New Regulations for Large Data Centers
January 9, 2026
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Where This Stands
Currently Ordered engrossed, then enrolled. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Signed.
Procedural history
24 actions- Feb 26, 2026HouseIn Messages
- Feb 26, 2026SenateImmediately certified
- Feb 26, 2026SenateFloorCS passed as amended; YEAS 37 NAYS 0
- Feb 26, 2026SenateFloorRead 3rd time
- Feb 26, 2026SenateAmendment(s) adopted (817402)
- Feb 26, 2026SenateFloorRead 2nd time
Show 18 earlier actions
- Feb 25, 2026SenateRetained on Special Order Calendar
- Feb 23, 2026SenatePlaced on Special Order Calendar, 02/25/26
- Feb 19, 2026SenateCS/CS by Rules read 1st time
- Feb 19, 2026SenatePlaced on Calendar, on 2nd reading
- Feb 18, 2026SenatePending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCS/CS by- Rules; YEAS 24 NAYS 0
- Feb 12, 2026SenateOn Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/17/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
- Feb 10, 2026SenateCS by Community Affairs read 1st time
- Feb 4, 2026SenateNow in Rules
- Feb 4, 2026SenatePending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
- Feb 3, 2026SenateCS by Community Affairs; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
- Jan 29, 2026SenateOn Committee agenda-- Community Affairs, 02/03/26, 3:30 pm, 37 Senate Building
- Jan 21, 2026SenateNow in Community Affairs
- Jan 20, 2026SenateCommitteeFavorable by Regulated Industries; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
- Jan 15, 2026SenateOn Committee agenda-- Regulated Industries, 01/20/26, 9:30 am, 412 Knott Building
- Jan 13, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced
- Jan 12, 2026SenateCommitteeReferred to Regulated Industries; Community Affairs; Rules
- Jan 9, 2026SenateIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →The Frame
The law ensures that large data centers—defined as facilities with a peak load of 50 megawatts or more—pay their own infrastructure costs so that these expenses are not passed on to regular residential and business utility customers.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
General body of ratepayers
The law mandates that utility rate structures be designed to prevent the shifting of infrastructure costs from large data centers to these customers.
Large load customers
These entities are subject to new tariff requirements, potential financial guarantees, and prohibitions on foreign ownership.
Public utilities
Utilities must file new tariffs by October 1, 2026, and are prohibited from serving foreign-owned large load customers.
Local governments
They retain their existing authority to regulate land use and comprehensive planning for data center siting.
Current stage: Ordered engrossed, then enrolled.
Signed.
Background
- The Florida Public Service Commission is the state agency responsible for regulating public utilities, including setting rates and service standards. context
Summary
Why It Matters
The law ensures that large data centers—defined as facilities with a peak load of 50 megawatts or more—pay their own infrastructure costs so that these expenses are not passed on to regular residential and business utility customers.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my electricity bill go up because of new data centers?
Can a foreign-owned company build a large data center in Florida?
Do local governments still have a say in where these data centers are built?
News Coverage
Bias ratings based on AllSides / Media Bias/Fact Check
Lobbying Activity
340B Health
2026
“The SECURE 340B Act (H.R. 9599); The Tax-Exempt Hospital Transparency Act (H.R.9504); 340B PATIENTS Act (H.R. 4581/S.2372); Community Health Center Drug Pricing Protection Act (H.R. 7391); 2027 OPPS Proposed Rule; Information Collection Request Title: 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program Application, Implementation, and Evaluation, OMB Number 0906-NEW; Manufacturer Demand for Access to in-House Pharmacy Claims Data; Lilly 340B Drug Pricing Denial; HRSA Rebate Model Pilot pending regulation; Pending Senate "Gang of Six" draft 340B legislation; FY27 Appropriations legislation; Pending introduction of updated and expanded Community Health Center Drug Pricing Protection Act.”
AARP
2026
“P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology”
ABB, Inc.
2026
“Electric grid infrastructure, industrial and building energy efficiency, energy conservation standards for electric motors, AI and data centers, permitting and microgrids, supply chains, grid modernization.”
SLOAT HIGGINS JENSENAND ASSOCIATES
on behalf of ANDERSEN CONSULTING LLP
FS VECTOR LLC
on behalf of AON SERVICE CORPORATION
BLOOM ENERGY
TIBER CREEK GROUP
on behalf of ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY
CORNERSTONE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, INC.
on behalf of AMPERE COMPUTING LLC
LEWIS-BURKE ASSOCIATES, LLC
on behalf of ALLIANCE FOR LEARNING INNOVATION, INC.
SAXTON & STUMP LAWYERS & CONSULTANTS
on behalf of EDC VENTURES
Voting Record
Third Reading
Total
45
Yes
41
No
0
Present
0
Not Voting
0
Abstain
0
How they voted (45)
Tommy Wright
Republican · yes
Bryan Ávila
Republican · yes
Danny Burgess
Republican · yes
Joe Gruters
Republican · excused
Dave Smith
Republican · yes
Ralph Massullo
Republican · yes
Shev Jones
Democratic · yes
Darryl Rouson
Democratic · yes
Jim Boyd
Republican · yes
Dave Smith
Republican · yes
Tracie Davis
Democratic · yes
Kathleen Passidomo
Republican · yes
Jonathan Martin
Republican · yes
Don Gaetz
Republican · yes
Joe Gruters
Republican · excused
Jason Brodeur
Republican · yes
Jay Trumbull
Republican · yes
Nick DiCeglie
Republican · yes
Kristen Arrington
Democratic · yes
Colleen Burton
Republican · yes
Debbie Mayfield
Republican · yes
Ed Hooper
Republican · yes
LaVon Bracy Davis
Democratic · yes
Jason Pizzo
Independent · yes
+ 21 more
Favorable with Committee Substitute
Total
24
Yes
24
No
0
Present
0
Not Voting
0
Abstain
0
How they voted (24)
Bryan Ávila
Republican · yes
Tommy Wright
Republican · yes
Danny Burgess
Republican · yes
Shev Jones
Democratic · yes
Jay Trumbull
Republican · yes
Jason Pizzo
Independent · yes
Erin Grall
Republican · yes
Jonathan Martin
Republican · yes
Corey Simon
Republican · yes
Ileana Garcia
Republican · yes
Colleen Burton
Republican · yes
Darryl Rouson
Democratic · yes
Tracie Davis
Democratic · yes
Nick DiCeglie
Republican · yes
Ana Maria Rodriguez
Republican · yes
Don Gaetz
Republican · yes
Jennifer Bradley
Republican · yes
Jim Boyd
Republican · yes
Rosalind Osgood
Democratic · yes
Gayle Harrell
Republican · yes
Kathleen Passidomo
Republican · yes
Ed Hooper
Republican · yes
Lori Berman
Democratic · yes
Jason Brodeur
Republican · yes
Favorable with Committee Substitute
Total
10
Yes
10
No
0
Present
0
Not Voting
0
Abstain
0
How they voted (10)
Favorable
Total
9
Yes
8
No
0
Present
0
Not Voting
0
Abstain
0
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Utility Cost Protection
The law explicitly codifies a 'user-pays' principle for large-scale energy consumers to protect residential ratepayers from infrastructure cost-shifting.
Connected Entities
Sources
openstates.org
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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