ISSUES

HRC tracks local land use to preserve community control over zoning, housing density, and development. State preemption threatens residents' ability to shape neighborhood character, protect green space, and ensure equitable growth that reflects local needs—not one-size-fits-all mandates from Tallahassee.

School schedules should reflect local families' needs, transportation logistics, and student well-being. HRC monitors preemption efforts that strip school boards of authority to decide start times, undermining public input and district-level flexibility in favor of rigid statewide rules.

EV infrastructure should match community readiness and parking realities. HRC tracks legislation that overrides local authority to regulate EV charging stations and reserved spaces, which risks creating unfunded mandates, enforcement burdens, or inappropriate requirements in areas not yet equipped for EV adoption.

Cities and counties adopt smoking rules to protect public health in parks, beaches, and shared spaces. HRC opposes preemption that blocks local governments from regulating smoking, including e-cigarettes, which restricts their ability to respond to residents' health concerns and environmental goals.

HRC follows this issue to safeguard public access to Florida’s beaches, a tradition under threat by state laws restricting local governments from enforcing customary use. Centralized control risks undermining community efforts to maintain access, resolve disputes, and protect tourism economies reliant on open shorelines.