LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
2024 SESSION
Off to a Sluggish Start Allen Douglas
Executive Director, FES and ACEC Florida
In a typical year, there are roughly 3,000 bills filed in the Florida legislature, and less than 10% pass. With only six weeks before the start of the 2024 legislative session, just over 700 bills have been filed. We can expect the month of December and the first week of January to be very busy. ACEC Florida and FES have proposed legislation to clarify that Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) professionals working as sub-consultants have sovereign immunity protection on Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) road and bridge projects as agents of the state. The need for the legislation arises from a recent 4th Circuit Court decision that held CEI professionals do not have the protection because they do not have a contract with FDOT. Senator Jennifer Bradley and Representative Kaylee Tuck are sponsoring the legislation. Representative Tuck has filed HB 619, and we are awaiting the Senate bill. Additionally, we are currently tracking about three dozen bills, most of which are not significant at this point but could lead to certain statutes or issues where future amendments could make them consequential. There are a handful of bills filed that have our attention. THESE INCLUDE: • HB 149 — CONTINUING CONTRACTS would raise the threshold for construction projects that must comply with the Consultant’s Competitive Negotiation Act (CCNA) from $4 million to $10 million. Supporters assert the threshold should be raised to account for increased construction costs over the last few years to avoid delays on these smaller projects. A Senate bill has not yet been filed. 08 | ENGINEERING FLORIDA
