Florida Senate - 2026                       CS for CS for SB 260
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Community Affairs; and Transportation; and
       Senator Burgess
       
       
       
       
       578-02726A-26                                          2026260c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the removal, storage, and cleanup
    3         of electric vehicles; amending s. 125.0103, F.S.;
    4         requiring counties to establish a daily administration
    5         fee for the proper storage of certain electric
    6         vehicles; providing a maximum amount for such fees;
    7         providing applicability; defining the terms “daily
    8         administration fee” and “proper storage”; amending s.
    9         166.043, F.S.; authorizing municipalities to establish
   10         a daily administration fee for the proper storage of
   11         certain electric vehicles; providing a maximum amount
   12         for such fees; providing applicability; defining the
   13         terms “daily administration fee” and “proper storage”;
   14         creating s. 324.0222, F.S.; providing that motor
   15         vehicle insurers are not required to pay certain
   16         costs; amending s. 713.78, F.S.; providing that a
   17         reasonable fee for service includes any daily
   18         administration fee; providing an effective date.
   19          
   20  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   21  
   22         Section 1. Present paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of
   23  section 125.0103, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph
   24  (e), and a new paragraph (d) is added to that subsection, to
   25  read:
   26         125.0103 Ordinances and rules imposing price controls.—
   27         (1)
   28         (d)1.Counties shall establish a daily administration fee
   29  for the proper storage of electric vehicles, as defined in s.
   30  320.01(36), which have been involved in a crash that results in
   31  visible damage to the batteries or battery compartment, or when
   32  the batteries or battery compartment have been submerged, for
   33  any length of time, in salt water, and until the appropriate
   34  local agency has inspected and verified that the damaged battery
   35  is safe and not in danger of starting a fire. The daily
   36  administration fee for proper storage of an electric vehicle may
   37  be up to three times the amount established under paragraph (c)
   38  and applies in the event that the electric vehicle owner or
   39  operator is incapacitated, is unavailable, leaves the
   40  procurement of wrecker service to the law enforcement officer at
   41  the scene, or otherwise does not consent to the removal of the
   42  electric vehicle. Such fee may not be charged unless the
   43  electric vehicle is properly stored as defined in this
   44  paragraph.
   45         2.For purposes of this paragraph, the term:
   46         a.“Daily administration fee” means a fee imposed by a
   47  wrecker service or towing-storage or wrecker operator for
   48  administrative costs for storing a damaged or submerged electric
   49  vehicle in order to provide proper storage of the damaged or
   50  submerged electric vehicle.
   51         b.“Proper storage” means the damaged electric vehicle is
   52  separated from combustibles and structures by at least 50 feet
   53  on all sides or is surrounded by a barrier of earth, steel,
   54  concrete, or solid masonry.
   55         Section 2. Present paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of
   56  section 166.043, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph
   57  (e), and a new paragraph (d) is added to that subsection, to
   58  read:
   59         166.043 Ordinances and rules imposing price controls.—
   60         (1)
   61         (d)1.Municipalities may establish a daily administration
   62  fee for the proper storage of electric vehicles, as defined in
   63  s. 320.01(36), which have been involved in a crash that results
   64  in visible damage to the batteries or battery compartment, or
   65  when the batteries or battery compartment have been submerged,
   66  for any length of time, in salt water, and until the appropriate
   67  local agency has inspected and verified that the damaged battery
   68  is safe and not in danger of starting a fire. The daily
   69  administration fee for proper storage of an electric vehicle may
   70  be up to three times the amount established under paragraph (c)
   71  and applies in the event that the electric vehicle owner or
   72  operator is incapacitated, is unavailable, leaves the
   73  procurement of wrecker service to the law enforcement officer at
   74  the scene, or otherwise does not consent to the removal of the
   75  electric vehicle. Such fee may not be charged unless the
   76  electric vehicle is properly stored as defined in this
   77  paragraph. If a municipality enacts an ordinance establishing a
   78  daily administration fee as defined in this paragraph, a
   79  county’s ordinance establishing a daily administration fee under
   80  s. 125.0103(1)(d) does not apply within such municipality.
   81         2.For purposes of this paragraph, the term:
   82         a.“Daily administration fee” means a fee imposed by a
   83  wrecker service or towing-storage or wrecker operator for
   84  administrative costs for storing a damaged or submerged electric
   85  vehicle in order to provide proper storage of the damaged or
   86  submerged electric vehicle.
   87         b.“Proper storage” means the damaged electric vehicle is
   88  separated from combustibles and structures by at least 50 feet
   89  on all sides or is surrounded by a barrier of earth, steel,
   90  concrete, or solid masonry.
   91         Section 3. Section 324.0222, Florida Statutes, is created
   92  to read:
   93         324.0222Storage of electric vehicles; coverage.—Nothing in
   94  s. 125.0103 or s. 166.043 relating to the storage of electric
   95  vehicles requires a motor vehicle insurer to pay any costs
   96  beyond costs covered pursuant to a contract with its insured.
   97         Section 4. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
   98  713.78, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   99         713.78 Liens for recovering, towing, or storing vehicles
  100  and vessels.—
  101         (2)(a) A towing-storage operator may charge the owner or
  102  operator of a vehicle or vessel only the following fees for, or
  103  incidental to, the recovery, removal, or storage of the vehicle
  104  or vessel:
  105         1. Any reasonable fee for service, including any daily
  106  administration fee, specifically authorized under s. 125.0103 or
  107  s. 166.043 by ordinance, resolution, regulation, or rule of the
  108  county or municipality in which the service is performed.
  109         2. Any reasonable fee for service specifically authorized
  110  by the Division of Florida Highway Patrol of the Department of
  111  Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles under s. 321.051(2).
  112         3. Any reasonable fee for service as agreed upon in writing
  113  between a towing-storage operator and the owner of a vehicle or
  114  vessel.
  115         4. Any lien release administrative fee as set forth in
  116  paragraph (15)(a).
  117         5. Any reasonable administrative fee or charge imposed by a
  118  county or municipality pursuant to s. 125.01047, s. 166.04465,
  119  or s. 323.002 upon the registered owner or other legally
  120  authorized person in control of a vehicle or vessel.
  121         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.