Florida charts its own course on data centers

At the national level, the message from President Donald Trump is clear: build.

In Florida, the Legislature’s approach is more complex.

The Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 484 (SB 484) today, establishing new guidelines for the construction and operation of hyperscale data centers in Florida.

The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Bryan Avila of Miami, increases oversight and regulation of large-scale data centers by prohibiting non-disclosure agreements and establishing stricter water permitting standards.

For the MAGA-friendly state of Florida, the advancement of stricter regulations marks a significant departure from the President’s agenda.

In an executive order in July 2025, Trump called for accelerating federal permitting of data center infrastructure. Earlier this month, he reiterated that he’s “all in” on data centers. Trump’s Department of Energy is even designating federal lands to support new data center construction, reducing siting and permitting requirements.

Proponents of hyperscale data centers argue that large data centers will benefit the economy by creating jobs and generating significant tax revenue, with little to no strain on infrastructure and services.

“Data centers can be a major economic driver here in Florida,” said Frank Walker of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

“These are not small projects. They are multibillion-dollar commitments,” noted Adam Basford of Associated Industries of Florida. “Just this week, Amazon announced a $12 billion investment in Louisiana… with just one data center.”

The introduction of a one-gigawatt data center in Florida is estimated to create 45,367 temporary jobs, generating $2.4 billion in earnings and $176.8 million in state and local tax revenue within 18 months, according to Consumer Energy Alliance. In the longer term, such a data center would produce $2.6 billion in annual economic impact and $405.9 million in recurring state and local tax revenue.

Data centers are not only crucial to the economy but also to national security. In a recent opinion column in the Tallahassee Democrat, a U.S. Army veteran emphasized the importance of data centers to national security.

“Artificial intelligence and data centers are rapidly becoming core elements of U.S. national security,” said Lt. Col. Al Santos (Ret.).

“China and Russia are investing aggressively in advanced computing, AI-enabled military capabilities, and the infrastructure needed to support them. These efforts are not just about innovation or efficiency. They are about gaining long-term strategic advantage,” he warned.

Nonetheless, the Republican-controlled Senate and House moved forward with restrictions on data centers.

House Bill 1007 (HB 1007) by Rep. “Griff” Griffits, a Republican from Panama City, the companion to SB 484, passed the House Commerce Committee today, marking the bill’s final stop in the lower chamber.

Some lawmakers expressed concerns during the debate.

“I represent a fiscally constrained rural community,” said Rep. Vanessa Oliver. “So at the same time that this legislature is proposing an elimination of residential property taxes, we really have to be equally serious about how rural counties diversify and strengthen their commercial tax base. Data centers can be transformational for rural communities like mine, and I think that’s really important to reducing their long-term reliance on state assistance.”

“How will the limitations on the construction of data centers impact military installations that have a growing demand for them?” questioned Air Force veteran and Rep. Yvette Benarroch.

“If other states were to pass policies like this, we would have to rely on other countries to store our data, financial records, and personal identifying information,” pointed out Rep. David Borrero.

Still, the bill advanced.

It’s rare for Republicans to diverge from Trump and align with liberal progressives.

Earlier this week, progressive Rep. Anna Eskamani expressed her strong support for the measure.

“I’m a YES-kamani on this bill,” she said. “It’s a good consumer bill. I applaud you for your efforts.”

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has called for a national moratorium on the construction of data centers.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Democrats are advancing legislation to halt data center construction for at least three years.

In the House Commerce Committee today, Democrat Rep. Michele Rayner of St. Petersburg even noted the unusual nature of the debate.

“The House and Senate bills really conflict with the sitting President’s goal to accelerate America’s development of data centers across the country,” said  Rayner. “Y’all know how I feel about it, but that may be something you want to take into consideration.”