TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the veto of SB 280 – Vacation Rentals late Thursday. The veto, which was a priority of Florida Realtors® since the close of the 2024 session, protects the property rights of owners who wish to rent their homes on a short-term basis, safeguards Florida’s economy and ensures Florida’s tourism industry remains strong.
“We thank Gov. DeSantis for vetoing SB 280 and giving us the time we need to continue to work on a solution to this complicated issue,” Florida Realtors 2024 President Gia Arvin said. “We’re confident that, together, we can establish a regulatory framework that supports responsible vacation rental practices and contributes positively to our communities while protecting the rights of Florida homeowners.”
SB 280 was narrowly passed by the Florida Legislature on March 7, 2024. The Florida Realtors public policy team had been tracking the bill throughout the session, making note of significant concerns with the bill and bringing them to the attention of lawmakers. While the bill was ultimately passed out of the legislature, both votes in the House and Senate were close, indicating that many lawmakers had similar concerns.
Realtors® have long agreed that short-term rentals need to be regulated, but SB 280 would have gone too far, becoming a tool to:
“Tax” short-term rental owners through unlimited fees
Suspend and take away vacation rental registrations using undefined violations
Force short-term rental owners to appeal disciplinary actions through the courts
A more detailed analysis of the major concerns of the bill can be found here. Additionally, an infographic describing these concerns can be found here.
Shortly after the bill’s passage, Florida Realtors launched a statewide, all-member Call for Action asking the governor to veto the bill to give stakeholders more time to work on solutions. The effort resulted in thousands of emails and calls to the governor’s office voicing opposition to the bill.
“Realtors helped notch a huge win for private property rights today in Florida and they should be proud of their efforts,” Arvin said. “I can’t thank our members enough for responding to our Call for Action and helping to explain the unintended consequences the bill was sure to produce.”
© 2024 Florida Realtors®
