Legislative Update - June 20, 2025

After 105 days, Senate President Albritton and Speaker Perez dropped the handkerchief in the Capitol rotunda and officially adjourned the 2025 Legislative Session Sine Die late on Monday evening. 

Special thanks are in order to:

• Eric Prutsman, our Lobbyist who worked tirelessly throughout this session to advocate on behalf of IAF and the industry
• Grady Medcalf, our Legislative Committee Chair who led our advocacy efforts and championed dozens of Committee Calls and more
• Danny Harrod, who contributed significantly to our efforts around HB 551
• Michael Sudheimer for his incredible assistance in fundraising and traveling to Tallahassee to represent IAF and testify on our behalf
• Diego del Pino, our President who had to forethought to create the IAF Skeet Shoot to raise needed funds for our PAC and who also dropped everything to head to Tallahassee for emergency meetings with legislators and to testify on behalf of our industry

We are beyond grateful to all of the members of our Legislative Committee & the IAF Members who engaged and drove our legislative agenda by:

• Contacting their elected officials
• Contributing to our Florida AlarmPAC
• Participating in our inaugural Skeet Shoot to raise money for our PAC
  • Special thanks to Jason Rountree and Summit Fire & Security for stepping up as our Title Sponsor, as well as Adam Martin and Wiginton Corporation for sponsoring our Breakfast
• And all those who help spread the word about important bills!

It has been three years since the IAF proposed and the Legislature created the Simplified Permitting Process in Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes. The IAF has worked collaboratively with local AHJ’s since the law’s enactment, and successfully launched the program statewide across Florida. However, like many legislative issues, there was a need to revisit the law once it had time to be implemented and contractors worked with it on a daily basis.

The IAF sought to make necessary changes to the Simplified Permitting Process during the 2025 Legislative Session, and the Governor has signed House Bill 551, which will take effect July 1, 2025 (although local enforcement agencies will have until October 1, 2025 to comply with the new changes to the law). Here is a brief summary of the changes (see this link for actual legislation).

HB 551, as signed by the Governor, amends the Simplified Permitting Process and:

• Defines “alteration” as adding, installing, relocating, replacing, or removing components.
• Expands the definition of “fire alarm system project” to include replacing an existing fire alarm panel of the same make and model.
• Requires local enforcement agencies to issue permits within 2 business days of a completed application and to provide inspections within 3 business days of a request.
• Allows contractors to begin permitted work immediately upon submitting completed applications.
• Prohibits local enforcement agencies from demanding additional plans reviews or documentation beyond the scope of permitted work and sets deadlines for submitting requested documents from contractors of 4 business days after the inspection or 4 days after the documentation is requested, whichever is later. 
• Imposes a 10 percent daily refund of permit fees if issuance or inspection deadlines are missed, subject to certain exceptions.
• Mandates that local enforcement agencies establish a simplified permitting process by October 1, 2025.
• The bill also restricts counties and municipalities from enforcing ordinances amending the Florida Fire Prevention Code unless they were transmitted to the Florida Building Commission and the State Fire Marshal before the permit submission date.
• Additionally, the bill also requires a uniform summary inspection report for fire protections systems or fire hydrants showing total deficiencies by category and mandates that contractors also provide a detailed inspection report.

If You Missed Our Last Update, Here Are the Highlights:

HB 551 - Simplified Permitting - This bill is essentially a “glitch bill” to address a handful of areas in the Simplified Permitting statute that repeatedly were causing problems for our members. Although there were some hurdles for this legislation along the way, IAF worked collaboratively with Senate and House legislators, AFSA, FFSA, FFMIA & FFCA, to see the bill through the entire legislative process. The bill heads to the Governor’s desk next.

HB 683 - Construction Contracting - This bill amends various contracting provisions statutes, and revises the definition of “alarm system contractor” to amend the scope of certification to include the application of Article 722 of the National Electrical Code, and adds “surveillance cameras” under subsection (7) of section 489.505, Florida Statutes.

SB 1470 - School Safety - This legislation includes additional clarifications and requirements related to school safety. Of particular note is a provision within the bill that requires school panic alarm systems be integrated with a centralized system to allow seamless notification of law enforcement and emergency responders, and providing for digital maps to all first responders.

What Did Not Pass:

• SB 64/HB 223 - Electronic Monitoring Devices in Long-term Care Facilities (Nursing homes).
• HB 207/SB 1788 - Door Alarms for Multifamily Residential Properties
• HB 235/SB 1132 - Digital Right to Repair (although we secured an exemption for our industry in the legislation that was moving).
• SB 562/HB 491 - Use of Artificial Intelligence to Detect Firearms
• SB 658/HB 893 - Waiver or Release of Liens/Construct Liens & Bonds
• HB 991/HB 1461/SB 1452 - DBPR legislation (which morphed into the repeal of the ECLB and Part II, Chapter 489 continuing education - see SB 110 below.

Bills Still in Play During the Extension:

• SB 110 - Sen. Albritton's Rural Renaissance bill that was amended by the House with the DBPR board and commission repeals.
• SB 2500 - The Budget (we’ll be watching for surprise language related to DBPR).

Thankfully the legislative drama is over for the 2025 Session, but we are already preparing for the 2026 session as there is a quick turnaround before the interim committee weeks begin on October 6, followed by the start of the 2026 Regular Session on January 13.