Florida Senate - 2025 SB 180 By Senator DiCeglie 18-00937-25 2025180__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to emergency preparedness and 3 response; amending s. 161.101, F.S.; authorizing the 4 Department of Environmental Protection to waive or 5 reduce local government match requirements under 6 certain circumstances; providing for future 7 expiration; amending s. 193.4518, F.S.; providing a 8 tangible personal property assessment limitation, 9 during a certain timeframe and in certain counties, 10 for certain agricultural equipment that is unable to 11 be used due to Hurricanes Debby, Helene, or Milton; 12 specifying conditions for applying for and receiving 13 the assessment limitation; providing procedures for 14 petitioning the value adjustment board if an 15 application is denied; providing applicability; 16 amending s. 215.559, F.S.; deleting a reference to a 17 certain report; revising public hurricane shelter 18 funding prioritization requirements for the Division 19 of Emergency Management; amending s. 250.375, F.S.; 20 authorizing certain servicemembers to provide medical 21 care in specified circumstances; amending s. 252.35, 22 F.S.; providing legislative intent; revising the date 23 by which the state comprehensive emergency management 24 plan must be submitted to the Legislature and the 25 Governor; revising the components of the plan; 26 requiring the division to provide certain assistance 27 to political subdivisions; revising requirements for 28 training provided by the division; revising inventory 29 requirements; deleting a requirement for a certain 30 biennial report; requiring the division to conduct an 31 annual hurricane readiness session in each region 32 designated by the division for a specified purpose; 33 requiring all county emergency management directors, 34 and authorizing others county and municipal personnel, 35 to attend, such session; requiring that the session 36 include specified topics and needs; amending s. 37 252.355, F.S.; authorizing the Department of Veterans 38 Affairs to provide certain information to specified 39 clients or their caregivers; amending s. 252.3611, 40 F.S.; directing specified entities to submit specified 41 contracts and reports to the Legislature under 42 specified conditions; requiring that such contracts be 43 posted on a specified secure contract system; 44 requiring the Auditor General to post the results of 45 specified audits on his or her official website; 46 requiring the division to report annually to the 47 Legislature specified information on expenditures 48 related to emergencies; providing requirements for 49 such report; amending s. 252.365, F.S.; revising the 50 responsibilities for agency emergency coordination 51 officers; requiring agency heads to notify the 52 Governor and the division of the person designated as 53 the emergency coordination officer annually by a 54 specified date; amending s. 252.3655, F.S.; creating 55 the natural hazards risks and mitigation interagency 56 coordinating group; providing the purpose of the 57 group; providing for the membership and administration 58 of the group; requiring agency representatives to 59 provide information relating to natural hazards to 60 this state, agency resources, efforts to address and 61 mitigate risk and impacts of natural hazards; 62 requiring the group to meet in person or by 63 communication media technology at least quarterly for 64 specified purposes; requiring specified agency heads 65 to meet at least annually to strategize and prioritize 66 state efforts; requiring the division, on behalf of 67 the group, to prepare a certain progress report; 68 revising the requirements of such report; revising 69 requirements for an annual progress report by the 70 division on behalf of the group; requiring the 71 division, on behalf of the group, to submit such 72 report to the Governor and the Legislature; creating 73 s. 252.3713, F.S.; requiring the division to 74 administer the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program; 75 authorizing the division to retain a specified 76 percentage of the funds for state use; requiring that 77 the remaining percentage be distributed for use by 78 certain recipients; authorizing subrecipients to make 79 a certain election for a specified use; requiring the 80 prioritization of certain projects; authorizing the 81 division to coordinate with specified entities under 82 certain circumstances; requiring that such cooperation 83 ensures certain requirements are met and certain 84 projects are funded; authorizing fiscally constrained 85 counties to request that the division administer the 86 grant for such a county; authorizing such counties to 87 request certain assistance from the division; 88 requiring the division to adopt rules; amending s. 89 252.373, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending 90 s. 252.38, F.S.; requiring each political subdivision 91 to notify the division of the designated emergency 92 contact annually by a specified date; amending s. 93 252.385, F.S.; revising reporting requirements for the 94 division; revising requirements for a specified list; 95 requiring the Department of Health and the Agency for 96 Persons with Disabilities to assist the division with 97 certain determinations; creating s. 252.392, F.S.; 98 requiring counties and municipalities to develop a 99 post-storm permitting plan; providing requirements for 100 the plan; requiring annual updates to the plan by a 101 specified date; requiring counties and municipalities 102 to publish, and post on their websites, a specified 103 storm recovery guide annually by a specified date; 104 prohibiting certain counties and municipalities from 105 increasing building permit or inspection fees within a 106 specified timeframe; requiring such counties and 107 municipalities to have certain personnel available 108 during normal business hours; amending s. 400.063, 109 F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 110 403.7071, F.S.; providing that local governments are 111 authorized and encouraged to add addendums to certain 112 contracts or agreements; requiring counties and 113 municipalities to apply to the Department of 114 Environmental Protection for authorization to 115 designate at least one debris management site; 116 authorizing municipalities to apply jointly with a 117 county or another adjacent municipality for 118 authorization of a minimum number of debris management 119 sites if such entities approve a memorandum of 120 understanding; providing requirements for such 121 memoranda; prohibiting certain counties from proposing 122 or adopting certain moratoriums, amendments, or 123 procedures for a specified period; declaring that such 124 moratoriums, amendments, or procedures are null and 125 void; providing for retroactive application; providing 126 that certain comprehensive plan amendments, land 127 development regulation amendments, site plans, and 128 development permits or orders may be enforced under 129 specified conditions; providing for future expiration; 130 reenacting s. 252.55(6), F.S., relating to a certain 131 biennial report submitted by the wing commander of the 132 Civil Air Patrol, to incorporate the amendment made to 133 s. 252.35, F.S., in a reference thereto; providing 134 effective dates. 