The bill amends Florida Statutes to establish new requirements for municipalities providing utility services, specifically electric, natural gas, water, or sewer services. It mandates that any new or extended agreements for these services must be written and cannot take effect until a public meeting is held to gather input from the community. The bill specifies the topics to be discussed at these meetings, including service details, rates, and the use of revenues. Additionally, municipalities are required to conduct annual public customer meetings to solicit feedback on utility-related matters. The bill also limits the percentage of utility revenues that can be used for general government functions, stipulating that excess revenues must be reinvested into the utility or returned to customers.

Furthermore, the bill revises provisions regarding rates charged to customers outside municipal boundaries, eliminating the previous allowance for a 25% surcharge and instead capping the total charges at 25% above the rates for in-boundary customers. It introduces a new reporting requirement for municipalities to provide annual reports to the Florida Public Service Commission detailing customer demographics and revenue information. Lastly, the bill prohibits local governments and agencies from restricting fuel sources and appliances used for energy production, reinforcing the preemption of such regulations. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 1523 Filed: 180.19, 180.191
H 1523 c1: 180.19, 180.191
H 1523 c2: 180.19, 180.191