Florida Senate - 2025                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 712
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì270282!Î270282                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/02/2025           .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————




       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
       The Committee on Community Affairs (Grall) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Section 125.572, Florida Statutes, is created to
    6  read:
    7         125.572 Regulation of synthetic turf.—
    8         (1)As used in this section, the term “synthetic turf”
    9  means a manufactured product that resembles natural grass and is
   10  used as a surface for landscaping and recreational areas.
   11         (2)The Department of Environmental Protection shall adopt
   12  minimum standards for the installation of synthetic turf on
   13  single-family residential properties 1 acre or less in size. The
   14  standards must take into account material type, permeability,
   15  stormwater management, potable water conservation, water
   16  quality, proximity to trees and other vegetation, and other
   17  factors impacting environmental conditions of adjacent
   18  properties.
   19         (3)Upon the Department of Environmental Protection
   20  adopting rules pursuant to subsection (4), a local government
   21  may not:
   22         (a)Adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution, order,
   23  rule, or policy that prohibits, or is enforced to prohibit, a
   24  property owner from installing synthetic turf that complies with
   25  Department of Environmental Protection standards adopted
   26  pursuant to this section which apply to single-family
   27  residential property.
   28         (b)Adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution, order,
   29  rule, or policy that regulates synthetic turf which is
   30  inconsistent with the Department of Environmental Protection
   31  standards adopted pursuant to this section which apply to
   32  single-family residential property.
   33         (4)The Department of Environmental Protection shall adopt
   34  rules to implement this section.
   35         Section 2. Section 218.755, Florida Statutes, is created to
   36  read:
   37         218.755 Prompt processing of change orders.—Beginning on or
   38  after July 1, 2025, if a local governmental entity receives from
   39  its contractor a price quote for a change order issued by the
   40  local governmental entity, and the price quote conforms to all
   41  statutory requirements and contractual requirements for the
   42  project, the local governmental entity must approve or deny the
   43  price quote and send written notice of that decision to the
   44  contractor within 30 days after receipt of such quote. Any
   45  denial notice must specify the alleged deficiencies in the price
   46  quote and the actions necessary to remedy those deficiencies. If
   47  the local governmental entity fails to provide such information
   48  on a denial notice, it is liable to the contractor for all
   49  additional labor, staffing, materials, supplies, equipment, and
   50  overhead associated with the change order. A contract between a
   51  local governmental entity and a contractor may not alter the
   52  local governmental entity’s duties under this section.
   53         Section 3. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (2) of
   54  section 255.0992, Florida Statutes, to read:
   55         255.0992 Public works projects; prohibited governmental
   56  actions.—
   57         (2) Except as required by federal or state law, the state
   58  or any political subdivision that contracts for a public works
   59  project may not take the following actions:
   60         (d) Penalize a bidder for performing a larger volume of
   61  construction work for the state or political subdivision or
   62  reward a bidder for performing a smaller volume of construction
   63  work for the state or political subdivision.
   64         Section 4. Subsection (7) of section 489.505, Florida
   65  Statutes, is amended to read:
   66         489.505 Definitions.—As used in this part:
   67         (7) “Certified alarm system contractor” means an alarm
   68  system contractor who possesses a certificate of competency
   69  issued by the department. The scope of certification is limited
   70  to alarm circuits originating in the alarm control panel and
   71  equipment governed by the applicable provisions of Articles 722,
   72  725, 760, 770, 800, and 810 of the National Electrical Code,
   73  Current Edition, and National Fire Protection Association
   74  Standard 72, Current Edition. The scope of certification for
   75  alarm system contractors also includes the installation, repair,
   76  fabrication, erection, alteration, addition, or design of
   77  electrical wiring, fixtures, appliances, thermostats, apparatus,
   78  raceways, and conduit, or any part thereof not to exceed 98
   79  volts (RMS), when those items are for the purpose of
   80  transmitting data or proprietary video (satellite systems that
   81  are not part of a community antenna television or radio
   82  distribution system) or providing central vacuum capability,
   83  surveillance cameras, or electric locks; however, this provision
   84  governing the scope of certification does not create any
   85  mandatory licensure requirement.
   86         Section 5. Subsections (2) and (10) of section 553.73,
   87  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   88         553.73 Florida Building Code.—
   89         (2)(a) The Florida Building Code shall contain provisions
   90  or requirements for public and private buildings, structures,
   91  and facilities relative to structural, mechanical, electrical,
   92  plumbing, energy, and gas systems, existing buildings,
   93  historical buildings, manufactured buildings, elevators, coastal
   94  construction, lodging facilities, food sales and food service
   95  facilities, health care facilities, including assisted living
   96  facilities, adult day care facilities, hospice residential and
   97  inpatient facilities and units, and facilities for the control
   98  of radiation hazards, public or private educational facilities,
   99  swimming pools, and correctional facilities and enforcement of
  100  and compliance with such provisions or requirements. Further,
  101  the Florida Building Code must provide for uniform
  102  implementation of ss. 515.25, 515.27, and 515.29 by including
  103  standards and criteria for residential swimming pool barriers,
  104  pool covers, latching devices, door and window exit alarms, and
  105  other equipment required therein, which are consistent with the
  106  intent of s. 515.23. Technical provisions to be contained within
  107  the Florida Building Code are restricted to requirements related
  108  to the types of materials used and construction methods and
  109  standards employed in order to meet criteria specified in the
  110  Florida Building Code. Provisions relating to the personnel,
  111  supervision or training of personnel, or any other professional
  112  qualification requirements relating to contractors or their
  113  workforce may not be included within the Florida Building Code,
  114  and subsections (4) and (6)-(9), (6), (7), (8), and (9) are not
  115  to be construed to allow the inclusion of such provisions within
  116  the Florida Building Code by amendment. This restriction applies
  117  to both initial development and amendment of the Florida
  118  Building Code.
  119         (b)By January 1, 2026, or the next update of the Florida
  120  Building Code, whichever occurs first, the commission shall
  121  amend the Florida Building Code to be consistent with the 2024
  122  International Building Code that recognizes tall mass timber as
  123  an allowable material for construction types IV-A, IV-B, IV-C,
  124  and IV-HT.
  125         (10) The following buildings, structures, and facilities
  126  are exempt from the Florida Building Code as provided by law,
  127  and any further exemptions shall be as determined by the
  128  Legislature and provided by law:
  129         (a) Buildings and structures specifically regulated and
  130  preempted by the Federal Government.
  131         (b) Railroads and ancillary facilities associated with the
  132  railroad.
  133         (c) Nonresidential farm buildings on farms.
  134         (d) Temporary buildings or sheds used exclusively for
  135  construction purposes.
  136         (e) Mobile or modular structures used as temporary offices,
  137  except that the provisions of part II relating to accessibility
  138  by persons with disabilities apply to such mobile or modular
  139  structures.
  140         (f) Those structures or facilities of electric utilities,
  141  as defined in s. 366.02, which are directly involved in the
  142  generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity.
  143         (g) Temporary sets, assemblies, or structures used in
  144  commercial motion picture or television production, or any
  145  sound-recording equipment used in such production, on or off the
  146  premises.
  147         (h) Storage sheds that are not designed for human
  148  habitation and that have a floor area of 720 square feet or less
  149  are not required to comply with the mandatory wind-borne-debris
  150  impact standards of the Florida Building Code. In addition, such
  151  buildings that are 400 square feet or less and that are intended
  152  for use in conjunction with one- and two-family residences are
  153  not subject to the door height and width requirements of the
  154  Florida Building Code.
  155         (i) Chickees constructed by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians
  156  of Florida or the Seminole Tribe of Florida. As used in this
  157  paragraph, the term “chickee” means an open-sided wooden hut
  158  that has a thatched roof of palm or palmetto or other
  159  traditional materials, and that does not incorporate any
  160  electrical, plumbing, or other nonwood features.
  161         (j) Family mausoleums not exceeding 250 square feet in area
  162  which are prefabricated and assembled on site or preassembled
  163  and delivered on site and have walls, roofs, and a floor
  164  constructed of granite, marble, or reinforced concrete.
  165         (k) A building or structure having less than 1,000 square
  166  feet which is constructed and owned by a natural person for
  167  hunting and which is repaired or reconstructed to the same
  168  dimension and condition as existed on January 1, 2011, if the
  169  building or structure:
  170         1. Is not rented or leased or used as a principal
  171  residence;
  172         2. Is not located within the 100-year floodplain according
  173  to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s current Flood
  174  Insurance Rate Map; and
  175         3. Is not connected to an offsite electric power or water
  176  supply.
  177         (l) A drone port as defined in s. 330.41(2).
  178         (m)Any system or equipment, whether affixed or movable,
  179  which is located on property within a spaceport territory
  180  pursuant to s. 331.304 and which is used for the production,
  181  erection, alteration, modification, repair, launch, processing,
  182  recovery, transport, integration, fueling, conditioning, or
  183  equipping of a space launch vehicle, payload, or spacecraft.
  184  
  185  With the exception of paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (f), in
  186  order to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the public,
  187  the Florida Building Commission may, by rule adopted pursuant to
  188  chapter 120, provide for exceptions to the broad categories of
  189  buildings exempted in this section, including exceptions for
  190  application of specific sections of the code or standards
  191  adopted therein. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer
  192  Services shall have exclusive authority to adopt by rule,
  193  pursuant to chapter 120, exceptions to nonresidential farm
  194  buildings exempted in paragraph (c) when reasonably necessary to
  195  preserve public health, safety, and welfare. The exceptions must
  196  be based upon specific criteria, such as under-roof floor area,
  197  aggregate electrical service capacity, HVAC system capacity, or
  198  other building requirements. Further, the commission may
  199  recommend to the Legislature additional categories of buildings,
  200  structures, or facilities which should be exempted from the
  201  Florida Building Code, to be provided by law. The Florida
  202  Building Code does not apply to temporary housing provided by
  203  the Department of Corrections to any prisoner in the state
  204  correctional system.
  205         Section 6. Paragraph (f) of subsection (1) of section
  206  553.79, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  207         553.79 Permits; applications; issuance; inspections.—
  208         (1)
  209         (f) A local government may not require a contract between a
  210  builder and an owner, any copies of such contract, or any
  211  associated document, including, but not limited to, letters of
  212  intent, material costs lists, labor costs, or overhead or profit
  213  statements, for the issuance of a building permit or as a
  214  requirement for the submission of a building permit application.
  215         Section 7. Subsection (3) of section 497.271, Florida
  216  Statutes, is amended to read:
  217         497.271 Standards for construction and significant
  218  alteration or renovation of mausoleums and columbaria.—
  219         (3) The licensing authority shall transmit the rules as
  220  adopted under subsection (2), hereinafter referred to as the
  221  “mausoleum standards,” to the Florida Building Commission, which
  222  shall initiate rulemaking under chapter 120 to consider such
  223  mausoleum standards. If such mausoleum standards are not deemed
  224  acceptable, they must shall be returned by the Florida Building
  225  Commission to the licensing authority with details of changes
  226  needed to make them acceptable. If such mausoleum standards are
  227  acceptable, the Florida Building Commission must shall adopt a
  228  rule designating the mausoleum standards as an approved revision
  229  to the State Minimum Building Codes under part IV of chapter
  230  553. When so designated by the Florida Building Commission, such
  231  mausoleum standards shall become a required element of the State
  232  Minimum Building Codes under s. 553.73(2)(a) s. 553.73(2) and
  233  shall be transmitted to each local enforcement agency, as
  234  defined in s. 553.71(5). Such local enforcement agency shall
  235  consider and inspect for compliance with such mausoleum
  236  standards as if they were part of the local building code, but
  237  shall have no continuing duty to inspect after final approval of
  238  the construction pursuant to the local building code. Any
  239  further amendments to the mausoleum standards shall be
  240  accomplished by the same procedure. Such designated mausoleum
  241  standards, as from time to time amended, shall be a part of the
  242  State Minimum Building Codes under s. 553.73 until the adoption
  243  and effective date of a new statewide uniform minimum building
  244  code, which may supersede the mausoleum standards as provided by
  245  the law enacting the new statewide uniform minimum building
  246  code.
