Legislative Advocacy

WHAT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE ADVOCATING FOR ON YOUR BEHALF

2026

Advocacy Item What Your Elected Officials Are Doing For You Sponsored by:
Land Development Regulations   Passed a resolution opposing Senate Bill 208 and House Bill 399, which would prohibit local governments from adopting certain land development regulations; establish requirements for regulations that impose fees, charges, or exactions; and declare certain local land development regulations null and void.

Read Resolution		 Vice Mayor Viscarra
Claims / Suits Against the Government Passed a resolution opposing Senate Bill 1366 and House Bill 145, which would increase the statutory liability limits for tort claims against the state and its agencies and subdivisions; allow subdivisions to settle claims above the statutory cap without legislative action; revise timelines and procedures for filing and resolving claims; and update the statute of limitations and related exceptions.

Read Resolution		 Vice Mayor Viscarra
Local Business Tax Passed a resolution opposing Senate Bill 122 and House Bill 103, which would repeal provisions relating to local business taxes; authorize certain municipalities to continue imposing a business tax; and permit revisions to the definition of "merchant."

Read Resolution		 Vice Mayor Viscarra
Expenditure of Public Funds by Local Government Passed a resolution opposing House Bill 1251, which would prohibit local governments from expending public funds for specified purposes; prohibit the acceptance of public funds from local governments for lobbying; authorize the filing of complaints with the Commission on Ethics; and require the Commission to investigate, report its findings, and adopt implementing rules.

Read Resolution		 Vice Mayor Viscarra
Prohibited Uses of Public Funds by Political Subdivisions Passed a resolution opposing House Bill 605, which would prohibit political subdivisions from using public funds to support not-for-profit entities, subject to limited exceptions.

Read Resolution		 Vice Mayor Viscarra
Community Association Management

 


 Passed a resolution supporting Senate Bill 822 and House Bill 465, which would require certain community associations to contract with a community association management firm; require such firms to possess all applicable licenses; and provide that association board members, officers, and directors have a duty to ensure the management firm or community association manager is properly licensed.

Read Resolution		 Vice Mayor Viscarra

 
Nature-Based Coastal Resiliency Solutions–

 

 Passed a resolution supporting Senate Bill 302 and House Bill 1035, which would require the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules and guidelines for nature-based solutions to improve coastal resilience; require the department, in consultation with the Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services within the Department of Financial Services, to conduct a statewide feasibility study on the value of nature-based solutions for specified purposes; and provide related implementation measures.

Read Resolution		 Vice Mayor Viscarra
House Joint Resolutions 201 and 203

 

 Passed a resolution opposing House Joint Resolutions 201 and 203. These bills would propose constitutional amendments that would reduce or eliminate non-school ad valorem tax revenues for municipalities.

Read Resolution		  Vice Mayor Viscarra

2025

Advocacy Item What Your Elected Officials Are Doing For You  Sponsored by:
Traffic congestion at the intersection of 163 Street & Biscayne Boulevard

 

  Passed a resolution advocating for the scope of the Northeast Corridor project to be amended to include a study of viable roadway improvements. These improvements aim to address the impact of increased Brightline train activity at the intersection of 163 Street and Biscayne Boulevard, facilitating the free flow of east-west traffic while accommodating increased railway usage. 

Read Resolution		  City Manager
Immigration Enforcement

 

  Passed a resolution in support of Senate Bill 2-C, which seeks to enhance public safety by strengthening the enforcement of federal and state immigration laws to ensure community security and compliance with legal residency requirements.

Read Resolution		  Mayor Svechin
Prohibiting Smoking & Vaping in Public Places  Passed a resolution in support of Senate Bill 226, which seeks to protect public health by prohibiting smoking and vaping in public places, including parks, beaches, and other common areas. The bill also revises definitions and expands protections against secondhand smoke exposure by including marijuana products and vaping devices in its prohibitions.

Read Resolution		  Commissioner Joseph
Sovereign Immunity  Passed a resolution opposing Florida House Bill 301, which proposes to raise sovereign immunity limits to $1 million per person and $3 million per incident, with further increases over time. These changes could lead to increased litigation against the City, imposing additional financial burdens.

Read Resolution		  Commissioner Viscarra
Homestead Exemptions Passed a resolution in support to Senate Bill 1018, which seeks to provide financial relief to homeowners by increasing the exemption from the assessed valuation of $25,000 to $75,000 for eligible property owners, excluding school district levies.  Commissioner Stuyvesant
Coastal Resilience Passed a resolution in support of Senate Bill 50 and House Bill 371, which would require the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to include provisions in the rules encouraging local governments to develop or participate in coastal resilience and ecosystem restoration projects.  Commissioner Viscarra & Co-Sponsored by Commissioner Stuyvesant
Flashing Crosswalk on 196 Street & Collins Avenue Passed a resolution requesting the Florida Department of Transportation to consider installing a flashing crosswalk at 196th Street and Collins Avenue.  Commissioner Joseph
Local Business Tax The City sent a letter to legislators opposing House Bill 503 and Senate Bill 1196, which propose limiting the amount of revenue local governments can collect from local business taxes.

Read Letter(PDF, 79KB)		  
Employment of Minors Passed a resolution opposing Senate Bill 918 and House Bill 1225, which seek to remove certain restrictions on the employment of minors ages 16 and 17.  Commissioner Viscarra
Cardiac Emergencies Passed a resolution in support of Senate Bill 430 and House Bill 1607, which seek to revise requirements for instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED); to require each public school to develop a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP); and to require public schools, including charter schools, to have at least one operational AED on school grounds by a specified date.  Commissioner Viscarra

 

Track Bills

You may track the status of each bill as it moves through the legislative process at flsenate.gov.

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