This bill amends Florida Statutes concerning growth management and impact fees by introducing the term "plan-based methodology," which utilizes recent and localized data to project growth and assess capacity impacts over a five-year period. It defines "extraordinary circumstances" as measurable effects of development that require local governments to mitigate impacts exceeding current fee amounts within a specified timeframe. The bill mandates that any study demonstrating the need for increased impact fees must use this plan-based methodology and outlines conditions for establishing extraordinary circumstances. Additionally, it changes the voting requirement for approving ordinances that increase impact fees from a unanimous vote to a two-thirds majority, prohibits the use of outdated data for justifying fee increases, and ensures that prevailing parties in legal challenges regarding impact fees can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs.

The bill also addresses the allocation of surtax revenues to eligible charter schools, specifying that funds will be distributed based on each school's share of total school district capital outlay full-time equivalent enrollment. Charter schools are required to use these surtax revenues according to existing law and document all financial transactions related to these funds in their financial statements. Furthermore, if a charter school's charter is not renewed or is terminated, any unencumbered funds will revert to the school's sponsor. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 548 Filed: 163.3180, 212.055