Jan. 17, 2025 | Legislative Reporter
The 2025 Legislative Session convenes on March 4 and is scheduled to end on May 2 Interim committee meeting resumed this past week after the holiday break, focusing on committee overview discussions, agency presentations and related program reports.
On Jan. 13, Governor DeSantis issued an official proclamation for a special session to be held on Jan. 27- 31. The special session will focus on combating illegal immigration, condominium regulation, agricultural relief in response to natural disasters, replenishing the My Safe Florida Home program, and the citizens’ initiative petition process. Senate President Albritton and House Speaker Perez sent a joint response to this call.
The Bill Tracking Report, as of Jan 17, can be viewed here Please review it to see the bills filed that APA Florida is tracking. Note that if you click on the bill number, you will be linked to more information about the bill. If you would like any bills added to this report or would like more information about a specific bill, please contact Stefanie Svisco at ssvisco@floridaplanning.org.
Since the Dec. 13 Legislative Reporter, the following bills of interest have been filed:
HB 89 (Rep. Rayner and McFarland) allows a local government to enact comprehensive plan provisions and land development regulations authorizing land use for a small-footprint grocery store located in a food insecure area, as those terms are defined in the bill. (Note that Rep. Rayner filed a similar bill in 2023 which died in its first committee and in 2024 which was withdrawn before introduction.)
SB 118 (Sen. Brodeur and Gaetz) and HB 69 (Rep. Andrade) preempt to the state all regulation of the establishment, maintenance, activities, and operations of any presidential library within its jurisdiction and defers regulation of such institutions to the federal government; prohibits a county, a municipality, or another political subdivision of this state from enacting or enforcing any ordinance, resolution, rule, or other measure governing the establishment, maintenance, or operation of a presidential library or impose any requirement or restriction thereon, except as otherwise authorized by federal law.
HB 123 (Rep. Andrade) and SB 140 (Sen. Gaetz), are identical bills that require a school board, before occupying purchased or acquired real property, to submit a 5-year plan in a public meeting for the proposed use of that property; prohibit a school board from purchasing or acquiring real property if enrollment in the district has declined in the preceding 5-year period; if said decline has occurred, require a school board to dispose of real property
deemed by the State Board of Education to be surplus, with priority being given to conversion to a) affordable housing for teachers, first responders or military servicemembers, b) charter school facilities, or c) local government recreational facilities.
(Note that Rep. Andrade filed HB 109 last session which contained provisions requiring that the Department of Education and the Department of Management Services designate vacant school district real property as surplus if the school district has experienced a decline in student enrollment of one percent or more for at least two consecutive years; and required that, upon the designation of such real property as surplus, the school district must make the property available to approved charter schools and charter school governing boards within the school district. This bill died in its second of three committees of reference.)
HB 143 (Rep. Barnaby) defines the term “resilient building” and specifies that owners of resilient buildings are eligible to receive a specified tax credit. (Note this bill is similar to SB 62 (Sen. Rodriguez) which was identified in the Dec. 13 Legislative Reporter.)
SB 184 (Sen. Gaetz) requires local governments to adopt an ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units, without any corresponding increase in parking requirements, in any area zoned for single family residential use, excluding planned unit developments and master planned communities; amends existing provisions that allow local governments to provide density incentives to landowners who donate real property for affordable housing to explicitly include provisions for housing for military families receiving the basic allowance for housing.
SB 200 (Sen. Berman) requires the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan by July 1, 2026.
SB 202 (Sen. Jones) requires that a municipality which operates a water or sewer utility providing service to customers in another recipient municipality, which also has a facility in the recipient municipality, shall charge the consumers in the recipient municipality the same rates, fees, and charges as it does the consumers inside its own municipal boundaries. (Note this bill is similar to HB 11 [Rep. F. Robinson] that was identified in the Dec. 13 Legislative Reporter. Also note that Sen. Jones filed a similar bill last year which died in its last committee of reference)
HB 203 (Rep. Grow) amends s.163.3180(5)(d) to require that the capital improvements element must identity facilities necessary to meet adopted levels or service during a 5- year period or maintain current levels of service.
HB 209 (Rep. Snyder) adds a public hearing requirement for land management plans or updates related to parcels within a state park; prohibits sporting facilities such as golf courses and pickleball courts; prohibits lodging facilities as defined in s.509.242. (This bill is identical to SB 80 [Sens. Harrell and Bradley] that was identified in the Dec. 13 Legislative Reporter.)
SB 284 (Sen. Rouson) repeals s.163.035, which deals with the establishment of recreational customary use on any portion of a beach above the mean high-water line. (This bill is identical to HB 6001 (Rep. Rudman ) which was filed in December but withdrawn prior to introduction.)
HB 4001 (Rep. Giallombardo) amends the Lee County Home Rule Charter, revising county commission structure and redistricting standards. The bill would become effective only upon approval by a majority of those qualified voters voting in a referendum to be held in conjunction with the 2026 general election.
News Clips
DeSantis Wants State to Take Over Everglades Projects
Ed Dean | Florida Daily | Jan. 15, 2025
Florida Gov. DeSantis calls for special legislative session for week of Jan. 27
Jim Turner | News Service of Florida | Jan. 14, 2025
DeSantis outlines his immigration-policy priorities for special session, to start Jan. 27
Sara-Megan Walsh | Panama City News Herald | Jan. 15, 2025
Watchdog group calls move for special session on Florida petition gathering process ‘concerning Mitch Perry | Florida Phoenix | Jan. 14, 2025
Another showdown over Florida state bird? Legislation filed to elevate flamingo, scrub-jay Jim Rosica | Tallahassee Democrat | Jan. 3, 2025