Seminole County Chairman Jay Zembower and several local advocacy groups urged the delegation to modify provisions of Senate Bill 180 that they said preempt local home‑rule authority and “freeze” land‑use and development regulations after storms.

Zembower said the bill’s intent—to streamline rebuilding after storm events—is understandable, but said “the current provisions create unintended consequences that place a heavy burden on our local government and our taxpayers,” noting the county’s need to update rules quickly to address flooding risk and to implement septic‑to‑sewer programs near springs. He told the delegation the county faces “a funding burden in the hundreds of millions to convert the 5,100 tanks here in Seminole County” and asked for additional state support and adjusted timelines for implementation of spring protection programs.

Environmental and planning advocates echoed his concerns. Paul Owens of 1000 Friends of Florida asked the legislature to repeal sections 18 and 28 of SB 180, saying the sections “freeze in place local comp plan and land development regulations for three years” and could be used to invalidate resilience policies. Others — including representatives of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation Board, Audubon, and river protection groups — asked for continued funding for Florida Forever and better local tools to manage growth and water quality.

Speakers stressed the tension between statewide objectives (streamlining post‑disaster processes) and local authority to adopt more restrictive regulations to respond to flooding, water quality, and growth. Several local officials and advocates recommended targeted amendments to SB 180 rather than wholesale repeal.

Why it matters: SB 180 touches land‑use, disaster recovery, environmental protection, and local government prerogatives. Local officials warned the statute’s current drafting could hinder Seminole County’s ability to protect springs, update land‑use rules after storms, and collect fees needed to fund infrastructure conversion.

No formal vote occurred on SB 180 at this meeting; the delegation received testimony and written materials.