Passed in 2025, SB 180 was an emergency response bill that barred counties and cities from imposing new restrictions on rebuilding after major storms. The measure was framed as a way to help homeowners rebuild following major hurricanes, but unfortunately, this language has been exploited by some special interests to significantly restrict local governments’ authority over development approvals and planning decisions.
The Florida State Senate unanimously passed SB840 to address this problem faced by local governments, but the Florida House did not. For that reason, Representative Dr. Anna V. Eskamani made two attempts on the House Floor to address this issue through amendments to HB399, with her latest attempt occurring on Day 60 of Florida’s 2026 Legislative Session. See her statement below.
“Today I filed another amendment to HB399 to address the ongoing mess created by SB 180 and its impact on Florida’s local governments and comprehensive plans. Cities and counties across the state have raised serious concerns about how this law has created confusion, exposed communities to litigation, and undermined responsible growth management. Rather than allow those fixes to be debated, the House went into informal recess as I was closing on my amendment, and then ruled my amendment out of order. This is the second time they have ruled an amendment to fix SB180 out of order.
Floridians expect us to solve problems — not sidestep them. I will continue standing with our local governments and advocating for the tools they need to plan responsibly for our communities, and I hope future legislators will champion this issue with me.”
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