New law bars code enforcement officers from investigating anonymous complaints

All code enforcement reports must include the complainant’s personal information, including name and address.


  • By
  • | 4:10 p.m. June 30, 2021
Photo by pablobenii on Adobe Stock
Photo by pablobenii on Adobe Stock
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 29 signed into law Senate Bill 60, which bars code enforcement officers from investigating anonymous complaints. All code enforcement reports must include the complainant’s personal information, including name and address.

The new law states, “A person designated as a code inspector may not initiate an investigation of a potential violation of a duly enacted code or ordinance by way of an anonymous complaint. A person who reports a potential violation of a code or an ordinance must provide his or her name and address to the governing body of the respective board of county commissioners before an investigation occurs.”

There is one exception outlined in the law that states, “This paragraph does not apply if the person designated as a code inspector has reason to believe that the violation presents an imminent threat to public health, safety, or welfare or imminent destruction of habitat or sensitive resources.”  

This law goes into effect on Thursday, July 1.

The approved legislative bill can be viewed here: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2021/60/BillText/er/PDF

 

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