[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6292358,"mediaKeyId","2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5","parentId",2526462,"title","DBPR secretary outlines regulatory reforms; panelists urge streamlining of local permitting and more flexible inspection options","audioSeconds",8461,"startMs",1765145,"endMs",10226961,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5&start=1765&end=10226","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5/thumbnail_1765145.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6292358/Florida/DBPR-secretary-outlines-regulatory-reforms-panelists-urge-streamlining-of-local-permitting-and-more-flexible-inspection-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6292358-b53d397dcce7fa111cfa078b95a965b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146081&Signature=cz0Z9ATRCVh~yvKoLMJmPjhdya2s~9GfYGFLGTADfaH0UxS~aAJHpjTZ39h8Mx-kskk6kcyHD0fOKJLh9o3mm-PQ0TbmT1DG6GoceJF5t0u2hMKS6kxX3kNCyyXj0Pre~RM5DIerXxaAOAIyN70Nh7RaRt-cz6E5GbIzBlbw4WyQ3NFSmvrfGrNfHSWJWbisiUMXCMJQAOTMVYIY~pcH1cNycgz~8LXNf-ktl29hUW-Ikq8E8vC99SQbrGRoC41lWNpot3xt31q8pO3iLgpkGB2CJpKcBuCUMGXUogrY8a4PJF2fBqLFUYRtKC~j2y4mn5~i0T0dsGKG4D6XNdBE9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Florida Legislature","date","2025-03-06T00:00:00Z","article","The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s secretary, Melanie Griffin, briefed the IPA subcommittee on DBPR programs and recent regulatory changes, then a multi‑industry panel urged further deregulation and administrative reforms — particularly at the local permitting and inspection level.

Secretary Griffin described DBPR’s role and scale: the department oversees hundreds of professional license categories and nearly a million licensees across diverse fields. She said DBPR favors education and voluntary compliance when responding to complaints and highlighted enforcement metrics: in the most recent fiscal year the department completed more than 24,000 inspections of barber, cosmetology and veterinary locations and handled more than 24,000 complaints across professions. Enforcement actions last fiscal year included about 1,140 cease-and-desist notices for unlicensed activity, 731 citations, and roughly 3,800 final orders.

Griffin reviewed reforms pursued under previous legislation (HB 1193, the Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act) and department initiatives to speed licensing and reduce fees. She noted application processing improvements across multiple divisions and cited fee waivers and “fee holidays” as examples of cost reductions the department has recently implemented.

Following the presentation the committee heard from a panel of business and trade representatives including landscape architects, building inspectors, pool contractors, roofing and electrical contractors, general contractors, restaurant and hotel representatives, and auctioneers. Common themes in panel testimony were:

- Local permitting and inspection burdens: Several panelists said local permitting processes and additional municipal requirements — not state licensure — are the greatest impediment to getting projects built and businesses operating. “It’s gotten so bad” that private-provider inspection proposals have been undermined in practice, one builder said, citing delays, waiver requirements and local follow-up inspections that slow projects.

- Workforce shortages and licensing complexity: Witnesses described acute shortages of tradespeople, rising insurance costs for new contractors, and difficulties recruiting building officials. Panelists urged more options to expand pathways into licensed trades, including internships and tiered licensing that allow firms to start with limited scopes and grow.

- Inspection modernization: Several panelists urged wider use of technology (photographs, geo-tagged videos, virtual inspections) to reduce the need for in-person inspections for non-structural work and to reduce scheduling delays that burden homeowners and contractors.

- Scope and reciprocity concerns: Roofing and other trades said Florida’s code and local practices differ from other states; witnesses asked for careful reciprocity approaches to ensure contractors working in Florida understand the state code and local requirements. Several trade witnesses urged allowing certain limited electrical or mechanical tasks tied to a contractor’s core trade — for example, allowing mechanical contractors to replace shore‑side pool heat pumps or allowing pool contractors to handle low-voltage lighting — if consumer protection safeguards are preserved.

- Fraud and unlicensed activity: Industry witnesses and DBPR staff said fraud in certain training and licensing pathways remains a problem, and panelists and the secretary discussed background checks and fingerprinting as tools to reduce fraudulent licenses and fake schools.

Committee members asked detailed questions. Members sought data on complaint volumes by profession and on DBPR’s complaint-processing timelines (DBPR staff said investigations are generally handled within 60 days). Several members and witnesses emphasized the difference between state licensing and local ordinances and asked for better alignment to reduce duplicative permitting and fees.

