Week 3

March 21, 2025

The 2025 Legislative Session rolled along to its third week! A number of bills of significance to municipalities were heard and voted on this week. 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 that began March 3 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 the CityStats Survey that has been distributed.

Legislative Action Days

Tallahassee is ready to welcome all the elected municipal officials who are able to make it for the annual Legislative Action Days next week!

Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency

This week, the Governor distributed to cities a request for information pertaining to instances of financial emergency or distress. We ask our members to respond to the Governor’s request and provide the appropriate information.

Looming Threat to Property Taxes

Municipalities’ ability to levy property taxes IS at risk. Last week, the Governor spoke of his desire to eliminate property taxes, and there are a number of bills filed in the House and the Senate that would greatly reduce and ultimately jeopardize property tax as a revenue source. The bills that would be most harmful to municipalities have yet to be heard or placed on an agenda, but that does not mean that cities are out of the woods on this issue yet.

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 third week of session.

THREATS TO CITIES

Sovereign Immunity

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 bills increase the current caps to $1 million per person and $3 million per incident. HB 301 was heard in the House Budget Committee on Thursday and passed on a 25-3 vote. The Senate companion, SB 1570, has yet to be heard in its first committee of reference. (Cruz)

Local Business Tax

HB 503 (Botana) and SB 1196 (Truenow) seek to cap cities’ ability to generate revenue from Local Business Tax. HB 503 was heard Wednesday in the House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee and passed on a vote of 12-4. The House bill has one more committee reference, the State Affairs Committee. The Senate companion has yet to be heard in or placed on the agenda for its first committee of reference. (Chapman)

📢 We need you to take action! Educate your legislators on the importance of Local Business Tax as a revenue source and the effect of all bills that reduce cities’ ability to generate revenue in the aggregate.

Enterprise Fund Transfers

On Wednesday, the House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee heard CS/HB 1523 (Busatta) and passed the bill on a 12-0 vote. CS/HB 1523 and SB 1704 (Calatayud) cap municipal utility enterprise fund transfers and eliminate authority to impose a 25% surcharge for extraterritorial water and wastewater service. CS/HB 1523 is now in the House Commerce Committee and SB 1704 is still waiting to be heard in its first committee. (O’Hara)

Growth Management

CS/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. The Senate bill was heard Monday in the Senate Community Affairs Committee and passed on a 5-3 vote. The House companion has yet to be heard in its first committee of reference. (Cruz)

Single-Family Dwellings

CS/HB 1035 (Esposito) and CS/SB 1128 (Ingoglia) prevent single-family home building permits from expiring before the next update of the Florida Building Code and provide that permit applications in areas affected by a state of emergency within the past 24 months if certified by a licensed architect or engineer are deemed approved. CS/HB 1035 was heard Wednesday in the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee and passed on a 15-0 vote. The CS/SB 1128 is waiting to be heard in its second of three committee references. (O’Hara)

Emergencies

CS/HB 1535 (McFarland) is a comprehensive bill that revises current law relating to emergency management practices and procedures. The House bill was heard Tuesday in the House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee and passed on a vote of 17-0. (Singer)

Impact Fees

SB 482 (DiCeglie) and HB 665 (Steele) limit the ability for cities to increase impact fees. The House bill was heard Tuesday in the House Housing, Agriculture, & Tourism Subcommittee and passed on a vote of 16-1. (Cruz)

🗓️ The Senate companion is due to be heard next week on Tuesday, March 25, at 11 a.m., in the Senate Community Affairs Committee. 

The following are bills that will take center stage during week 3 of session. 

Housing on Deck

HB 943 (Lopez, V.) substantially revises current law relating to the Live Local Act and to local government comprehensive plans and land development regulations. This bill greatly risks cities’ ability to plan for and regulate housing development within their jurisdiction. (O’Hara)

🗓️ HB 943 will be heard Tuesday, March 25, at 12 p.m., in the House Housing, Agriculture, & Tourism Subcommittee.

Revisions to Statutes Related to Affordable Housing

HB 923 (Lopez, V.) and SB 1594 (McClain) revise current laws relating to the various ad valorem tax exemptions for projects providing affordable housing. (O’Hara)

🗓️ SB 1594 will be heard Tuesday, March 25, at 11 a.m., in the Senate Community Affairs Committee. The House companion has yet to be heard in its first committee of reference.

Stormwater Management Systems

SB 810 (Burgess) mandates annual inspection of known stormwater works under normal and customary control of the municipality by June 1 of each year, beginning in 2026. (Singer)

🗓️ SB 810 will be heard Monday, March 24, at 1:30 p.m., in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development.

Rural Communities

CS/SB 110 (Simon) and HB 1427 (Griffitts) invest $119 million in economic development, infrastructure, and housing to boost rural communities, which would include municipalities located within fiscally constrained counties. (Wagoner)

🔔 CS/SB 110 has been passed off the Senate floor on a 39-0 vote and sent to the House. HB 1427 will be heard Monday, March 24, at 4 p.m., in the House Commerce Committee.

View All Legislative Bill Summaries