Controversial local ordinance bill moves forward in Florida House

Share
Rep. Robert Brackett in the Florida House // The Florida Channel, March 17 2023

The Florida legislature is considering a bill that would help people legally challenge city and county ordinances. The bill was met with opposition from citizens and a coalition of labor unions.

After the Senate passed a similar measure last week, the House started moving forward Wednesday with House Bill 1515. It allows plaintiffs who challenge ordinances in court to receive up to $50,000 for attorney fees and costs. It also requires local governments to suspend enforcement of ordinances while lawsuits occur.

However, some are concerned that the bill gives business owners too much power. One Orlando resident, Charles Colon, stated his concerns in front of a subcommittee.

“To just say ‘ordinances’ entirely is too broad and vague and it should be amended to reflect the interest of the general public” Colon said.

Another opponent was Rich Templin. He’s a lobbyist for the AFL-CIO, a large labor union coalition.

“If one business owner doesn’t like the ordinance, they go down, they write a $400 check and they file suit. The minute that suit is filed, the ordinance is over for the lifetime of the lawsuit!” Templin said.

This bill has been supported by many groups including the Florida Home Builders Association and Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. The sponsor of the bill, Representative Robert Brackett of Vero Beach, acknowledged the concerns.

“I’ve heard the comments and concerns and I’m willing to sit and talk to anybody about this.”

The bill was approved in a House subcommittee on Wednesday.

Leave a Reply

  • (will not be published)

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

You may also like

student meal
Next school year Hillsborough public schools are offering free meals

Hillsborough Public Schools are offering students free meals for the...

Correspondence Through Poetry. A Mind-Numbing Week.

Father Verses Sons: A Correspondence in Poems by Herbert Gold...

The sound of change: Music’s influence on anti-war and human rights movements

Throughout history, music has served as a powerful catalyst for...

a man in a tye dye shirt talking on a radio microphone
Recreational pot for Florida is on the ballot this fall—let’s talk about it

In four months, Florida voters have the opportunity to vote...

Ways to listen

WMNF is listener-supported. That means we don't advertise like a commercial station, and we're not part of a university.

Ways to support

WMNF volunteers have fun providing a variety of needed services to keep your community radio station alive and kickin'.

Follow us on Instagram

Live Music Showcase
Player position: