(Alexandria, Va.) — The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, this week hosted the third annual PHTA Day on the Hill. Association members were invited to Washington, DC, to engage with policymakers and advocate for the interests and growth of the industry.

PHTA members and staff met with more than 70 Congressional offices while onsite at the U.S. Capitol, where they discussed water safety, workforce development, small business support, and other key issues that are impacting the pool, spa, and hot tub industry. PHTA and its federal lobbyist firm DCLRS prepared a number of leave-behinds that highlight the positive effect the industry has on the U.S. economy, safety measures and standards, and other areas.

“The annual Day on the Hill is an incredible opportunity for PHTA members to show a united front on the issues that have the most impact on the pool, spa, and hot tub industry,” says PHTA Chairwoman of the Board Donna Williams, Vice President of Field Implementation at POOLCORP. “Whether it’s advocating for water safety and drowning prevention to help more Americans safely enjoy water or discussing how proposed regulations will affect the business climate, our voices can do an enormous amount of good on behalf of the entire industry.”

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), who is the sponsor of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Reauthorization Act (VGBA), spoke to the nearly 50 PHTA members in attendance about the importance of water safety and the need for continued advocacy and awareness-raising.

“PHTA Day on the Hill is truly a special event that motivates and energizes attendees by showing the power we have to influence change at the federal level,” says Justin Wiley, PHTA Vice President of Government Relations, Standards, and Codes. “One of PHTA’s core pillars is to improve the business environment by advocating and promoting the benefits of the pool, spa, and hot tub industry. Day on the Hill provides PHTA members an amazing opportunity to help the association fulfill that mission.”

In addition to meetings with Congresspeople and their staffers, PHTA Day on the Hill included a tour of Capitol Hill and speeches from Sabeena Hickman, CAE, PHTA President and CEO, and Olympic Gold Medalist Rowdy Gaines, PHTA Vice President of Partnerships and Development. Attendees also met with appointees from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Click here to see photos from PHTA Day on the Hill. For more information on PHTA’s advocacy mission, visitwww.phta.org/advocacy.

###

About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with 4,000 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $62B pool, hot tub, and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth initiatives to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge, and profitability. Additionally, PHTA promotes the use of pools by expanding swimming, water safety, and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer, and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.

The Florida pool industry is under siege from a flurry of dangerous legislative proposals threatening to dismantle vital protections that contractors and consumers have relied on for decades. In a recent episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, Dallas Thiesen, Chief Government Relations Officer for the Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA), gave an in-depth look at the mounting challenges facing the industry.

FSPA Successfully Defends Against SB 712

Earlier this week, Pool Magazine reported on a troubling amendment to Senate Bill 712 (SB 712), which proposed allowing general contractors and building contractors to construct the wet deck areas around swimming pools. The FSPA quickly mobilized, identifying the threat hidden deep within the amendment’s language and taking decisive action.

“This was not something that was being put forward by a group of building contractors beating down the halls in Tallahassee saying, ‘Hey, we need this, we want this,'” Thiesen explained. “This was a single constituent issue by a single representative, and there was no constituency for this. It was unwarranted, unasked for, and we could not just stand by and let this happen.”

Traditionally, wet deck construction falls strictly under the expertise of licensed pool contractors, who are trained to adhere to stringent safety standards. Expanding that scope to general and building contractors would have dramatically altered the landscape of pool construction in Florida, potentially jeopardizing public safety.

“Essentially, you’d be letting general contractors and building contractors who are not qualified to build swimming pools build a good portion of the structural components,” said Thiesen. “And we just could not let that happen.”

Through rapid lobbying efforts and grassroots mobilization, FSPA was able to have the harmful language stripped from SB 712. Amendments were filed in both the Senate and House to remove the provision, and ultimately, the industry celebrated a hard-fought victory.

But the win was short-lived.

Right on the heels of defeating the SB 712 amendment, another, even more alarming bill emerged: House Bill 991 (HB 991).

The Bigger Threat: House Bill 991

“What this language does is not just get rid of the Construction Industry Licensing Board,” Thiesen cautioned. “It would get rid of every single licensure board under the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) in Florida.”

Bill Proposes Elimination of Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB)

The scope of HB 991 is staggering. It proposes the elimination of oversight boards for 32 different licensed professions. This not only includes pool contractors but also engineers, realtors, veterinarians, harbor pilots, and many other professions. For the pool industry specifically, the abolition of the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) would devastate contractor accountability and consumer protection.