135 136 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 137 138 Section 1.Subsection (23) is added to section 161.101, 139 Florida Statutes, to read: 140 161.101State and local participation in authorized 141 projects and studies relating to beach management and erosion 142 control. 143 (23)Notwithstanding subsections (1), (15), and (16), and 144 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, for beaches located in any county 145 listed in a federal declaration of disaster in 2024 that were 146 impacted by erosion caused by Hurricane Debby, Hurricane Helene, 147 or Hurricane Milton, the department may waive or reduce the 148 match requirements for local governments. This subsection 149 expires July 1, 2026. 150 Section 2.Section 193.4518, Florida Statutes, is amended 151 to read: 152 193.4518Assessment of agricultural equipment rendered 153 unable to be used due to hurricanes Hurricane Idalia. 154 (1)As used in this section, the term: 155 (a)Farm has the same meaning as provided in s. 156 823.14(3). 157 (b)Farm operation has the same meaning as provided in s. 158 823.14(3). 159 (c)Unable to be used means the tangible personal 160 property was damaged, or the farm, farm operation, or 161 agricultural processing facility was affected, to such a degree 162 that the tangible personal property could not be used for its 163 intended purpose. 164 (2)(a)For purposes of ad valorem taxation and applying to 165 the 2024 tax roll only, tangible personal property owned and 166 operated by a farm, a farm operation, or an agriculture 167 processing facility located in Charlotte County, Citrus County, 168 Columbia County, Dixie County, Gilchrist County, Hamilton 169 County, Hernando County, Jefferson County, Lafayette County, 170 Levy County, Madison County, Manatee County, Pasco County, 171 Pinellas County, Sarasota County, Suwannee County, or Taylor 172 County is deemed to have a market value no greater than its 173 value for salvage if the tangible personal property was unable 174 to be used for at least 60 days due to the effects of Hurricane 175 Idalia. 176 (b)(3)The deadline for an applicant to file an application 177 with the property appraiser for assessment pursuant to this 178 subsection section is March 1, 2024. 179 (c)(4)If the property appraiser denies an application, the 180 applicant may file, pursuant to s. 194.011(3), a petition with 181 the value adjustment board which requests that the tangible 182 personal property be assessed pursuant to this section. Such 183 petition must be filed on or before the 25th day after the 184 mailing by the property appraiser during the 2024 calendar year 185 of the notice required under s. 194.011(1). 186 (d)(5)This subsection section applies to tax rolls 187 beginning January 1, 2024. 188 (3)(a)For purposes of ad valorem taxation and applying to 189 the 2025 tax roll only, tangible personal property owned and 190 operated by a farm, a farm operation, or an agriculture 191 processing facility located in Alachua County, Baker County, 192 Bradford County, Brevard County, Charlotte County, Citrus 193 County, Clay County, Collier County, Columbia County, DeSoto 194 County, Dixie County, Duval County, Flagler County, Franklin 195 County, Gilchrist County, Glades County, Gulf County, Hamilton 196 County, Hardee County, Hendry County, Hernando County, Highlands 197 County, Hillsborough County, Indian River County, Jefferson 198 County, Lafayette County, Lake County, Lee County, Leon County, 199 Levy County, Madison County, Manatee County, Marion County, 200 Martin County, Okeechobee County, Orange County, Osceola County, 201 Palm Beach County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, Polk County, 202 Putnam County, Sarasota County, Seminole County, St. Johns 203 County, St. Lucie County, Sumter County, Suwannee County, Taylor 204 County, Union County, Volusia County, or Wakulla County is 205 deemed to have a market value no greater than its value for 206 salvage if the tangible personal property was unable to be used 207 for at least 60 days due to the effects of Hurricanes Debby, 208 Helene, and Milton. 209 (b)The deadline for an applicant to file an application 210 with the property appraiser for assessment pursuant to this 211 subsection is August 1, 2025. 212 (c)If the property appraiser denies an application, the 213 applicant may file, pursuant to s. 194.011(3), a petition with 214 the value adjustment board which requests that the tangible 215 personal property be assessed pursuant to this section. Such 216 petition must be filed on or before the 25th day after the 217 mailing by the property appraiser during the 2025 calendar year 218 of the notice required under s. 194.011(1). 219 (d)This subsection applies to tax rolls beginning January 220 1, 2025. 221 Section 3.Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 222 215.559, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 223 215.559Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program.A Hurricane Loss 224 Mitigation Program is established in the Division of Emergency 225 Management. 226 (1)The Legislature shall annually appropriate $10 million 227 of the moneys authorized for appropriation under s. 228 215.555(7)(c) from the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to the 229 division for the purposes set forth in this section. Of the 230 amount: 231 (b)Three million dollars in funds shall be used to 232 construct or retrofit facilities used as public hurricane 233 shelters. Each year the division shall prioritize the use of 234 these funds for projects included in the annual report of the 235 Shelter Development Report prepared in accordance with s. 236 252.385(3). The division shall must give funding priority to 237 projects located in counties regional planning council regions 238 that have shelter deficits, projects that are publicly owned, 239 other than schools, and to projects that maximize the use of 240 state funds. 241 Section 4.Section 250.375, Florida Statutes, is amended to 242 read: 243 250.375Medical officer authorization.A servicemember 244 trained to provide medical care who is assigned to a military 245 duty position and authorized by the Florida National Guard to 246 provide medical care by virtue of such duty position may provide 247 such medical care to military personnel and civilians within 248 this state physician who holds an active license to practice 249 medicine in any state, a United States territory, or the 250 District of Columbia, while serving as a medical officer with or 251 in support of the Florida National Guard, pursuant to federal or 252 state orders, may practice medicine on military personnel or 253 civilians during an emergency or declared disaster or during 254 federal military training. 