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CS/CS/HB 1059 — Construction Permits
by Commerce Committee; Regulatory Reform Subcommittee; and Reps. Robinson, W., Fischer, and others (CS/CS/SB 1788 by Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee; Community Affairs Committee; and Senator Boyd)
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Community Affairs Committee (CA)
CS/CS/HB 1059 makes various changes to the Florida Building Codes Act and related statutes. The Florida Building Codes Act provides a mechanism for the uniform adoption, updating, interpretation, and enforcement of a single, unified state building code. The Florida Building Code (Building Code) is the statewide building code for all construction in the state and must be applied, administered, and enforced uniformly and consistently from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Local governments enforce the Building Code within their jurisdictions, primarily by conducting inspections and issuing building permits to authorize construction. It is unlawful to construct, alter, repair, or demolish a building without obtaining a building permit.
The bill makes various changes to the ways in which local enforcement agencies receive and process building permit applications. Specifically, the bill requires local enforcement agencies to:
- Allow building permit applications, including payments, attachments, drawings, and other documents, to be submitted electronically.
- Post the current status of every building permit application received on its website.
- Post the agency’s procedures for reviewing, processing, and approving building permit applications on its website.
- Review additional information for an application for a development permit or development order within a certain time-period.
- Allow building permit applicants 10 business days to correct an application for a single-family residential dwelling that was initially denied by the local enforcement agency.
- Reduce permit fees by specified amounts after failing to meet statutory deadlines for reviewing certain building permit applications.
Finally, the bill prohibits government entities, which enforce the Building Code, from requiring a copy of a contractor’s contract with owners, subcontractors, or suppliers in order to obtain a building permit for projects on commercial property.
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect October 1, 2021.
Vote: Senate 38-0; House 113-0