“The CILB oversees the licensure of contractors in Florida and handles complaints and discipline,” Thiesen said. “If you eliminate the board, you take away that avenue for transparency and accountability. All licensing and discipline decisions would be made by bureaucratic staff. These people are not contractors or subject matter experts.”

Currently, the CILB provides an essential layer of protection for both licensed contractors and consumers. Its members, appointed by the governor, are practicing professionals who understand the nuances of the industry. Thiesen emphasized how crucial their experience is.

“The irony of a licensing board is that they have very limited jurisdiction over those who aren’t licensed,” he noted. “When a close call comes up, the board often grants licensure to someone so that they can supervise them rather than leave them unlicensed and outside regulatory reach. Without that flexibility, you risk pushing more people into unlicensed activity.”

Contractor Continuing Education on the Firing Line

The potential consequences extend beyond licensing alone. HB 991 also proposes eliminating the continuing education (CE) requirements that have been mandatory for Florida contractors since the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

“Prior to Hurricane Andrew, there was no continuing education required,” Thiesen explained. “It was in the aftermath of that disaster that the legislature said, ‘We need contractors to engage in ongoing education to renew their licenses.'”

Why is Continuing Education Necessary?

Today, contractors must complete 14 hours of continuing education every two years to stay current on crucial changes in the Florida Building Code and best practices in construction. Without CE, Thiesen warned, outdated construction methods could proliferate, putting homeowners at risk.

“Every three years, our building code turns over,” he said. “Contractors need this education to understand updates to building standards, insurance practices, business operations, and more. Otherwise, you have people building to outdated standards, and you’re going to see subpar construction.”

Beyond training contractors, the CE requirement also applies to building officials and engineers. Eliminating it could create major practical problems during plan reviews and inspections, where officials and contractors might be referencing different versions of the code.

“Time is money in construction,” Thiesen emphasized. “If you slow down a permit by a month because of misunderstandings, that’s time the contractor isn’t working — and it costs their clients money.”

Despite arguments from HB 991 proponents that deregulation reduces red tape and makes it easier to do business, Thiesen offered a stark rebuttal.

“If the state is going to be involved in licensing and setting minimum standards, then we should at a minimum require education to renew your license,” he said. “We shouldn’t legislate to the lowest common denominator.”

The broader philosophical push behind HB 991 appears rooted in a belief that all regulation is inherently bad, Thiesen explained. But removing professional oversight risks creating a “race to the bottom” that could harm consumers and diminish Florida’s construction standards.

“If you don’t have building officials or contractors properly trained, you’re going to have outdated techniques, outdated standards, and substandard construction,” he said. “You’re also going to have delays, added costs, and diminished safety.”

How FSPA is Lobbying For The Industry

The FSPA isn’t taking these threats lightly. Along with their contract lobbying firm, Converge Public Strategies, FSPA is actively working in Tallahassee to oppose HB 991. They are urging contractors and concerned citizens alike to contact their representatives and senators to voice their opposition.

“We’ve been up there every week of session,” Thiesen said. “We’re working to whip the votes, educate lawmakers, and ensure they understand the real-world impact this bill would have on Florida’s construction industry.”

If the House passes HB 991, the battle will move to the Senate. However, Thiesen is cautiously optimistic that the Senate will reject the bill, especially given that the language has not been heard in any Senate policy committees — a highly unusual and nonstandard move.

“The Senate usually requires that language be vetted by a policy committee before it gets to the floor,” Thiesen explained. “We’re working hard to make sure they don’t take it up.”

As the legislative session races toward its conclusion, FSPA continues to rally the Florida pool industry and beyond to protect the high standards that have made Florida a leader in pool construction and safety.

“Education matters. Standards matter. Consumer protection matters,” Thiesen said. “We can’t afford to let these critical safeguards be stripped away.”

Pool Magazine will continue to monitor these developments closely and urges all pool professionals and industry stakeholders in Florida to stay informed, stay involved, and make their voices heard.

Important Resource: Find My Representative

Ready to take a deeper dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with Dallas Thiesen, Chief Government Relations Officer with the FSPA on the Pool Magazine Podcast.

A controversial amendment to SB 712 prompted swift backlash from the Florida pool industry, uniting contractors and trade associations in defense of licensure standards that have long safeguarded public safety and construction quality.

