Dear Colleagues and Friends,

The 2024 Florida Legislative session commenced on Tuesday, January 9. Over 1,700 pieces of legislation will be considered during the 60-day session and it can be difficult to makes sense of which laws could impact your business. As Director of Government Affairs for Stearns Weaver Miller, I am monitoring bills being considered by the Legislature and will report developments regarding them in our weekly “Rotunda Report” – a high-level summary of five important bills or issues from session each week. Below are five key issues from this week, January 16-19.

Health Care

Parts of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo’s Live Healthy proposal, SB 7016 and SB 7018, were passed unanimously by the full Senate this week. SB 7016 seeks to increase Florida’s health care workforce, removing regulations to increase workforce mobility and expanding access to health care. SB 7018 incentivizes health care innovation through technology. Four other Senate bills that are part of the Live Health proposal are currently moving through the committee process.

Budget

The Revenue Estimating Conference met this week and increased the general revenue projections by $2.18 billion for the current fiscal year and next year. The increase in the revenue is primarily based on increased sales tax collections, which were 4.1 percent higher than projections. Legislators will use the updated revenue forecasts when they begin to construct the 2024-2025 budget later this session.

Preemption

SB 1126, a bill that expands preemptions of food and drink packaging, was reported favorably by the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee. The bill would preempt regulation of "auxiliary" containers including plastic bags, food containers, bottles and other packages used at restaurants and retail stores. Plastic straws are not included in the preemption. State agencies would also be prohibited from regulating these types of containers. The companion House bill, HB 1641, has not yet been heard in committee.

Affordable Housing

An update to last year’s historic Live Local Act was temporarily postponed in committee this week. SB 328 was on the agenda of the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee, but was not heard. The bill amends several key components of the Live Local Act, including changes to both the land use and “Missing Middle” ad valorem property tax portions, as well as funding for the Florida Hometown Hero program. The companion House bill, HB 1239, has not yet been heard in committee. For more information, please see our recent alert on the bill.

Vacation Rentals

SB 280 would give the state, rather than local governments, more regulatory authority over short-term rental vacation homes. The bill was reported favorably by the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee and is now ready for consideration by the full Senate. A similar bill died last year as session adjourned. HB 1537, the companion House bill, has not yet been heard in committee.

I would be happy to speak with you regarding issues this session that could impact your business. For more information, please contact me.

Warmly,