Feb. 21, 2025 | Legislative Reporter
The 2025 Legislative Session convenes on March 4, and is scheduled to end on May 2.
Committee meetings are not scheduled for next week but will pick up again the week of March 3. Note that Feb. 28 is the bill draft filing deadline for both the House and Senate.
The Bill Tracking Report, as of Feb. 21, can be viewed here. Please review it to see the filed bills that APA Florida is tracking and their status. 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 Feb. 14 Reporter, the following bills of interest have been filed:
SB 110 (Sen. Simon) amends various Florida Statutes to support rural communities by establishing funding, guidelines, and programs across multiple sectors. (Note that yesterday Senate President Albritton issued a memo regarding Florida’s Rural Renaissance addressed in this bill.)
HB 651 (Rep. Tuck) is a bill related to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which revises multiple regulations concerning agriculture, utilities, consumer services and health; includes a provision that lands owned or leased by an electric utility as defined in s.361.11(2) which may also be the site of solar energy systems as defined in s.212.02(26) and bona fide agricultural uses of the land, and which comply with all other provisions of s.193.461, must be classified agricultural by the property appraiser; includes a requirement that if a proposed power plant site is located on land that has, at any time during the previous 5 years, been classified as agricultural lands pursuant to s.193.461, the electric utility must submit the plan to the county commission of the county in which the proposed site is located and the county must provide the Public Service Commission with the county commission’s findings upon completion of the preliminary study of the proposed plan; provides that a local government may not adopt any ordinance, regulation, rule, or policy to prohibit, restrict, regulate, or otherwise limit any activities of public educational facilities and auxiliary facilities constructed by a board for agricultural education, for Future Farmers of America or 4-H activities, or the storage of any animals or equipment therein. [Note that SB 700 (Sen. Truenow), identified in the Feb. 14 Legislative Reporter, also deals with issues related to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.]
HB 661 (Rep. Albert) is a resolution which expresses support for a “one-water” approach to managing all of Florida’s water resources holistically to support future growth and avoid water shortages.
HB 665 (Rep. Steele) prohibits a county or municipality from requiring, as a condition of processing or issuing a development order, an applicant to install a work of art, pay a fee for a work of art, or reimburse the county or municipality for the costs that incurred related to a work of art; amends s.16331801, related to impact fees, to provide a definition of extraordinary circumstances, and require that a demonstrated-need study must identify the specific projects that will benefit, and how such projects will benefit, from exceeding phase-in limitations. [Note this bill is identical to SB 482 (Sen. DiCeglie) identified in the Feb. 7 Legislative Reporter.]
HJR 679 (Rep. Salzman) and SJR 802 (Sen. Ingoglia) are joint resolutions proposing amendments to Section 13 of Article VIII and Section 4 of Article IX of the State Constitution to provide term limits for members of boards of county commissioners and district school boards.
HB 683 (Rep. Griffitts, Jr.) prohibits local governments from adopting or enforcing any ordinance, resolution, order, rule, or policy that prohibits, or is enforced so as to prohibit, property owners from installing synthetic turf on their land; prohibits local governments from adopting or enforcing any ordinance, resolution, order, rule, or policy that regulates synthetic turf installed in single-family residential areas 1 acre or less in size. [Note this bill is identical to SB 712 (Sen. Grall) identified in the Feb. 14 Legislative Reporter.]
HB 685 (Rep. J. Alverez) creates the “Hotel-to-home Tax Credit Program” to facilitate the conversion of hotels to residential housing.
HB 691 (Rep. Conerly) allows a domestic wastewater treatment facility with an approved plan for eliminating nonbeneficial surface water discharge to submit a request to the Department of Environmental Protection to amend the plan to incorporate a reclaimed water project identified in an Outstanding Florida Springs recovery or prevention strategy adopted pursuant to s.373.805, requires the department to approve the request within 60 days if all of the following conditions are met: the identified use of reclaimed water will benefit a rural area of opportunity; the project will provide at least 35 million gallons per day of reclaimed water to benefit an Outstanding Florida Spring; the project involves more than one domestic wastewater treatment facility; and the project implementation and surface water discharge elimination schedule meets the requirements of s.373.805
HB 695 (Rep. Gentry) amends regulations related to private provider building inspection services including prohibiting a local jurisdiction from charging additional fees, including an administrative fee, for building inspections if the fee owner or contractor hires a private provider to perform such services; providing that the local building official may not perform reviews of plans, construction drawings, or any other related documents determined by a private provider to be compliant with the applicable codes; providing that the local building official may review these documents for completeness only. [Note that HB 267 (Rep. Esposito), which included some provisions related to private inspection providers, was passed last year.]
