How We Score

New policies could have helped to reduce flooding, extreme heat, financial burdens, and our over-dependence on fossil fuels. Florida lawmakers need to vote with the hardworking people of their state and pass these bills into law. Too often, big corporations use money to influence lawmakers’ votes, harming our communities and holding us back from opportunity.

Each year, advocacy organizations that work to protect Florida’s environment, economy, and community health select the bills included in this scorecard. We prioritize bills that minimize planet-warming pollution, address impacts of the climate crisis, and ensure access to affordable, clean water and electricity. Lawmakers get credit each time they vote for a bill that benefits all Floridians, especially the residents most exposed to harm. This means that lawmakers have multiple chances to vote on the side of people over corporations.
2021
2022
2023
Cost Recovery for Dirty Energy Infrastructure
BAD FOR FLORIDA
Weakens PSC oversight over utility investments in gas and hydrogen projects and pipelines. Allows utilities to recuperate the cost of renewable natural gas or hydrogen fuel infrastructure projects from customers.
GRU Takeover
BAD FOR FLORIDA
Allows the Governor to appoint a five-member board to have full autonomy for all of Gainesville Regional Utilities decisions, removing the Gainesville City Commission's control. This bill endangers the public utility and opens the door to an eventual takeover by corporate utilities.
Incentivized Higher Water Utility Bills
BAD FOR FLORIDA
Allows large water companies to acquire municipal and private water utilities and pass on acquisition costs to their new utility customers. Customers will pick up the tab when a big utility overpays to acquire a smaller utility.
Preemption Over Gas Appliances
BAD FOR FLORIDA
Preempts local government from restricting the use of gas stoves in Florida.
Preemption of Local Ordinances
BAD FOR FLORIDA
Authorizes courts to assess and award attorney fees and costs in civil actions filed against local governments; requires local government to prepare business impact analysis for any proposed local ordinance; county cannot enforce any ordinance if certain business impact conditions are met.
Radioactive Roads
BAD FOR FLORIDA
This bill will allow Florida’s Dept. of Transportation to use a cancer-causing material — prohibited by the EPA — in road construction. When it rains, those chemicals seep into our water and air. This would harm our environment and ALL Floridians’ health.
Art by Elise Fernandez