We selected bills that either help Floridians by making Florida a more affordable place to live, or hurt Floridians by increasing our costs. We’ve included bills that deal with affordable housing, utility costs, and consumer protection. Lawmakers get credit when they vote for a bill that helps Floridians, or against a bill that hurts Floridians.
Bill Number and Bill Name:
Our Position:
Status:
State Takeover of the Gainesville Municipal Utility
This bill would replace the democratically elected board of the local Gainesville utility, the GRU, with one appointed by the Governor. We have extensively documented the long-running playbook to privatize the GRU, a municipal utility…
Privatization of Florida Municipal Water Utilities
These bills will allow corporations to use outside consultants to inflate the value of a municipal water utility they are acquiring and then allow the corporations to recover that amount along with investor returns by…
Privatization of Florida Municipal Water Utilities
These bills will allow corporations to use outside consultants to inflate the value of a municipal water utility they are acquiring and then allow the corporations to recover that amount along with investor returns by…
Raising interest rates on short term loans
These bills would eliminate Florida’s tiered interest rate structure and replace it with a flat rate of 36%. We oppose this bill because giving predatory lenders more power will lead to more consumers being trapped…
Raising interest rates on short term loans
These bills would eliminate Florida’s tiered interest rate structure and replace it with a flat rate of 36%. We oppose this bill because giving predatory lenders more power will lead to more consumers being trapped…
Real Property Fraud
These bills create a program to prevent fraud by checking people’s identities before recording property deeds. It says that the clerk, who handles the recording of deeds, can ask for a government-issued photo ID card…
Real Property Fraud
These bills create a program to prevent fraud by checking people’s identities before recording property deeds. It says that the clerk, who handles the recording of deeds, can ask for a government-issued photo ID card…
Insurer Accountability
This bill implements vital enhancements for the Office of Insurance Regulation, including the procedure for referring criminal violations, and streamlines communication by authorizing electronic responses to consumer complaints. It also refines the requirements for insurer…
Protects Consumers from Predatory Real Estate Contracts
These bills shield Florida homeowners from the exploitative practices of MV Realty, a local company that has been imposing 40-year listing agreements on unsuspecting individuals. These predatory contracts have left homeowners trapped and vulnerable. However,…
Consumer Protection
These bills encompass various components aimed at protecting and benefiting the public in different areas.
Public Adjusters: Fair Compensation and Clear Agreements
The bill brings changes for public adjusters, who help with insurance claims. It sets limits…
Protect Consumers from Predatory Real Estate Contracts
These bills protect Floridians who have been victimized by a predatory new scheme known as residential loan alternative agreements, which allowed a company to give unsuspecting homeowners a few hundred dollars in order to look…
Consumer Protection
These bills encompass various components aimed at protecting and benefiting the public in different areas.
Public Adjusters: Fair Compensation and Clear Agreements
The bill brings changes for public adjusters, who help with insurance claims. It sets limits…
Union Busting Bill
These bills prohibit certain employee organizations (while controversially carving out favored unions such as police, firefighters and corrections officers), from receiving their members’ dues and assessments via salary deduction from the members’ public employer, which…
Union Busting Bill
These bills prohibit certain employee organizations (while controversially carving out favored unions such as police, firefighters and corrections officers), from receiving their members’ dues and assessments via salary deduction from the members’ public employer, which…
Ending Energy Efficiency Standards
These bills preempt local governments from requiring energy-efficient building materials or retrofits on buildings, from restricting the purchase or use of vehicles based upon the type of energy used, or prohibiting the sale/installation/use of natural…
Flood Disclosures for Real Property Sales
These bills would require people selling real estate to provide information to buyers about flooding. Under the bill, sellers would be required to disclose information such as whether the property has sustained flood damage;…
Municipal Utility Oversight
These bills mandate the Florida Public Service Commission oversees municipal utility customer rate cases. Currently, Florida municipal utilities have the authority to set their own rates. Public Service Commission rate cases cost millions of dollars….
Contacting Consumer Debtors
These bills prohibit a creditor from contacting a consumer whose debt arose from documented elder and economic abuse or human trafficking. Those who violate that would be subject to the same sanctions as any…
Renewable Energy Cost Recovery
These bills will allow Florida utility companies to earn a profit on higher-cost fuel sources, including hydrogen and natural gas. Utilities are not allowed to earn a profit on fuel costs, they are only allowed…
Raises the Public Support Threshold from 60% to 66% for Constitutional Amendments
These bills propose an amendment to the State Constitution that would increase the percentage of elector votes required to approve any amendments or revisions to the Constitution. Currently, it stands at 60 percent, but this…
Modernizes Florida’s Unemployment Program
These bills refine the eligibility requirements for Florida reemployment assistance benefits. Importantly, it prohibits the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) from denying assistance based on pregnancy. It requires the use of an alternative base period…
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
These bills call upon the Public Service Commission, Florida’s regulatory authority, to develop rules concerning electric vehicle charging. These rules should be competitively neutral and applicable to certain public utilities. In addition, the Commission must…
Cost-of-Living Adjustment of Retirement Benefits
These bills specify the minimum amount of the factor to be used to calculate the cost-of-living adjustment of benefits for certain retirees and beneficiaries of the Florida Retirement System…
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
These bills call upon the Public Service Commission, Florida’s regulatory authority, to develop rules concerning electric vehicle charging. These rules should be competitively neutral and applicable to certain public utilities. In addition, the Commission must…
Ending Energy Efficiency Standards
These bills preempt local governments from requiring energy-efficient building materials or retrofit on buildings, from restricting the purchase or use of vehicles based upon the type of energy used, or prohibiting the sale/installation/use of natural…
Upgrades to Education Facilities as Emergency Shelters
These bills aim to change the financial guidelines schools must adhere to for infrastructure improvements, which would allow the schools that are used as storm shelters to add solar panels if they choose….
Crackdown on Illicit Massage Businesses
These bills were an attempt to crack down on illicit massage therapy businesses across Florida and give more authority to law enforcement and code enforcement. We don’t normally weigh in on this type of legislation…
Increases Minimum Salary for Full-time Teachers
These bills, named the “Save Our Teachers Act”, aim to increase the minimum base salary of full-time and pre-kindergarten teachers from $47,500 to $65,000. Teachers have waited their turn while Florida corporations receive tax cuts…
Cost-of-living Adjustment of Retirement Benefits
These bills specify the minimum amount of the factor used to calculate the cost-of-living adjustment of benefits for certain retirees and beneficiaries of the Florida Retirement System, etc….
Flood Disclosures for Residential and Commercial Property Sales
These bills would require people selling real estate to provide information to buyers about flooding. Under the bill, sellers would be required to disclose information such as whether the property has sustained flood damage;…
Our mission is to advocate for economic fairness and consumer protections for all Floridians. We believe in a Florida that puts workers over corporations. We believe in animal welfare and protecting Florida’s natural beauty. We believe in home rule and ensuring every voter’s voice is heard.