HB 701 (Rep. Stark) expands the special housing needs classification in local housing assistance plans to include mobile homeowners in parks and allocates local housing plan funds for lot rental assistance; provides that a county or an eligible municipality may not distinguish or discriminate between types of housing when awarding funds from the local housing distribution.
SB 784 (Sen. Ingoglia) requires the appropriate governing body to issue the street and mailing address and individual parcel identification number with two weeks after final plat recordation and imposes a penalty reducing the building permit fee by 10 percent for each business day if the governing body fails to issue such information. [Note this bill is identical to HB 381 (Rep. Holcomb) identified in the Feb. 7 Legislative Reporter.]
SB 786 (Sen. Truenow) provides that any agricultural improvements used for an agricultural purpose located on land classified for assessment purposes as agricultural lands are exempt from assessment, beginning with the 2026 ad valorem tax roll. [Note this bill is identical to HB 589 (Rep. Brackett) identified in the Feb. 14 Legislative Reporter.]
HB 787 (Rep. Chamberlin) sets the maximum millage rate at 102 percent of the rolled back rate for most taxing authorities and prohibits local authorities from adopting a higher millage rate than this capped rate.
SB 810 (Sen. Burgess) amends s.373.423 to require each political subdivision of this state to inspect known works related to storm water management under the normal and customary control of the political subdivision by June 1 of each year; the Division of Emergency Management shall create a standardized form for the official who completes such inspection to complete and sign attesting that he or she completed the inspection; the form must be submitted to the Division of Emergency Management.
SB 822 (Sen. Rodriguez) expands and amends regulations for charter schools in Florida, including a provision that, before the disposal of any real property, including school facilities, by sale, transfer, lease, or disposal by a school district, the school district shall provide written notice to each charter school operating within the school district of the intent to dispose of such property; charter schools within the school district shall be granted a right of first refusal for the purchase, lease, or use of the property for educational purposes; the school district may not finalize any transaction involving the disposal of property until each charter school within the school district has been given a reasonable opportunity to express interest in and submit an offer to the school district for such property to ensure the continuity of educational services within the community. [Note that HB 443 (Rep. Synder), identified in the Feb. 7 Legislative Reporter, contains a similar provision.]
HB 833 (Rep. Hinson) authorizes the Governor of Florida to enter a rapid rail transit compact with Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi for the feasibility study and establishment of rapid rail transit services between the member states.
SB 836 (Sen. C. Smith) and HB 6023 (Rep. Bartleman) are identical bills which would repeal the existing state preemption on the regulation of auxiliary containers, wrappings, and disposable plastic bags in s. 403.7033, F.S. in effect until the Legislature adopts the recommendations in the updated Department of Environmental Protection report on retail bags, due to legislature on Dec 31, 2021.
HB 837 (Rep. Tuck) establishes the Florida Rural Jobs Act to encourage investments in rural communities through tax credits.
SB 838 (Sen. DiCeglie) prohibits a local government from adopting a local lookback ordinance for substantial improvements or repairs to a structure which is more stringent than the Florida Building Code; a lookback ordinance adopted by a local government before July 1, 2025, is void and unenforceable.
SB 852 (Sen. Martin) requires the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to conduct a study to establish a framework to eliminate property taxes under Florida Statute Chapters 192 through 196 and to replace property tax revenues through budget reductions, sales-based consumption taxes, and locally determined consumption taxes authorized by the Legislature; identifies what needs to be included in the study; requires a report on the study findings be submitted to the Senate President and House Speaker by Oct 1, 2025.
HB 861 (Rep. Cross) directs the Department of Environmental Protection to collaborate with water management districts and sewage facilities to produce a comprehensive assessment by Dec. 31, 2025, detailing the condition, capacity, treatment levels, and environmental impact of large sewage disposal facilities; requires a report by Dec. 31, 2026, to establish a priority ranking system for upgrading all sewage facilities to advanced treatment by 2036, outlining project environmental benefits, necessary additional actions, cost-effectiveness, potential funding sources, and project readiness.
