House concurs in amended emergency-preparedness bill after debate over Keys permits and debris policy

The Florida House concurred in Senate amendments to CS for CS for SB 180, a comprehensive emergency preparedness and response package, after floor remarks and debate from representatives representing storm‑impacted districts.

Representative McFarland, sponsor in the House, explained the key Senate changes: removal of some homestead assessment restrictions related to repairs and elevated‑home square footage, a delayed effective date for a governor-reporting provision to 01/01/2026, removal of a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provision, and deletion of a mandate that FDEM or DOT pick up road debris while fiscally constraining counties in Cat‑3 storms. The Senate also added provisions requiring the Office of Public and Governmental Accountability (OPOGA) to study restrictions on counties adopting certain comprehensive plan amendments after hurricanes, extended evacuation timing for the Florida Keys from 24 to 24.5 hours and authorized distribution of up to 900 building permit allocations in the Keys spread over the next 10 years, with Department of Commerce baseline modeling requirements.

Floor debate highlighted local experiences from recent storms and the bill’s provisions to preauthorize debris management sites, require municipalities to develop emergency plans using an FDEM template, and tighten crane‑safety measures after a downtown construction crane incident. Supporters argued the bill will improve resilience and post‑storm recovery; Representative McFarland said the bill represents a “potpourri” of ideas refined through committee and inter‑chamber negotiations.

The House recorded a 160–0 vote in favor of the Senate amended bill on final passage.