National Audubon Society

Florida Legislative Session and Policy Update

Welcome back to the Audubon Florida Advocate newsletter! This week marked the first official interim legislative committee week leading up to the 2026–2027 Legislative Session. Lawmakers are already shaping the priorities and policies that will define the year ahead — and Audubon will be there every step of the way. At the end of each committee week and during every week of Session, you can count on us to keep you informed about the issues that matter most to Florida’s environment — and to alert you when your voice can make a real difference.

Our priorities remain clear and unwavering: robust funding for Florida’s natural resource agencies, continued support for landmark conservation land-buying programs like Florida Forever and Rural and Family Lands, and strong investment in resource protection, Everglades restoration, and freshwater spring recovery. We’re also looking closely for opportunities to advance resiliency and climate adaptation funding, water supply planning that safeguards ecosystems and communities, and policies that keep growth sustainable and nature thriving. Together, we can ensure that conservation stays at the center of Florida’s future.

IN THIS ISSUE: The Florida House and Senate committee assignments, updates on the Senate Agriculture Committee and Appropriations Committee, and details from a panel discussion in the House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee.

Find Out: Are Your Elected Officials on Key Environment Committees?

While all Floridians’ voices are important for influencing legislation during session, if your state representative or senator sits on key committees that hear environmental bills, your voice can be especially powerful for Florida’s wildlife and wildlands. Now, in these early days of legislative season, make sure you know who your representative and senator are and check their committee assignments.

If your elected officials sit on any of the following committees, your voice is especially important this year:

House
Find Your Representative
Budget Committee
Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee:
State Affairs Committee
Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee
Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
Rules and Ethics Committee
Commerce Committee
Housing, Agriculture and Tourism Subcommittee

Senate
Find your Senator
Agriculture Committee
Appropriations Subcommittee
Commerce and Tourism
Community Affairs
Environment and Natural Resources
Fiscal Policy
Regulated Industries
Rules

Dunlin. Photo: Stevan Hubbard/Audubon Photography Awards

A brown bird of prey perched on a fencepost

Senate Agriculture Committee Hears State Land Protection Overviews

The Senate Agriculture Committee, chaired by Sen. Keith Truenow (R-Tavares), identified farmland preservation as a top priority for the coming year. JP Fraites, Director of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, and DEP Deputy Secretary Bryan Bradnor briefed lawmakers on recent progress in securing conservation easements and advancing the Florida Forever land-buying program. Sen. Erin Grall (R-Vero Beach) stressed the need to help family farms stay viable, while Sen. Mack Bernard (D-West Palm Beach) urged greater funding for conservation and improvements to farm-to-market roads.

Burrowing Owl. Photo: Jean Hall/Audubon Photography Awards

Senate Appropriations Committee Hears Economic Forecasts from State's Top Economist

Florida’s economy is solid for now, but long-term pressures are mounting. At the Senate Appropriations Committee this week (Chair, Sen. Hooper (R-Palm Harbor)), Amy Baker, Coordinator of the state’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR), reported that while Florida’s GDP growth is nearly flat (around 1 percent for the next fiscal year; it’s expected to rebound to 2 percent or more in subsequent cycles) the state’s wage growth, however, is significantly stronger. Florida has effectively caught up with the national average, meaning it’s no longer a “low-wage state.”

However, this wage growth brings fiscal challenges as policymakers must sustain competitive salaries for both public employees and contractors.

Population growth remains strong but is driven almost entirely by in-migration rather than natural births. As Florida’s population ages — with nearly one-quarter of residents projected to be over 65 by 2030 — natural population growth is declining. After 2030, overall growth is expected to slow as younger retirees are less likely than the Baby Boomer generation to choose Florida.

At the same time, consumer confidence is weak, residential construction is softening, and state revenues are not keeping pace with spending. EDR projects budget deficits beginning in FY 2027–28 ($1.5 billion) and widening to $6.6 billion the following year unless fiscal adjustments are made. Documentary Stamp Tax collections in FY 2025-26 are expected to increase by a relatively weak 1.5 percent to $3.76 billion. Stronger growth is projected for FY 2026-27 (3.8 percent) (The Documentary Stamp Tax is a major source of revenue for environmental programs, including land acquisition).

Baker urged lawmakers to act early to manage spending and avoid deeper shortfalls later. Budget leaders echoed that while the situation isn’t dire yet, Florida’s fiscal stability will depend on proactive, disciplined budgeting now to prepare for slower growth and rising costs ahead.

Forecasts for tax revenues give a glimpse of what legislators will have available to appropriate to key agencies like the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as critical programs like Florida Forever, Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, Everglades restoration, and more.

Wood Duck. Photo: Peggy Cadigan/Audubon Photography Awards

House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee Discusses the Role of Impact Fees in Sustainable Growth

The House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Jacques Berny (R-Seminole County), held a panel discussion on October 8 to explore how impact fees affect development, housing affordability, and local infrastructure. The meeting, part of the Legislature’s interim committee weeks leading up to the 2026 Regular Session, provided background on how impact fees are assessed and used by local governments to fund essential infrastructure like roads, schools, and utilities. Impact fees ensure that new development pays its fair share of the services needed to support those new residents with schools, roads, police, fire, etc. This approach ensures that impact fees are set at a rate that does not generate additional revenues to correct existing deficiencies.

Panelists included representatives from the Florida League of Cities, the Florida Association of Counties, and the homebuilding industry. Local officials emphasized the importance of impact fees as a tool to ensure that new development helps pay for the public services it requires. Homebuilders, meanwhile, cautioned that rising impact fees contribute to higher housing costs and can put homeownership out of reach for many Floridians. They also noted that fee increases were passed on to homebuyers, contributing to higher housing costs.

The discussion provided lawmakers with an opportunity to hear competing perspectives and consider potential policy approaches heading into the 2026 legislative session.

Impact fees are part of ensuring that new development is sustainable and that current residents aren't on the hook to subsidize unsustainable growth. Local governments are often on the front lines of protecting water quality, improving resilience, and providing parks and preserves to benefit people and wildlife. Their financial health is critical to these functions.

Red Knots. Photo: Gail Deterra/Audubon Photography Awards

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