Freedom First Budget Makes Major Investments to Improve Customer Experience

 

For Immediate Release

June 6, 2022

Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981

Freedom First Budget Makes Major Investments to Improve Customer Experience

The FY 2022-23 Budget Reflects Governor DeSantis’ Continuing Investment in

Streamlining Government Processes and Enhancing Quality of Services for Floridians

Tallahassee, Fla. – The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget reflects a major investment in technology. It is designed to minimize burdens of government processes and deliver new, meaningful, long-term improvements for businesses and professionals regulated by the Department.

“We applaud Governor DeSantis for his support in upgrading the Department’s online customer licensing interface and substantial advancements in the methods by which the Department serves nearly 1.6 million licensees annually through its Customer Contact Center,” said DBPR Secretary Melanie S. Griffin. “This budget will make those advancements possible, create a user-friendly experience for all our licensees and help streamline the licensing process for Florida citizens.”

The FY 2022-23 budget provides the Department with the resources needed to continue Governor DeSantis’ vision for improving Florida’s regulatory environment for businesses and professions, which includes:

 

Customer Experience Modernization & Return Call Software

  • Invests in the development of a modern, intuitive online system for transactions and tools that will create efficiencies for the Department and its stakeholders alike, including: providing an improved customer-centric experience; assisting in decreasing the number of deficient applications submitted to the Department and reducing corresponding license processing times; and lessening call volumes, reduce wait times, and enhancing self-service options for the convenience of applicants and license holders;
  • Provides users with enhanced online capabilities such as ease of access via mobile devices and applications, real-time agent assistance and 24/7 online chat capabilities; and
  • Implements return call options for the Department’s Customer Contact Center, significantly reduces wait times for reaching a live customer support agent.

In addition to technological modernizations and maintaining the agency’s core focus of ensuring businesses and professionals provide safe, quality services to Florida residents and visitors, the FY 2022-23 budget also:

Law Enforcement Training & Equipment

  • Supports the advancement of DBPR’s sworn law enforcement team members in the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco by providing additional resources for training and equipment.

Florida PALM Readiness

  • Provides funding to assist in the Department’s multi-year preparation of computing assets as part of the state’s transition to the Florida Planning Accounting and Ledger Management (PALM) system.

Transfer to the Florida Gaming Control Commission

  • Transfers the Department’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering to the newly formed Florida Gaming Control Commission as of July 1, 2022.

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates nearly 1.6 million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida across more than 30 fields of industry, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements. The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. For more information, visit myfloridalicense.com.

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter, @Florida.DBPR on Instagram, or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook or LinkedIn for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.
June 6, 2022 /  
DBPR Hosts 10th Annual Celebration of Women in Business

 

 

For Immediate Release

April 5, 2022

Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981

DBPR Hosts 10th Annual Celebration of Women in Business
Secretary Melanie S. Griffin leads a series of vlog conversations with inspiring female trailblazers
to honor National Women’s History Month

Tallahassee, Fla. — Last week, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) presented its 10th annual Celebrating Women in Business program via a five-part vlog series accessible to listeners worldwide. Throughout the week, episodes of the program showcased women who are charting their own paths in their respective professional fields and serving as examples for other women who aspire to similar careers.

The Celebrating Women in Business vlog series featured DBPR Secretary Melanie S. Griffin in one-on-one conversations with five exceptional women as they reflected on their varied professional paths. Representing the industries of certified public accountancy, real estate, interior design, harbor piloting, and boxing, the series’ guests included:

  • Captain Carolyn Kurtz, Tampa Bay harbor pilot
  • Tanya I. Davis, certified public accountant and partner at S. Davis & Associates, P.A.
  • Patti E. Ketcham, broker-owner of Ketcham Realty Group, Inc.
  • Aida Bao-Garciga, owner of Beachfront Life LLC, a construction and design company
  • Christy Salters Martin, former boxer and boxing promoter at Christy Martin Promotions

“It was such a privilege and a valuable learning experience to connect with each of these incredible, trailblazing women,” said Secretary Griffin. “They each shared their unique perspectives on building a career and offered wisdom with which we can all find inspiration. I hope others will learn just as much from these one-on-one conversations as I did.”

This year’s program was scheduled to coincide with the recognition of Women’s History Month, which endeavors to highlight the contributions women have made to the United States and celebrate their many accomplishments over the course of history in a variety of fields.

For recordings of each episode, as well as more information on our featured guests, visit the program website: 2022 CELEBRATING WOMEN IN BUSINESS.

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than 1.4 million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida across more than 30 fields of industry, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements. The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. For more information, visit myfloridalicense.com.

