FL H1535

Overhauls emergency election procedures by allowing supervisors of elections in counties affected by a declared state of emergency to request changes to early voting sites, polling places, and vote-by-mail procedures with Secretary of State approval within 36 hours, and requires the Division of Elections to develop statewide and local election emergency contingency plans with training programs updated every 4 years.

Prohibits impacted local governments from proposing or adopting construction moratoriums, more restrictive comprehensive plan amendments, or more burdensome permitting procedures for 1 year after a hurricane makes landfall; retroactively applies these restrictions to counties affected by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton (back to August 1, 2024) through October 1, 2027, with civil enforcement provisions including attorney fees for prevailing plaintiffs.

Strengthens post-disaster recovery by requiring counties and municipalities to develop poststorm permitting plans, publish storm recovery guides on their websites, freeze building permit and inspection fees for 180 days after a declared emergency, designate at least one debris management site, and provide online access to substantial damage letters by May 1, 2026.

Expands homestead property tax protections by increasing the square footage threshold for disaster-damaged rebuilds from 110% to 130% (or from 1,500 to 2,000 square feet), prohibits impact fees for replacement structures of the same land use, limits National Flood Insurance Program cumulative substantial improvement periods to 1 year, and extends permit tolling for 24 months (up to 48 months total) following emergency declarations retroactive to September 28, 2022.

Requires the Division of Emergency Management to administer the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program with at least 75% of funds going to declared disaster counties, mandates annual legislative reporting on emergency expenditures by January 15, requires a Flood Inventory and Restoration Report from the Department of Environmental Protection by September 1, 2026, and imposes a $5,000 penalty plus damages on vendors who breach emergency response contracts during the 1-year recovery period.