Midpoint of the 2026 Legislative Session
Midpoint of the 2026 Legislative Session
Today officially marks the halfway point of the 2026 Florida legislative session. At the midpoint of the legislative session, lawmakers are yet to send Gov. Ron DeSantis a bill that’s passed both chambers. Many of the high priority issues this session, including property tax cuts, medical freedom and artificial intelligence regulation sought by the governor, rural economic development legislation pushed by Senate leadership, and a change in the age for buying guns that has passed the House, are yet to find consensus.
While the state budget is the only bill lawmakers are constitutionally required to pass during session, neither chamber has yet released its proposed 2026-2027 spending plan.
On the solar front, FlaSEIA has been working with Senator McClain to amend the permitting requirements in SB 968 Related to Backup Power Generation. As filed SB 968 by McClain and HB 1049 by Esposito provides an exemption from building permit requirements for “backup power systems,” which the bill defines as equipment and associated components installed at or serving a one-family or two-family dwelling or townhouse for the purpose of providing on-site electrical power during utility outages, load management, resiliency, or other similar purposes that is capable of providing no more than 50 kilowatts of output to a dwelling or townhome or with an aggregate storage capacity of no more than 100 kilowatt hours, if the system includes energy storage. The bill would require an inspection.
FlaSEIA members expressed some concern over the complete elimination of a permit and worked with Senator McClain on language that would require a permit, but no plans review if the plans were stamped by a professional engineer. If stamped, the local jurisdiction would be required to issue the permit within one day. The amendment also clarifies that the PE not the local jurisdiction determines if the project meets the definition of backup power systems.
This language is being amended into a larger bill related to construction SB 526 by Sen. Grall and HB 405 by Rep. Griffitts. The modified permitting language can be found here 0405C2643271.pdf beginning on line 255.
Another bill of concern to FlaSEIA members was SB 290 by Truenow and HB 433 by Alverez. A portion of this bill would require a contractor to pay its subcontractors or suppliers within 30 business days after the contractor is paid for the respective services. A contractor who violates this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, or a felony of the third degree when the services performed are valued at $20,000 or more. The Senate amended this provision yesterday to require a subcontractor or supplier to be paid within 45 days unless there is a bona fide dispute. The amendment also removed the criminal penalties and makes any willful violation subject to disciplinary proceedings at the Board. The amendment language can be found here - 0290C2248378.pdf
2026 FlaSEIA Priority Bills
Ordered by Bill Number
Florida Public Service Commission by Gaetz | ||
Florida Public Service Commission; Revising the membership of the Florida Public Service Commission; requiring a group of parties to certain proceedings to negotiate the terms of a settlement with the Public Counsel before presenting such settlement to the commission; requiring that orders issued by the commission contain adequate support and rationale for any conclusions made by the commission; authorizing certain persons to make a motion to intervene in a pending commission proceeding; authorizing the commission to fix affordable, in addition to fair, just, and reasonable, rates, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Regulated Industries Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government (Current Reference) Senate Fiscal Policy | ||
Actions | ||
12/11/2025 | SENATE Now in Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government | |
Compare | ||
Florida Public Service Commission (Andrade) | ||
Florida Public Service Commission by Andrade | ||
Florida Public Service Commission: Revises membership of PSC; requires PSC to include specified information in settlement agreement orders, ensure certain allowable returns on equity, establish certain schedules for rate change requests, & provide annual report to Governor & Legislature. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee (Current Reference) House State Administration Budget Subcommittee House Commerce Committee | ||
Actions | ||
10/21/2025 | HOUSE Now in Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee | |
Compare | ||
Florida Public Service Commission (Gaetz) | ||
Florida Public Service Commission (Smith) | ||
Utilities by Boyles | ||
Utilities: Authorizes counties to adopt ordinance for decommissioning of certain solar facilities; provides for rebuttal of certain presumptions; requires DEP to develop, revise, & update best management practices for construction of solar facilities; requires solar facility operators to implement specified BMPs; revises factors that PSC must consider in reviewing such plans; requires PSC to submit proposed rule for adoption by specified date. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee (Current Reference) House State Affairs Committee House Commerce Committee | ||
Actions | ||
10/21/2025 | HOUSE Now in Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee | |
Compare | ||
Department of Environmental Protection (LaMarca) | ||
Identical | ||
