KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Florida

HB0239 • 2026

Standards for Storm Water Systems

Standards for Storm Water Systems

Energy Labor Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Grow
Last action
2026-03-13
Official status
House - Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official metadata indicates a conflict: while the status label says 'Passed Legislature,' the last action listed is that it 'Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee.' The effective date of July 1, 2026, suggests passage, but the subcommittee death note creates uncertainty about its final legal standing.

Standards for Storm Water Systems

This bill requires new storm water systems in Florida counties and cities to follow specific Department of Transportation standards and be inspected by certified technicians from independent engineering firms.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires all new storm pipe and structures in counties and municipalities to follow the annual Department of Transportation's Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, specifically the sections on 'Pipe Culverts' and 'Pipe Liner.'
  • Mandates that final inspections be performed by a NASSCO PACP certified technician employed by a third-party licensed engineering firm with no controlling interest in the installing company.
  • Allows inspectors to use standard closed-circuit television equipment, including an optional camera with a fisheye lens.
  • Supersedes all existing and local standards for storm water installation and inspection in counties and municipalities.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Counties in Florida
  • Municipalities (cities) in Florida
  • Companies installing new storm pipe and structures
  • Third-party licensed engineering firms performing inspections

Terms To Know

Storm water systems
The underground pipes and related parts that carry rainwater away from streets.
NASSCO PACP certified technician
A worker who has passed a special test to prove they can inspect pipelines correctly under the Pipeline Assessment Certification Program.
Third-party licensed engineering firm
An outside company that is not connected to or controlled by the builder and checks their work for quality.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only applies when installing new storm pipe and structures, not fixing old ones.
  • It does not explain how much money will be needed to pay for these inspections.
  • The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-13 House

    • Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee

  2. 2026-01-13 House

    • 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)

  3. 2025-10-28 House

    • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Referred to Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee

  4. 2025-10-21 House

    • Filed

Official Summary Text

Standards for Storm Water Systems; Requires storm water systems in counties & municipalities, respectively, to comply with specified DOT standards; provides inspection requirements for such systems; specifies that certain local standards are superseded; provides finding of important state interest.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 239 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb239-00
Page 1 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to standards for storm water systems; 2
creating ss. 125.5695 and 166.04815, F.S.; requiring 3
storm water systems in counties and municipalities, 4
respectively, to comply with specified Department of 5
Transportation standards; providing inspection 6
requirements for such systems; specifying that certain 7
local standards are superseded; providing a finding of 8
an important state interest; providing an effective 9
date. 10
11
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
13
Section 1. Section 125.5695, Florida Statutes, is created 14
to read: 15
125.5695 Standards for storm water systems.— 16
(1) All storm water systems, including storm pipe and 17
storm structures in counties in this state, when installing new 18
storm pipe and storm structures, must follow the annual 19
Department of Transportation's Standard Specifications for Road 20
and Bridge Construction contained in the sections "Pipe 21
Culverts" and "Pipe Liner." 22
(2) Final inspections for all storm pipe and storm 23
structures in counties in this state must be performed by a 24
NASSCO's Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP) 25

HB 239 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb239-00
Page 2 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

certified technician who is employed by a third-party licensed 26
engineering firm that does not have a controlling interest in 27
the company that installed the storm system being inspected. The 28
inspection and video process may use standard closed-circuit 29
television inspection equipment, along with an optional camera 30
with a fisheye lens for video inspection purposes. 31
(3) The standards for installation and inspection in 32
subsections (1) and (2) supersede all existing and local 33
standards in counties. 34
Section 2. Section 166.04815, Florida Statutes, is created 35
to read: 36
166.04815 Standards for storm water systems.— 37
(1) All storm water systems, including storm pipe and 38
storm structures in municipalities in this state, when 39
installing new storm pipe and storm structures, must follow the 40
annual Department of Transportation's Standard Specifications 41
for Road and Bridge Construction contained in the sections "Pipe 42
Culverts" and "Pipe Liner." 43
(2) Final inspections for all storm pipe and storm 44
structures in municipalities in this state must be performed by 45
a NASSCO's Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP) 46
certified technician who is employed by a third-party licensed 47
engineering firm that does not have a controlling interest in 48
the company that installed the storm system being inspected. The 49
inspection and video process may use standard closed-circuit 50

HB 239 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb239-00
Page 3 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

television inspection equipment, along with an optional camera 51
with a fisheye lens for video inspection purposes. 52
(3) The standards for installation and inspection in 53
subsections (1) and (2) supersede all existing and local 54
standards in municipalities. 55
Section 3. Pursuant to s. 18, Art. VII of the State 56
Constitution, the Legislature hereby determines and declares 57
that this act fulfills an important state interest. 58
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 59