SB 946 (Sen. Rodriguez) prohibits local governmental entities from permitting certain waste facilities within 2 miles of the Everglades Protection Area, Everglades Construction Project, or specific water storage/conveyance structures, and preempts local governmental authority on permitting issues outlined in the prohibition, centralizing regulatory power to the state level.
SB 7002 (Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee) creates new regulations and reporting requirements for Florida’s water management districts and revises various aspects of budgeting, taxation, project management, and operational protocols.
The following bills of interest had action this week: GROWTH MANAGEMENT
Regulation of Presidential Libraries: SB 118 (Sen. Brodeur) was reported favorably by the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Feb. 18 and now moves to the Senate Rules Committee, its second and final committee of reference. The bill preempts 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. It defines a presidential library as an institution administered or designated under the federal Presidential Libraries Act, and states that a local government may not enact or enforce any ordinance, resolution, rule, or other measure governing a presidential library or impose any requirement or restriction upon such libraries, except as otherwise authorized by federal law.
HB 69 (Rep. Andrade), an identical bill, is currently in the House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee, its first of two committees of reference.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
Ad Valorem Tax Exemption: SJR 318 (Sen. Truenow) was reported favorably by the Senate Agriculture Committee on Feb. 18 and now moves to the Senate Finance and Tax Committee, its second of three committees of reference. The joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Florida Constitution to authorize the Legislature, beginning with the 2027 tax roll, to exempt tangible personal property located on land classified as agricultural, used in the production of agricultural products or for agritourism activities, and owned by the landowner or leaseholder of the agricultural land from ad valorem taxation.
If the resolution is adopted by the Legislature, the proposed amendment will be submitted to Florida’s electors for approval or rejection at the next general election in November 2026. If approved by at least 60 percent of the electors, the proposed amendment will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
HOUSING
Affordable Housing: CS/SB 184 (Sen. Gaetz), reflecting committee amendments, was reported favorably by the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Feb. 18 and moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, its second of three committees of reference.
The bill amends s.163.31771 to:
• require, instead of authorizing, local governments to adopt an ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in any area zoned for single-family residential use. The ordinance cannot require any increase in parking requirements to accommodate the ADU. The ordinance may not require that the owner of the parcel on which an ADU is constructed reside on that parcel and does not apply to a planned unit development or master planned community. (The former clause was added by the committee.)
• provide that the owner of a property with an accessory dwelling unit may not be denied a homestead exemption for those portions of property on which the owner maintains a permanent residence solely on the basis of the property containing an ADU that is or may be rented to another person. However, if the ADU is rented to another person, the ADU must be assessed separately from the homestead property. (These provisions were added by the committee.)
The bill also amends s.420.615 to expand the express authorization for local governments to grant density bonuses to landowners that donate land to the local government for the purpose of providing affordable housing to allow such donated land to be used to provide affordable housing for military families receiving the basic allowance for housing.
Finally, the bill directs the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to evaluate the efficacy of using mezzanine finance, or second-position short-term debt, to stimulate the construction of owneroccupied housing that is affordable as defined in s.420.0004(3) OPPAGA is also required to evaluate the potential of tiny homes in meeting the need for affordable housing in this state. OPPAGA must consult with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation and the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida in conducting its evaluation. By Dec. 31, 2026, OPPAGA must submit a report of its findings to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must include recommendations for the structuring of a model mezzanine finance program. (The original bill created s.420.5098 to require the FHFC to establish a model program
that uses mezzanine finance; the committee removed this language and instead directed OPPAGA to do the above evaluations.)
HB 247 (Rep. Conerly) was identical to CS/184 before amendment. It is currently in the House Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee, its first of three committees of reference.
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Senate plan aims to boost health care, education and more in rural Florida communities Jim Saunders | News Service of Florida | Feb. 20
DeSantis signals support for property tax elimination in Florida CBS News | Feb. 20
Lawmakers propose constitutional term limits for county commissioners, school board members Jay Waagmeester | Florida Phoenix | Feb. 18