KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Florida

HB0217 • 2026

Land Use Regulations

Land Use Regulations

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Abbott
Last action
2026-03-13
Official status
House - Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text is limited and does not provide detailed information about specific provisions such as legal actions or retroactive application details beyond what was provided in the official digest.

Land Use Regulations

This bill defines 'impacted local government' and restricts these governments from imposing certain land use regulations until October 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines 'impacted local government' as counties and municipalities affected by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, or Milton and eligible for federal disaster aid.
  • Prohibits impacted local governments from proposing or adopting moratoriums on construction, reconstruction, or redevelopment of damaged properties until October 1, 2027.
  • Prevents impacted local governments from making more restrictive amendments to their comprehensive plans or land development regulations before the same date.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local governments in counties and municipalities affected by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, or Milton.
  • Residents and business owners in those areas.

Terms To Know

impacted local government
A county or municipality that was affected by specific hurricanes (Debby, Helene, or Milton) and received federal disaster aid.
moratorium
A temporary ban on certain activities, such as building new homes or businesses.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only applies to areas affected by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton.
  • It does not specify what happens after October 1, 2027.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-13 House

    • Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee

  2. 2026-01-13 House

    • 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)

  3. 2025-10-28 House

    • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Referred to Housing, Agriculture & Tourism Subcommittee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee

  4. 2025-10-16 House

    • Filed

Official Summary Text

Land Use Regulations; Defines "impacted local government"; provides for retroactive application.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 217 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb217-00
Page 1 of 4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to land use regulations; amending 2
chapter 2025-190, Laws of Florida; defining the term 3
"impacted local government"; making conforming 4
changes; providing for retroactive application; 5
providing an effective date. 6
7
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
9
Section 1. Section 28 of chapter 2025-190, Laws of 10
Florida, is amended to read: 11
Section 28. (1) As used in this section, the term 12
"impacted local government" means a county listed in the Federal 13
Disaster Declaration for Hurricane Debby (DR-4806), Hurricane 14
Helene (DR-4828), or Hurricane Milton (DR-4834) which was 15
designated or within which a tribal area was designated as 16
eligible for both individual assistance and public assistance 17
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 18
Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq., and each municipality 19
within one of those counties. 20
(2) An impacted local government Each county listed in the 21
Federal Disaster Declaration for Hurricane Debby (DR-4806), 22
Hurricane Helene (DR-4828), or Hurricane Milton (DR-4834), and 23
each municipality within one of those counties, may not propose 24
or adopt any moratorium on construction, reconstruction, or 25

HB 217 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb217-00
Page 2 of 4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

redevelopment of any property damaged by Hurricane Debby, 26
Hurricane Helene, or Hurricane Milton such hurricanes; propose 27
or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its 28
comprehensive plan or land development regulations; or propose 29
or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning 30
review, approval, or issuance of a site plan, development 31
permit, or development order, to the extent that those terms are 32
defined by s. 163.3164, Florida Statutes, before October 1, 33
2027, and any such moratorium or restrictive or burdensome 34
comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation, or 35
procedure shall be null and void ab initio. This subsection 36
applies retroactively to August 1, 2024. 37
(3)(2) Notwithstanding subsection (2) (1), any 38
comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation 39
amendment, site plan, development permit, or development order 40
approved or adopted by an impacted local government a county or 41
municipality before or after the effective date of this act may 42
be enforced if: 43
(a) The associated application is initiated by a private 44
party other than the impacted local government county or 45
municipality. 46
(b) The property that is the subject of the application is 47
owned by the initiating private party. 48
(4)(a)(3)(a) A resident of or the owner of a business in 49
an impacted local government a county or municipality may bring 50

HB 217 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb217-00
Page 3 of 4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

a civil action for declaratory and injunctive relief against the 51
impacted local government county or municipality for a violation 52
of this section. Pending adjudication of the action and upon 53
filing of a complaint showing a violation of this section, the 54
resident or business owner is entitled to a preliminary 55
injunction against the impacted local government county or 56
municipality preventing implementation of the moratorium or the 57
comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation, or 58
procedure. If such civil action is successful, the resident or 59
business owner is entitled to reasonable attorney fees and 60
costs. 61
(b) Attorney fees and costs and damages may not be awarded 62
pursuant to this subsection if: 63
1. The resident or business owner provides the governing 64
body of the impacted local government county or municipality 65
written notice that a proposed or enacted moratorium, 66
comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation, or 67
procedure is in violation of this section; and 68
2. The governing body of the impacted local government 69
county or municipality withdraws the proposed moratorium, 70
comprehensive plan amendment, land development regulation, or 71
procedure within 14 days; or, in the case of an adopted 72
moratorium, comprehensive plan amendment, land development 73
regulation, or procedure, the governing body of an impacted 74
local government a county or municipality notices an intent to 75

HB 217 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb217-00
Page 4 of 4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

repeal within 14 days after receipt of the notice and repeals 76
the moratorium, comprehensive plan amendment, land development 77
regulation, or procedure within 14 days thereafter. 78
(5)(4) This section expires June 30, 2028. 79
Section 2. The amendments made by this act to s. 28 of 80
chapter 2025-190, Laws of Florida, apply retroactively to August 81
1, 2024. 82
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 83