255 Section 5.Subsection (1) and paragraphs (a), (c), (n), 256 (s), and (x) of subsection (2) of section 252.35, Florida 257 Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (dd) is added to that 258 subsection, to read: 259 252.35Emergency management powers; Division of Emergency 260 Management. 261 (1)The division is responsible for maintaining a 262 comprehensive statewide program of emergency management. The 263 division is responsible for coordination with efforts of the 264 Federal Government with other departments and agencies of state 265 government, with county and municipal governments and school 266 boards, and with private agencies that have a role in emergency 267 management. The Legislature intends for other departments and 268 agencies of state government, county and municipal governments 269 and school boards, and private agencies that have a role in 270 emergency management to coordinate to the greatest extent 271 possible in the provision of emergency management efforts 272 through the division. 273 (2)The division is responsible for carrying out the 274 provisions of ss. 252.31-252.90. In performing its duties, the 275 division shall: 276 (a)Prepare a state comprehensive emergency management 277 plan, which must shall be integrated into and coordinated with 278 the emergency management plans and programs of the Federal 279 Government. The complete state comprehensive emergency 280 management plan must be submitted to the President of the 281 Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the 282 Governor on October 1 of every odd-numbered year. The division 283 shall adopt the plan as a rule in accordance with chapter 120. 284 The plan must be implemented by a continuous, integrated 285 comprehensive emergency management program. The plan must 286 contain provisions to ensure that the state is prepared for 287 emergencies and minor, major, and catastrophic disasters, and 288 the division shall work closely with local governments and 289 agencies and organizations with emergency management 290 responsibilities in preparing and maintaining the plan. The 291 state comprehensive emergency management plan must be operations 292 oriented and: 293 1.Include an evacuation component that includes specific 294 regional and interregional planning provisions and promotes 295 intergovernmental coordination of evacuation activities. This 296 component must, at a minimum: contain guidelines for lifting 297 tolls on state highways; ensure coordination pertaining to 298 evacuees crossing county lines; set forth procedures for 299 directing people caught on evacuation routes to safe shelter; 300 establish strategies for ensuring sufficient, reasonably priced 301 fueling locations along evacuation routes; and establish 302 policies and strategies for emergency medical evacuations. 303 2.Include a shelter component that includes specific 304 regional and interregional planning provisions and promotes 305 coordination of shelter activities between the public, private, 306 and nonprofit sectors. This component must, at a minimum: 307 contain strategies to ensure the availability of adequate public 308 shelter space in each county region of the state; establish 309 strategies for refuge-of-last-resort programs; provide 310 strategies to assist local emergency management efforts to 311 ensure that adequate staffing plans exist for all shelters, 312 including medical and security personnel; provide for a 313 postdisaster communications system for public shelters; 314 establish model shelter guidelines for operations, registration, 315 inventory, power generation capability, information management, 316 and staffing; and set forth policy guidance for sheltering 317 people with special needs. 318 3.Include a postdisaster response and recovery component 319 that includes specific regional and interregional planning 320 provisions and promotes intergovernmental coordination of 321 postdisaster response and recovery activities. This component 322 must provide for postdisaster response and recovery strategies 323 according to whether a disaster is minor, major, or 324 catastrophic. The postdisaster response and recovery component 325 must, at a minimum: establish the structure of the states 326 postdisaster response and recovery organization; establish 327 procedures for activating the states plan; set forth policies 328 used to guide postdisaster response and recovery activities; 329 describe the chain of command during the postdisaster response 330 and recovery period; describe initial and continuous 331 postdisaster response and recovery actions; identify the roles 332 and responsibilities of each involved agency and organization; 333 provide for a comprehensive communications plan; establish 334 procedures for monitoring mutual aid agreements; provide for 335 rapid impact assessment teams; ensure the availability of an 336 effective statewide urban search and rescue program coordinated 337 with the fire services; ensure the existence of a comprehensive 338 statewide medical care and relief plan administered by the 339 Department of Health; and establish systems for coordinating 340 volunteers and accepting and distributing donated funds and 341 goods. 342 4.Include additional provisions addressing aspects of 343 preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation as determined 344 necessary by the division. 345 5.Address the need for coordinated and expeditious 346 deployment of state resources, including the Florida National 347 Guard. In the case of an imminent major disaster, procedures 348 should address predeployment of the Florida National Guard, and, 349 in the case of an imminent catastrophic disaster, procedures 350 should address predeployment of the Florida National Guard and 351 the United States Armed Forces. 352 6.Establish a system of communications and warning to 353 ensure that the states population and emergency management 354 agencies are warned of developing emergency situations, 355 including public health emergencies, and can communicate 356 emergency response decisions. 357 7.Establish guidelines and schedules for annual exercises 358 that evaluate the ability of the state and its political 359 subdivisions to respond to minor, major, and catastrophic 360 disasters and support local emergency management agencies. Such 361 exercises shall be coordinated with local governments and, to 362 the extent possible, the Federal Government. 363 8.Assign lead and support responsibilities to state 364 agencies and personnel for emergency support functions and other 365 support activities. 366 9.Include the public health emergency plan developed by 367 the Department of Health pursuant to s. 381.00315. 368 10.Include an update on the status of the emergency 369 management capabilities of the state and its political 370 subdivisions. 371 372 The complete state comprehensive emergency management plan must 373 be submitted to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the 374 House of Representatives, and the Governor on February 1 of 375 every even-numbered year. 376 (c)Assist political subdivisions in preparing and 377 maintaining emergency management plans. Such assistance must 378 include the development of a template for comprehensive 379 emergency management plans and guidance on the development of 380 mutual aid agreements when requested by the political 381 subdivision. 