Week  6 of the 2026 Session  



Welcome to week 6 of the 2026 legislative session! With 21 days to go until Sine Die, stay on top of county priorities with this weekly legislative bulletin and our comprehensive Bill Tracker.  

The House and Senate passed their proposed appropriations packages this week. For full details on the chambers’ spending proposals, please see our Budget Report here. 

On Thursday, 2/19, HB 203 Phased Out Elimination of Non-school Property for Homestead by Representative Miller was read a second and third time, and passed the Florida House (80-30). While this proposal has been the vehicle for the phase-out of non-school property taxes, the House amended the proposal on the floor to replace phase-out with full elimination of non-school homestead property taxes (previously HJR 201).  This proposal is the first joint resolution to clear the House and now heads to the Senate. The proposal represents a tax shift from homestead property owners to businesses and renters while not contemplating implementation or replacement of local revenues to provide core essential services. 

This week, the Senate signaled that they are considering proposals that contain additional homestead exemptions either through a dollar amount or percentage-based on assessed value. HJR 203 now heads to Senate Appropriations.  

FAC has produced a county-by-county analysis of the fiscal impact for the elimination of non-school homestead property taxes.  The analysis estimates the full impact to be roughly $9 billion. The analysis shows the updated state estimates with a comparison to FAC’s previous analysis. This analysis is based on the state Revenue Estimating Conference Ad Valorem taxable value projections, the state adopted impact projections and uses county aggregate millage rates. The difference shown in chart is reflected by the tax roll data the state used in compiling the estimate at the time it was released. 



To watch the House floor session, click here.  

On Wednesday, 2/18, the House Commerce Committee passed CS/CS/HB 299, relating to Blue Ribbon Projects. The bill creates a new section of law (s. 163.3249, F.S.) establishing a framework for large-scale “blue ribbon projects” (BRPs) on properties of at least 10,000 contiguous acres owned or controlled by the same person or entity, with a majority of the property located outside municipal boundaries. 

To qualify, at least 60 percent of the project area must be designated as “reserve area,” while up to 40 percent may be developed. The reserve area must meet new statutory requirements, including contiguity standards and limitations on certain uses. Recent committee changes prohibit counting lands placed in conservation easements before July 1, 2026, toward the 60 percent threshold and require at least 70 percent of the reserve area to be contiguous. 

The bill allows development areas to reach up to 12 residential units per gross acre and 85 percent impervious surface ratio. At least 20 percent of residential units in each phase must consist of affordable housing, “missing middle” housing, or housing eligible under the Florida Hometown Hero Program. Development rights and impact mitigation are vested for 50 years, with a potential 25-year extension if buildout thresholds are met. 

Each project must be adopted as a site-specific comprehensive plan text amendment and overlay within 30 days of approval. The approved blue ribbon plan governs the property in lieu of otherwise applicable future land use and land development regulations and may be approved regardless of the property’s existing future land use or zoning designation. 

The bill requires two publicly noticed hearings and limits local government review to determining compliance with the statutory criteria. If denied, the applicant may file a de novo court action, and the court may not apply a deferential standard to the local government. 

The bill also mandates dollar-for-dollar credits against impact and mobility fees when projects contribute infrastructure and requires certain easements granted to state agencies, water management districts, or local governments to be conveyed without charge. 



Although the bill states an intent to balance conservation and long-term planning, the bill establishes a new statutory development pathway that operates outside traditional comprehensive planning processes. Because blue ribbon plans are not required to demonstrate need based on projected population growth and may supersede otherwise applicable local land development regulations, counties have raised concerns about long-term infrastructure planning, fiscal impacts, and consistency with locally adopted growth-management frameworks. 

The Senate companion, SB 354, by Sen. McClain passed its second committee hearing on 2/12.  



To watch the committee hearing, click here. 

This week, the Legislature advanced its PFAS legislation, with the House State Affairs Committee approving CS/CS/HB 1019 on Tuesday and the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee approving CS/CS/SB 1230 the following day. While both bills maintain the state’s planned phase-out of PFAS-based firefighting foam (AFFF), both committees took action this week focused on clarifying how PFAS monitoring data may be used. 



A key amendment adopted in both committees specifies that PFAS sampling results submitted by domestic wastewater facilities—whether for biosolids or treated effluent—are for informational purposes only until national PFAS water quality standards are established and adopted by DEP. During this interim period, the data cannot be used as the basis for DEP enforcement or any other cause of action, providing liability protection for public entities required to conduct PFAS sampling. 

To watch the House committee hearing, click here. To watch the Senate committee hearing, click here.  

