Tallahassee, Fla. — State Representative Anna V. Eskamani launched a 2022 “Repeal-a-thon” — an effort to restore home-rule powers that have been stripped away from cities and counties by a Florida Legislature beholden to big corporations.

Eskamani has filed 7 bills for the 2022 Legislative Session that would repeal a series of preemption laws that businesses have lobbied through the Legislature in recent years that prevent cities and counties from making decisions about their own communities.

Eskamani’s Repeal-a-thon package would restore the power of local communities to:

— Protect coral reefs: HB 6019 would repeal a law that prevents local governments from regulating the sale of over-the-counter drugs and cosmetics. Big pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson pushed this preemption through the Legislature in 2020 after the city of Key West banned the sale of certain sunscreens because of concerns they were damaging delicate coral reefs.

— Better manage the growth of 5G: HB 6045 would restore local government’s management of the distinct engineering, construction, operation, maintenance, public works, and safety requirements of 5G towers.

–Make municipal broadband more accessible: HB6043 would repeal unnecessary laws that have placed undue burdens onto local governments who want to pursue their own municipal broadband options. This would in turn help increase internet access and close tech divides across the state.

— Hold corporate polluters accountable: HB 6003 would repeal a law that blocks cities and counties from enacting “Rights of Nature” policies. Rights of Nature policies, which allow residents to sue on behalf of polluted lakes, rivers and springs, are powerful environmental-protection tools that help ensure corporate polluters are held accountable — which is why developers, fertilizer manufacturers and others lobbied this preemption through the Legislature in 2020.

— Preserve neighborhood beauty: HB 6025 would repeal a law passed in 2019 that prevents cities and counties from setting rules around the pruning, trimming and removal of trees on residential property.

–Reduce barriers to build affordable housing: HB 6057 would repeal a requirement forcing local governments to provide developers an incentive when building affordable housing; developers building affordable housing are already receiving public money to pursue such projects and in most cases local governments are finding ways to offset costs without interference by the state politicians.

— Help renters stay in their homes: HB 6017 would repeal a law that prevents local governments from enacting rent-control policies that save tenants from being forced out of their homes by increasingly unaffordable rents. This dangerous preemption, which apartment developers and managers lobby hard to keep in place, is undermining our ability to solve affordable housing crises in cities across Florida that are pushing more working families every day into homelessness.

“Folks living in our many wonderful and distinctive cities and counties across Florida should have the power to decide the character of their communities — and to find innovative solutions to problems that the Florida Legislature is unwilling or unable to solve itself,” said Rep. Eskamani.  “Republican legislators in Tallahassee often claim they are for local control. Well, they can prove it by joining our ‘Repeal-a-thon,’ eliminating these terrible, one-size-fits-all preemption laws, and restoring home rule to local government — the level of government that is closest to the people.”

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