Lobbyist outlines 2025 legislative outcomes and asks council to set 2026 priorities

Andrew Colell of Sunrise Consulting briefed the council on the recent state legislative session and budget, reviewed bills affecting Palm Bay and Brevard County, and recommended a strategic list of appropriation requests for the 2026 session. Colell said the session was unusually long and contentious and that Palm Bay’s delegation helped secure language and funding proposals, though some items were later vetoed.

Colell highlighted several items that were in the state budget process for Palm Bay: $1,000,000 for Turkey Creek water quality projects (later vetoed), $500,000 for a fiber‑optic project (vetoed), and an $80,000 item for the police communications center (vetoed). He noted a $10,000,000 appropriation to the Brevard Sheriff for a training center and other regional investments. Colell warned of major bills with local impact, including Senate Bill 180 (emergency preparedness and temporary moratoria restrictions following certain storms) and a proposal that would require local governments to shoulder utility relocation costs during road projects before it was narrowed.

Councilmembers debated priority strategy: some urged concentrating on public safety and transportation projects to ‘force’ appropriation focus; others favored including water quality projects given past success with those appropriations. Staff and the consultant recommended submitting a balanced list (public safety, one water project, one general government project) and asked council to provide firm priorities in September ahead of delegation meetings.