HB 207 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb207-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to door alarms for multifamily 2
residential properties; creating s. 514.076, F.S.; 3
providing a short title; providing legislative 4
findings; providing definitions; requiring certain 5
properties to install and maintain door alarms on 6
certain doors beginning on a date certain; specifying 7
the person responsible for installing and maintaining 8
such door alarms; requiring door alarms to be 9
inspected annually; requiring documentation of such 10
inspection be maintained for a certain length of time; 11
requiring door alarms to be compliant with the Florida 12
Building Code; requiring the Department of Business 13
and Professional Regulation to enforce this act and 14
authorizing the department to use any enforcement 15
action authorized by law; providing administrative 16
fines; providing an effective date. 17
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19
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Section 1. Section 514.076, Florida Statutes, is cre ated 21
to read: 22
514.076 Multihousing Water Safety Act. — 23
(1) This section may be cited as the "Multihousing Water 24
Safety Act." 25
HB 207 2025
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(2) The Legislature finds that the safety and well -being 26
of residents in apartment complexes, condominiums, townhouses, 27
and similarly multifamily residential properties is of paramount 28
importance. The presence of swimming pools, retention ponds, 29
lakes, rivers, and other natural bodies of water on such 30
properties poses a significant risk to children and other 31
vulnerable population s. 32
(3) As used in this section, the term: 33
(a) "Apartment complex" means a building or group of 34
buildings on the same property, containing three or more 35
dwelling units. 36
(b) "Condominium" has the same meaning as in s. 718.103. 37
(c) "Door alarm" means a device that makes audible, 38
continuous alarm sounds with a minimum sound pressure rating of 39
85 dB A at 10 feet when the door on which it is installed is 40
opened or left ajar. 41
(d) "Multifamily residential property" means a residential 42
building or group of residential buildings, such as an 43
apartment, a townhouse, or a condominium, consisting of at least 44
five dwelling units on the same property. 45
(e) "Townhouse" has the same meaning as in s. 481.203. 46
(4) Beginning January 1, 2026, each apartment complex, 47
condominium, townhouse, and similar multifamily residential 48
property that has a public swimming pool, private pool, or 49
public bathing place on the property must install and maintain a 50
HB 207 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb207-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
door alarm on each door that leads directly to the public or 51
private pool or public bathing place. 52
(5) The property owner, principal owner, or manager of an 53
apartment complex, a condominium, a townhouse, or a similar 54
multifamily residential property must ensure that door alarms 55
are installed and maintained in working conditi on at all times. 56
A door alarm inspection must be conducted as part of the 57
property's annual building inspection in which similar safety 58
measures, such as fire alarms and fire sprinklers, are 59
inspected. The property owner, principal owner, or manager must 60
maintain documentation of such inspection, including sworn 61
affidavits, for at least 5 years. 62
(6) A door alarm must be compliant with the standards set 63
by the Florida Building Code. 64
(7) The Department of Business and Professional Regulation 65
is responsible for the enforcement of this section. The 66
department may take any enforcement action as authorized by law, 67
including, but not limited to, issuing cease and desist orders 68
and requiring corrective action. 69
(8) A property owner, principal owner, o r manager of an 70
apartment complex, a condominium, a townhouse, or a similar 71
multifamily residential property who fails to comply with this 72
section is subject to an administrative fine not exceeding $50 73
per day of noncompliance. 74
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 75