator Keith Truenow (R-Tavares) would put new restrictions on bad faith claims by first requiring a court ruling and final judgment that an insurance company breached the policy contract before a bad faith claim could be filed. This bill is dead having never received an initial hearing. Read More (Return to Top of List)
Litigation Financing ̶ SB 1534 by Senator Jay Collins (R-Tampa) picks up where past efforts in recent sessions made no progress in regulating third-party funding of lawsuits against businesses, including insurance companies. This bill is dead having never received an initial hearing and had no House companion bill. Read More (Return to Top of List)
Property Insurance – Regulation:
(UPDATED) Office of Insurance Regulation ̶ SB 1656 by Senator Jay Collins (R-Tampa) will not be heard this session as the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government has no more meetings. An earlier version of HB 1429 by Rep. Tom Fabricio (R-Miami Lakes) that covers a variety of issues in different insurance lines is stalled as well in the House, having never received a hearing and never having had the language of HB 881 above officially added to it. The original version of HB 1429 proposed regulatory measures intended to improve transparency and target fraudulent practices without overburdening insurance companies. You can read more in the HB 1429 bill analysis produced on April 2. (Return to Top of List)
Insurance and Hurricane Mitigation Grants ̶ SB 1740 by Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) and the identical HB 1433 by Rep. Yvette Benarroch (R-Marco Island) cover both insurance regulation and wind mitigation efforts. These bills are dead. SB 1740 is awaiting its second of three committee stops in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government which has no more meetings scheduled this session. HB 1433 never received its initial hearing before the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee.
It specifies that hurricane mitigation grants funded through the My Safe Florida Home Program may be awarded only to projects that will result in rate credits or discounts. On the regulation side, it increases the Certificate of Authority minimum surplus requirements from $15 million to $35 million for not wholly owned subsidiaries of foreign insurers; from $7.5 million to $10 million for carriers offering only sinkhole coverage; and from $10 million to $12.5 million for carriers offering only renter’s insurance. It also increases the lookback period from 2 years to 5 years for Directors and Officers of insolvent companies and adds attorneys in fact to the lookback period; it prohibits future service as a director of a reciprocal, carrier, MGA, or affiliated entity; but does not change the director’s burden for proving ‘not at fault’ past service. (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) Residual Market Insurers ̶ HB 643 by Rep. John Snyder (R-Stuart) and the identical SB 1184 by Senator Nick DiCeglie (R-St. Petersburg) are dead. They did not progress during the week of March 31. Most likely the bills did not move because the House intended to add a provision in HB 643 that would give Citizens Property Insurance Corporation customers the option to resolve their claims disputes at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) versus the current practice of Citizens using DOAH exclusively for all claims disputes needing alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Read More (Return to Top of List)
Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form ̶ SB 1596 by Senator Nick DiCeglie (R-St. Petersburg) authorizes the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the Financial Services Commission to incorporate flood mitigation criteria into the uniform mitigation verification inspection form. The current form includes only wind mitigation criteria. This bill is dead having never received an initial hearing and had no House companion bill. (Return to Top of List)
Property Insurer Financial Strength Ratings ̶ SB 792 by Senator Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) would require annual insurance reports prepared by the Office of Insurance Regulation for the Legislature and the Governor to include financial strength ratings of property insurance companies issued by third-parties whose fees are not paid for by insurance companies. This bill is dead having never received an initial hearing and had no House companion bill. (Return to Top of List)
Property Insurance – Citizens Property Insurance Corporation:
Coverage by Citizens Property Insurance Corporation ̶ SB 1020 by Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Doral) and the identical HB 1073 by Rep. Jim Mooney, Jr. (R-Islamorada) would allow higher-priced homes in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties to get coverage from state-backed Citizens Insurance. Current law restricts Citizens from selling policies for homes with replacement dwelling costs of $700,000 or more except in those two counties, where the limit is $ 1 million. The bills would raise the limit in those two counties to $1.5 million. The bills would also require Citizens to annually raise rates by up to 10% in counties without a reasonable degree of competition, such as Miami-Dade and Monroe, as designated by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR). It would also exclude properties in X flood zones from the Citizens flood insurance requirement for wind policies. These bills are dead having never received an initial hearing. (Return to Top of List)
Automobile Insurance:
(UPDATED) Attorney Fees and Costs for Motor Vehicle Personal Injury Protection Benefits ̶ HB 1437 by Rep. John Snyder (R-Stuart) and the identical SB 1840 by Senator Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers), an attorney, provides that prevailing parties in lawsuits by health care providers for overdue medical benefits under motor vehicle personal injury protection policies (PIP) are entitled to reasonable attorney fees & costs.
It’s clear now that these bills will not be progressing. HB 1437 passed its first committee stop on March 20 and still awaits its second of three stops before the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee. In testimony, one expert pointed to a 2021 study that indicated auto rates would increase over 40% should a bill of this nature pass. Its Senate counterpart never had a hearing.
It is abundantly clear that a major theme in the House of Representatives is to provide additional avenues for plaintiff attorneys to increase their income. From reversing the 2022-23 property insurance litigation tort reform in HB 1551 this session, to creating a path for plaintiff lawyers to be a “prevailing party” in PIP claims in HB 1437.
The bill addresses overdue medical benefit disputes between medical providers and auto insurers under PIP. Interestingly, there are no provisions determining prevailing party. The bill would leave the decision of who prevails to the courts. The two sides warring over this bill: the insurance and business communities oppose the bill and the Florida Medical Association and the Florida Chiropractic Association support the bill. The common case pattern is where trial attorneys diligently dig into physician files looking for an innocuous insurer payment mistake so they can file a case with this small dollar amount yet leading to large attorney fee awards. It is a familiar pattern. (Return to Top of List)
Resilience:
Resilient Buildings ̶ HB 143 by Rep. Webster Barnaby (R-Deltona) and the similar SB 62 by Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Doral) would authorize owners of resilient buildings to receive a specified tax credit for those improvements and outlines specific LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) requirements of a building. The bill also creates the Florida Resilient Building Advisory Council which would work with the Department of Environmental Protection. SB 62 passed unanimously in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee on February 11 and awaits its next stop in the Finance and Tax Committee. HB 143 passed by a 17-1 vote in the House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee on March 4 and awaits it second of four committee stop. These bills are dead from their lack of progress in reaching either chamber floor. (Return to Top of List)
LMA Newsletter of 4-21-25
