The bill amends existing Florida statutes to establish new requirements for municipalities providing utility services, specifically electric, water, natural gas, and 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 inform and solicit input from the affected communities. The bill also requires municipalities to conduct annual public customer meetings to discuss utility-related matters, including rates and services. Additionally, it specifies that rates, fees, and charges for water and sewer services must comply with existing provisions and introduces definitions for key terms such as "appointed representative" and "governing body."

Furthermore, the bill revises the provisions regarding rates charged to consumers outside municipal boundaries, allowing municipalities to impose surcharges only to comply with existing bond covenants, which must be phased out upon the retirement or refinancing of the related debt. It also creates a new section requiring municipalities to report specific information about utility services provided outside their boundaries to the Florida Public Service Commission annually, starting in 2028. The Commission is tasked with compiling this information and reporting it to state leadership, while also gaining jurisdiction over the utilities for enforcement purposes. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 1724 Filed: 180.191
S 1724 c1: 180.191
S 1724 c2: 180.191