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Week 1 Preview
February 28, 2025
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The 2025 Legislative Session kicks off next week, and with it comes several bills that could impact cities. 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 starting March 3 to get the latest information on priority issues and all things advocacy-related during legislative session. Learn More
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Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency
On Monday, February 24, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis released an executive order creating within the Executive Office of the Governor (EO) the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The EO DOGE is tasked with identifying unnecessary spending within county and municipal governments.
Relating to EO DOGE is HB 305 (Esposito), an administrative procedure bill that requires agencies to take procedural steps to manage regulatory costs. As we progress through the 2025 Legislative Session, we will monitor how this bill relates to EO DOGE.
| The following is a brief synopsis of the key bills to watch heading into legislative session on Tuesday, March 4. | |
Affordable Housing in the Spotlight
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. The bills do not change current law requirements that a building permit application for an accessory dwelling unit must include an attestation from the applicant that the unit will be rented at an affordable rate to low- or moderate-income persons. (O’Hara)
CS/SB 184 was heard on February 18, 2025, in its first committee of reference and passed on a vote of 7-0. The House companion, HB 247, is still waiting to be heard in its first committee of reference.
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Building Permits for a Single-Family Dwelling
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. The bills also specify that a permit application for the construction of a single-family dwelling in a jurisdiction for which a state of emergency was issued within 24 months before the application, and which is signed and sealed by a licensed architect or engineer that the plans comply with the Florida Building Code, is deemed approved. (O’Hara)
Neither bill has been heard in committee or has been placed on an agenda to be heard in a committee.
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Revisions to Statutes Related to Affordable Housing
HB 923 (Lopez, V.) revises current laws relating to the various ad valorem tax exemptions for projects providing affordable housing. The bill substantially revises sections 196.1978 and 196.1979, Florida Statutes, which establish five property tax exemptions available to certain affordable housing developments. (O’Hara)
The bill has not been heard in committee, nor has it been placed on an agenda to be heard in a committee.
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Revisions Relating to the Live Local Act and Comprehensive Plans
HB 943 (Lopez, V.) substantially revises current law relating to the Live Local Act and to local government comprehensive plans and land development regulations. The bill requires a municipality to approve the development of affordable housing if certain qualifications are met and provides that a municipality may not otherwise apply comprehensive plan provisions, land use or zoning regulations to the property if those conditions are met. The bill requires local governments to exempt or waive 20% of the impact fees associated with the portion of a Live Local Act project that is affordable housing. The bill substantially revises section 166.04151(7), Florida Statutes, relating to qualifying Live Local Act developments. (O’Hara)
The bill has not been heard in committee, nor has it been placed on an agenda to be heard in a committee.
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Rural Communities and Municipalities
SB 110 (Simon) and HB 1427 (Griffitts) modernize support for fiscally constrained counties (FCC) by updating definitions and increasing the FCC threshold from $5 million to $10 million in property tax revenue. The bills boost FCC funding to at least $50 million annually by shifting from direct-to-home satellite service tax to sales tax and establish new spending requirements for public safety, infrastructure, and other public purposes. The bills create the Office of Rural Prosperity within the Department of Commerce to assist rural communities with economic development and grant access. They also introduce a Rural Resource Directory to help local governments navigate funding opportunities. HB 1427 has not been heard in committee, nor has it been placed on an agenda to be heard in a committee. (Wagoner)
🗓️ SB 110 will be heard in the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Monday, March 3.
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Local Business Taxes
HB 503 (Botana) and SB 1196 (Truenow) propose to include the collection of local business taxes in the audit review process of the State Auditor General. The bill sets a base Local Business Tax revenue year for Fiscal Year 2024. There is a requirement for the reduction of fees and refunds to be issued to businesses if local government revenues exceed the revenue base year annually. The local government must provide an affidavit stating compliance with these provisions in each annual audit. The bills provide an exemption for fiscally constrained counties and the municipalities within them. (Chapman)
HB 503 has not been heard in committee nor has it been placed on an agenda to be heard in a committee. SB 1196 has yet to be referred to a committee.
📢 HB 503 will have a negative fiscal impact on your city, and we need your help! We ask for municipal officials to talk to their respective representatives and senators about the impact the bill would have on their municipality’s budget. We also ask for municipal officials to fill out legislative surveys sent out by FLC.
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Community Redevelopment Agencies
HB 991 (Giallombardo) and SB 1242 (McClain) mandate that all community redevelopment agencies (CRAs) in existence as of July 1, 2025, must terminate by the earliest charter expiration date or by September 30, 2045. It also prohibits CRAs from initiating new projects or issuing new debt after October 1, 2025. Additionally, the bills prohibit the creation of any new CRAs after July 1, 2025. (Cruz)
Neither bill has been referred to a committee.
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Bills Regarding Growth Management
SB 1118 (McClain) and HB 1209 (Steele) are broad growth management bills that reduce local government authority over land use and development regulations, favoring developers. A key concern for municipalities is the requirement for administrative approval of certain developments within agricultural enclaves, overriding any local prohibitions in the future land use map or comprehensive plan. This eliminates public meetings for approving these developments, which must be treated as conforming uses without further local approval. (Cruz)
Neither bill has been referred to a committee.
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House Sovereign Immunity Bill Passes First Committee
HB 301 (McFarland) and SB 1570 (DiCeglie) increase the statutory limits on liability for tort claims against the state and its agencies and subdivisions (which include cities). The current statutory limits for claims are $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident. The bills raise these limits to $1 million per person and $3 million per incident for claims accruing between October 1, 2025, and October 1, 2030. After October 1, 2030, these limits will increase to $1.1 million and $3.2 million, respectively. (Cruz)
On February 19, HB 301 was heard in its first committee of reference and passed on a vote of 17-1. The Senate companion, SB 1570, is still waiting to be heard in its first committee of reference.
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