A bill directing the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) to justify rate increases for investor-owned utilities and consider affordability advanced in its first committee stop Tuesday ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session.

The bill (SB 126) was introduced just weeks after the PSC approved a nearly $7 billion rate increase for Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) 12 million customers, the largest rate hike in history.

Sen. Don Gaetz, a Crestview Republican, introduced a “strike-all” amendment Tuesday before the Senate Regulated Industries Committee revising Florida law regarding the PSC, including:

— Expanding the number of PSC Commissioners from five to seven and requiring one Commissioner to be a certified public accountant and another a chartered financial analyst.

— Requiring the PSC, when issuing orders, to provide adequate support for its conclusions.

— Requiring the PSC to provide reasoned explanations when accepting or denying a settlement agreement.

— Requiring the PSC to submit an annual report on public utility rates that includes benchmarking and analysis on economics, costs, return on equity and executive compensation.

One provision that the amendment drops from Gaetz’s original bill would have capped a utility’s return on equity (ROE). That represents the utility’s allowed profit. FPL’s recently approved rate increase includes an ROE of 10.95%.

The removal of that provision upset two members of the public who spoke about the legislation during the hearing.

“The bill as amended has altered a critical tool — a cap that would limit shareholder profits, which is necessary to keep utilities from passing executive costs on to taxpayers,” said Brian Lee of Reclaiming Florida’s Future.

“The strike-all amendment weakens its ability to deliver real relief for Florida families,” added Taylor Brown. “Housing costs, insurance, and utility bills are pushing people to a breaking point.”

Florida law requires the rates of regulated utility companies to be “fair, just and reasonable.”

Gaetz’s bill says that the PSC should consider affordability in any proceeding before the agency that has the potential to affect rates.

“The reason affordability got into this bill is because when the latest case came before the PSC, associated with FPL, Commissioners were asked to consider affordability and they said, ‘We can’t because it wasn’t in the statute.’ We’re going to help them with that, I hope,” he told the committee.

Committee Chair Jennifer Bradley, A Fleming Island Republican, asked Mark Futrell, Deputy Executive Director with the PSC, whether the agency could define affordability.

“I think more certainty, more clarity as far as definitions from the intent of the Legislature is always helpful, but I think that we can work through that,” Futrell said. “Affordability is something that — we get the sentiment of it. I think we understand that part of it.”

Sen. Debbie Mayfield, a Melbourne Republican, said she had a number of concerns about the legislation, including the provisions about adding two new members to the PSC.

“If we have a problem with the PSC board, I don’t think increasing it would solve their problem,” she said. “We are the ones who do confirm them, so if we have a problem with the commission, it’s just as much our fault for confirming people that we don’t think are going to do a good job.”

Sen. Jason Pizzo, a Sunny Isles Beach independent, said he appreciated that Gaetz had removed the provision that would have capped a utility’s ROE.

“I am not for caps,” he said. “I think that’s socialism.”

Gaetz told the committee his intent was “not to tie the hands of the utility companies.”

“The intent of the bill is to direct the Commission to justify their decisions,” he said. “And to explain how they made their decisions and the effect that those decisions have on ratepayers.”

The bill was ultimately unanimously approved by the committee, 9-0, and moves to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government.

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Reporting by Mitch Perry. Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: [email protected].

Attorney General James Uthmeier says his Office has filed a lawsuit against three organizations to stop “gender-affirming care” for minors.

Uthmeier filed the 75-page lawsuit in the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in St. Lucie County against the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, Endocrine Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The lawsuit was not filed to stop treatment for any specific individual, but rather due to the three organizations’ general practices. The suit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, along with civil penalties in violation of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the Florida RICO Act.

The lawsuit specifically targets the organizations for addressing “gender dysphoria,” which is a condition that causes anxiety about “one’s sexed body and/or associated social expectations.”

Uthmeier’s main complaint in the legal filing is that pediatric gender dysphoria was a rare condition as little as a decade ago. His complaint says diagnoses of gender dysphoria should not be equated with transgender procedures prescribed for minors because “it is natural for children and adolescents to feel anxious about their changing bodies, these feelings usually ‘disappear’ after they reach puberty.”

The suit said gender dysphoria is really a symptom of psychological needs, and that a “holistic psychosocial” approach would be better equipped to deal with the pediatric condition. The lawsuit added that family therapy and individual counseling would likely lead to a more balanced approach to dealing with the condition rather than more aggressive procedures.

