Florida Bill Would End Board of Engineers and Other Professional Agencies, Raising Concerns for Insurance Industry

Elon Musk’s age of government efficiency has spread to Florida, with legislation that would abolish at least 22 state boards that oversee licensing and disciplinary reviews for engineers, contractors, building inspectors, accountants and many more professionals.

House Bill 1461, approved by a House Budget Committee subcommittee in April, also would drop some continuing education requirements for licensees. If it passes the full Florida Legislature and is signed into law, it could potentially have an impact on property/casualty insurance claims, claims defense, subrogation, and on expert witnesses used in litigation.

“This boggles my mind that they’re doing this,” said George Miles, a Florida engineer who has filed complaints against more than a dozen other engineers who have testified for or drafted reports for plaintiffs in insurance claims disputes.

He argued that Florida’s 11-member Board of Professional Engineers needs more teeth, not fewer, to censure engineers who make assertions that go against engineering standards or have little or no evidence to support them.

But with the Donald Trump administration’s government efficiency effort, led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, making widespread cuts to federal agencies and services, HB 1461 seems to be gaining steam in the Florida Legislature. It was approved by one Commerce Committee subcommittee and by the State Administration Budget Subcommittee. Several lawmakers said at the subcommittee hearing last week that the measure would improve efficiency in state government and streamline services for professionals and the public.

The bill would repeal the oversight boards and put licensing and disciplinary review under the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The DBPR already oversees or houses most of the professional review boards but leaves much of the work to the boards, which include members of the industry being regulated.

The bill’s co-sponsor, Rep. Tiffany Esposito, said at the meeting that the bill targets those boards that have produced few disciplinary actions against licensees in recent years.

“The DBPR has to pay for travel for board members every time these boards meet, and their work is minimal and it’s often rubber stamping,” Esposito said.

Topics Agencies Florida Market