SB 484 – Data Centers

On Thursday, February 26, SB 484 by Senator Bryan Avila (R-Hialeah Gardens) was heard on the Senate Floor and was reported favorably. AIF opposes this legislation. 

Senate Bill 484 establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for large-scale data centers and other large electric load customers in Florida, focusing on transparency, local land-use authority, utility ratepayer protections, and water resource management. Additionally, the bill creates detailed permitting standards for large-scale data centers’ water use, emphasizing conservation, reclaimed water utilization, public hearings, and protection of Florida’s water resources. The bill also prohibits government agencies from entering into nondisclosure agreements that limit public disclosure of data center developments.

SB 484 will now go to the House for consideration.

AIF opposes SB 484 as currently drafted. While the bill seeks to establish guardrails for large-scale data center development, certain provisions, particularly those limiting the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements during the pre-development stage, could unintentionally weaken Florida’s competitiveness in attracting major investment. Preserving appropriate confidentiality is often critical in site selection decisions. AIF looks forward to continuing to work with the sponsor and the Senate to ensure the final product supports responsible growth while maintaining Florida’s strong pro-business climate.

HB 1007 – Hyperscale Data Centers

On Thursday, February 26, HB 1007 by Representative Griff Griffitts (R-Panama City Beach) was heard by the House Commerce Committee and was reported favorably. AIF spoke in opposition to this legislation. 

This bill establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for large-scale data centers and other large electric load customers in Florida, focusing on transparency, local land-use authority, utility ratepayer protections, and water resource management. Additionally, the bill creates detailed permitting standards for large-scale data centers’ water use, emphasizing conservation, reclaimed water utilization, public hearings, and protection of Florida’s water resources. The bill also prohibits government agencies from entering into nondisclosure agreements that limit public disclosure of data center developments and establishes a 5-mile siting restriction around residential developments. 

The bill was amended to replace the 5-mile siting restriction with a requirement that new large-scale data centers within 5 miles of a residential property or school demonstrate compliance with radiofrequency, noise, and land use regulations through an independent noise study. Existing facilities are exempt unless modifications cause them to newly qualify as large-scale data centers.

HB 1007 will now go to the House Floor for further consideration.

AIF opposes HB 1007 in its current form. Although the bill is intended to provide structure around large-scale data center development, provisions such as the statewide 5-mile siting restriction and constraints on the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements during the pre-development phase may unintentionally limit Florida’s ability to compete for major projects. Flexibility in siting and confidentiality are often key components of successful economic development efforts. AIF remains committed to working with the sponsor to help refine the legislation in a way that promotes responsible growth while preserving Florida’s pro-business climate.

SB 1074 – One-Cent Piece

On Thursday, February 26, SB 1074 by Senator Don Gaetz (R-Pensacola) was heard on the Senate Floor and was reported favorably. AIF supports this legislation.
 
This bill clarifies the rounding rules for cash change in the future after the Federal Government stopped production of the penny. Depending on the change owed, the business may round up or down to avoid using a penny.
 
SB 1074 will now go to the House for consideration.

AIF supports clarifying language in Florida Statutes for the business community to follow while dispensing cash change. As the penny becomes less common, making sure the state has clear and concise procedures will become increasingly important.

HB 527 – Mandatory Human Reviews of Insurance Claim Denials

On Thursday, February 26, HB 527 by Representative Cassel was heard by the House Commerce Committee and was reported favorably. AIF stood in opposition to this legislation.

This bill makes clear that insurers, workers’ comp carriers, and HMOs can’t deny or reduce a claim based solely on AI. A qualified human professional must independently review the claim, apply the policy terms, and confirm any AI-generated recommendations before a final decision is made. It also requires stronger documentation, clear contact information in denial letters, a statement confirming AI wasn’t the only factor, and gives regulators authority to examine compliance and adopt rules.

HB 527 will now go to the House Floor for consideration. 

AIF opposes this legislation because it adds significant new compliance requirements for insurers and employers. By layering additional documentation, disclosure, and manual review mandates on top of existing regulations, the bill reduces the efficiency benefits AI is intended to provide. These added requirements could slow claims processing and ultimately raise costs for Florida businesses.

SB 686 - Agricultural Enclaves

On Thursday, February 26, SB 686 by Senator Stan McClain (R-Ocala) was read on the Senate Floor and was reported favorably. AIF supports this legislation.

The bill significantly expands and clarifies Florida’s agricultural enclave framework by creating a faster, more predictable pathway for certain agriculturally used parcels surrounded by development to transition to residential use, while limiting local government discretion. The bill allows qualifying landowners to seek certification as an agricultural enclave, imposes firm timelines on local governments to act, and provides automatic approval if deadlines are missed, along with judicial review if an application is denied. 

SB 686 will now go to the House for further consideration.

AIF supports laws that make it faster and easier to receive permits so homes can continue to be built across Florida. With housing costs rising, building more homes can help increase supply and keep prices affordable for families.

PCB Bill WMC1 – Taxation

On Thursday, February 26, WMC1  was heard by the House Ways and Means Committee and was reported favorably. AIF continues to gather feedback from members on the tax packages.

This bill makes broad updates to Florida’s tax structure across property, sales, and corporate taxes. On the property tax side, it creates a new 3% annual assessment cap for qualifying mobile home parks starting in 2027, revises homestead portability to better align with the State Constitution, clarifies notice requirements when exemptions are denied, adjusts the definition of “governmental purpose” for exemption purposes, and tightens the rules around local millage rate increases. The bill also requires advertising platforms to collect and remit taxes on vacation rental transactions, expands exemptions for certain fuel containers, shifts the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday to July 20 through August 20, and creates a refund-based exemption of up to $500 for qualifying home hardening products. The bill also updates Florida’s corporate income tax conformity date to January 1, 2026, applies certain federal changes retroactively, and establishes new and reordered tax credits impacting corporate income and insurance premium taxes.

WMC1 will now go to the Office of EDR's Revenue Estimating Impact Conference on February 27th to be discussed further. 

AIF continues to be involved in promoting policies that provide tax predictability, protect energy reliability, strengthen fiscally constrained counties, and prevent additional regulatory costs that could negatively impact Florida’s businesses and consumers.