New state law impacts local ordinances

The new state law requires city and county governments to provide business impact estimates before adopting new ordinances.

BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com

ANNA MARIA – Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation that makes it more challenging for Florida cities and counties to adopt local ordinances.

On June 29, DeSantis signed into law legislation the Florida Legislature created with Senate Bill 170 and its matching companion bill, House Bill 1515.

The new law makes it easier to challenge an existing or proposed ordinance, allows for enforcement to be suspended for challenged ordinances, makes it easier for challengers to recoup attorney fees and requires city and county governments to prepare a business impact estimate when proposing a new ordinance.

In anticipation of the new law, City Attorney Becky Vose recently provided Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission with her fivepage legal analysis of the new law.

“SB 170 pertains to the passage and challenging of local municipal and county ordinances. The bill gives additional rights to those challenging local ordinances, imposes conditions on legal challenges to local ordinances and adds to the process for local governments passing ordinances,” Vose wrote.