The bill amends Florida Statutes to create a Utility Relocation Reimbursement Grant Program within the Department of Commerce, which will be funded by a portion of communications services tax remittances. Starting October 1, 2025, the Department of Revenue is required to allocate $50 million annually to the Grants and Donations Trust Fund for this purpose. The bill also modifies the percentage reduction of funds transferred to the Local Government Half-cent Sales Tax Clearing Trust Fund from 0.1 percent to 0.1018 percent. It outlines the responsibilities of service providers and local authorities regarding utility relocations, including provisions for service providers to initiate relocation work and apply for reimbursement of expenses incurred at the request of local authorities.

Additionally, the bill mandates that utilities on department-owned rail corridors must perform relocation work upon notice, with costs covered proportionally by federal funding for related projects. It specifies that local authorities are generally not responsible for relocation costs unless stated otherwise and establishes timelines for communication between service providers and local authorities regarding roadway improvements. The act includes various amendments to existing statutes to ensure consistency with these new provisions and is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, with an appropriation of $50 million for the grant program for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Statutes affected:
H 703 Filed: 337.403, 125.42
H 703 c1: 337.403, 125.42
H 703 e1: 337.403, 125.42, 202.18, 212.181, 218.65
H 703 er: 337.403, 125.42, 202.18, 212.181, 218.65