House approves special‑district bill after heated debate over downtown development rules

The Florida House on March 4 passed CS House Bill 273, a package of changes to how the state coordinates with special districts that includes provisions affecting downtown development authorities (DDAs) with large populations.

Sponsor Representative Johnson described the bill as clarifying accountability and transparency for special districts while enabling rural cooperation on water and wastewater projects. "This will allow [municipalities] to form a special district and apply for those bonds to get those projects funded," Johnson told the chamber, noting the measure targets rural areas of opportunity and creates budget‑transparency rules.

The session turned contentious after Representative Gantt offered a floor amendment to remove language she said had been added late and which would impose a 10% cap on certain DDA administrative costs. "This amendment simply removes the language added in the bill's final committee that greatly adversely affects the Miami Downtown Development Authority," Gantt said, arguing the change threatened jobs and programs that employ formerly unhoused people.

Members debating the amendment focused on the last‑minute insertion and uneven impact across jurisdictions. Some members urged rejecting the change and accepting the amendment to allow further local conversations; others argued the underlying bill's rural focus was still valuable. The amendment failed in a recorded voice division. Representative Johnson closed by reiterating that the measure addresses DDAs with populations greater than 400,000, establishes boundary‑change requirements, and seeks to limit administrative expenses to emphasize project work.

The bill passed on final passage, 83 yeas to 28 nays. Sponsors said they will continue conversations with affected DDAs and local officials about implementation and administrative details.