SB 250: Rural Communities
GENERAL BILL by Simon ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Bradley
Rural Communities; Requiring the state land planning agency to give preference for technical assistance funding to local governments located in a rural area of opportunity; revising the conditions required for a county to be considered a fiscally constrained county; creating the Office of Rural Prosperity within the Department of Commerce; requiring the Office of Rural Prosperity to administer the Renaissance Grants Program to provide block grants to eligible communities; creating the Public Infrastructure Smart Technology Grant Program within the Office of Rural Prosperity; creating the Florida Arterial Road Modernization Program within the Department of Transportation, etc. APPROPRIATION: $144,813,977
- Appropriations (AP)
Bill History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 11/20/2025 | Senate |
• Filed |
| 11/21/2025 | Senate |
• Referred to Appropriations |
| 12/1/2025 | Senate |
• On Committee agenda-- Appropriations, 12/10/25, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building |
| 12/10/2025 | Senate |
• Favorable by- Appropriations; YEAS 16 NAYS 0 • Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading |
| 1/12/2026 | Senate |
• Placed on Special Order Calendar, 01/14/26 |
| 1/13/2026 | Senate |
• Introduced |
| 1/14/2026 | Senate |
• Read 2nd time -SJ 153 • Amendment(s) adopted (211610, 655052) -SJ 153 • Read 3rd time -SJ 153 • Passed as amended; YEAS 39 NAYS 0 -SJ 153 • Immediately certified -SJ 155 |
| 1/14/2026 | House |
• In Messages |
Related Bills
| Bill Number | Subject | Filed By | Relationship | Last Action and Location | Track Bills |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H 723 | Rural Counties | Abbott | Compare | Last Action: 1/13/2026 H 1st Reading (Original Filed Version) |
|
Bill Text
| Version | Posted | Format |
|---|---|---|
| S 250 Filed | 11/20/2025 11:03 AM | Web Page | PDF |
| S 250 e1 | 1/14/2026 5:10 PM | Web Page | PDF |
Committee Amendments
Floor Amendments
Bill Analyses
| Type | Analysis | Author | Posted | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Analysis | S 250 | Appropriations (Pre-Meeting) | 12/9/2025 9:14 AM | |
| Bill Analysis | S 250 | Appropriations (Post-Meeting) | 1/6/2026 10:18 AM |
Vote History - Committee
| Version | Committee | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 250 Filed | Appropriations | 12/10/2025 9:00 AM | 16 Yeas - 0 Nays |
Vote History - Floor
| Vote | Date | Chamber | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 250 Filed | 1/14/2026 4:34 PM | Senate | 39 Yeas - 0 Nays |
Citations - Statutes (71)
| Citation | Catchline | Location in Bill Location In Bill Help |
|---|---|---|
| 20.60 | Department of Commerce; creation; powers and duties. | Page 17 (pdf) |
| 125.0104 | Tourist development tax; procedure for levying; authorized uses; referendum; enforcement. | Page 113 (pdf) |
| 163.3168 | Planning innovations and technical assistance. | Page 21 (pdf) |
| 163.3177 | Required and optional elements of comprehensive plan; studies and surveys. | Page 121 (pdf) |
| 163.3187 | Process for adoption of small scale comprehensive plan amendment. | Page 104 (pdf) |
| 193.624 | Assessment of renewable energy source devices. | Page 114 (pdf) |
| 196.182 | Exemption of renewable energy source devices. | Page 115 (pdf) |
| 201.15 | Distribution of taxes collected. | Page 22 (pdf) |
| 202.18 | Allocation and disposition of tax proceeds. | Page 23 (pdf) |
| 212.20 | Funds collected, disposition; additional powers of department; operational expense; refund of taxes adjudicated unconstitutionally collected. | Page 24 (pdf) |
| 212.205 | Sales tax distribution reporting. | Page 104 (pdf) |
| 215.211 | Service charge; elimination or reduction for specified proceeds. | Page 123 (pdf) |
| 215.971 | Agreements funded with federal or state assistance. | Page 28 (pdf) |
| 218.12 | Appropriations to offset reductions in ad valorem tax revenue in fiscally constrained counties. | Page 115 (pdf) |
| 218.125 | Offset for tax loss associated with certain constitutional amendments affecting fiscally constrained counties. | Page 116 (pdf) |
| 218.135 | Offset for tax loss associated with reductions in value of certain citrus fruit packing and processing equipment. | Page 116 (pdf) |
