Florida Senate - 2026 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 1614
Ì314064ÇÎ314064
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
02/18/2026 .
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The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and
General Government (Leek) recommended the following:
1 Senate Substitute for Amendment (716506) (with title
2 amendment)
3
4 Delete lines 17 - 79
5 and insert:
6 Section 1. Subsection (4) is added to section 11.40,
7 Florida Statutes, to read:
8 11.40 Legislative Auditing Committee.—
9 (4) A local governmental entity is not eligible to receive
10 state funds through a local funding initiative request if the
11 local governmental entity was subject to an audit directed by
12 the Legislative Auditing Committee within the 1-year period
13 preceding the date of the submission of the local funding
14 initiative request, as measured from the date on which the
15 Legislative Auditing Committee votes to direct the audit.
16 However, a local governmental entity that was subject to an
17 audit pursuant to this subsection may be eligible to receive
18 such funds if, at the time of submission of the local funding
19 initiative request to its legislative delegation, the local
20 governmental entity includes an affirmation stating that it is
21 no longer the subject of such audit. The Legislative Auditing
22 Committee shall notify the chairs of each legislative
23 appropriations committee upon voting to direct an audit of a
24 local governmental entity.
25 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (7) of section
26 553.80, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
27 553.80 Enforcement.—
28 (7)(a) The governing bodies of local governments may
29 provide a schedule of reasonable fees, as authorized by s.
30 125.56(2) or s. 166.222 and this section, for enforcing this
31 part. These fees, and any fines or investment earnings related
32 to the fees, may only be used for carrying out the local
33 government’s responsibilities in enforcing the Florida Building
34 Code, including, but not limited to, any process or enforcement
35 related to obtaining or finalizing a building permit. When
36 providing a schedule of reasonable fees, the total estimated
37 annual revenue derived from fees, and the fines and investment
38 earnings related to the fees, may not exceed the total estimated
39 annual costs of allowable activities. Any unexpended balances
40 must be carried forward to future years for allowable activities
41 or must be refunded at the discretion of the local government. A
42 local government may not carry forward an amount exceeding the
43 average of its operating budget for enforcing the Florida
44 Building Code for the previous 4 fiscal years. For purposes of
45 this subsection, the term “operating budget” does not include
46 reserve amounts. Any amount exceeding this limit must be used as
47 authorized in subparagraph 2. However, a local government that
48 established, as of January 1, 2019, a Building Inspections Fund
49 Advisory Board consisting of five members from the construction
50 stakeholder community and carries an unexpended balance in
51 excess of the average of its operating budget for the previous 4
52 fiscal years may continue to carry such excess funds forward
53 upon the recommendation of the advisory board. The basis for a
54 fee structure for allowable activities must relate to the level
55 of service provided by the local government and must include
56 consideration for refunding fees due to reduced services based
57 on services provided as prescribed by s. 553.791, but not
58 provided by the local government. Fees charged must be
59 consistently applied.
60 1. As used in this subsection, the phrase “enforcing the
61 Florida Building Code” includes the direct costs and reasonable
62 indirect costs associated with review of building plans,
63 building inspections, reinspections, and building permit
64 processing; building code enforcement; and fire inspections
65 associated with new construction. The phrase may also include
66 training costs associated with the enforcement of the Florida
67 Building Code and enforcement action pertaining to unlicensed
68 contractor activity to the extent not funded by other user fees.
69 2. A local government must use any excess funds that it is
70 prohibited from carrying forward to rebate and reduce fees, to
71 upgrade technology hardware and software systems to enhance
72 service delivery, to pay for the construction of a building or
73 structure that houses a local government’s building code
74 enforcement agency, or for training programs for building
75 officials, inspectors, or plans examiners associated with the
76 enforcement of the Florida Building Code. Excess funds used to
77 construct such a
78
79 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
80 And the title is amended as follows:
81 Delete lines 2 - 12
82 and insert:
83 An act relating to local government funding; amending
84 s. 11.40, F.S.; providing that a local governmental
85 entity is not eligible to receive state funds through
86 a local funding initiative request if the local
87 governmental entity was subject to an audit directed
88 by the Legislative Auditing Committee within a
89 specified timeframe; providing an exception; requiring
90 the Legislative Auditing Committee to notify the
91 chairs of each legislative appropriations committee
92 upon voting to direct an audit of a local governmental
93 entity; amending s. 553.80, F.S.; revising the manner
94 in which a local government is required to spend
95 excess funds; providing an