382 (n)Implement training programs to maintain Floridas 383 status as a national leader in emergency management and improve 384 the ability of state and local emergency management personnel to 385 prepare and implement emergency management plans and programs. 386 This must shall include a continuous training program for 387 agencies and individuals who that will be called on to perform 388 key roles in state and local postdisaster response and recovery 389 efforts and for local government personnel on federal and state 390 postdisaster response and recovery strategies and procedures. 391 The division shall specify requirements for the minimum number 392 of training hours that county or municipal administrators, 393 county or city managers, county or municipal emergency 394 management directors, and county or municipal public works 395 directors or other officials responsible for the construction 396 and maintenance of public infrastructure must complete 397 biennially in addition to the training required pursuant to s. 398 252.38(1)(b). 399 (s)Complete an inventory of disaster response equipment, 400 including portable generators owned by the state and local 401 governments which are capable of operating during a major 402 disaster. The inventory must identify, at a minimum, the 403 location of each generator, the number of generators stored at 404 each specific location, the agency to which each generator 405 belongs, the primary use of the generator by the owner agency, 406 and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of persons 407 having the authority to loan the stored generators as authorized 408 by the division during a declared emergency. 409 (x)Report biennially to the President of the Senate, the 410 Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chief Justice of 411 the Supreme Court, and the Governor, no later than February 1 of 412 every odd-numbered year, the status of the emergency management 413 capabilities of the state and its political subdivisions. This 414 report must include the emergency management capabilities 415 related to public health emergencies, as determined in 416 collaboration with the Department of Health. 417 (dd)Conduct, by April 1 of each year, an annual hurricane 418 readiness session in each region designated by the division to 419 facilitate coordination between all emergency management 420 stakeholders. Each county emergency management director, or his 421 or her designee, shall, and other county and municipal personnel 422 may, attend the session for his or her region. A session must 423 include, but is not limited to, guidance on timelines for 424 preparation and response, information on state and federal 425 postdisaster resources and assistance, guidance to promote 426 efficient and expedited rebuilding of the community after a 427 hurricane, best practices for coordination and communication 428 among entities engaged in postdisaster response and recovery, 429 and discussion of any outstanding county or municipal 430 preparedness or readiness needs. 431 Section 6.Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 432 252.355, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 433 252.355Registry of persons with special needs; notice; 434 registration program. 435 (2)In order to ensure that all persons with special needs 436 may register, the division shall develop and maintain a special 437 needs shelter registration program. During a public health 438 emergency in which physical distancing is necessary, as 439 determined by the State Health Officer, the division must 440 maintain information on special needs shelter options that 441 mitigate the threat of the spread of infectious diseases. 442 (b)To assist in identifying persons with special needs, 443 home health agencies, hospices, nurse registries, home medical 444 equipment providers, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 445 Department of Children and Families, the Department of Health, 446 the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of 447 Education, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the 448 Department of Elderly Affairs, and memory disorder clinics 449 shall, and any physician licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 450 459 and any pharmacy licensed under chapter 465 may, annually 451 provide registration information to all of their special needs 452 clients or their caregivers. The division shall develop a 453 brochure that provides information regarding special needs 454 shelter registration procedures. The brochure must be easily 455 accessible on the divisions website. All appropriate agencies 456 and community-based service providers, including aging and 457 disability resource centers, memory disorder clinics, home 458 health care providers, hospices, nurse registries, and home 459 medical equipment providers, shall, and any physician licensed 460 under chapter 458 or chapter 459 may, assist emergency 461 management agencies by annually registering persons with special 462 needs for special needs shelters, collecting registration 463 information for persons with special needs as part of the 464 program intake process, and establishing programs to educate 465 clients about the registration process and disaster preparedness 466 safety procedures. A client of a state-funded or federally 467 funded service program who has a physical, mental, or cognitive 468 impairment or sensory disability and who needs assistance in 469 evacuating, or when in a shelter, must register as a person with 470 special needs. The registration program shall give persons with 471 special needs the option of preauthorizing emergency response 472 personnel to enter their homes during search and rescue 473 operations if necessary to ensure their safety and welfare 474 following disasters. 475 Section 7.Subsections (2), (3), and (4) of section 476 252.3611, Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (5) is 477 added to that section, to read: 478 252.3611Transparency; audits. 479 (2)If When the duration of a declaration of a state of an 480 emergency issued by the Governor exceeds 90 days, regardless of 481 whether pursuant to the original declaration or extensions of 482 the same declaration: 483 (a)1.The Executive Office of the Governor or the 484 appropriate agency, within 72 hours after of executing a 485 contract executed with moneys authorized for expenditure to 486 support the response to the declared state of emergency, must 487 the Executive Office of the Governor or the appropriate agency 488 shall submit a copy of such contract to the Legislature. For 489 contracts executed during the first 90 days of the declared 490 state of emergency, the Executive Office of the Governor or the 491 appropriate agency shall submit a copy to the Legislature within 492 the first 120 days of the declared state of emergency. 