The panel session closed with members thanking DBPR and the trade witnesses; no committee action was taken on the presentation itself during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Industries and Professional Activities Subcommittee - March 6, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","DBPR Secretary Melanie Griffin told the IPA subcommittee that reforms and efficiency efforts reduced licensing processing times and produced cost savings, and a multi‑trade panel urged the Legislature to streamline local permitting, modernize inspections and expand training pathways to address workforce and fraud issues.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature FL, Florida","taxId",78546,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6292366,"Subcommittee advances bill allowing prison coursework to count toward professional licensure",599,1132580,1732340,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5&start=1132&end=1732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5/thumbnail_1132580.jpg","/articles/6292366/Florida/Subcommittee-advances-bill-allowing-prison-coursework-to-count-toward-professional-licensure","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6292366-51be04202db390302e8334fbee8f1844/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146081&Signature=cVn5rN6kwqFvROwIu9zl7b90~vSku-tg-r8EKLcGfb0GQZ-CojiqQi8fxF9UnLJJBta3b~qi0XLmFZIaqlnlrO32ZsJy9Rgin7J4MzT2fbAuj1poWDUXpZLrqdjal7d~U3733I-b33Xewu3aTkZuVn3gGjmY9ETwv47Ksw554FmjJJCeYRDq1z3tF-iD8EIi7-J~Wxk1D077z2m0mbJTKLpy9~~WtPY0Gklezi2M6g4ibz3vbhu5JG4fxSAoB9N3QJgcRceYELM7Dmj5~hmwAm8xomhsX6kSMSmFI0hrKJtBXYFM2HM02TLXpvzBvk5Vz~jDrYi19EYSPImI9ujexg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 195 would permit the Department of Corrections to coordinate with relevant professional boards and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation so that inmates who successfully complete classes required for licensure in regulated professions receive credit toward licensure after release.

The sponsor told the committee the bill ensures that education and training already offered in correctional facilities can be used in the licensure application process. “HB 195 will allow the Department of Corrections to coordinate with relevant professional boards under the DBPR … to ensure that inmates who successfully complete classes that are required for licensure in such professions will receive credits towards licensure,” the sponsor said.

Members pressed for details on eligibility and resources. One question asked whether the program would be available to all inmates; the sponsor replied there are statutory exceptions — for example, inmates convicted of capital offenses are already excluded. On the resources needed to implement the coordination, the sponsor said staff analysis indicated the Department of Corrections could use existing resources and that no new general-revenue funding would be required to begin coordination. Representatives also asked whether course offerings would be matched to in-demand jobs; the sponsor said correctional education programs already consider “in-demand jobs” when they determine technical classes to teach.

The committee received multiple expressions of support from outside organizations; witnesses who waved in support included representatives from Americans for Prosperity, the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Florida Retail Federation, Florida Smart Justice Alliance, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, and the Florida Policy Institute. Committee members praised the bill as a workforce and reentry measure. Representative Antone said it “will certainly help those inmates when they re-enter society” and help employability; Representative Benaroche said the measure helps give people a second chance and aids employers coping with labor shortages.

A technical amendment was adopted before final debate to clarify that the relevant professional boards “within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation or the Department of Business and Professional Regulation when there is no board” would perform the coordination. The committee recorded a roll-call vote of 15 yeas, 0 nays and showed the bill favorably.","House Bill 195 passed the IPA subcommittee 15–0. The measure directs the Department of Corrections to coordinate with professional boards and DBPR so inmates who complete qualifying classes receive credit toward professional licensure; sponsors and supporters said the change promotes employability and reduces recidivism.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6292370,"Committee modernizes pawnbroker transaction record requirement to allow digital forms",271,852020,1123645,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5&start=852&end=1123","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5/thumbnail_852020.jpg","/articles/6292370/Florida/Committee-modernizes-pawnbroker-transaction-record-requirement-to-allow-digital-forms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6292370-336b1a415b93dd0ffc1beb18dd0db59a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146081&Signature=hAPdyzL3qdMRuEvsFtykRJ9VLB5XBbnjkcV9aUaK157xEnHYvp4DJpbwdLocdd~YsOr38VopjRIJRTyqH2Y0QQlTHDR~Vpe6nKOF1vpZxCyfzTNSvkpnk3bjl9~U1nynJ-xvRqSAkMWRIckQbmQkC4JBDTE~bQDwtelimmlhGX3OetYrr0mMk0G92wW2RO3ldQnwD~i2iu4sYN58-TJQ89a7LtZN8ISjLuPm~zMmPB0v6NS3ckx6wUmOilKI~y8IUoqXtvfDtQjoCv-wng-E-zOpi22-FR5ZP~A9vd~aFJUani0H12jLB6djMHgLrZ56aIEJa8UQF7LH2wlbo2ljFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 139 would update Florida’s pawnbroking law by removing a requirement that pawn transactions be captured exclusively on a standard printed 8.5-by-11-inch form, allowing pawnbrokers the option to use digital transaction records instead.

