Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, has revived a proposal that would make changes at the Florida Public Service Commission, including expanding the utility-regulatory panel from five to seven members.
Gaetz on Tuesday filed the proposal (SB 126) for consideration during the 2026 legislative session, which will start in January. In addition to expanding the size of the commission, Gaetz wants to require one member to be a certified public accountant and one to be a chartered financial analyst.
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Also, the bill would take steps such as restricting returns on equity — a closely watched measure of profitability — that utilities would be allowed to earn.
The bill would bar utilities from earning returns on equity that exceed the national average for comparable utilities. Gaetz filed a similar bill for the 2025 session. It was approved by one committee before stalling.