Utilities (Bradley) | ||
Utilities by Bradley | ||
Utilities; Authorizing a county to adopt an ordinance for the decommissioning of certain solar facilities that have reached the end of their useful life; authorizing a county to require financial assurance from a solar facility owner to establish that the solar facility owner has the capability to satisfy the estimated cost of decommissioning the solar facility; requiring that improvements included in certain transmission and distribution storm protection plans have forecasted customer benefits that exceed their forecasted cost, etc. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Regulated Industries Senate Community Affairs (Current Reference) Senate Fiscal Policy | ||
Actions | ||
12/10/2025 | SENATE Now in Community Affairs | |
Compare | ||
Department of Environmental Protection (LaMarca) | ||
Identical | ||
Utilities (Boyles) | ||
Rural Electric Cooperatives by Rodriguez | ||
Rural Electric Cooperatives; Prohibiting a cooperative that sells electricity at retail from adopting, enacting, or enforcing a fee meeting specified criteria; revising the applicability of such prohibition on the types or fuel sources of energy production which may be used, delivered, converted, or supplied by specified entities, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Regulated Industries Senate Community Affairs Senate Rules | ||
Actions | ||
01/29/2026 | HOUSE In Messages | |
Identical | ||
Rural Electric Cooperatives (Shoaf) | ||
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by Truenow | ||
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Prohibiting counties from enacting or enforcing any law that restricts or prohibits the use of gasoline-powered farm equipment or gasoline-powered landscape equipment or that distinguishes such equipment from any other equipment under certain circumstances; prohibiting an application for a development on an ecologically significant parcel in a low-density municipality from being administratively approved without an attestation provided by the developer; establishing the Florida Food Animal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program; revising the Florida Forest Service’s powers, authority, and duties, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Agriculture Senate Fiscal Policy Senate Rules (Current Reference) | ||
Actions | ||
02/10/2026 | SENATE Favorable with CS by Rules; 24 Yeas, 0 Nays | |
Compare | ||
Industries and Professional Activities (Yarkosky) | ||
Similar | ||
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Alvarez, D.) | ||
Rural Electric Cooperatives by Shoaf | ||
Rural Electric Cooperatives: Prohibits cooperative that sells electricity at retail from adopting, enacting, or enforcing fee meeting specified criteria; revises applicability of such prohibition on types or fuel sources of energy production which may be used, delivered, converted, or supplied by specified entities. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee House Commerce Committee | ||
Actions | ||
01/27/2026 | HOUSE Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading | |
Identical | ||
Rural Electric Cooperatives (Rodriguez) | ||
Commercial Construction Projects by Griffitts Jr. | ||
Commercial Construction Projects: Prohibits governmental entity from enforcing certain contract provisions for public works project; requires Florida Building Commission to adopt by rule uniform commercial building permit application by specified date; provides requirements for such application; requires commission to adopt by rule certain trade-specific forms; requires local enforcement agency to accept uniform application & standardized forms adopted by commission; authorizes local enforcement agency to require additional documentation or plans; requires permit fees that local enforcement agency imposes to be proportional to actual & reasonable costs incurred for performing certain functions; prohibits political subdivision from adopting or enforcing ordinance that imposes certain glazing requirements; requires local jurisdictions to include specified information on their websites; prohibits local jurisdictions from charging fees for plans review services performed by private provider; requires local enforcement agencies to reduce permit fees for commercial construction projects by certain percentages; prohibits local enforcement agencies from collecting any fees for commercial construction projects; requires specified surcharge to be calculated based on reduced permit fee. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee House State Administration Budget Subcommittee House Commerce Committee | ||
Actions | ||
02/05/2026 | HOUSE Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/11/26 | |
Similar | ||
Construction Regulations (Grall) | ||
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by Alvarez, D. | ||