  247         Section 8. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
  248  made by this act to section 489.505, Florida Statutes, in a
  249  reference thereto, subsection (2) of section 201.21, Florida
  250  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
  251         201.21 Notes and other written obligations exempt under
  252  certain conditions.—
  253         (2) There shall be exempt from all excise taxes imposed by
  254  this chapter all non-interest-bearing promissory notes, non
  255  interest-bearing nonnegotiable notes, or non-interest-bearing
  256  written obligations to pay money, or assignments of salaries,
  257  wages, or other compensation made, executed, delivered, sold,
  258  transferred, or assigned in the state, and for each renewal of
  259  the same, of $3,500 or less, when given by a customer to an
  260  alarm system contractor, as defined in s. 489.505, in connection
  261  with the sale of an alarm system as defined in s. 489.505.
  262         Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.
  263  
  264  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  265  And the title is amended as follows:
  266         Delete everything before the enacting clause
  267  and insert:
  268                        A bill to be entitled                      
  269         An act relating to construction regulations; creating
  270         s. 125.572, F.S.; defining the term “synthetic turf”;
  271         requiring the Department of Environmental Protection
  272         to adopt minimum standards for the installation of
  273         synthetic turf on specified properties; requiring that
  274         the standards take into account specified factors;
  275         prohibiting local governments from adopting or
  276         enforcing any ordinance, resolution, order, rule, or
  277         policy that prohibits, or is enforced to prohibit,
  278         property owners from installing synthetic turf meeting
  279         certain standards on single-family residential
  280         property of a specified size; prohibiting local
  281         governments from adopting or enforcing specified
  282         ordinances, resolutions, orders, rules, or policies
  283         that regulate synthetic turf which are inconsistent
  284         with specified standards; requiring the Department of
  285         Environmental Protection to adopt rules; creating s.
  286         218.755, F.S.; requiring local governmental entities
  287         to approve or deny certain price quotes and provide
  288         notice to contractors within a specified timeframe;
  289         requiring denials to specify alleged deficiencies and
  290         actions necessary to remedy such deficiencies;
  291         providing that a local governmental entity that fails
  292         to provide such information with a denial is liable to
  293         the contractor for specified overhead; prohibiting
  294         contracts from altering specified duties of a local
  295         governmental entity; amending s. 255.0992, F.S.;
  296         prohibiting the state or political subdivisions that
  297         contract for public works projects from penalizing or
  298         rewarding bidders for performing larger or smaller
  299         volumes of construction work for the state or
  300         political subdivisions; amending s. 489.505, F.S.;
  301         revising the definition of the term “certified alarm
  302         system contractor”; amending s. 553.73, F.S.;
  303         requiring the Florida Building Commission, within a
  304         specified timeframe, to amend the Florida Building
  305         Code to recognize tall mass timber as an allowable
  306         material for specified construction types; providing
  307         an exemption from the Florida Building Code to systems
  308         or equipment located within a spaceport territory
  309         which is used for specified purposes; amending s.
  310         553.79, F.S.; prohibiting local governments from
  311         requiring copies of contracts and certain associated
  312         documents for the issuance of building permits or as a
  313         requirement for submitting building permit
  314         applications; amending s. 497.271, F.S.; conforming a
  315         cross-reference; reenacting s. 201.21(2), F.S.,
  316         relating to an exemption from all excise taxes imposed
  317         by ch. 201, F.S., for specified notes and obligations
  318         when given by a customer to an alarm system contractor
  319         in connection with the sale of an alarm system, to
  320         incorporate the amendment made to s. 489.505, F.S., in
  321         a reference thereto; providing an effective date.