“So, rather than attempting to resolve the underlying causes of psychological distress, defendants developed a treatment protocol that irreversibly alters children’s bodies to conform to their anxieties,” the lawsuit said.

In a recorded video statement published Tuesday, Uthmeier said the three organizations named as defendants in the lawsuit didn’t really exhaust other methods of dealing with gender dysphoria and, therefore, misled patients who were minors.

“We believe these organizations failed to disclose the risks, limits and evidence in promoting so-called ‘gender-affirming care for children.’ For years, these groups have insisted the recommendations are settled science. But behind closed doors, they knew the evidence was weak, the outcomes uncertain and the risks very real,” Uthmeier said.

Lee County is setting an example — not just for the state, but for the nation — on how to keep communities safe.

Under Sheriff Carmine Marceno’s leadership, the county’s homicide rates are at historic lows, major narcotics operations have been dismantled, cutting-edge technology has been deployed, and schools have been fortified with advanced security measures.

On homicide rates, Lee County detectives are solving homicides at a rate that outpaces most agencies statewide. And the drop in homicides in recent years has been precipitous, from 22 in 2020 to just 10 in 2023, WINK News reported.

The success stems from a blend of relentless investigative work, forensic technology and community partnerships that encourage residents to speak up if they see something amiss.

Recent cases — some previously thought unsolvable — have been cracked thanks to innovative investigative methods and rapid mobilization of specialized units. Every murder case in the county since 2023 has been solved, and the Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit has achieved a 100% clearance rate, a massive improvement from the national average of about just 50%, according to WINK.

Similarly, the Sheriff’s Office has overseen a string of high-impact drug busts over the past year, taking kilos of illegal drugs, dangerous fentanyl and weapons off local streets. Earlier this year, the Sheriff’s Office completed a drug operation dubbed “Operation CandyMan Crackdown,” which led to 68 arrests. Of those, 50 suspects faced trafficking charges.

In all, the operation led to the seizure of nearly $1 million worth of drugs, including 349 pounds of pot, more than two kilograms of powder crack cocaine, half a kilogram of fentanyl and 621 packages of kratom. Other drugs seized included heroin, ecstasy and methamphetamine. A total of 26 firearms and one Lincoln Navigator were also seized.

Residents have noticed the difference, as overdose numbers continue to decline and violent crime connected to drug trafficking drops sharply.

“Every pill, every gram, every firearm we remove from the wrong hands is a life saved,” Marceno has previously said.

Other drug busts include a package interception this month; Operation Sun Burn in July, which led to 60 arrests; the Lehigh Acres bust in September, which resulted in three arrests; and the Club Blu suspect arrest in November, in which a suspect awaiting trial for murders at the club was arrested on several drug trafficking charges after raiding a “stash house” in Fort Myers.

Technology is helping to aid in the Sheriff’s Office’s recent successes, including recent investments in a real-time intelligence center with artificial intelligence-driven analytics, a fleet of drones, an automated license plate recognition system and enhanced digital forensics labs. The investments are leading to faster response times, quicker case closure and improved officer safety.

Additionally, Marceno is taking steps to enhance school safety, including increasing deputy presence in schools and new high-security protocols. As of last year, the Sheriff’s Office had 93 specially trained deputies working in schools throughout the county.

The Sheriff’s Office is also participating in a new bus safety program allowing cameras on school buses to capture illegal passing and issue $225 fines; the OPENGATE program that screens bags and backpacks for threats; and the DANGER program educating elementary students on the dangers of drugs, how to manage anger, how to avoid peer pressure and to practice safe internet usage.

And the Sheriff’s Office has increased school threat assessment teams, cyber safety programs and more.

Marceno also developed Nan’s Ranch, an inmate worker program that teaches incarcerated people patience and compassion while working with animals. The program is meant to also provide valuable skills that could be used upon reentry, including as a ranch hand, farrier, carpenter, landscaper, painter, small engine repair mechanic, and more. Launched in 2022, the program was created to honor Marceno’s grandmother’s legacy, and is named after her.

Marceno’s record puts him in a strong position to run for higher office, should he decide to do so. Marceno, a Republican, is openly mulling a bid for Florida’s 19th Congressional District to replace incumbent U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who is leaving office to run for Governor.

Inquire, a research firm based in Miami, polled Marceno against a field of declared GOP candidates in the district in October and found he’s the only candidate polling in double digits. The poll put Marceno at 34% support.

And if Marceno moves on to Capitol Hill, his work at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has clearly laid a foundation for success for any potential successor.