493 2.All contracts executed to support the response to a 494 declared state of emergency, including contracts executed before 495 a declared state of emergency to secure resources or services in 496 advance or anticipation of an emergency, must be posted on the 497 secure contract tracking system required under s. 215.985(14). 498 (b)The Executive Office of the Governor or the appropriate 499 agency shall submit monthly reports to the Legislature of all 500 state expenditures, revenues received, and funds transferred by 501 an agency during the previous month to support the declared 502 state of emergency. 503 (3)Once an emergency exceeds 1 year, the Auditor General 504 shall conduct a financial audit of all associated expenditures 505 and a compliance audit of all associated contracts entered into 506 during the declared emergency. The Auditor General shall must 507 update the audit annually until the emergency is declared to be 508 ended. The Auditor General shall post the results of the audits 509 on his or her official website. 510 (4)Following the expiration or termination of a state of 511 emergency, the Auditor General shall conduct a financial audit 512 of all associated expenditures and a compliance audit of all 513 associated contracts entered into during the state of emergency. 514 The Auditor General shall post the results of the audits on his 515 or her official website. 516 (5)Annually by January 15, the division shall report to 517 the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 518 Representatives, and the chairs of the appropriations committee 519 of each house of the Legislature on expenditures related to 520 emergencies incurred over the year from November 1 of the 521 previous year. The report must include: 522 (a)A separate summary of each emergency event, whether 523 complete or ongoing, and key actions taken by the division. 524 (b)Details of expenditures, separated by emergency event 525 and agency, for preparing for, responding to, or recovering from 526 the event. The report must specify detailed expenditures for the 527 entire report time period; specify total expenditures for the 528 event; and indicate amounts that are being or are anticipated to 529 be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or 530 other federal entity, amounts ineligible for reimbursement, and 531 any amounts deobligated by the Federal Emergency Management 532 Agency or other federal entity for reimbursement. The division 533 shall review expenditures by state agencies to ensure that 534 efforts, purchases, contracts, or expenditures are not 535 duplicated. 536 (c)An accounting of all inventory and assets purchased, 537 separated by emergency event and agency, for preparing for, 538 responding to, or recovering from the event, including motor 539 vehicles, boats, computers, and other equipment, and the current 540 status of such assets, including divestment, sale, or donation 541 by the state. The report must include a detailed accounting for 542 the entire report time period and specify a total for the event. 543 Section 8.Subsections (2) and (4) of section 252.365, 544 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 545 252.365Emergency coordination officers; disaster 546 preparedness plans. 547 (2)The emergency coordination officer is responsible for 548 coordinating with the division on emergency preparedness issues, 549 preparing and maintaining emergency preparedness and 550 postdisaster response and recovery plans for such agency, 551 maintaining rosters of personnel to assist in disaster 552 operations, and coordinating appropriate training for agency 553 personnel, and coordinating with the division on emergency 554 preparedness and recovery issues, including identifying 555 priorities for postdisaster long-term recovery activities. 556 (4)On or before May 1 of each year, the head of each 557 agency shall notify the Governor and the division in writing of 558 the person initially designated as the emergency coordination 559 officer for such agency and her or his alternate and of any 560 changes in persons so designated thereafter. 561 Section 9.Section 252.3655, Florida Statutes, is amended 562 to read: 563 252.3655Natural hazards risks and mitigation interagency 564 coordinating group workgroup. 565 (1)(a)An interagency coordinating group workgroup is 566 created for the purpose of sharing information on the current 567 and potential risks and impacts of natural hazards throughout 568 this the state, coordinating the ongoing efforts of state 569 agencies in addressing and mitigating the risks and impacts of 570 natural hazards, and collaborating on statewide initiatives to 571 address and mitigate the risks and impacts of natural hazards. 572 As used in this section, the term natural hazards includes, 573 but is not limited to, extreme heat, drought, wildfire, sea 574 level change, high tides, storm surge, saltwater intrusion, 575 stormwater runoff, flash floods, inland flooding, and coastal 576 flooding. 577 (b)The agency head, or his or her designated senior 578 manager, from each of the following agencies shall serve on the 579 coordinating group: 580 1.Agency for Health Care Administration. 581 2.Chief Resilience Officer of the Statewide Office of 582 Resilience. 583 3.Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. 584 4.Department of Commerce. 585 5.Department of Environmental Protection. 586 6.Department of Health. 587 7.Department of Law Enforcement. 588 8.Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. 589 9.Department of Military Affairs. 590 10.Division of Emergency Management. 591 11.Department of Transportation. 592 12.Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 593 13.Office of Insurance Regulation. 594 14.Public Service Commission Each agency within the 595 executive branch of state government, each water management 596 district, and the Florida Public Service Commission shall select 597 from within such agency a person to be designated as the agency 598 liaison to the workgroup. 599 (c)The director of the Division of Emergency Management, 600 or his or her designee, shall serve as the administrator liaison 601 to and coordinator of the coordinating group workgroup. 602 (d)Each agency representative liaison shall provide 603 information from his or her respective agency, including all 604 relevant reports, on the current and potential risks and impacts 605 of natural hazards to this state to his or her agency, agency 606 resources available, and efforts made by the agency to address 607 and mitigate the risks and impacts of against natural hazards, 608 and efforts made by the agency to address the impacts of natural 609 hazards. 610 (e)1.The coordinating group workgroup shall meet in person 611 or by means of communications media technology as provided in s. 612 120.54(5)(b)2. at least teleconference on a quarterly basis to 613 share information, leverage agency resources, coordinate ongoing 614 efforts, and provide information for inclusion in the annual 615 progress report submitted pursuant to subsection (2). Agency 616 heads for the agencies listed in paragraph (b) shall meet in 617 person at least annually to collectively strategize and 618 prioritize state efforts. 