April 8, 2023
Your Action is Needed Now: Tell Senators to Stop Favoring Big Developers & Support Responsible Development!
Senate Bill 540, a terrible preemption bill, will be heard in the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday (April 11) at 8:30 a.m. (ET).
From the Panhandle to the Keys, every Florida community should be able to make decisions at the local level and decide what is best for their community. Unfortunately, Senate Bill 540 (and House Bill 359) would discourage residents from challenging county development plans in court. If this set of bills pass, it would radically change the role of the judiciary in land use cases.
This legislation makes it so that the losing party on the hook to pay the legal fees of the winning party. Everyone knows that big developers hire high-priced law firms. This would have a chilling effect on the options for residents who oppose the development plans.
In the context of land use development, residents must be able to challenge development projects in court, without being deterred by the potential cost. The ability to sue is a critical avenue for holding developers accountable for their actions and ensuring that land use decisions are made with transparency, public input, and the common good in mind. When residents are deterred from challenging developers, it can have severe consequences for the environment, public health, and quality of life in their communities.
We're urging every Florida League member to contact the members of the Florida Senate Rules Committee and encourage them to vote "NO" on Senate Bill 540.
Email or call Florida Senate Rules Committee Members:
| Chair Mayfield (R) | mayfield.debbie.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5019 |
| Vice Chair Perry (R) | perry.keith.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5009 |
| Senator Baxley (R) | baxley.dennis.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5013 |
| Senator Book (D) | book.lauren.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5035 |
| Senator Boyd (R) | boyd.jim.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5020 |
| Senator Brodeur (R) | brodeur.jason.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5010 |
| Senator Broxson (R) | broxson.doug.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5001 |
| Senator Burgess (R) | burgess.danny.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5023 |
| Senator Burton (R) | burton.colleen.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5012 |
| Senator DiCeglie (R) | diceglie.nick.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5018 |
| Senator Garcia (R) | garcia.ileana.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5036 |
| Senator Hooper (R) | hooper.ed.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5021 |
| Senator Hutson (R) | hutson.travis.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5007 |
| Senator Jones (D) | jones.shevrin.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5034 |
| Senator Osgood (D) | osgood.rosalind.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5032 |
| Senator Rodriguez (R) | rodriguez.anamaria.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5040 |
| Senator Rouson (D) | rouson.darryl.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5016 |
| Senator Simon (R) | simon.corey.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5003 |
| Senator Torres (D) | torres.victor.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5025 |
| Senator Yarborough (R) | yarborough.clay.web [at] flsenate.gov | (850) 487-5004 |
For a quick copy & paste:
mayfield.debbie.web [at] flsenate.gov
perry.keith.web [at] flsenate.gov
baxley.dennis.web [at] flsenate.gov
book.lauren.web [at] flsenate.gov
boyd.jim.web [at] flsenate.gov
brodeur.jason.web [at] flsenate.gov
broxson.doug.web [at] flsenate.gov
burgess.danny.web [at] flsenate.gov
burton.colleen.web [at] flsenate.gov
diceglie.nick.web [at] flsenate.gov
garcia.ileana.web [at] flsenate.gov
hooper.ed.web [at] flsenate.gov
hutson.travis.web [at] flsenate.gov
jones.shevrin.web [at] flsenate.gov
osgood.rosalind.web [at] flsenate.gov
rodriguez.anamaria.web [at] flsenate.gov
rouson.darryl.web [at] flsenate.gov
simon.corey.web [at] flsenate.gov
torres.victor.web [at] flsenate.gov
yarborough.clay.web [at] flsenate.gov
