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Committees advance stronger hurricane-resistance standard for some new state buildings (SB111)
Summary
The Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee voted to pass SB111 with amendments that delay the applicability date to July 1, 2026; the Senate Government Operations Committee deferred its vote to a reconvened session Feb. 4, 2025.
The joint Senate committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and on Government Operations considered SB111, a bill that would set hurricane-resistance criteria for certain public buildings. At the decision-making session on Jan. 31, 2025, the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs voted to pass the measure with amendments; the Committee on Government Operations deferred its formal vote to a reconvened meeting on Feb. 4, 2025.
The bill drew limited testimony. Keith Regan, Comptroller, Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS), stood on DAGS’s written testimony and offered comments to the committees. No other in-person or Zoom testifiers offered substantive oral changes during the hearing record.
The committee adopted an amendment changing the date when the design standard applies; page 3, lines 1–2 were amended to make the effective date for newly constructed buildings on or after July 1, 2026. Committee members described the change as a technical amendment during the vote.
Why it matters: adopting a uniform date and minimum design criteria for new state buildings affects project scope and planning timelines for agencies that fund or manage public construction; it also determines which projects must meet the higher standard during the next capital-budget cycle.
The Committee on Government Operations lacked a quorum during the afternoon session and announced it would record the same recommendation but vote formally when it reconvenes on Feb. 4, 2025, at 3 p.m. in Conference Room 225. The Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee’s action will be transmitted to the full Senate and to GVO for final disposition after the reconvened vote.
Votes at decision: The Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs voted to pass SB111 with amendments. The chair and vice chair recorded aye votes; Senators Fukunaga, Rhoads and Teckhorst also recorded aye votes. The Government Operations committee deferred its final vote to Feb. 4, 2025.
