Bill Dealing with Residential Building Permits Passes First Committee

CS/HB 671 (Esposito) and SB 682 (DiCeglie) are comprehensive building permit bills. The bills drastically change the process that local governments have to go through before a building permit is approved, including significantly reducing the timeframes for approval of permits. On Tuesday, CS/HB 671 (Esposito) passed in its first committee of reference 11-4. The Senate companion, SB 682, has yet to be put on an agenda. (Branch)

More Help Is On the Way for Operator Shortages at Water and Wastewater Facilities

CS/CS/SB 162 (Collins) and CS/CS/HB 23 (Bell), an FLC Policy Position, would require the Department of Environmental Protection to issue a license by reciprocity to any out-of-state water or wastewater operator that has an active and valid license from that other state with license requirements that are comparable to Florida. This week both bills passed out of committee unanimously. (O’Hara)

Financial Disclosures for Local Officials Passes Through Committee

On Thursday, CS/CS/SB 774 (Brodeur) passed through its last committee of reference on a vote of 16-4. CS/HB 37 (Roach) is waiting to be heard in its third committee of reference. CS/HB 37 would require all municipal elected officials and all city managers to file an annual full disclosure of financial interests (Form 6) with the Florida Commission on Ethics, while CS/CS/SB 774 (Brodeur) was amended in committee to remove city managers from the more stringent requirement. (Taggart)