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The 2025 Legislative Session is finally upon us! With the kick-off to session this week, several important policy areas were discussed and bills began to be heard and voted for in committee. On Tap @ the Cap, sent every Friday during session, is your weekly source for updates on key legislation, helping you stay informed and engaged. To see the full list of bills impacting cities, view FLC’s Legislative Bill Summaries.
📞 FLC members can join the weekly Monday Morning Call-Ins to get the latest information on priority issues and all things advocacy-related during legislative session. Learn More
FLC members, please remember to fill out both the CityStats Survey along with the Legislative Survey that has been distributed.
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Threat to Property Taxes
Session officially began on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. As is customary with the start of session, Governor Ron DeSantis delivered the State of the State to both chambers of the Legislature. The Governor discussed property taxes during his address, saying that taxpayers have been “squeezed by increasing local government property taxes,” declaring local governments have created a “gusher of revenue,” and asserting that local government budgets have “increase[d] far beyond the growth in population.”
We have our work cut out for us this year. We need your help educating legislators on the essential services that cities provide and how those services are paid for.
| The following is a brief recap of the key bills heard during the first week of session. | |
Rural Communities and Municipalities
On Monday, the Senate Community Affairs Committee heard SB 110 (Simon), passing the bill on a 6-0 vote. SB 110 invests $119 million in economic development, infrastructure, and housing to boost rural communities, which would include municipalities located within fiscally constrained counties. These investments aim to drive long-term economic stability across Florida’s rural areas. The House companion, HB 1427 (Griffitts), is still waiting to be heard in its first committee. (Wagoner)
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Operating Motor Vehicles at Slow Speeds
HB 241 (Cross) and SB 350 (DiCeglie) create an exception to state law, allowing local ordinances to require drivers of motor vehicles, including those operating a boat or other conveyance, to reduce their speed on flooded or inundated streets to minimize wakes and waves that could further damage nearby homes. On Friday, HB 241 was heard in its first committee of reference, the House Government Operations Subcommittee, and passed on a vote of 16-1. The Senate companion, SB 350, will be heard on Wednesday, March 12, in the Senate Transportation Committee. (Singer)
| The following are bills that will take center stage during week 2 of session. | |
Community Redevelopment Agencies at Risk
HB 991 (Giallombardo) and SB 1242 (McClain) require all community redevelopment agencies (CRAs) in existence as of July 1, 2025, to terminate by the earliest charter expiration date or by September 30, 2045. The bills prohibit CRAs from initiating new projects or issuing new debt after October 1, 2025, and prohibit the creation of any new CRAs after July 1, 2025. HB 991 is still waiting to be heard in its first committee. SB 1242 will be heard in the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Tuesday, March 11. (Cruz)
📢 Municipalities’ ability to redevelop their communities is at risk, and we need your help! If you are a municipality with a CRA, please click here to oppose SB 1242.
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Single-Family Homes and Building Permits
SB 1128 (Ingoglia) and HB 1035 (Esposito) provide that a building permit issued by a local government pursuant to section 553.79, Florida Statutes, for a single-family dwelling may not expire before the effective date of the next edition of the Florida Building Code, which is updated every three years. Additionally, if an individual applies for a permit in any area that was under a state of emergency for the preceding 24 months, and the application was signed and sealed by an architect or engineer that it complies with Florida Building Code, the application is deemed approved and must be issued by the local building department within two days. HB 1035 is still waiting to be heard in its first committee. SB 1128 will be heard in the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Tuesday, March 11. (O’Hara)
Affordable Housing
CS/SB 184 (Gaetz) and HB 247 (Conerly) require local governments to allow accessory dwelling units by-right in any area zoned for single-family residential use, except for areas designated as planned unit developments or master planned communities. HB 247 is still waiting to be heard in its first committee. CS/SB 184 will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development on Tuesday, March 11. HB 247 will be heard in the House Housing, Agriculture, and Tourism Subcommittee on the same date. (O’Hara)
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Emergency Preparedness and Response
SB 180 (DiCeglie) is a comprehensive bill revising Florida’s emergency preparedness and response infrastructure. Of note to municipalities, the bill revises several disaster recovery procedures and expands training requirements for municipal emergency officials. SB 180 will be heard in the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Tuesday, March 11. (Singer)
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