This bill amends section 95.11 of the Florida Statutes, which pertains to the statute of limitations for actions related to the design, planning, or construction of improvements to real property. The bill revises the time frame in which such actions must be initiated, establishing that the statute of limitations begins from the earliest of several specified dates, including the completion of the improvement, abandonment of construction, or termination of the contract with relevant professionals. Additionally, it clarifies the definitions of "completion of the improvement" and "completion of the contract," providing specific criteria for each.

The bill also introduces a provision that allows counterclaims, cross-claims, and third-party claims related to the original action to be filed up to one year after the initial pleading is served, even if they would typically be time-barred. Furthermore, it specifies that if construction is performed under a valid building permit and a temporary or final certificate of occupancy has been issued, the correction of defects does not extend the time limit for initiating an action. The bill aims to streamline the legal process surrounding real property improvements while ensuring clarity on the timelines for legal recourse.

Statutes affected:
S 1592 Filed: 95.11