2026 Community & Urban Affairs Passed Bills

The following bill summaries were generated with the assistance of AI.

Community & Urban AFFAIRS

Passed 2026 legislative bills

SB 382

HB 399

HB 425

SB 488

SB 594

SB 686

HB 803

HB 927

SB 962

HB 929

HB 1389

SB 1434

SB 1614

Florida Tightens Rules for E-Bikes and Micromobility Devices Near Pedestrians

SB 382 – Sen. Keith Truenow (HB 243 – Rep. Yvette Benarroch)

CS/SB 382 establishes new safety requirements for electric bicycles, including a 10-mph speed limit near pedestrians and crash data reporting by law enforcement. The bill creates a statewide Micromobility Device Safety Task Force and maintains local authority for counties to regulate micromobility operations.

State Bill Would Tighten Local Development Fee Rules and Limit Certain Land-Use Regulations

HB 399 – Rep. David Borrero (SB 208 – Sen. Stan McClain)

HB 399 would limit local fee-setting, tighten standards for denying residential projects on compatibility grounds, streamline certain resort approvals, restrict compost-permit conditions, and require parity for off-site constructed homes. As of March 18, 2026, the bill had passed and was presented to the Governor.

Historic Cemeteries Could Gain Development Flexibility for Adjacent Land

HB 425 – Rep. Wallace Aristide (SB 34 – Sen. Barbara Sharief)

The bill requires local governments to approve certain land use and zoning changes for excess vacant land owned by historic African-American cemeteries when the land is sold to fund cemetery maintenance, potentially limiting local land-use discretion.

Transportation Bill Broadens State ROW Preemption and Modernizes DHSMV Processes

SB 488 – Sen. Ralph Massullo Jr. (HB 937 – Rep. Taylor Yarkosky)

SB 488 updates motor carrier fuel-tax administration, crash-reporting thresholds, registration requirements, and DHSMV email notice authority. For counties, the biggest change is expanded state preemption over communications-facility permitting in public rights-of-way, plus some operational effects for sheriffs and tax collectors.

Counties Must Add Mobile Home Strategies to Local Housing Plans

SB 594 – Rep. Paula Stark (HB 267 – Rep. Hillary Cassel Stark)

SB 594 requires counties and eligible municipalities participating in the SHIP program to include strategies in their local housing assistance plans addressing mobile homeowners, including potential lot rental assistance for up to six months. The bill also expands eligibility for mobile home rehabilitation and repair assistance. Effective July 1, 2026.

Farmland Surrounded by Growth Could Move Faster Into Development Review

SB 686 – Sen. Stan McClain (HB 691 – Rep. Adam Botana)

SB 686 by Sen. McClain (HB 691 by Rep. Botana) passed both chambers and creates a new county certification process for agricultural enclaves, potentially limiting county land-use discretion, accelerating review timelines, and increasing administrative and infrastructure coordination demands.

New State Rules Standardize Building Permits and Expand Private Inspection Options

HB 803 – Rep. Dana Trabulsy (SB 1234 – Sen. Nick DiCeglie)

CS/CS/HB 803 standardizes permitting, expands exemptions, and limits local control, but explicitly preserves county authority to enforce floodplain regulations required for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) participation, protecting flood insurance eligibility and community ratings.

Faster Development Approvals Required for Larger Counties Through Pre-Application Reviews and Private Contractors

HB 927 – Rep. Judson Sapp (SB 1138 – Sen. Ralph Massullo Jr.)

The bill requires larger counties and municipalities to establish development preapplication consultation programs, expands the use of private contractors in development review, and imposes strict deadlines for permit decisions. Applications may be deemed approved if local governments fail to act within statutory timelines. Effective July 1, 2026.

Tribal Chickee Structures Protected from Local Regulation

HB 929 – Rep. Nan Cobb (SB 1020 – Sen. Keith Truenow)

HB 929 restricts counties and municipalities from prohibiting Seminole or Miccosukee tribal members from constructing traditional chickees under specified spacing standards. The bill also limits local regulations beyond federal floodplain standards, expands the statutory chickee definition, and provides exemptions from certain building and fire codes.

Farms Excluded from Live Local Zoning Loophole for Affordable Housing Projects

SB 962 – Sen. Jennifer Bradley (HB 837 – Rep. Demi Busatta)

Florida lawmakers clarified that farms and agricultural operations cannot be treated as commercial or mixed-use land under the Live Local Act. The change prevents affordable housing developers from using agricultural zoning categories to trigger the Act’s provisions requiring local approval of certain affordable housing developments.

Counties Face Broader Affordable Housing Preemption and New Tax-Exemption Rules

HB 1389 – Rep. Mike Redondo (SB 1548 – Sen. Alexis Calatayud)

The bill expands affordable housing preemption, limits county zoning discretion, revises local opt-out rules for property-tax exemptions, preserves airport-zoning authority, and increases potential county legal and administrative exposure related to housing development approvals.

Brownfield Infill Housing Allowed on Certain Contaminated Urban Parcels

SB 1434 – Sen. Alexis Calatayud (HB 979 – Rep. David Borrero)

CS/CS/SB 1434 creates the Infill Redevelopment Act requiring local governments in certain large counties to administratively approve residential development on qualifying brownfield or previously developed parcels. The bill preempts conflicting local zoning regulations, establishes density limits, and shifts review authority from governing boards to administrative approval processes.

Building Code Fee Surpluses: Counties Lose Ability to Fund Department Facilities

SB 1614 – Sen. Tom Leek (HB 1169 – Rep. Chase Tramont)

SB 1614 removes local governments’ authority to use excess Florida Building Code enforcement funds to construct facilities for building departments. Counties may still use surplus funds for fee rebates, technology upgrades, and training. Effective July 1, 2026.