Bill > S0200

This bill modifies Florida statutes related to solar facilities and storm protection plans, with two primary focus areas. First, it establishes comprehensive regulations for solar facility development and decommissioning, requiring counties to adopt ordinances that ensure solar facilities on agricultural land can be returned to their original agricultural state after the facility's useful life. The bill defines key terms like "solar facility" and "decommissioning," and allows counties to require financial assurances from solar facility owners to cover potential removal costs. It also mandates that the Department of Environmental Protection develop and annually update best management practices (BMPs) for solar facility construction, including requirements for percolation testing, stormwater management, and design standards to withstand severe weather events. Second, the bill amends storm protection plan regulations for utilities, requiring that improvements in transmission and distribution storm protection plans have forecasted customer benefits that exceed their costs, and adding new considerations for the Public Service Commission when reviewing these plans, such as evaluating the performance of previously approved improvements and assessing the reasonableness of implementation costs. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and requires the Public Service Commission to propose implementing rules by October 31, 2026.

Health and Social Services

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/200