Gov. DeSantis signs off on increased penalties for gas safety violations

Industrial pipe with gas and oil

Starting in July, those who violate pipeline safety laws in Florida will pay enhanced penalties that align with federal guidelines and vastly exceed the ones that previously existed in the state.

Individual daily fines will be $266,015 (increased from $25,000), with aggregate totals raised from $2,660,135 (up from $500,000) through the end of June 2025, under SB 366, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Friday.

The Florida Public Service Commission will have to impose enhanced penalties beyond that point by rule-making, with “revisions to such penalties based upon consideration of the Consumer Price Index, penalties established in federal law for pipeline safety violations, and the intent of the Legislature that the commission maintain its certification with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or any of its successor agencies, to enforce pipeline safety.”

One of the drivers for the legislation signed by Gov. DeSantis was to ensure federal compliance, and to that end, the PSC must review and potentially revise the conditions of the penalty every year. The PSC has said Florida’s lower penalties, in place since 1993, have been a recurrent issue with federal regulators, so the legislation ensures compliance on that front.

For what it’s worth, violations of this law are rare, with one documented breach in the last eight years.