Florida SB 1200: Regulation of Public Swimming Pools and Bathing Places

Bill Text

1200 
Regulation of Public Swimming Pools and Bathing Places 
2026-01-06T07:29:35Z 
Providing that, notwithstanding an exemption from supervision or regulation, certain pools are subject to annual inspections by the Department of Health to ensure compliance with specified standards; providing the Public Swimming Pool and Spa Technical Committee with the sole authority to review and approve certain variances; requiring certain department and county health department employees to obtain the Florida Public Pool Specialist Certification within a specified timeframe; deleting a certain advisory review board and replacing it with the Public Swimming Pool and Spa Technical Committee, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1200 

 By Senator Massullo 

 11-00839-26 20261200__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to regulation of public swimming pools 
 3 and bathing places; amending s. 514.0115, F.S.; 
 4 providing that, notwithstanding an exemption from 
 5 supervision or regulation, certain pools are subject 
 6 to annual inspections by the Department of Health to 
 7 ensure compliance with specified standards; providing 
 8 the Public Swimming Pool and Spa Technical Committee 
 9 with the sole authority to review and approve certain 
 10 variances; amending s. 514.021, F.S.; requiring the 
 11 committee, rather than the department, to adopt 
 12 certain rules for the operation of public swimming 
 13 pools and public bathing places; making conforming 
 14 changes; deleting a requirement that the department 
 15 provide technical assistance to the Florida Building 
 16 Commission in updating certain construction standards; 
 17 amending s. 514.025, F.S.; requiring certain 
 18 department and county health department employees to 
 19 obtain the Florida Public Pool Specialist 
 20 Certification within a specified timeframe; requiring 
 21 that such certification be renewed every 5 years and 
 22 maintained as long as the employees are assigned to 
 23 specified duties; providing that the department or the 
 24 county health department, as applicable, bears the 
 25 cost of such employee certifications; amending s. 
 26 514.028, F.S.; deleting a certain advisory review 
 27 board and replacing it with the Public Swimming Pool 
 28 and Spa Technical Committee; providing for meetings 
 29 and membership of the committee; requiring the 
 30 committee to hold public workshops for the development 
 31 of certain rules; providing notice requirements for 
 32 such workshops; providing purposes of the committee; 
 33 providing for reimbursement of travel expenses for 
 34 committee members; amending s. 514.03, F.S.; 
 35 conforming a cross-reference; prohibiting the 
 36 department and county health departments from 
 37 requiring engineered plans for or re-engineering of 
 38 swimming pools, spa pools, wading pools, or 
 39 interactive water features to be submitted for 
 40 equipment replacements if certain conditions are met; 
 41 providing that pool/spa contractors performing the 
 42 equipment replacement are responsible for making 
 43 certain certifications; amending s. 514.031, F.S.; 
 44 revising application requirements for public swimming 
 45 pool operating permits; providing an effective date. 
 46 
 47 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 48 
 49 Section 1. Subsections (2), (3), and (9) of section 
 50 514.0115, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 
 51 514.0115 Exemptions from supervision or regulation; 
 52 variances.— 
 53 (2)(a) Pools serving no more than 32 condominium or 
 54 cooperative units which are not operated as a public lodging 
 55 establishment are shall be exempt from supervision under this 
 56 chapter, except for supervision necessary to ensure water 
 57 quality and an annual inspection to ensure compliance with 
 58 sanitary and entrapment standards, including, but not limited 
 59 to, all of the following standards: 
 60 1. Pools must comply with the federal Virginia Graeme Baker 
 61 Pool and Spa Safety Act. 
 62 2. Pools must be operated at the designed flow rate. 
 63 3. A pool’s filtration system must have capacity equal to 
 64 or greater than the originally designed filter capacity, use the 
 65 same filter media as originally designed, and be operated as 
 66 originally designed, either as suction or pressure. 
 67 (b) Pools serving condominium or cooperative associations 
 68 of more than 32 units and whose recorded documents prohibit the 
 69 rental or sublease of the units for periods of less than 60 days 
 70 are exempt from supervision under this chapter, except that the 
 71 condominium or cooperative owner or association must file 
 72 applications with the department and obtain construction plans 
 73 approval and receive an initial operating permit. The department 
 74 shall inspect the swimming pools at such places annually, at the 
 75 fee set forth in s. 514.033(3),