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: Prohibits counties & municipalities from enacting or enforcing any law that restricts or prohibits use of gasoline-powered farm equipment or gasoline-powered landscape equipment or that distinguishes such equipment from any other equipment; requires Acquisition & Restoration Council to determine whether certain surplused lands are suitable for bona fide agricultural purposes; prohibits local governmental entity from transferring future development rights for surplused lands determined to be suitable for bona fide agricultural purposes; requires DEP, in coordination with DACS, to determine whether state-owned conservation lands are suitable for bona fide agricultural purposes; authorizes DEP to surplus specified state-owned lands determined to be suitable for bona fide agricultural purposes; prohibits person from wearing or displaying item that displays words "concealed weapon permit" or "concealed weapon permit holder" with intent to mislead another to believe that person is authorized to wear or display such item; prohibits possession, manufacture, sale, importation, distribution, or use of signal jamming device. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Commerce Committee House Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee House State Affairs Committee (Current Reference) | ||
Actions | ||
02/04/2026 | HOUSE Now in State Affairs Committee | |
Compare | ||
Industries and Professional Activities (Yarkosky) | ||
Similar | ||
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Truenow) | ||
Data Centers by Ávila | ||
Data Centers; Prohibiting an agency from entering into a nondisclosure agreement or other contract that restricts the agency from disclosing certain information to the public; specifying that local governments maintain authority to exercise power and responsibility over comprehensive planning and land development regulations related to large load customers; requiring the Florida Public Service Commission to develop 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, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Regulated Industries Senate Community Affairs Senate Rules (Current Reference) | ||
Actions | ||
02/04/2026 | SENATE Now in Rules | |
Compare | ||
Approval of Data Center Facilities (Joseph) | ||
Linked | ||
Public Records/Data Centers (Ávila) | ||
Construction Regulations by Grall | ||
Construction Regulations; Prohibiting a governmental entity that contracts for a public works project from taking certain actions; requiring the Florida Building Commission to adopt by rule uniform commercial building permit acceptance standards for a specified purpose by a specified date; requiring a local jurisdiction to include a certain reduction in the permit fee on its schedule of fees posted on its website; requiring nonresidential structures built in a flood zone after a specified date to have the lowest floor elevated above the required design flood elevation; revising the products requiring statewide approval to include mitigation products, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Community Affairs Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Senate Rules (Current Reference) | ||
Actions | ||
02/04/2026 | SENATE Now in Rules | |
Similar | ||
Commercial Construction Projects (Griffitts Jr.) | ||
Alternative Plans Review and Building Inspection by DiCeglie | ||
Alternative Plans Review and Building Inspection; Deleting a provision authorizing a local government to charge an administrative fee when an owner or contractor retains a private provider for purposes of plans review or building inspection services, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Community Affairs (Current Reference) Senate Regulated Industries Senate Rules | ||
Actions | ||
12/16/2025 | SENATE Referred to Community Affairs; Regulated Industries; Rules | |
Compare | ||
Building Permits and Inspections (Trabulsy) | ||
Building Permits and Inspections (DiCeglie) | ||
Building Permits and Inspections by Trabulsy | ||
Building Permits and Inspection: Provides for expiration of certain building permits issued by county & local government; provides that under certain circumstances certain persons are not subject to discipline for performing job without applicable permits & inspections; prohibits local governments from requiring building permit for installation of certain walls or barriers; revises provisions relating to building code inspection services provided by private provider & private provider firms, including permit & administrative fees, responsibilities of private providers, permitting & inspection documents & reports, timeframes for issuing permits & notices, authority of local building official, notices of incomplete forms, authority of private providers acting as local building official, emergency inspection services, creation of uniform forms, audits, immunity, civil causes of action, posting of permits on specified websites, & adoption of specified registration system; requires Florida Building Commission to develop uniform commercial & residential building permit applications; prohibits association or certain committees from requiring building permit as prerequisite for certain review. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee House Commerce Committee (Current Reference) | ||
Actions | ||
02/05/2026 | HOUSE Now in Commerce Committee | |
Compare | ||
Alternative Plans Review and Building Inspection (DiCeglie) | ||
Home Backup Power Systems (McClain) | ||
Building Permit Requirements (Esposito) | ||
Preemption to the State (Oliver) | ||
Building Permits and Inspections (DiCeglie) | ||
Preemption to the State (Martin) | ||
Battery Collection and Recovery by McClain | ||
