Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen • May 2017 | Page 16

and nonresidential. The
exemption is prospective
only, with two exceptions:
• A device installed to
supply a municipal electric
utility located entirely
within a consolidated
government; or
• A device installed after
August 30, 2016, on
municipal land as part of a
project incorporating other
renewable energy source
devices under common
ownership on municipal
land for the sole purpose
of supplying a municipal
electric utility with at
least 2 megawatts and no
more than 5 megawatts of
alternating current power
when the renewable
energy source devices
in the project are used
together.
The bill creates an
exception from both tax
exemptions for a device
installed as part of a project
planned for a location in a
fiscally -constrained county
for which an application
for a comprehensive plan
amendment or planned
unit development zoning
has been filed with the
county on or before
December 31, 2017.
Notwithstanding these
provisions, 80 percent of
the assessed value of a
renewable energy source
device which is affixed to
property owned or leased
by the U.S. Department of
16
DITCHMEN • MAY 2017
Defense for the military is
exempt from ad valorem
taxation, including, but
not limited to, the tangible
personal property tax. All of
these provisions expire on
December 31, 2037.
system.
Natural Hazards: HB 181
by Rep. Jacobs
The bill also creates
distributed energy
generation system sales
provisions for systems that
are leased or sold pursuant
to a retail installment
contract, including the
following:
This bill creates an
interagency workgroup
to address the impacts of
natural hazards in Florida.
The bill provides that
natural hazards include,
but are not limited to,
extreme heat, drought,
wildfires, sea-level change,
high tides, storm surge,
saltwater intrusion, storm
water runoff, flash floods,
inland flooding, and coastal
flooding. The workgroup
will be comprised of a
liaison from each agency,
water management district,
and from the Florida Public
Service Commission. The
director of the Florida
Division of Emergency
Management (FDEM), or
his or her designee, will
serve as both the agency
liaison and the coordinator.
Further, FDEM is required
to prepare an annual
progress report on the
implementation of the
state’s enhanced hazard
mitigation plan as it relates
to natural hazards which is
due to the Governor and
the Legislature by January
1, 2019, and each year
thereafter.
• A seller who installs
a distributed energy
generation system
must comply with
applicable safety
standards established
by the Department of
Business and Professional
Regulation pursuant to ch.
489 and part IV of ch. 553,
F.S.
• Each agreement
governing the sale or lease
of a distributed energy
system must include
specified disclosures.
The Department of
Business and Professional
Regulation is required to
adopt rules to implement
and enforce these
provisions, including
creation of standard
disclosure forms. Any
seller who willfully and
intentionally violates any of
these provisions commits
a noncriminal violation,
punishable by a fine not
to exceed the cost of the
Business & Tax Issues
Workers Compensation:
SB 1582 by Bradley/HB
7085 by Burgess—FAILED