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter, @Florida.DBPR on Instagram, or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook or LinkedIn for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.
April 5, 2022 /  
Florida DBPR Secretary Julie I. Brown Recognizes Agency’s Year End Successes

 

For Immediate Release

December 29, 2021

Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981

Florida DBPR Secretary Julie I. Brown Recognizes Agency’s
Year End Successes

Collaboration, Efficiencies and Customer Experience Top List for 2021

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Secretary Julie I. Brown highlighted 2021 agency achievements, which included legislative successes as well as division milestones. These accomplishments further the Department’s efforts to pursue regulatory reforms and operational advancements while also increasing efficiencies and levels of service for businesses and professionals regulated by the Department’s programs.

“DBPR strives to ensure we have a responsive agency that is a leader in addressing the trends and needs of our regulated industries and professions,” said DBPR Secretary Julie I. Brown. “I am proud of the strides we have made this year as an agency, and I thank Governor DeSantis and the legislature for their dedicated support of Florida’s licensed businesses and professionals.”

Key Legislation Passed
DBPR received unanimous approval of agency initiatives in Senate Bill 1966 that increased various operational efficiencies and levels of service and enhanced opportunities for businesses across multiple divisions within DBPR.

Through SB 1966, the Department proposed and implemented legislation that allowed for the Division of Drugs, Devices and Cosmetics to provide “cottage industry” exemptions for small, startup manufacturers of certain soaps, lotions, moisturizers and creams that have $25,000 or less in annual gross sales from cosmetic manufacturer permitting requirements.

The Department also implemented and made permanent certain alcohol sales methods, commonly referenced as alcohol-to-go, that were similar to measures implemented by emergency orders of Governor DeSantis during Florida’s state of emergency related to COVID-19. The legislation of Senate Bill 148 authorized restaurants, or vendors of alcoholic beverages also holding a public food service license, to sell or deliver alcoholic beverages prepared by the vendor in sealed containers.

Division Accomplishments
Highlights of 2021 include:

Record Number of Combat Sporting Events

  • The Florida Athletic Commission (formerly the Florida State Boxing Commission) sanctioned 117 live professional boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts events in the 2021 calendar year. By comparison, the Commission sanctioned 56 professional events during 2019 and 59 events during the pandemic season of 2020. The 117-event total for 2021 reflects the highest number on record, a 98-percent increase in the number of professional events hosted last calendar year and a 109-percent increase in the number of professional events held in 2019.

Significant Investment in New Restaurants

  • The Division of Hotels and Restaurants’ Office of Plan Review approved 8,215 applications as of December 20, 2021. Plan reviews are assessments of a public food service establishment’s plans for sanitation and safety concerns and are required for locations that are newly built, converted use, remodeled or re-opened after being closed at least one year. The plans received this year represent a 12-percent increase from 2020 and signal investment in new restaurant businesses, or new locations, an indicator of economic recovery.

Development of Statewide Vacation Rental Database

  • In 2021, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants initiated the development of a statewide vacation rental database that will enhance access to information and provide reliable reference points for cities, counties and public users once completed and live later in the current fiscal year.

Combatted Unlicensed Regulatory Activity

  • The Department continued to support robust partnerships with stakeholders in 2021, enhancing our focus on combatting unlicensed regulatory activity throughout the state. The Division of Regulation, Unlicensed Activity Unit implemented 10 proactive enforcement operations with local law enforcement across the state, resulting in 74 unlicensed activity cases and 32 arrests.

Strengthened Department’s Relationship with Condominium Associations

  • This year, the Division of Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes collaborated with The Florida Bar in a new partnership, the Florida Condo Education Initiative, to support expanded educational opportunities regarding the rights and responsibilities of condominium associations and their members. The Division’s collaborative efforts generated increased attendance and participation in educational offerings.

Expanded Real Estate Licensure Agreements with Other States

  • The Division of Real Estate expanded reciprocity agreements with other states through the Florida Real Estate Commission this year. After new agreements with Kentucky and West Virginia, Florida now has 10 state agreements for licensure reciprocity throughout the United States.

Welcomed State’s First Gaming Control Commission

  • Upon the Department’s assignment by the Florida Legislature, the agency led the effort to plan the structure and budget for the Florida Gaming Control Commission.

Charting the course for a more customer-centric experience, the Department is planning for the future with the Governor’s recommended Freedom First budget proposals that will set the agency on a path to implement, among other technological advancements, a more modern, customer service-friendly online licensing platform that enhances interactions with licensees at DBPR.

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements. The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. For more information, visit myfloridalicense.com.