On Tuesday, 2/17, the House State Affairs Committee passed HB 691 Agricultural Enclaves favorably by Representative Botana. The bill provides a substantially new public hearing process for development on agricultural enclaves. An agricultural enclave, generally, is agricultural land mostly surrounded by existing development which statutes provide certain benefits to assist development to match its environs. Under the bill, the owner of an agricultural enclave may apply for certification of land as an agricultural enclave, subject to public hearing and approval. Upon certification, property owners may submit development plans for single-family residential housing consistent with land use requirements of adjacent parcels. A local government may not enact or enforce a law or regulation for an agricultural enclave which is more burdensome than for other types of applications for comparable uses or densities.  

The bill otherwise removes the existing process related to agricultural enclaves. The bill also expands the definition of “agricultural enclave” to include that an agricultural enclave may include multiple parcels, and amends the requirements related to surrounding parcels that make land eligible for development benefits. Agricultural enclaves are also limited to those lands within a county with a population of 1.75 million or less. The bill also provides that the bill’s provisions relating to agricultural enclaves shall expire January 1, 2028, and the text of those subsections shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2026. 

The Senate companion, SB 686 by Sen. McClain passed its second committee hearing on 2/10.  



To watch the committee hearing, click here. 

On Thursday  2/17, SB 840 Land Use Regulations for Local Governments by Senator DiCeglie was read a second and third time, and passed the Florida Senate (38/0). This bill amends CS/CS/SB 180 (2025), which limited the authority of certain counties and municipalities to adopt land use moratoriums or impose more restrictive or burdensome land use regulations for one year following a hurricane’s landfall. 

The bill narrows the geographic area subject to these restrictions and clarifies when certain local government actions are permitted or prohibited. Specifically, SB 840: 

• Allows impacted local governments to impose and enforce moratoriums if they are necessary to address stormwater or floodwater management, potable water supply, or sanitary sewer systems. 
• Prohibits impacted local governments from enforcing post-landfall changes to development review processes that are intended to extend review timelines. 
• Clarifies that the restrictions do not apply to regulations adopted for an area of critical state concern or those required to comply with state or federal law. 

Additionally, SB 180 imposed similar restrictions on local governments included in the federal disaster declarations for Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. As revised by SB 840, these restrictions expire on June 30, 2026. Without SB 840, the restrictions for those jurisdictions would remain in effect until June 30, 2028. 



To watch the committee hearing, click here.  

On Tuesday, 2/17, HB 103 Local Business Taxes by Representative Botana was read a second and third time, and passed the Florida House (82/26), The bill would repeal Ch. 205, Local Business Taxes, removing the authority for local governments to levy a local business tax. Counties have broad home-rule authority to levy taxes authorized by the Legislature. Chapter 205 is already a capped and limited revenue source, not an expansive local tax. Eliminating this revenue stream removes one of the few locally authorized, business-specific tools in statute. Preliminary 2023-24 data shows a roughly $27.5 million impact to counties statewide, representing a reduction of 9.3% year-over-year. Eliminating a business-based revenue source shifts costs from businesses to residential taxpayers, worsening affordability challenges. These impacts are compounded by the ongoing property tax discussion and local funding concerns. The bill was amended to allow a narrow exception for certain authorized taxes under s. 205.033(6) with proceeds distributed to implement economic development strategies.  

The Senate companion, SB 122, by Senator Truenow passed its first committee on 12/9.  



To watch the committee hearing, click here. 

On Wednesday, 2/18, the House Commerce Committee passed  HB 803 Building Permits and Inspections unanimously by Representative Trabulsy. This bill overhauls Florida’s building permit and inspection laws to speed up approvals, reduce fees, and curb local government discretion. The bill: 

Permits, Fees, and Contractor Provisions 

• Standardizes expiration of single-family building permits to 1 year (or upon the next Florida Building Code update),  
• Prohibits local governments from requiring permits for residential work under $7,500 (excluding electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work), certain temporary hurricane and flood protection barriers, and certain residential retaining walls. This section conflicts with NFIP requirements. 
• Prohibits requiring construction contracts, cost breakdowns, or related financial documentation as part of the permit application process 
• Requires inspection fees to reflect actual costs incurred and prohibits basing fees on total project value 
• Requires permit fee reductions when a private provider performs plan review or inspections, including at least a 25% reduction for commercial projects and at least a 50% reduction when all review and inspection services are privatized; failure to apply the statutory reduction results in forfeiture of the permit fee for that project 
• Prohibits administrative or punitive fees tied to private provider usage 
• Restricts local governments from imposing additional forms or procedural requirements beyond those specified in statute 

