SESSION WATCH
Became law SENATE · SESSION 2026 · CHAPTER 2026-65

No. CS/CS/SB 484

Data Centers
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SPONSOR
Rules; Community Affairs; Avila
FILED BY
Bryan Avila — District 39, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026 except as otherwise provided

Filed under AI & Technology.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Data Centers; Specifying that local governments maintain authority to exercise power and responsibility over comprehensive planning and land development regulations relating to large load customers; requiring public utilities to provide certain minimum tariff and service requirements for large load customers; prohibiting the governing board of a water management district or the Department of Environmental Protection from issuing a permit for the consumptive use of water to a large-scale data center under certain circumstances; requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to contract for a study relating to the construction and operation of large-scale data centers, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Bans foreign-owned data centers from receiving utility power.

Public utilities must refuse service to data centers owned or controlled by foreign countries of concern, creating a new operational ban.

Utilities must design tariffs so large data centers pay their full infrastructure costs, preventing those expenses from being shifted to other ratepayers.

Water management districts must deny water permits to large data centers if the use harms local water resources or violates local zoning plans.

Local governments retain full authority to regulate data centers through their existing comprehensive plans and land development regulations.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Local Planning Authority Preserved majors. 163.326(2)

AILocal governments retain full authority over land use and planning for large load customers, preventing state preemption of local zoning decisions.

“Local governments shall maintain the authority to exercise the powers and responsibilities for comprehensive planning and land development regulation granted by law with respect to” bill text, line 82 →
§ 2 Utility Tariff Cost-Shifting Prohibited majors. 366.043(3)(a)

AIPublic utilities must structure tariffs so large load customers bear their full service costs, preventing cost shifting to general ratepayers.

“The minimum tariff and service requirements must reasonably ensure that each large load customer bears its own full cost of service and that such cost is not shifted to the general” bill text, line 174 →
§ 3 Foreign Entity Service Ban majors. 366.043(7)

AIPublic utilities are prohibited from knowingly providing electric service to large load customers that are foreign entities from countries of concern.

“A public utility may not knowingly provide electric service to a customer that would otherwise qualify as a large load customer if that customer is a foreign entity.” bill text, line 217 →
§ 4 Mandatory Reclaimed Water Use majors. 373.262(3)

AIWater management districts must require large-scale data centers to use reclaimed water when it is available, feasible, and meets quality standards, prioritizing recycled sources over fresh water.

“The governing board or the department shall require the use of reclaimed water in lieu of all or a portion of a proposed use of surface water or groundwater by a large-scale data” bill text, line 268 →
§ 5 Mandatory Public Hearing for Large Permits moderates. 373.262(4)(b)

AIWater permits for large-scale data centers requesting 100,000+ gallons per day require a public hearing, removing the option for administrative approval without public input.

“the governing board or the department may not approve a permit application made under this part by a large-scale data center without a hearing.” bill text, line 297 →
§ 6 OPPAGA Independent Study Required moderates. 7

AIOPPAGA must contract for an independent study on data center impacts, including economic, environmental, and public health effects, with findings due to legislative leadership by July 2027.

“OPPAGA shall contract for an independent, interdisciplinary study of policy considerations related to the construction and operation of large-scale data centers”
TIMELINE
5/8/2026
Chapter No. 2026-65
5/7/2026
Approved by Governor
5/6/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
3/13/2026
Ordered engrossed, then enrolled
3/13/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 31 NAYS 6 -SJ 909
3/13/2026
Concurred in 1 amendment(s) (383957) -SJ 909
3/11/2026
In returning messages
3/11/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 92, NAYS 16
3/11/2026
Read 3rd time
3/11/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
3/11/2026
Amendment 383957 adopted
3/11/2026
Read 2nd time
3/10/2026
1st Reading (Engrossed 1)
3/10/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/11/2026)
3/10/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/26/2026
In Messages
2/26/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 463
2/26/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 463
2/26/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 463
2/26/2026
Amendment(s) adopted (817402) -SJ 462
2/26/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 462
2/25/2026
Retained on Special Order Calendar -SJ 437
2/23/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/25/26
2/19/2026
CS/CS by Rules read 1st time
2/19/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/18/2026
Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/17/2026
CS/CS by- Rules; YEAS 24 NAYS 0
2/12/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/17/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
2/10/2026
CS by Community Affairs read 1st time
2/4/2026
Now in Rules
2/4/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/3/2026
CS by Community Affairs; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
1/29/2026
On Committee agenda-- Community Affairs, 02/03/26, 3:30 pm, 37...
1/21/2026
Now in Community Affairs
1/20/2026
Favorable by Regulated Industries; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
1/15/2026
On Committee agenda-- Regulated Industries, 01/20/26, 9:30 am, 412...
1/13/2026
Introduced
1/12/2026
Referred to Regulated Industries; Community Affairs; Rules
1/9/2026
Filed
33 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 163.326
+132 / −0
s. 288.075
+26 / −0
s. 366.043
+778 / −0
s. 373.203
+136 / −0
s. 373.262
+448 / −0
s. 373.239
+13 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES
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