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing
December 29, 2021 /  
Florida Sees Record Increase in Professional Combat Sporting Events

 

For Immediate Release

December 15, 2021

 Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981

Florida Sees Record Increase in Professional Combat Sporting Events
Florida’s Athletic Commission Nearly Doubles Annual Total of Events Hosted in the State

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) announced a record increase in the number of professional boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts events hosted by the Florida Athletic Commission (formerly the Florida State Boxing Commission) in the 2021 calendar year. As of December 15, 2021, the Commission sanctioned 114 live events, with an additional three events projected through the remainder of 2021. By comparison, the Commission sanctioned 56 professional events during 2019 and 59 events during the pandemic season of 2020. The projected 117-event total for 2021 reflects the highest number on record, a 98-percent increase in the number of professional events hosted last calendar year and a 109-percent increase in the number of professional events held in 2019.

“While other jurisdictions were closed in 2020 and early 2021, Governor DeSantis led the way in keeping Florida open for business,” said DBPR Secretary Julie I. Brown. “As a result, the number of professional combat sports matches in Florida skyrocketed, and Florida has been the fighting capital of the world over the last year.”

“Many events normally conducted in Las Vegas, California or New York moved to Florida this year,” said Patrick Cunningham, executive director of the Florida Athletic Commission. “While the health and safety of athletes remain our top priority, promoters from across the globe have recognized that Florida offers an exceptional environment to do business and to host these events.”

In Fiscal Year 2020-2021, the Athletic Commission regulated events generating nearly $1,082,000 in state tax revenue. The 2020-21 revenue total marks a more than 226-percent increase from the $331,000 in tax revenue generated from events hosted during the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

For a list of upcoming events sanctioned by the Florida Athletic Commission, visit our website.

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements. The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. For more information, visit myfloridalicense.com.

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing
December 15, 2021 /  
Florida DBPR Secretary Julie I. Brown Commends Governor DeSantis’ Freedom First Budget Recommendations

 

For Immediate Release

December 9, 2021

 Contact: communications@myfloridalicense.com

(850) 922-8981

Florida DBPR Secretary Julie I. Brown Commends Governor DeSantis’
Freedom First Budget Recommendations
Proposed Budget Reflects the Governor’s Continuing Investment in
Streamlining Government Processes and Enhancing Quality of Services for Floridians

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Julie I. Brown applauded Governor Ron DeSantis’ Fiscal Year 2022-23 Freedom First budget recommendations and emphasized that the proposed, major investments will modernize the technological capabilities of the Department, minimize burdens of government processes and deliver new, meaningful, long-term benefits for businesses and professionals regulated by the Department. The Governor’s FY 2022-23 recommended budget includes major upgrades of the Department’s online customer licensing interface and substantial advancements in the methods by which the Department serves more than 1.4 million callers annually through its Customer Contact Center.

“Since the beginning of my tenure as Secretary, my number one priority has been to enhance the Department’s technological capabilities and provide smoother interactions between the Department and our licensees,” said DBPR Secretary Brown. “With the Governor’s leadership and support for improving how we do business in Florida, this budget will make those advancements possible, while also maintaining our core focus on ensuring that businesses and professionals provide safe, quality services to Florida’s millions of residents and visitors.”

In particular, the Freedom First budget equips the Department with technological modernizations needed to continue implementing Governor DeSantis’ vision for improving Florida’s regulatory environment for businesses and professionals by:

  • Investing in the development of a modern, intuitive online system for online transactions and tools that will create efficiencies for the Department and its stakeholders alike, including: provide an improved customer-centric experience; assist in decreasing the number of deficient applications submitted to the Department and reduce corresponding license processing times; and lessen call volumes, reduce wait times, and enhance self-service options for convenience of applicants and license holders;
  • Providing users with enhanced online capabilities such as ease of access via mobile devices and applications, real-time agent assistance and 24/7 online chat capabilities; and
  • Implementing return call options for the Department’s Customer Contact Center, which introduces substantial convenience to callers and significantly reduces wait times for reaching a live customer support agent.

In addition to funding these advancements, the Governor’s FY 2022-23 budget recommendations include continuing support for the Department’s regulatory compliance programs in areas vital to the public health, safety and welfare, including the Department’s programs that serve state objectives in evaluating sanitation and safety in public food service establishments, ensuring fair and compliant administration of condominium associations, and pursuing education, investigation, and enforcement of unlicensed activity that poses substantial risks of public harm.

For more details, visit freedomfirstbudget.com.

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The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida, including accountants, architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetologists, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners, real estate appraisers and brokers, and veterinarians, as well as businesses dealing in alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food service, public lodging, pari-mutuel wagering, and condominiums, timeshares, and other cooperative residential arrangements. The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. For more information, visit myfloridalicense.com.

Follow @FloridaDBPR on Twitter or Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on Facebook for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.
December 9, 2021 /