Private Providers 

• Substantially expands the authority and use of private providers for plan review and inspections, including single-trade and virtual inspections 
• Prohibits local officials from duplicating compliant private provider reviews or inspections, except in narrow circumstances 
• Requires local governments to create free electronic registration systems and limits the scope and frequency of private provider audits 
• Deems permits and certificates of occupancy automatically approved if statutory deadlines are not met 
• Grants immunity to local governments for private provider work while prohibiting actions that could be construed as discouraging their use 

Accelerated Review Timelines and Automatic Approvals 

• Shortens and standardizes permit review deadlines and requires automatic approval if local governments fail to act within prescribed timeframes 

Residential Solar and Backup Power Systems 

• Requires 1-business-day permit issuance for qualifying residential distributed energy generation and backup power systems and authorizes contractors to commence work upon application submission 
• Limits inspections for those systems and preempts local ordinances beyond enforcement of the Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code

Statewide Uniform Applications 

• Directs the Florida Building Commission to adopt uniform statewide residential and commercial building permit applications by July 1, 2027 



HOA Restrictions 

• Prohibits homeowners’ associations from requiring a government-issued building permit as a prerequisite to architectural review 

To watch the committee hearing, click here. 

On Wednesday, 2/18, the House Commerce Committee passed HB 927 Local Land Planning and Development favorably by Representative Sapp. 

On Wednesday, 2/18, the House Commerce Committee passed CS/CS/HB 927, Local Land Planning and Development, sponsored by Representative Sapp. The bill significantly restructures local development review by requiring applicable counties (25,000+), municipalities (10,000+), and certain independent districts to establish by January 1, 2027, a program allowing applicants to use qualified private contractors to conduct preapplication review of subdivision, site plan, and plat approvals. 

Local governments must create a registry of at least six qualified contractors, adopt standardized contracts and fee structures, and deem applications accompanied by a contractor affidavit administratively complete unless deficiencies are identified within 10 business days. Review by the development services office is limited to ministerial completeness; duplicative technical review is prohibited. If a local government fails to timely create the program, maintain a registry, or meet review deadlines, applicants gain an unconditional right to use a contractor of their choosing—and in some cases at the local government’s expense—with automatic application acceptance upon affidavit submission. Conflicting local provisions are expressly preempted. The bill authorizes audits, provides disciplinary oversight through professional boards, and creates a civil cause of action with prevailing-party attorney fees (subject to a 14-day cure period). 

The bill also amends ch. 177, F.S., to prohibit additional local plat procedures inconsistent with state law, require acceptance of standard financial assurance instruments, and expand expedited residential permitting. If a local government fails to adopt or update its expedited permitting program, applicants obtain a self-executing right to use a qualified contractor to support issuance of up to 75 percent of building permits before final plat recordation. The bill further prohibits conditioning building permits on completion of subdivision infrastructure beyond minimum fire code access, limits additional environmental or infrastructure conditions not required by state or federal law, clarifies bonding requirements (up to 130 percent, with waiver authority), and strengthens vested rights in preliminary plats. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026. 



To watch the committee hearing, click here. 

On Wednesday, the House Commerce Committee passed HB 979 Infill Redevelopment by Representative Borrero. The bill creates the Infill Redevelopment Act and significantly restricts local government discretion over redevelopment of certain environmentally impacted parcels in large urban counties. The proposal applies only to parcels of at least five acres located in counties with more than 1.475 million residents and at least 15 municipalities—effectively Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach—and excludes designated agricultural land, publicly owned parkland, property outside an urban growth boundary, and land near certain military installations. 

Under the bill, qualifying parcels must be allowed to develop at the highest adjacent residential density and intensity, and where no adjacent residential zoning exists, local governments must at minimum allow single-family homes or townhouses. Local standards for density, height, lot size, setbacks, and parking may not be applied in a way that reduces what the statute authorizes. The bill requires ministerial approval of subdivision and development applications that meet the statutory criteria, prohibits local governments from using the subdivision process to lower density or intensity, and requires that procedures for administrative approvals be publicly posted online. 

For redevelopment of former recreational facilities surrounded entirely by single-family neighborhoods, the bill imposes additional conditions, including demonstrating at least 12 months of inactivity, paying double the applicable parks impact fees, and providing adjacent property owners a 90-day right of first refusal to purchase the recreational portion to preserve it as open space for a minimum of 30 years. 

The bill preempts and voids any conflicting local ordinances or regulations and applies retroactively, but it does preserve limited local authority to apply architectural or design standards so long as they also apply to comparable residential developments and do not reduce allowable density or intensity.  

The bill takes effect upon becoming law. 



To watch the committee hearing, click here.