SB 1076 Summary

• Establishes the "Protect Florida Small Business Act" (sections 686.101-686.11) to regulate franchisor-franchisee relationships and protect franchisees from unfair treatment.

• Prohibits franchisors from terminating or refusing to renew franchises without good cause, requiring 90 days' notice and 60 days to cure; allows immediate termination only for insolvency, abandonment, legal violations, felony conviction, or imminent public safety danger.

• Protects surviving spouses, heirs, and estates of deceased franchisees by guaranteeing 180 days to participate in franchise ownership, and permits franchisees to sell or transfer franchises to qualified buyers meeting the franchisor's reasonable standards.

• Requires franchisors and franchisees to deal in good faith and prohibits waivers of act protections; voids venue and choice-of-law provisions favoring out-of-state forums for Florida-based franchisees.

• Provides remedies including damages, attorney fees, declaratory judgments, and injunctive relief for violations, and extends protections to the fraud provisions in section 817.416.