HB 117 revises Florida’s residential swimming pool safety law. It keeps the existing requirement that a new residential pool must have at least one approved safety feature, such as a barrier, safety cover, exit alarms, self-closing/self-latching doors, or an approved pool alarm. The bill then extends that safety-feature requirement to any residential property with a pool that is transferred or sold on or after October 1, 2026, regardless of when the pool was originally built.
The bill also requires a licensed home inspector to report any observed violation of the pool safety requirement to the local enforcement agency. In addition, it updates the drowning prevention education provisions so that people cited for violating the pool safety requirements may be required to attend the education program, and it makes a technical cross-reference change in the statute governing that program. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
HB 117 would expand the reach of Florida Statutes chapter 515 by applying pool safety feature requirements to existing residential pools at the point of sale or transfer, not just to newly constructed pools. It would also create a reporting duty for licensed home inspectors and reinforce local code enforcement involvement. The bill affects homeowners selling residential property with pools, buyers, home inspectors, local enforcement agencies, and the Department responsible for drowning prevention education.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety bill with a straightforward consumer-protection purpose. Its focus on drowning prevention, pool barriers, and inspection/reporting suggests an intent to improve compliance and reduce child drowning risks. No contrary sentiment is reflected in the available materials.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the new requirement that pools on residential property sold or transferred after the effective date must meet safety-feature standards, which could impose added costs or compliance burdens on sellers and homeowners with older pools. Another possible issue is the mandatory reporting obligation for home inspectors, which may raise concerns about enforcement responsibilities and liability. The bill text does not show any recorded opposition, amendments, or committee debate, so these concerns are inferred from the policy changes rather than documented discussion.