Bill > S0084

This bill creates new regulations for housing agricultural workers in Florida by defining key terms and establishing specific requirements for constructing and maintaining housing sites on agricultural land. The bill defines a "legally verified agricultural worker" as someone who is lawfully present in the United States, verified through employment eligibility processes, employed seasonally or annually in agricultural production, and maintains work authorization. It prohibits local governments from creating barriers to constructing housing for these workers and sets detailed standards for such housing, including minimum distance requirements between structures, setback rules, screening provisions for adjacent residential areas, and specifications for access drives and facility size. The bill requires property owners to maintain records of permits for migrant housing for at least three years and mandates that housing sites can only be used for legally verified agricultural workers, with structures to be removed if the site is unused for over 365 days or if the land loses its agricultural classification. The legislation allows existing housing sites constructed before July 1, 2025, to continue operating with minimal changes, provided they maintain health and safety standards. Notably, the bill includes special provisions for housing sites in critical state concern areas like the Florida Keys, ensuring those locations remain subject to existing permit allocation systems.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/84