619 2.Information regarding the coordinating group, including 620 meeting agendas and reports, must be posted in a conspicuous 621 location on the divisions website. 622 (2)(a)On behalf of the coordinating group workgroup, the 623 division of Emergency Management shall prepare an annual 624 progress report on the implementation of the states hazard 625 mitigation plan, developed and submitted in accordance with 42 626 U.S.C. s. 5165 and any implementing regulations, as it relates 627 to natural hazards. At a minimum, the annual progress report 628 must: 629 1.Assess each agencys the relevance, level, and 630 significance of current agency efforts to address and mitigate 631 the risks and impacts of natural hazards; and 632 2.Strategize and prioritize ongoing efforts to address and 633 mitigate the risks and impacts of natural hazards;. 634 3.Provide recommendations regarding statutory changes and 635 funding that may assist in addressing or mitigating the risks 636 and impacts of natural hazards; and 637 4.Provide recommendations for state and local natural 638 hazard mitigation strategies. 639 (b)Each liaison is responsible for ensuring that the 640 workgroups annual progress report is posted on his or her 641 agencys website. 642 (c)By January 1 of each year, 2019, and each year 643 thereafter, the division on behalf of the coordinating group 644 workgroup shall submit the annual progress report to the 645 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the 646 House of Representatives. 647 Section 10.Section 252.3713, Florida Statutes, is created 648 to read: 649 252.3713Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. 650 (1)The division shall administer the Hazard Mitigation 651 Grant Program as authorized and described in s. 404 of the 652 Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 653 as amended by Pub. L. No. 103-181, Pub. L. No. 103-337, and Pub. 654 L. No. 106-390. 655 (2)The division may retain no more than 25 percent of any 656 funds received for use by the state. A minimum of 75 percent of 657 any funds received must be distributed for use by the 658 subrecipients in the counties specified in the Presidential 659 Disaster Declaration. However, a subrecipient may elect to share 660 some or all of its allocation with the division to be used for 661 projects benefiting the region in which the subrecipient is 662 located. 663 (3)The division and subrecipients shall prioritize 664 projects that fulfill the following purposes when adopting 665 mitigation strategies and plans and applying for funds under the 666 grant program: 667 (a)Reducing shelter space deficits through retrofitting of 668 existing shelters and hardening of public buildings that are not 669 schools. Reducing deficits in shelter space intended to 670 accommodate individuals with special needs must be prioritized 671 before addressing deficits in other types of shelter space. 672 (b)Mitigating impacts to public infrastructure, including 673 roads, bridges, and stormwater, water, and sewer systems, to 674 enhance resistance to natural hazards and prevent and reduce 675 losses. 676 (c)Mitigating impacts to school facilities which will 677 reduce future disaster losses and make the facilities more 678 resistant to natural hazards. 679 (d)Retrofitting of regional and local emergency management 680 or operations centers. 681 (e)Other projects that the division may define by rule. 682 (4)The division may coordinate with other state agencies 683 and political subdivisions to develop and implement innovative 684 approaches to funding mitigation projects using grants under the 685 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, including, but not limited to, 686 combining funding received from multiple federal and state 687 programs. The division, in cooperation with other state agencies 688 that administer federal grant programs, shall ensure that: 689 (a)Projects funded through multiple programs comply with 690 all applicable federal and state requirements of the respective 691 programs under which funding was received. 692 (b)Funding is used for projects in the geographic areas 693 specified in the grant of funding. 694 (5)A fiscally constrained county may request that the 695 division administer the grant for such county. A fiscally 696 constrained county may request additional assistance from the 697 division in preparing applications for grants and developing a 698 structure for implementing, monitoring the execution of, and 699 closing out projects. 700 (6)The division shall adopt rules to implement this 701 section. 702 Section 11.Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 703 252.373, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 704 252.373Allocation of funds; rules. 705 (2)The division shall allocate funds from the Emergency 706 Management, Preparedness, and Assistance Trust Fund to local 707 emergency management agencies and programs pursuant to criteria 708 specified in rule. Such rules shall include, but are not limited 709 to: 710 (a)Requiring that, at a minimum, a local emergency 711 management agency either: 712 1.Have a program director who works at least 40 hours a 713 week in that capacity; or 714 2.If the county has fewer than 75,000 population or is 715 party to an interjurisdictional emergency management agreement 716 entered into pursuant to s. 252.38(3)(c) s. 252.38(3)(b), that 717 is recognized by the Governor by executive order or rule, have 718 an emergency management coordinator who works at least 20 hours 719 a week in that capacity. 720 Section 12.Present paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection 721 (3) of section 252.38, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 722 paragraphs (b) and (c), respectively, a new paragraph (a) is 723 added to that subsection, and paragraph (a) of subsection (1) is 724 amended, to read: 725 252.38Emergency management powers of political 726 subdivisions.Safeguarding the life and property of its citizens 727 is an innate responsibility of the governing body of each 728 political subdivision of the state. 729 (1)COUNTIES. 730 (a)In order to provide effective and orderly governmental 731 control and coordination of emergency operations in emergencies 732 within the scope of ss. 252.31-252.90, each county within this 733 state shall be within the jurisdiction of, and served by, the 734 division. Except as otherwise provided in ss. 252.31-252.90, 735 each local emergency management agency shall have jurisdiction 736 over and serve an entire county. Unless part of an 737 interjurisdictional emergency management agreement entered into 738 pursuant to paragraph (3)(c) (3)(b) which is recognized by the 739 Governor by executive order or rule, each county must establish 740 and maintain such an emergency management agency and shall 741 develop a county emergency management plan and program that is 742 coordinated and consistent with the state comprehensive 743 emergency management plan and program. Counties that are part of 744 an interjurisdictional emergency management agreement entered 745 into pursuant to paragraph (3)(b) which is recognized by the 746 Governor by executive order or rule shall cooperatively develop 747 an emergency management plan and program that is coordinated and 748 consistent with the state comprehensive emergency management 749 plan and program. 