Florida Senate Bill 180: A New Era for Emergency Management and Local Resilience

Florida’s 2025 Senate Bill 180 (SB 180) marks a comprehensive update to the state’s emergency management policies. With its wide-ranging reforms, this legislation influences everything from tenant protections and permitting processes to stormwater inspections and interagency coordination.

For local governments, planners, and resilience professionals, understanding the implications of SB 180 is critical, not just for compliance but for enhancing the capacity to serve communities effectively during and after disasters.

Key Changes Introduced by SB 180

The bill, effective July 1, 2025, introduces sixteen significant provisions that affect all phases of emergency management: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. Key updates include:

Tenant Rights During Emergencies‍

Landlords must allow tenants access to retrieve belongings during declared emergencies or provide notification before disposal. 

Substantial Improvement / Substantial Damage (SI/SD) Tracking

Local governments can no longer apply cumulative tracking of substantial improvements or damage when determining compliance with floodplain regulations. This could shift how historical permit data is used and complicate efforts to manage long-term risk mitigation.

Stormwater Infrastructure Accountability

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) communities must now conduct and report annual inspections of vulnerable stormwater systems.

Impact Fee and Property Assessment Reforms

SB 180 prohibits impact fees for disaster-related rebuilds of like-kind structures and provides leeway in homestead rebuilds without triggering higher property tax assessments.

Public Information Requirements

Cities and counties are now required to centralize the following information publicly:

• Storm recovery FAQs
  
  
• Emergency supply lists
  
  
• Permit procedures
  
  
• Flood zone maps
  
  
• Shelter locations
  
  

Shelter Equity and Access

The bill enhances funding for hurricane shelters based on need and risk, and requires better access for people with disabilities and veterans. It also updates how shelters are identified and communicated.

Permit and Development Extensions

During declared emergencies, existing permits and development orders will be automatically extended to avoid administrative delays.

Emergency Contracts and Fiscal Transparency

SB 180 mandates public posting of emergency contracts and requires the Florida Division of Emergency Management to publish an annual spending report, reinforcing accountability.

Interagency Coordination

Agencies must designate emergency coordination officers annually. A new interagency hazard mitigation group will also convene to assess risks and plan statewide resilience strategies.

Implications for Local Governments and Planners

• Shifting Compliance Frameworks: The removal of cumulative SI/SD tracking limits the use of historical data for regulatory purposes, potentially requiring communities to rethink how mitigation is documented and evaluated.
• Heightened Transparency Expectations: With new digital communication requirements, residents will expect timely, accurate updates across official channels. Meeting these expectations will require investment in communication infrastructure and content management.
• Budget and Operational Pressures: The exemption from impact fees and property reassessment caps may impact local budgets when demand for services peaks post-disaster. Strategic planning will be necessary to balance fiscal resilience with community recovery.
• Expanded Equity Responsibilities: Provisions around shelter access, tenant protections, and funding allocation aim to make disaster recovery more inclusive. This will require stronger data coordination and mapping to identify and support vulnerable populations.
• Increasing Complexity in Coordination: The formalization of interagency roles and expanded state oversight adds a layer of procedural complexity. It underscores the need for streamlined systems to manage information, people, and resources across jurisdictions.

How Forerunner Can Support These Shifts

While SB 180 brings new obligations, it also offers an opportunity to modernize emergency management systems. Forerunner can play a role in helping communities meet these new regulations by:

• Providing a centralized, public-facing website with property profiles and custom banners, allowing communities to share flood zone maps, FAQs, shelter information, and real-time updates with residents
• Enabling digital SI/SD tracking for mitigation, insurance, and outreach.
• Supporting infrastructure management with interactive maps and workflows to flag shelters, highlight accessible facilities, and document stormwater vulnerabilities.
• Adapting workflow tools and permitting records to track post-disaster rules and streamline reporting with easy exporting capabilities for annual MS4 reports.
• Optimizing communications with AI-powered letter generation and automated mailings to keep residents informed about changing permit rules, moratorium updates, or reconstruction timelines.  
• Facilitating interagency collaboration through cross-jurisdictional account access, along with future support for temporary users during emergencies to enhance transparency and improve resource deployment.

Next Steps

Florida Senate Bill 180 represents a paradigm shift in how communities prepare for and recover from disasters. The bill does not alter technical standards; it redefines the expectations of local governments and the public. Navigating these changes will require proactive adaptation, thoughtful system design, and consideration of how information, infrastructure, and equity are managed in times of crisis. 

Forerunner can help your community implement these changes efficiently and equitably. Reach out to support@withforerunner.com to explore how we can support your resilience work.