SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 840

Land Use Regulations for Local Governments Affected by Natural Disasters
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SPONSOR
DiCeglie
FILED BY
Nick DiCeglie — District 18, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee

Filed under Development & Land Use.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Land Use Regulations for Local Governments Affected by Natural Disasters; Prohibiting impacted local governments from enforcing certain moratoriums, requiring the repair or reconstruction of certain improvements to meet certain requirements, or enforcing changes to specified procedures; revising circumstances under which impacted local governments may enforce certain amendments, site plans, development permits, or development orders; deleting provisions related to filing suit against an impacted local government for injunctive relief, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Hurricane-affected local governments face tighter limits on enforcing new land-use rules.

The bill narrows the geographic scope of the law, limiting protections to counties within 50 miles of a hurricane's track instead of 100 miles.

Local governments may no longer enforce moratoriums that delay the repair or reconstruction of existing improvements damaged by a hurricane.

The bill removes the right for private parties to file suit for injunctive relief against local governments to enforce these restrictions.

It also eliminates the requirement for the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct a study on post-hurricane local actions.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Hurricane Impact Definition majors. 252.422(1)

AINarrows the geographic scope of the law, excluding local governments located 50 to 100 miles from a hurricane's track.

“located entirely or partially within 50 miles of the track of a storm declared to be a hurricane”
§ 2 Compliance with New Regulations majors. 252.422(2)(b)

AIPrevents local governments from requiring damaged properties to comply with land use amendments or procedural changes that took effect after the hurricane made landfall.

“require the repair or reconstruction of an existing improvement damaged by such hurricane to comply with an amendment” bill text, line 49 →
§ 3 Litigation and Enforcement majors. 252.422(4)(a)

AIRemoves the private right of action and the mandatory 14-day notice-and-cure period that previously allowed individuals to sue local governments for violating these restrictions.

“Any person may file suit against any impacted local government for declaratory and injunctive relief” bill text, line 92 →
§ 4 Building Code Exemption moderates. 252.422(5)

AIClarifies that local governments retain the authority to adopt and enforce changes to the Florida Building Code and local technical amendments.

“may not be construed to restrict a local government from adopting or enforcing changes to the Florida Building Code” bill text, line 118 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
3/2/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
3/2/2026
Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
3/2/2026
Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
2/19/2026
In Messages
2/19/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 356
2/19/2026
Passed; YEAS 38 NAYS 0 -SJ 351
2/19/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 351
2/19/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 351
2/18/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/19/26
2/18/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/17/2026
Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 24 NAYS 0
2/12/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/17/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
1/20/2026
Now in Rules
1/20/2026
Favorable by Judiciary; YEAS 9 NAYS 0
1/15/2026
On Committee agenda-- Judiciary, 01/20/26, 9:30 am, 110 Senate Building
1/14/2026
Now in Judiciary
1/13/2026
Introduced
1/13/2026
Favorable by Community Affairs; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
1/8/2026
On Committee agenda-- Community Affairs, 01/13/26, 1:30 pm, 37...
12/16/2025
Referred to Community Affairs; Judiciary; Rules
12/10/2025
Filed
16 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 252.422
+301 / −441
STAFF ANALYSES
2 MORE →