No. CS/CS/HB 1451
Filed under Local Government.
Utility Services; Requiring that certain public meetings be held as a condition precedent to the effectiveness of a new or extended agreement under which a municipality will provide specified utility services in other municipalities or unincorporated areas; requiring municipalities that provide specified utility services to report certain information by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Florida Public Service Commission; requiring the commission to compile such information and submit a report by a specified date, and annually thereafter, to the Governor and the Legislature; preempting to the state the subject of a regional utilities authority, etc.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDMunicipalities must hold public meetings in each area served before a new or extended utility agreement takes effect. This applies to electric, water, gas, and sewer services provided outside city limits.
Municipalities must report customer counts, revenues, and rate differentials to the Public Service Commission annually. The Commission will then submit a compiled report to the Governor and Legislature.
Municipalities may no longer add a 25 percent surcharge to outside rates. Existing surcharges tied to bond covenants must be phased out by 2029.
The state preempts the subject of regional utilities authorities created by charter amendment after 2023.
AIMandates a public meeting in every municipality and unincorporated area served before a new or materially amended utility agreement can take effect.
AIRequires municipalities to phase out pre-existing out-of-boundary surcharges by July 1, 2029, or upon debt retirement, whichever occurs earlier.
AIRequires municipalities providing utility services outside their boundaries to file annual reports detailing customer counts, revenues, rate differentials, and nonutility fund usage.
AIPreempts the state over the subject of regional utilities authorities created by charter amendment after January 1, 2023.
AICaps the maximum allowable rate differential for out-of-boundary water and sewer customers at 25 percent, down from the previous 50 percent cap.