| 218.136 | Offset for ad valorem revenue loss affecting fiscally constrained counties. | Page 117 (pdf) |
| 218.67 | Distribution for fiscally constrained counties. | Page 30 (pdf) |
| 252.35 | Emergency management powers; Division of Emergency Management. | Page 117 (pdf) |
| 257.191 | Construction grants. | Page 105 (pdf) |
| 257.193 | Community Libraries in Caring Program. | Page 105 (pdf) |
| 265.283 | Definitions. | Page 106 (pdf) |
| 288.001 | The Florida Small Business Development Center Network. | Page 33 (pdf) |
| 288.007 | Inventory of communities seeking to recruit businesses. | Page 34 (pdf) |
| 288.013 | Page 35 (pdf) | |
| 288.014 | Page 39 (pdf) | |
| 288.0175 | Page 44 (pdf) | |
| 288.018 | Regional Rural Development Grants Program. | Page 45 (pdf) |
| 288.019 | Rural considerations in grant review and evaluation processes. | Page 47 (pdf) |
| 288.021 | Economic development liaison. | Page 49 (pdf) |
| 288.065 | Rural Community Development Revolving Loan Fund. | Page 49 (pdf) |
| 288.0655 | Rural Infrastructure Fund. | Page 52 (pdf) |
| 288.0656 | Rural Economic Development Initiative. | Page 56 (pdf) |
| 288.06561 | Reduction or waiver of financial match requirements. | Page 61 (pdf) |
| 288.0657 | Florida rural economic development strategy grants. | Page 62 (pdf) |
| 288.102 | Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program. | Page 118 (pdf) |
| 288.11621 | Spring training baseball franchises. | Page 106 (pdf) |
| 288.11631 | Retention of Major League Baseball spring training baseball franchises. | Page 107 (pdf) |
| 288.1226 | Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation; use of property; board of directors; duties; audit. | Page 63 (pdf) |
| 288.12266 | Targeted Marketing Assistance Program. | Page 64 (pdf) |
| 288.9935 | Microfinance Guarantee Program. | Page 112 (pdf) |
| 288.9961 | Promotion of broadband adoption; Florida Office of Broadband. | Page 64 (pdf) |
| 288.9962 | Broadband Opportunity Program. | Page 122 (pdf) |
| 290.06561 | Designation of rural enterprise zone as catalyst site. | Page 67 (pdf) |
| 319.32 | Fees; service charges; disposition. | Page 67 (pdf) |
| 334.044 | Powers and duties of the department. | Page 68 (pdf) |
| 339.0801 | Allocation of increased revenues derived from amendments to s. 319.32(5)(a) by ch. 2012-128. | Page 68 (pdf) |
| 339.2816 | Small County Road Assistance Program. | Page 71 (pdf) |
| 339.2817 | County Incentive Grant Program. | Page 72 (pdf) |
| 339.2818 | Small County Outreach Program. | Page 73 (pdf) |
| 339.66 | Upgrade of arterial highways with controlled access facilities. | Page 123 (pdf) |
| 339.68 | Arterial rural highway projects. | Page 74 (pdf) |
| 341.0525 | Page 77 (pdf) | |
| 381.402 | Florida Reimbursement Assistance for Medical Education Program. | Page 80 (pdf) |
| 403.064 | Reuse of reclaimed water. | Page 118 (pdf) |
| 403.0741 | Grease waste removal and disposal. | Page 121 (pdf) |
| 420.9072 | State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program. | Page 124 (pdf) |
| 420.9073 | Local housing distributions. | Page 81 (pdf) |
| 420.9075 | Local housing assistance plans; partnerships. | Page 82 (pdf) |
| 420.9076 | Adoption of affordable housing incentive strategies; committees. | Page 125 (pdf) |
| 420.9079 | Local Government Housing Trust Fund. | Page 126 (pdf) |
| 443.191 | Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund; establishment and control. | Page 110 (pdf) |
| 571.26 | Florida Agricultural Promotional Campaign Trust Fund. | Page 111 (pdf) |
| 571.265 | Promotion of Florida thoroughbred breeding and of thoroughbred racing at Florida thoroughbred tracks; distribution of funds. | Page 111 (pdf) |
| 589.08 | Land acquisition restrictions. | Page 119 (pdf) |
| 1001.451 | Regional consortium service organizations. | Page 85 (pdf) |
| 1001.4511 | Page 89 (pdf) | |
| 1009.635 | Page 90 (pdf) | |
| 1011.62 | Funds for operation of schools. | Page 120 (pdf) |
| 1013.62 | Charter schools capital outlay funding. | Page 92 (pdf) |
| 1013.64 | Funds for comprehensive educational plant needs; construction cost maximums for school district capital projects. | Page 94 (pdf) |
Citations - Constitution (0)
No Constitutional citations.
Citations - Chapter Law (0)
No Chapter Law citations.
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