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Senate President Ben Albriton’s rural renaissance package passed his chamber unanimously Wednesday for the second year in a row. But whether it will make headway in the House remains to be seen. The package was held up in the House last year amid disagreements between the chambers. Speaking to reporters after the Senate’s vote, Albritton … Read more

Florida Republican officials are challenging rural boundaries within the state’s counties. Orange County voters decided to limit overdevelopment in rural areas in 2024, which has led to a major court challenge by builders there. “Developers have long hated this idea of a rural boundary because it pushes back on them,” said David Bear, an attorney … Read more

A wide-ranging proposal dubbed the “rural renaissance bill” is back in the Florida Senate. It has already passed one committee and is ready to be heard by the full chamber. The bill would boost funding for health care, education, and economic development in rural counties. The same proposal didn’t make it all the way through … Read more

The growth-management group 1000 Friends of Florida and an Orange County resident Tuesday filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a new state law that blocks cities and counties from approving “more restrictive or burdensome” changes to growth plans. The lawsuit, filed in Leon County circuit court, came after 25 cities and counties filed a … Read more

When lawmakers begin budget conference talks Tuesday, a couple of priorities of Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, likely will already be off the table. Lawmakers aren’t expected to approve Albritton’s “rural renaissance” plan, which seeks to bolster health care, education, transportation and economic development in rural areas, or Perez’s … Read more