New State Law Bans Anonymous Code Compliance Complaints

A new Florida state law prohibits local governments from investigating anonymous code compliance complaints. Known as Senate Bill 60, the law went into effect July 1, 2021, and specifically states that a code compliance officer may not initiate a potential violation investigation that stems from an anonymous complaint. An individual must provide their name and address prior to an investigation occurring. There is one exception to the new law: A code inspector may investigate if it’s believed the violation presents an imminent threat to public health, safety or welfare or the destruction of habitat or sensitive resources.