Battery Collection and Recovery; Creating the "Safe Battery Collection and Recovery Act"; requiring a producer to fulfill certain requirements, beginning on a specified date, before selling, offering for sale, or distributing for sale in this state any covered battery or battery-containing product; requiring a BSO operating in this state to submit a battery stewardship plan to the Department of Environmental Protection for review and approval, beginning on a specified date; providing fiscal duties for a BSO implementing an approved battery stewardship plan; requiring a BSO to submit a report to the department annually beginning on a specified date, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Environment and Natural Resources Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government (Current Reference) Senate Fiscal Policy | ||
Actions | ||
02/05/2026 | SENATE Now in Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government | |
Similar | ||
Battery Collection and Disposal (Gentry) | ||
Home Backup Power Systems by McClain | ||
Home Backup Power Systems; Prohibiting a local government from adopting a technical amendment to the Florida Building Code which requires a permit or any functionally equivalent local review or approval for certain backup power systems; prohibiting a local government that issues building permits from requiring an owner of a single-family dwelling or such owner’s contractor to obtain a building permit to perform work on the single-family lot valued at less than a specified sum; prohibiting a local enforcement agency from requiring a permit or any functionally equivalent local review or approval for the installation, relocation, replacement, or repair of an eligible residential backup power system; defining the term “backup power system”, etc. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Community Affairs Senate Regulated Industries (Current Reference) Senate Rules | ||
Actions | ||
02/04/2026 | SENATE Now in Regulated Industries | |
Compare | ||
Building Permits and Inspections (Trabulsy) | ||
Preemption to the State (Oliver) | ||
Building Permits and Inspections (DiCeglie) | ||
Preemption to the State (Martin) | ||
Similar | ||
Building Permit Requirements (Esposito) | ||
Building Permit Requirements by Esposito | ||
Building Permit Requirements: Provides that certain residential manufactured buildings may not be denied building permit for placement of such building; prohibits local government from adopting certain technical amendments to FBC; prohibits local enforcement agency from requiring building permit for work valued at specified amount; prohibits project from being divided into multiple projects; requires building permit for certain work regardless of value of work; requires contractor to maintain certain written records; prohibits local enforcement agency from requiring building permit for specified work on backup power system installed by certain persons or entities; requires local enforcement agencies to establish specified process to submit certain notice before installation of backup power system; prohibits local governments from adopting or enforcing certain ordinances, rules, or other measures; authorizes local enforcement agency to conduct one inspection, either in person or virtually; authorizes use of private provider for certain inspections; requires local enforcement agency to provide certain persons written notice of correction; authorizes stop-work order under specific circumstances; requires local enforcement agency to offer reinspection date within certain time period; provides that private provider inspection report constitutes acceptance; prohibits local enforcement agency from withholding or revoking certificate of occupancy based solely on failed inspection report. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee House State Affairs Committee (Current Reference) | ||
Actions | ||
01/30/2026 | HOUSE Now in State Affairs Committee | |
Compare | ||
Building Permits and Inspections (Trabulsy) | ||
Local Government Land Development Regulations and Orders (McClain) | ||
Preemption to the State (Oliver) | ||
Building Permits and Inspections (DiCeglie) | ||
Preemption to the State (Martin) | ||
Similar | ||
Home Backup Power Systems (McClain) | ||
Battery Collection and Disposal by Gentry | ||
Battery Collection and Disposal: Repeals provisions relating to battery requirements for consumers, manufacturers, & sellers; prohibits producers or retailers from selling, offering, or distributing any battery or battery containing product unless certain conditions are met; provides requirements for battery stewardship organizations regarding collection & disposal of batteries & battery containing products; requires DEP to take certain actions regarding plans & data for such collection & disposal; prohibits certain point-of-sale fees; authorizes fee-based battery collection & mail-back service for covered batteries; provides requirements for disposal of batteries beginning on specified date; provides exemption from liability for producers, retailers, & battery stewardship organizations; provides for penalties & civil actions. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee (Current Reference) House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee House Budget Committee House Commerce Committee | ||
Actions | ||
01/12/2026 | HOUSE Now in Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee | |
Similar | ||
Battery Collection and Recovery (McClain) | ||
Electric Utility Ten-year Site Plans by Maggard | ||
