This bill amends Florida Statutes to establish new requirements for municipalities providing utility services, specifically electric, water, or sewer services. It mandates that any new agreements or significant amendments to existing agreements for retail utility services must be in writing and cannot take effect until a public meeting is held to gather input from affected communities. The bill outlines the topics that must be discussed during these meetings, including service details, rates, and the use of generated revenues. Additionally, it requires municipalities to conduct annual public customer meetings to solicit feedback on utility-related matters.

The bill also revises the provisions regarding rates charged to consumers outside municipal boundaries. It allows municipalities to impose a surcharge on these consumers only to comply with existing bond covenants, which must be phased out upon the retirement or refinancing of the related debt. Furthermore, it introduces a new reporting requirement for municipalities to submit annual reports to the Florida Public Service Commission detailing customer demographics, sales volumes, and any rate differentials between in-boundary and out-of-boundary services. The commission is tasked with compiling this information and reporting it to state leadership. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 1724 Filed: 180.191
S 1724 c1: 180.191