Hands Off Our Hometowns: Fix SB 180 and Restore Local Control

As Florida’s legislative session draws to a close, lawmakers quietly advanced SB 180—an emergency management bill that, despite its name, undermines local communities’ ability to prepare for future storms by stripping away their authority to strengthen protections for natural defenses like wetlands.

Buried in this bill is a provision that would extend until 2027 and apply statewide. It has already prevented Manatee County Commissioners from restoring wetland and buffer protections to their Comprehensive Plan—protections that were weakened under development pressure. These safeguards are not just environmental policies; they are vital tools for defending communities from flooding, storm ...

As Florida’s legislative session draws to a close, lawmakers quietly advanced SB 180—an emergency management bill that, despite its name, undermines local communities’ ability to prepare for future storms by stripping away their authority to strengthen protections for natural defenses like wetlands.

Buried in this bill is a provision that would extend until 2027 and apply statewide. It has already prevented Manatee County Commissioners from restoring wetland and buffer protections to their Comprehensive Plan—protections that were weakened under development pressure. These safeguards are not just environmental policies; they are vital tools for defending communities from flooding, storm surge, and wind damage.

Wetlands act as natural storm barriers. By absorbing excess rain, slowing stormwater runoff, and buffering coastal areas, they significantly reduce the risks and costs associated with extreme weather. Weakening local authority to protect these ecosystems puts more Floridians in harm’s way.

While SB 180 contains some measures that aid emergency planning and storm recovery, it includes deeply problematic language that effectively freezes local efforts to adopt stronger land-use or building standards. Section 28 prohibits any “more restrictive or burdensome” amendments to comprehensive plans or development regulations from August 2024 through October 2027. Section 18 cements a rule that limits planning within 100 miles of any future hurricane’s projected path—before it even hits.

Together, these measures could prevent every Florida county from enacting common-sense protections designed to enhance storm resilience, lower flood insurance costs, and keep families safe. Instead of empowering communities to adapt and defend themselves, SB 180 opens the door to unchecked development at the expense of public safety.

It raises an urgent question: Who truly benefits from this bill—Floridians or the developers?

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Contact Your Representatives

Contact your state legislators today and demand they remove the harmful provisions in Sections 18 and 28 that block local governments from protecting lives, property, and the environment. Tell them Florida’s communities need more tools to prepare for the future—not fewer. Let’s not allow a rushed, eleventh-hour decision to erase decades of progress in thoughtful, locally driven planning.

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Compose your email

Subject:

Dear [Representative/Senator] [Last Name],

As your constituent, I’m writing to express deep concern about Sections 18 and 28 of SB 180, which severely restrict local governments’ ability to plan for and protect against future extreme weather events.

While SB 180 includes some helpful emergency management measures, these two provisions would block all Florida communities from adopting stronger land-use and building regulations through 2027, even in areas most vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding.

This legislation undermines decades of responsible, locally driven planning and puts lives, property, and infrastructure at greater risk—just as the impacts of extreme weather events intensify. It also limits communities' ability to improve their flood ratings and lower insurance premiums, which will ultimately increase costs for residents like me.

[INSERT PERSONAL MESSAGE]

Please act now to remove Sections 18 and 28 from SB 180 before it reaches the Governor’s desk. Floridians deserve the right to prepare for the future, not be silenced by rushed, developer-driven policy.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your support.

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