Week Nine: March 13, 2026

On Tap @ the Cap is your weekly update on what’s happening in Tallahassee during the legislative session and what it means for Florida’s cities.

Today marks the 60th and final day of this year’s Legislative Session. However, the traditional sine die drop of the handkerchiefs did not take place, as the chambers concluded the 60-day session without reaching agreement on a state budget. As a result, the Legislature will need to reconvene to finalize the budget. Speaker of the House Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton both stated that their goal is to hold a special session on the budget next month in April.

Property Taxes

The 60-day session concluded without the Legislature adopting any major property tax proposal. However, it appears the Legislature intends to revisit the issue at a later date. It is still unclear whether property taxes will be considered during the same special session planned to address the state budget.

Now that legislators have returned to their communities, it remains important for city officials to continue sharing the importance of property taxes with their representatives and senators. Please keep communicating the direct connection between property tax revenue and the essential services your communities rely on.

This On Tap provides a snapshot of key bills impacting municipalities that were heard this session. Please also watch for our final report summarizing all legislation filed this year that affected cities. In the meantime, please view our bill summaries.

Bills Heard

Elimination of Non-School Property Taxes for Homesteads (Oppose) – Failed 

CS/CS/HJR 203 (Miller) was a proposed constitutional amendment that proposed the elimination of non-school property taxes for homestead properties.  (Chapman)

Property Insurance Relief Homestead Exemption Non-school Property Tax (Oppose) – Failed

CS/CS/HJR 209 (Busatta) was a proposed constitutional amendment that would have created a new $200,000 homestead exemption from non-school ad valorem taxes for properties covered by multi-peril insurance. (Chapman)

Modification of Limitations on Property Assessment Increases (Oppose) – Failed

CS/CS/HJR 213 (Griffitts) was a proposed constitutional amendment that would have changed how assessment valuation caps are adjusted for non-school property tax levies. (Chapman)

Local Business Taxes (Oppose) – Failed

CS/HB 103 (Botana) would have repealed Chapter 205, Florida Statutes, and eliminated the ability for local governments to levy local business tax. (Chapman)

Suits Against the Government (Monitor) – Passed

HB 145 (McFarland) increases tort liability caps for claims accruing on or after October 1, 2026, to $350,000 per person and $500,000 per incident, while preserving the existing requirement that any payment above those caps must be approved by the Legislature through a claims bill unless fully paid within available insurance limits. HB 145 passed the Senate (36-0) and the House (108-1) and is awaiting approval by the Governor. (Cruz)

Land Use Regulations for Local Governments Affected by Natural Disasters (Support) – Failed

SB 840 (DiCeglie) would have narrowed 2025's SB 180 bill, relating to post-disaster land-use restrictions to cities impacted by a hurricane, and tied applicability more closely to hurricane damage. (Singer)

Land Use Regulations (Support) – Failed

HB 217 (Abbott) and CS/SB 218 (Gaetz) would have proposed a narrow change to last session’s SB 180 (Chapter 2025-190), which placed limits on local land-use, planning, and permitting authority after a major disaster. (Singer)

Utility Services (Oppose) - Passed

CS/CS/HB 1451 (Busatta) is a utility bill that applies to extraterritorial service by municipal gas, electric, water, and sewer utilities. The bill passed the House (79-24) and the Senate (30-6) and is awaiting approval by the Governor. (O’Hara)

Provision of Municipal Utility Service to Owners Outside the Municipal Limits (Oppose) - Failed

CS/CS/CS/SB 1014 (Mayfield) and CS/CS/HB 1075 (Sirois) would have mandated that a municipal utility provide extraterritorial service. (O’Hara)

Local Government Spending (Monitor) – Passed

CS/CS/HB 1329 (Benarroch) expands statutory requirements governing local government budget transparency and revises state impact fee laws. The bill passed the Senate (34-0) and the House (87-19) and is awaiting approval by the Governor. (Wagoner)

Qualified Contractors (Oppose) – Passed

CS/CS/CS/HB 927 (Sapp) requires certain counties and municipalities to create development preapplication consulting programs and use qualified private contractors to assist with reviewing specific development approvals. The bill passed the House (110-0) and the Senate (33-0) and is awaiting approval by the Governor. (Cruz)

Affordable Housing/Live Local Act (Oppose) - Passed

CS/CS/HB 1389 (Redondo) amends the Live Local Act (LLA) and the Florida Fair Housing Act. The bill passed the House (98-4) and the Senate (35-0) and is awaiting approval by the Governor. (O’Hara)

Local Government Land Development Regulations and Orders (Oppose) - Failed

CS/SB 948 (McClain) and CS/HB 1143 (Nix) would have created the Florida Starter Homes Act, limiting local governments’ authority over single-family residential zoning. (O’Hara)

Transportation Infrastructure Land Development Regulations (Oppose) - Failed

HB 1183 (Cross) and CS/CS/SB 1342 (Rouson) would have imposed substantial development mandates on rural cities and cities with bus rapid transit, rail service, commuter rail, intercity rail service, or fixed guideway transportation systems. (O’Hara)

Land Use and Development Regulations (Monitor) – Passed

CS/CS/CS/HB 399 (Borrero) addresses development fees, zoning and land‑use rules, and provisions benefiting certain projects. The bill passed the Senate (27-11) and the House (73-27). (O’Hara)

Impact Fees (Oppose) - Failed

CS/SB 548 (McClain) and CS/CS/HB 1139 (Gentry) would have substantially revised Florida’s impact fee framework. The substance of these bills were amended into CS/CS/HB 1329 (see above). (Cruz)

Public Meetings (Support) - Passed

CS/CS/HB 655 (Duggan) allows local governments, after receiving a Bert Harris Act claim, to hold a private meeting with their attorneys during the 90-day pre-suit notice period to discuss the claim. The bill passed the House (116-0) and the Senate (37-0) and is awaiting approval by the Governor. (Singer)

Clerks of Court (Oppose) - Passed

CS/HB 925 (Trabulsy) revises several statutes governing the finances and operations of clerks of the circuit court, including changes to the distribution of certain civil traffic penalties, clerk budget procedures, and publication of legal notices. The bill passed the Senate (38-0) and the House (101-5) and is awaiting approval by the Governor. (Wagoner)

Preemption to the State (Oppose) - Failed

SB 1444 (Martin) and HB 1227 (Oliver) would have broadly expanded state preemption over local regulatory authority in multiple subject areas. (Cruz)

Transportation (Oppose) - Failed

CS/CS/HB 1233 (Griffitts) and CS/CS/CS/SB 1220 (Massullo) were broad transportation policy bills. (Singer)

Standards for Storm Water Systems (Oppose) - Failed

HB 239 (Grow) and CS/SB 558 (Burgess) would have regulated all stormwater systems. (Singer)

View All Legislative Bill Summaries

What You Can Do 


Please reach out to your local legislators and inform them of how your municipality raises and uses property taxes. We want to ensure legislators are aware of the real-world implications of property tax reform for municipalities and their citizens. Find your legislators' contact information in the Capitol Contacts Directory.