750 (3)EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT POWERS; POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. 751 (a)Each political subdivision shall notify the division on 752 or before May 1 each year of the person designated as the 753 emergency contact for the political subdivision and his or her 754 alternate and of any changes in persons so designated 755 thereafter. For a county, this includes the county emergency 756 management director. 757 Section 13.Subsections (2) and (3) of section 252.385, 758 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 759 252.385Public shelter space; public records exemption. 760 (2)(a)The division shall administer a program to survey 761 existing schools, universities, community colleges, and other 762 state-owned, municipally owned, and county-owned public 763 buildings and any private facility that the owner, in writing, 764 agrees to provide for use as a public hurricane evacuation 765 shelter to identify those that are appropriately designed and 766 located to serve as such shelters. The owners of the facilities 767 must be given the opportunity to participate in the surveys. The 768 state university boards of trustees, district school boards, 769 community college boards of trustees, and the Department of 770 Education are responsible for coordinating and implementing the 771 survey of public schools, universities, and community colleges 772 with the division or the local emergency management agency. 773 (b)By January 31 of each even-numbered year, the division 774 shall prepare and submit a statewide emergency shelter plan to 775 the Governor and Cabinet for approval, subject to the 776 requirements for approval in s. 1013.37(2). The emergency 777 shelter plan must project, for each of the next 5 years, the 778 hurricane shelter needs of the state, including periods of time 779 during which a concurrent public health emergency may 780 necessitate more space for each individual to accommodate 781 physical distancing. In addition to information on the general 782 shelter needs throughout this state, the plan must identify the 783 general location and square footage of special needs shelters, 784 by regional planning council region. The plan must also include 785 information on the availability of shelters that accept pets. 786 The Department of Health shall assist the division in 787 determining the estimated need for special needs shelter space 788 and the adequacy of facilities to meet the needs of persons with 789 special needs based on information from the registries of 790 persons with special needs and other information. 791 (3)(a)The division shall annually provide by October 15 to 792 the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of 793 the House of Representatives, and the Governor a report that 794 includes a list of facilities recommended to be retrofitted 795 using state funds. State funds should be maximized and targeted 796 to projects in counties regional planning council regions with 797 hurricane evacuation shelter deficits. Additionally, the 798 division shall prioritize on the list of recommended facilities 799 other state-owned, municipal-owned, and county-owned public 800 buildings, other than schools, for retrofit using state funds. 801 The owner or lessee of a public hurricane evacuation shelter 802 that is included on the list of facilities recommended for 803 retrofitting is not required to perform any recommended 804 improvements. 805 (b)The report required in paragraph (a) must include a 806 statewide emergency shelter plan that must project, for each of 807 the next 5 years, the hurricane shelter needs of the state. In 808 addition to information on the general shelter needs throughout 809 this state, the plan must identify, by county, the general 810 location and square footage of special needs shelters. The plan 811 must also include information on the availability of shelters 812 that accept pets. The Department of Health and the Agency for 813 Persons with Disabilities shall assist the division in 814 determining the estimated need for special needs shelter space, 815 the estimated need for general shelter space to accommodate 816 persons with developmental disabilities, including, but not 817 limited to, autism, and the adequacy of facilities to meet the 818 needs of persons with special needs based on information from 819 the registries of persons with special needs and other 820 information. 821 Section 14.Section 252.392, Florida Statutes, is created 822 to read: 823 252.392Post-storm county and municipal permitting; 824 operations. 825 (1)(a)Each county and municipality shall develop a post 826 storm permitting plan to expedite recovery and rebuilding by 827 providing for special building permit and inspection procedures 828 after a hurricane or tropical storm. The plan must, at a 829 minimum: 830 1.Ensure sufficient personnel are prepared and available 831 to expeditiously manage post-disaster building inspection, 832 permitting, and enforcement tasks. The plan must anticipate 833 conditions that would necessitate supplemental personnel for 834 such tasks and address methods for fulfilling such personnel 835 needs, including through mutual aid agreements as authorized in 836 s. 252.40, other arrangements, such as those with private sector 837 contractors, or supplemental state or federal funding. The plan 838 must include training requirements and protocols for 839 supplemental personnel to ensure compliance with local 840 floodplain management requirements that apply within the county 841 or municipality. 842 2.Account for multiple or alternate locations where 843 building permit services may be offered in-person to the public 844 following a hurricane or tropical storm, during regular business 845 hours. 846 3.Specify a protocol to expedite permitting procedures 847 and, if practicable, for the waiver or reduction of applicable 848 fees in accordance with and in addition to the procedures and 849 waivers provided for under s. 553.7922. The plan must identify 850 the types of permits that are frequently requested following a 851 hurricane or tropical storm and methods to expedite the 852 processing of such permits. 853 4.Specify procedures and resources necessary to promote 854 expeditious debris removal following a hurricane or tropical 855 storm. 856 (b)Each county and municipality shall update the plan no 857 later than May 1 annually. 858 (2)(a)By May 1 annually, each county and municipality 859 shall publish on its website a hurricane and tropical storm 860 recovery permitting guide for residential and commercial 861 property owners. The guide must describe: 862 1.The types of post-storm repairs that require a permit 863 and applicable fees. 864 2.The types of post-storm repairs that do not require a 865 permit. 