“House Bill 139 is a straightforward modernization of Florida's pawn industry that will allow fund brokers to use digital transactions forms,” Representative Lopez told the committee. Lopez said the bill “does not change how the industry operates, does not add new regulations, and does not impose any new costs. It simply provides a digital option to record transaction forms.”

Under current law, the committee was told, the Florida Pawnbroking Act (cited in committee as Florida Statute 539.0018(a) in the analysis) requires printed transaction forms and effectively blocked many pawn operators from adopting digital recordkeeping. The committee considered a technical amendment that established a minimum font size for digital pawnbroker transaction forms and required that information now printed on the front or back of the paper form be placed on the first or second page of a digital form to preserve readability and record structure. The committee adopted the amendment without recorded opposition.

Members spoke in favor during debate; Representative Benaroche thanked the sponsor for clarifying questions and said he would support the bill. Representative Bellas praised the measure as a way to “help industries get up to modern times.” No public testimony was recorded against the bill.

A roll-call vote recorded 15 yays, 0 nays; the committee showed the bill favorably and advanced it to the next stage in the process.","House Bill 139, sponsored by Representative Lopez, repeals the statutory requirement that pawn transactions be recorded only on printed 8.5-by-11 forms and allows pawn brokers to use digital transaction forms; committee adopted a technical amendment setting minimum font size and page-order rules and advanced the bill 15–0.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6292375,"Panel advances bill to create temporary licensure pathway for surveyors and mappers",463,369060,832155,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5&start=369&end=832","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5/thumbnail_369060.jpg","/articles/6292375/Florida/Panel-advances-bill-to-create-temporary-licensure-pathway-for-surveyors-and-mappers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6292375-5e197e039fe5f430da0ac705335f6e46/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146081&Signature=d1rDNYFNFnHZd-jTVx-rR42D1fJQ-Gzk3od4zeARmJW~xIRDsukfYrc8ALiBNBpAjdG-XtVSITxa1kKK1oU4aekaya5~lk-yYxOf5EE5JeP-pUBm1jUGP0QEMKJshOafGNwuqxXtDLusCmHhB-YGh7CPXs6I8Bfja7o28G0XNbDPt4T4hrEpFMMdD9jN-fIUnuzUPlmICHuNd4Gqk8i8xlxJkSLeFDaAGUDtzFcWMrV6vkQ9wdqAk~xPhhCw-KbTdOTj76wlzkP5gwH2WQWHVJP5FX4wgksJVV-SR1hW7X5RBkea4~n6XC0TAQmvhbdQWXogbSbnpY42SEhk5W~2LQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 339, brought to the IPA subcommittee by Representative Abbott, would create an alternative pathway for temporary licensure for surveyors and mappers to help meet workforce needs. Under the measure an applicant could gain a temporary license after submitting a letter of recommendation from a licensed surveyor or prospective employer and passing the required examination; the temporary credential would expire Dec. 15, 2031.

“HP 339 creates an alternative pathway for temporary licensures for surveyors and mappers to help meet the increasing needs,” Representative Abbott told the committee, describing a process in which an applicant could receive a temporary license following an employer recommendation and successful completion of the exam.

Members asked several substantive questions. Representative Nixon asked whether the temporary license carries a work requirement; Abbott said “No, ma’am. There are not any work requirements as in the bill currently.” Nixon asked whether the measure’s sponsor would consider an amendment to add an experience requirement; Abbott replied she was willing to meet and consider amendments. Representative Obrador (name appears in the record as a questioner) asked about liability insurance and whether a temporary licensee could sign and seal work; Abbott said the temporary licensee “would have a regular license just like any other surveyor mapper,” and that whether an insurer would issue different coverage would be up to the insurance company.