Electric Utility Ten-year Site Plans: Revises information required to be included in 10-year site plans; revises procedures for review & approval or rejection of such plans by PSC; requires electric utilities to submit revised plans to commission under certain conditions; prohibits electric utilities from filing applications for certification of certain electrical power plant sites; revises information commission is required to consider in its review of such plans; increases amount of fee commission is authorized to establish for review of such plans; revises content of rules commission is authorized to adopt for submitting, processing, & approving such plans. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee (Current Reference) House Commerce Committee | ||
Actions | ||
01/12/2026 | HOUSE Now in Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee | |
Compare | ||
Fees/Florida Public Service Commission (Bernard) | ||
Similar | ||
Electric Utility 10-Year Site Plans (Bernard) | ||
Prohibited Governmental Policies Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Snyder | ||
Prohibited Governmental Policies Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Prohibits governmental entities from adopting certain net zero policies; prohibits governmental entities from using government funds in any manner that supports, implements, or advances certain net zero policies; prohibits governmental entities from imposing tax, fee, penalty, charge, offset, or assessment to advance certain net zero policies; requires each governmental entity to annually submit to Department of Revenue certain affidavit; prohibits governmental entities from implementing, administering, or enforcing certain programs. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee (Current Reference) House Commerce Committee | ||
Actions | ||
02/10/2026 | HOUSE On Committee agenda - Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee, 02/12/26, 9:15 am, 17 H | |
Similar | ||
Net-zero Policies by Governmental Entities (Ávila) | ||
Building Permits and Inspections by DiCeglie | ||
Building Permits and Inspections; Providing for expiration of certain building permits issued by a county; requiring the Florida Building Commission to modify the Florida Building Code to exempt from building permit requirements the installation of certain walls or barriers; providing for expiration of certain building permits issued by a local government; revising definitions and defining terms; requiring certain services to be subject to an agreement, rather than a written contract, etc. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Community Affairs Senate Regulated Industries (Current Reference) Senate Rules | ||
Actions | ||
02/10/2026 | SENATE Favorable with CS by Regulated Industries; 8 Yeas, 0 Nays | |
Compare | ||
Alternative Plans Review and Building Inspection (DiCeglie) | ||
Building Permits and Inspections (Trabulsy) | ||
Home Backup Power Systems (McClain) | ||
Building Permit Requirements (Esposito) | ||
Preemption to the State (Oliver) | ||
Preemption to the State (Martin) | ||
Local Utility Revenues by DiCeglie | ||
Local Utility Revenues; Prohibiting counties and municipalities, respectively, from transferring for specified purposes revenues collected from providing utility services; requiring revenue surpluses to be returned to the ratepayers; requiring county and municipal utilities, respectively, to develop budget forecasts and strategies that meet certain requirements; prohibiting counties and municipalities, respectively, from charging a higher rate or adding a surcharge to certain customers, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Regulated Industries (Current Reference) Senate Community Affairs Senate Rules | ||
Actions | ||
01/16/2026 | SENATE Referred to Regulated Industries; Community Affairs; Rules | |
Compare | ||
Municipal Water and Sewer Utility Rates, Fees, and Charges (McClain) | ||
Electric Utility 10-Year Site Plans by Bernard | ||
Electric Utility 10-Year Site Plans; Revising requirements for estimates included in the 10-year site plan; requiring the Florida Public Service Commission to issue a final order within a specified timeframe after receiving a proposed plan; authorizing the commission to reject such plan under certain circumstances; requiring electric utilities to submit a revised plan within a specified timeframe upon such rejection, etc. Effective Date: July 1, 2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Regulated Industries (Current Reference) Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Senate Fiscal Policy | ||
Actions | ||
01/16/2026 | SENATE Referred to Regulated Industries; Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; Fiscal Policy | |
Similar | ||
Electric Utility Ten-year Site Plans (Maggard) | ||
Linked | ||
Fees/Florida Public Service Commission (Bernard) | ||
Net-zero Policies by Governmental Entities by Ávila | ||
Net-zero Policies by Governmental Entities; Prohibiting governmental entities from adopting or requiring the adoption of net-zero policies; prohibiting governmental entities from expending government funds to support, implement, or advance net-zero policies; prohibiting governmental entities from imposing taxes, fees, penalties, charges, offsets, or assessments to advance net-zero policies; prohibiting governmental entities from implementing, administering, or enforcing a program that functions as a cap-and-trade program or has such effect, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2026 | ||
Committees of Reference | ||
Senate Environment and Natural Resources Senate Finance and Tax (Current Reference) Senate Appropriations | ||
Actions | ||
01/28/2026 | SENATE Now in Finance and Tax | |
Similar | ||
Prohibited Governmental Policies Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Snyder) | ||