What's at stake for Miami this legislative session
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Lawmakers are heading to Tallahassee for a 60-day legislative marathon — and what happens there will ripple far beyond the Capitol.
Why it matters: Everything from cutting property taxes to boosting pedestrian safety and preserving the environment will be decided when lawmakers convene on Tuesday.
- Here are some of the items we're monitoring.
📜 Bills
🚗 Renaming campus roads: HB 113 would direct Miami Dade College, Florida International University and every other public university in the state to rename a campus road after slain political activist Charlie Kirk.
- There's another bill, filed by State Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami), to rename a portion of Southwest 107th Avenue between Eighth Street and 24th Street — near FIU — as "Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue."
🤖 AI regulation: SB 482 would establish an "AI Bill of Rights," including the right to pursue civil remedies when one's likeness is used without consent.
- Parents would also have the right to supervise and limit a minor's use of AI, and everyone would have the right to know whether political advertisements were created using AI.
🗳️ Ballot referenda
💰 Property taxes galore: The state House filed four proposals to exempt a homeowner's principal residence from some or all property taxes — leaving in place only those levied by school districts.
- Analysts say they could cost local governments billions of dollars, money now used for critical infrastructure and emergency services.
💸 Local budget requests
🚔 G20 security: The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office would receive $1 million to bolster enforcement during the upcoming G20 summit in December — which President Trump plans to host at his Doral golf resort — and other high-profile events.
✏️ Aventura charter school: The city of Aventura is requesting $6 million to help fund the construction of a new charter high school.
⚠️ Beachwalk safety: The city of Miami Beach would receive $850,000 to install safety bollards and other barriers along the pedestrian beachwalk.
🚑 Miami manatee rescue: Zoo Miami and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would receive $1.1 million to build a manatee rescue and rehabilitation center.
- The project, estimated to cost over $15 million, received $1.7 million from the state last fiscal year.
🦀 Biscayne Bay rehab: The Coastal Conservation Association Florida is requesting $700,000 to restore up to 14 miles of seagrass injuries in the bay and inform the public about safe boating practices.
🚶🏻♂️Nature trail: A $1 million request from Miami-Dade County would fund construction of a 2.5-mile segment of the Biscayne-Everglades Greenway near Homestead.
- The project includes the construction of a 10-foot-wide asphalt multi-use trail along the Mowry Canal, Southwest 117th Avenue and Southwest 320th Street, along with new bike lanes on Southwest 137th Avenue.
🪸 Hybrid coral reefs: A $1.2 million request would fund a reef restoration project from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science.
- The project combines cement reefs and lab-grown corals to reduce shoreline erosion, boost coral populations and assist South Florida climate resiliency efforts.
🔫 AI gun detection: A $3 million request would fund AI-based gun detection technology at Miami-Dade Public Schools.
- The company ZeroEyes would tap into existing school district cameras to detect weapons.
🐶 Animal shelter help: Miami-Dade Animal Services would receive $950,000 under two proposals to fund a high-volume spay and neuter veterinarian and new shelter space.