Other members raised concerns about protecting professional standards. Representative Overdorf said he appreciated the effort to expand the profession but said he could not support the bill that day because he thought “a surveyor that has not gone through the processes should be treated” differently, citing risks tied to surveying errors. Several members expressed support while reserving the right to pursue amendments; Representative Antone said he would vote for the bill that day.

The committee adopted the bill and recorded a roll-call vote of 14 yeas, 1 nay. The committee showed the bill favorably, sending it on to the next step in the process.

The bill as described in committee requires temporary license applicants to pass the exam and to show later that they have met educational requirements in order to continue licensing after the temporary status ends. Sponsors told the committee they are open to amendment to add experience requirements or other qualifications raised by members during debate.","The IPA subcommittee showed favorably House Bill 339, which creates an alternative temporary licensure pathway — including a temporary license that expires Dec. 15, 2031 — for surveyors and mappers that rely on employer recommendation and an exam; members debated liability and experience requirements before approving the measure 14–1.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6292378,"Subcommittee approves repeal of “reusable” requirement for wine kegs",303,63900,366985,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5&start=63&end=366","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2526462-03e98e3ece9fb77a8c6728ca917abcc5/thumbnail_63900.jpg","/articles/6292378/Florida/Subcommittee-approves-repeal-of-reusable-requirement-for-wine-kegs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6292378-4f0321804a8174e4263e08bf71c06384/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146081&Signature=b~3SYTT4L8qV2ul9K~j6ALk76zn6ixlRl3GHois5OG2h~72UmXU-2Z9IW~~IzWpbIzt~OS06EO~smCNFcMCChr-Fg5lXiXsuG1DWv9a1RK2kufsrmV86oX7648lIKk1dXt9KYUxZt9iUlWsWAwSvN8qDcHqJ7sp4BsvIkB9Xjh3OrsDeyxgrqbiEzNk3buaelUcEVmdgMyl1dhMKyk85IkIDS1LOuNoD9Mipn-3dheiuLJQqfqijSPS6P1oxAvj3DrIc8zD-AM~G8zDsqh0FCOKtVAWeXKth9f2npytz-XM1vZujtSxPs3G2udr61bj3dxJjHB1l7kZJAqKrUmpLeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 6015, which would remove the word “reusable” from Florida’s statute governing the sale of wine in kegs, advanced out of the IPA subcommittee by a unanimous vote.

Representative Oliver, the sponsor in committee, described HB 6015 as “a repealer bill” that eliminates “one word and one word only from our current wine keg statute.” Oliver said the current rule allows wine kegs to be sold only if they are in “reusable containers,” a restriction she said “has nothing to do with the safety of the wine” and instead limits businesses’ ability to innovate. “This regulation has nothing to do with the safety of the wine,” Oliver said, adding the change will allow “Florida businesses, rather than the government, to innovate.”

Members who spoke in favor framed the bill as a relief to small businesses. Representative Henson said the change would allow a winery in her district to sell products in Florida after being blocked by the existing one-word requirement. Representative Antone also voiced support during debate. No public opponents registered; a representative of Island Grove Wine Company appeared in support for the bill.

Roll call after the debate showed the measure passing 16 yeas, 0 nays. The committee directed the clerk to show the bill “favorably,” advancing it from the hearing.

The bill’s text, as read into the record, amends section 564.05 of the Florida Statutes to remove the “reusable” limitation from the definition of acceptable wine keg containers. The sponsor said the change is narrow in scope — a single-word repeal — but would “cut senseless regulation” and affect how wineries package and sell kegged wine.

The committee record shows no amendment adopted to alter the bill’s substantive effect. Committee discussion centered on the business and practical implications — for example, one member asked whether a five-gallon Home Depot bucket would fall within the allowed sizes; the sponsor replied that the statute’s other requirements would still apply and that container size and other details would be left to the business as long as it met statutory regulations.

The subcommittee’s favorable showing sends HB 6015 to the next committee in the process for further consideration.","The IPA subcommittee voted unanimously to advance House Bill 6015, sponsored in committee by Representative Oliver, which removes the single word “reusable” from Florida’s wine-keg statute; supporters said the change would reduce regulatory barriers for wineries and allow businesses to choose container materials.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

DBPR secretary outlines regulatory reforms; panelists urge streamlining of local permitting and more flexible inspection options

Subcommittee advances bill allowing prison coursework to count toward professional licensure

Committee modernizes pawnbroker transaction record requirement to allow digital forms

Panel advances bill to create temporary licensure pathway for surveyors and mappers

Subcommittee approves repeal of “reusable” requirement for wine kegs