Florida HB 1227: Building Standards for State Subsidized Developments

Bill Text

HB 1227 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1227-00
Page 1 of 15
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to preemption to the state; creating 2
ss. 125.595, 166.0499, and 189.09, F.S.; providing 3
legislative findings and intent; providing for 4
preemption of all matters relating to the regulation 5
of religious services and gatherings; prohibiting 6
counties, municipalities, and special districts, 7
respectively, from substantially burdening the free 8
exercise of religion by adopting or enforcing certain 9
ordinances, regulations, resolutions, rules, or other 10
policies; requiring that religious services and 11
gatherings, and parking relating to the attendance of 12
such services and gatherings, be allowed on specified 13
property; providing construction; providing that 14
certain ordinances, regulations, resolutions, rules, 15
and policies adopted or enforced by counties, 16
municipalities, and special districts are void and 17
unenforceable; amending s. 553.79, F.S.; prohibiting a 18
local enforcement agency from denying the issuance of 19
a certificate of occupancy to an owner of residential 20
or commercial property based on noncompliance with 21
Florida-friendly landscaping ordinances in certain 22
circumstances; prohibiting a local enforcement agency 23
from denying the issuance of a building permit for the 24
alteration, modification, or repair of a single-family 25

HB 1227 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1227-00
Page 2 of 15
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

residential structure in certain circumstances; 26
prohibiting a local enforcement agency from requiring 27
a building permit for the construction of playground 28
equipment or a fence on certain property; creating s. 29
559.954, F.S.; defining the terms "local government" 30
and "mutual benefit corporation"; providing the 31
regulation of mutual benefit corporations is preempted 32
to the state; prohibiting local governments from 33
adopting or enforcing certain ordinances, regulations, 34
resolutions, rules, charter provisions, or other 35
policies or from taking any action to license or 36
otherwise regulate mutual benefit corporations in a 37
specified manner; providing certain ordinances, 38
regulations, resolutions, rules, charter provisions, 39
or other policies are void and unenforceable; 40
providing a civil cause of action; waiving sovereign 41
immunity in accordance with specified laws; amending 42
s. 559.955, F.S.; revising the criteria for a business 43
to be considered a home-based business as it relates 44
to local government regulation of parking; providing 45
an effective date. 46
47
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 48
49
Section 1. Section 125.595, Florida Statutes, is created 50

HB 1227 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1227-00
Page 3 of 15
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

to read: 51
125.595 Ordinances, regulations, resolutions, rules, and 52
policies relating to religious services and gatherings.— 53
(1) The Legislature finds: 54
(a) The free exercise of religion is a fundamental right 55
guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the State 56
Constitution. 57
(b) The Legislature enacted the Religious Freedom 58
Restoration Act of 1998 to protect a person's free exercise of 59
religion from being substantially burdened by the state or 60
government, which includes a county, special district, 61
municipality, or any other subdivision of this state. 62
(c) Religious services and gatherings, whether held in 63
traditional houses of worship, private residences, or commercial 64
establishments, are an essential expression of the free exercise 65
of religion. 66
(d) Counties have, at times, enacted or enforced 67
ordinances, regulations, resolutions, rules, or other policies 68
that substantially burden a person's exercise of religion by 69
restricting religious services and gatherings, parking, or 70
related services or activities. 71
(2) It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to: 72
(a) Preempt any ordinance, regulation, resolution, rule, 73
or other policy that substantially burdens the free exercise of 74
religion. 75

HB 1227 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1227-00
Page 4 of 15
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(b) Ensure uniform statewide protection for the free 76
exercise of religion. 77
(3)(a)1. All matters relating to the regulation of 78
religious services and gatherings are preempted to the state, 79
and a county may not substantially burden the free exercise of 80
religion by adopting or enforcing any ordinance, regulation, 81
resolution, rule, or other policy to prohibit or restrict a 82
person's ability to attend religious services or gatherings in 83
areas zoned fo