Following the impacts of the powerful storm and tornados that hit the Florida Panhandle last week, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis is urging Bay County residents to visit the Department of Financial Services (DFS) Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) where consumers can connect with team members from the DFS Division of Consumer Services and receive assistance on their insurance claims. Storm victims can find additional resources at PrepareFL.com which serves as a one-stop-shop for disaster information and resources to help Floridians recover quickly following a storm. CFO Patronis is also warning consumers to beware of contractors asking for cash for repairs and always require contractors to show proof of insurance prior to beginning the job.

CFO Patronis Legislative Update for January 16, 2024

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is warning consumers to beware of purchasing Amazon’s lithium-ion replacement battery packs for Dyson vacuum cleaners. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Zautnkn.Inc lithium-ion replacement battery packs, which are sold on Amazon, pose a risk of fire to consumers. The ZAUTNKN.INC batteries are not a Dyson or Dyson-authorized product and there has been reports of three fires associated with these batteries. A few weeks ago, the CFO announced the filing of a priority bill, House Bill 989 and Senate Bill 1098, which establishes safety standards to prevent lithium-ion battery fires and other issues with energy storage systems.

Today, CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis traveled to Panama City to survey damage from the severe weather event and help coordinate response efforts. The CFO participated in a press conference with Bay County officials where they discussed post-storm damage. The following is a transcript of his remarks.

Today, CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis reminds Floridians of the importance of using gas-powered generators safely during and after the severe weather event that’s making its way across the Florida Panhandle.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is urging Floridians to make preparations to homes and property ahead of the severe weather event that is expected to bring damaging winds, possible tornadoes and coastal flooding to the Florida Panhandle, Nature Coast and Northeast Florida, starting as early as tonight. Floridians are encouraged to follow the tips below and visit PrepareFL.com to plan accordingly for the impending storm.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced his support of the filing of Senate Bill 1030 and House Bill 1001 that will provide counties with the authority to provide tax breaks for small local businesses by allowing local governments to forgo the collection of their business rent taxes. The proposed legislation would give small businesses additional tax relief and allow local governments to exercise better fiscal responsibility of taxpayer dollars.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that more than $33 million in unclaimed property was returned to Floridians during the month of December. Since CFO Patronis took office in 2017, more than $2.2 billion in unclaimed property has been returned to Florida citizens.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis is urging Floridians to take advantage of the 2023-2024 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which began Monday, January 1, 2024, and ends on Sunday, January 14, 2024.