866 3.The post-storm permit application process and specific 867 modifications the county or municipality commonly makes to 868 expedite the process, including the physical locations where 869 permitting services will be offered. 870 4.Local requirements for rebuilding specific to the county 871 or municipality, including elevation requirements following 872 substantial damage and substantial improvement pursuant to the 873 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and any local amendments 874 to the building code. 875 (b)As soon as practicable following a hurricane or 876 tropical storm, a county or municipality within the area for 877 which a state of emergency pursuant to s. 252.36 for such 878 hurricane or tropical storm is declared shall publish updates on 879 its website to the information required under paragraph (a) 880 which are specific to such storm, including any permitting fee 881 waivers or reductions. 882 (3)For 180 days after a state of emergency is declared 883 pursuant to s. 252.36 for a hurricane or tropical storm, a 884 county or municipality within the area for which the state of 885 emergency is declared: 886 (a)May not increase building permit or inspection fees. 887 (b)Must have employees and supplemental personnel 888 available during the countys or municipalitys normal business 889 hours to process permits. 890 Section 15.Subsection (1) of section 400.063, Florida 891 Statutes, is amended to read: 892 400.063Resident protection. 893 (1)The Health Care Trust Fund shall be used for the 894 purpose of collecting and disbursing funds generated from the 895 license fees and administrative fines as provided for in ss. 896 393.0673(5), 400.062(3), 400.121(2), and 400.23(8). Such funds 897 shall be for the sole purpose of paying for the appropriate 898 alternate placement, care, and treatment of residents who are 899 removed from a facility licensed under this part or a facility 900 specified in s. 393.0678(1) in which the agency determines that 901 existing conditions or practices constitute an immediate danger 902 to the health, safety, or security of the residents. If the 903 agency determines that it is in the best interest of the health, 904 safety, or security of the residents to provide for an orderly 905 removal of the residents from the facility, the agency may 906 utilize such funds to maintain and care for the residents in the 907 facility pending removal and alternative placement. The 908 maintenance and care of the residents shall be under the 909 direction and control of a receiver appointed pursuant to s. 910 393.0678(1) or s. 400.126(1). However, funds may be expended in 911 an emergency upon a filing of a petition for a receiver, upon 912 the declaration of a state of local emergency pursuant to s. 913 252.38(3)(b)5. s. 252.38(3)(a)5., or upon a duly authorized 914 local order of evacuation of a facility by emergency personnel 915 to protect the health and safety of the residents. 916 Section 16.Subsection (7) of section 403.7071, Florida 917 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (8) is added to that 918 section, to read: 919 403.7071Management of storm-generated debris.Solid waste 920 generated as a result of a storm event that is the subject of an 921 emergency order issued by the department may be managed as 922 follows: 923 (7)Unless otherwise specified in a contract or franchise 924 agreement between a local government and a private solid waste 925 or debris management service provider, a private solid waste or 926 debris management service provider is not required to collect 927 storm-generated yard trash. Local governments are authorized and 928 encouraged to add an addendum to existing contracts or franchise 929 agreements for collection of storm-generated debris. 930 (8)(a)Each county and municipality shall apply to the 931 department for authorization of at least one debris management 932 site as described in subsection (2) and shall annually seek 933 preauthorization for any previously approved debris management 934 sites, as allowed by the department. 935 (b)A municipality may jointly apply for authorization of a 936 debris management site with a county or at least one adjacent 937 municipality, if the parties develop and approve a memorandum of 938 understanding. Such memorandum must clearly outline the capacity 939 of the debris management site and location of the site relative 940 to each party. The memorandum of understanding must be approved 941 annually as part of the preauthorization process described in 942 paragraph (a). 943 Section 17.(1)Each county listed in the federal disaster 944 declaration for Hurricane Debby (DR-4806), Hurricane Helene (DR 945 4828), or Hurricane Milton (DR 4834), and each municipality 946 within one of those counties, shall not propose or adopt any 947 moratorium on construction, reconstruction, or redevelopment of 948 any property damaged by such hurricanes; propose or adopt more 949 restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan 950 or land development regulations; or propose or adopt more 951 restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, 952 approval, or issuance of a site plan, development permit, or 953 development order, to the extent that those terms are defined by 954 s. 163.3164, Florida Statutes, before October 1, 2027, and any 955 such moratorium or restrictive or burdensome comprehensive plan 956 amendment, land development regulation, or procedure shall be 957 null and void ab initio. This subsection applies retroactively 958 to August 1, 2024. 959 (2)Notwithstanding subsection (1), any comprehensive plan 960 amendment, land development regulation amendment, site plan, 961 development permit, or development order approved or adopted by 962 a county or municipality before or after the effective date of 963 this section may be enforced if: 964 (a)The associated application is initiated by a private 965 party other than the county or municipality. 966 (b)The property that is the subject of the application is 967 owned by the initiating private party. 968 (3)This section shall take effect upon becoming a law and 969 expires June 30, 2028. 970 Section 18.For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 971 made by this act to section 252.35, Florida Statutes, in a 972 reference thereto, subsection (6) of section 252.55, Florida 973 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 974 252.55Civil Air Patrol, Florida Wing. 975 (6)The wing commander of the Florida Wing of the Civil Air 976 Patrol shall biennially furnish the division a 2-year projection 977 of the goals and objectives of the Civil Air Patrol which shall 978 be reported in the divisions biennial report submitted pursuant 979 to s. 252.35. 980 Section 19.Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 981 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon 982 this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 983 2025.