Florida HB 79: Telehealth Practice Standards

Bill Text

CS/HB 79 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb79-01-c1
Page 1 of 2
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 water safety requirements for the 2
rental of residential property; amending s. 509.211, 3
F.S.; requiring a vacation rental licensee to equip 4
certain rental units with specified water safety 5
features; providing for civil liability; providing an 6
exception; providing definitions; providing an 7
effective date. 8
9
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 10
11
Section 1. Subsection (6) is added to section 509.211, 12
Florida Statutes, to read: 13
509.211 Safety regulations.— 14
(6)(a) If a public lodging establishment licensed as a 15
vacation rental has, within 150 feet of the rental unit, a water 16
body or swimming pool, the licensee must ensure that: 17
1. All doors and windows that provide direct access to the 18
exterior of the rental unit or to an indoor swimming pool within 19
the rental unit are equipped with an exit alarm that has a 20
minimum sound pressure rating of 85 dB A at 10 feet; or 21
2. All doors that provide direct access to the exterior of 22
the rental unit or to an indoor swimming pool within the rental 23
unit are equipped with a self-closing, self-latching device with 24
a release mechanism placed at least 54 inches above the floor. 25

CS/HB 79 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb79-01-c1
Page 2 of 2
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

(b) A licensee who violates paragraph (a) is liable to a 26
guest of the public lodging establishment for such guest's 27
actual damages incurred due to the violation, unless the 28
violation is due to the removal or modification of any safety 29
feature required under paragraph (a) by or at the request of the 30
guest, a member of the guest's family, or a person on the 31
premises of the rental unit with the guest's consent. 32
(c) As used in this subsection, the term: 33
1. "Swimming pool" has the same meaning as in s. 515.25. 34
2. "Vacation rental" has the same meaning as in s. 35
509.242(1)(c). 36
3. "Water body" means any water or body of water that is 37
regularly at a depth of at least 24 inches at its deepest point. 38
The term does not include underground water that cannot be 39
accessed by a person from an access point located within 150 40
feet of the rental unit. 41
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 42