Originally intended to preempt local regulations around artificial turf, SB 712 became the target vehicle for unrelated construction amendments after other regulatory bills stalled in committee. On April 14, 2025, a last-minute amendment introduced new language in Section 6 of the bill, expanding the current general contractor exemption for swimming pool structural work to include “pool wet deck” areas—and, more significantly, extending that exemption to building contractors for the first time.

The proposed revision to Florida Statute 489.113(3)(c) would have allowed both general and building contractors to bypass subcontracting to licensed pool professionals when constructing critical wet deck zones—the four-foot perimeter around the waterline that includes handrails, ladders, diving boards, and other essential pool features. The scope of work for both general and building contractors is outlined in F.S. Sec. 489.105(3)(a) and (b), respectively.

This exception is generally understood to be in place to allow for General Contractors and Swimming Pool and Spa Contractors (F.S. Sec. 489.105(3)(j),(k), & (l)) on projects the construction of a swimming pool is going to be part of a larger project or integral to the primary construction activities. Generally, this is going to take the form of commercial development (condos, apartments, hotels, etc.) but also show up in tract residential development where a General Contractor is acting in the role of a developer and putting buyers under contract for a house and pool at the same time and working with pool builders to perform the pool and home construction at the together. 

The amendment to SB 712 expanded this exception to pool wet decks and extended the exception to Building Contractors. That language reads as follows:

(c) A general or building contractor may shall not be required to subcontract structural swimming pool or pool wet deck area work. All other swimming pool work must shall be subcontracted to an appropriately licensed certified or registered swimming pool contractor.For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “pool wet deck area” means the 4-foot-wide unobstructed pool deck area around the outside of the pool water perimeter, curb, ladders, handrails, diving boards, diving towers, pool slides, waterfalls, water features, starting 302 blocks, planters, or lifeguard chairs.

Following the amendment to SB 712, a matching amendment was filed to HB 683, the House companion bill to SB 712. It is important to note that the Section 6 language was not found in any previously filed bills in the 2025 Florida Legislative Session and was only field for the first time last week in these amendments. The language seems to be being pushed by a single Representative in the Florida House with no apparent constituency.

Industry leaders saw the amendment as a threat to established standards. Joe Trusty, Editor-in-Chief of Pool Magazine and member of Forbes Business Council, responded in an open letter:

“This legislative expansion introduces a slippery slope: by allowing general and building contractors—who may not possess the specific experience or education required to construct and waterproof pool shells or build critical wet deck zones without subcontracting to licensed pool contractors—we risk eroding the professional standards that the industry has worked for decades to establish.”

Trusty emphasized the consumer risk involved:

“Lowering the threshold for who can perform this work may open the door to inconsistent quality, code violations, and even unsafe installations. At a time when demand for pools remains strong and the need for accountability is more crucial than ever, loosening requirements sends the wrong message.”

Pool Magazine Letter on SB 712 on Scribd

Deidre Bedford, President of the Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA), echoed those concerns ahead of the Senate Rules Committee hearing.

“FSPA is going to Tallahassee to fight the good fight—again,” said Bedford. “This bill undermines the purpose of professional licensing and the protections it affords consumers. It allows contractors without specialized training to build highly specialized products that our customers interact with on a daily basis.”

FSPA’s Chief Government Relations Officer, Dallas Thiesen, added:

“This isn’t about restricting who can build. It’s about ensuring those who build pools know what they’re doing. When you start letting anyone build a pool structure without understanding the necessary slope, drainage, bonding, or barrier codes, you’re potentially setting homeowners up for failure—or worse, danger.”

The provision had never appeared in any previously filed legislation during the 2025 session and was seen by many as a last-ditch attempt to slip construction-related language into a bill that had already cleared a different committee path.

Despite the short notice, the industry mobilized quickly. By close of business Friday, FSPA had over 75 professionals signed up to attend the Senate Rules hearing.

That effort paid off. The Senate Rules Committee met on April 21, 2025 and adopted an amendment to remove the controversial Section 6 language from SB 712. A corresponding floor amendment was also filed for HB 683, the House companion bill, to strike the same language.

The scope-of-work expansion for general and building contractors is no longer part of SB 712. The bill will move forward to the Senate floor without the amendment—a hard-earned win for Florida’s licensed pool and spa professionals.