TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A key part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ effort to put restraints on artificial intelligence continues to have a spark of life as the legislative session approaches its end.
The House on Wednesday approved the bill (SB 484) that aims to put restrictions on the growth of massive data centers that power the rapidly developing AI technology, and their effects on regional electric and water resources.
The vote was 92-16, with six Republicans and 10 Democrats opposing the measure. The House, though, amended the bill before the vote, with changes aimed at showing Florida isn’t closing itself off from the growing industry.
“Data centers bring innovation and economic opportunities,” said Rep. Griff Griffitts, R-Panama City Beach, sponsor of the House version of the bill. “This does not ban data centers. It simply puts guardrails in place so locals can have some controls.”
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The Senate unanimously approved its version of the bill on Feb. 26.
Among the changes made Wednesday, the House removed a provision that restricted local governments from entering nondisclosure agreements involving the potential development of a data center.
Griffitts said large tech firms making large investments in data centers would want to ensure proprietary information was protected in any deal for at least one year.
In voting for the bill, Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said the overall effort is “good policy,” but she had reservations about limiting the public from knowing when a data center was looking to locate within their community.
“Everyone here would agree that if something that is going to be such a permanent presence in your community, with the impact that we’re discussing, the risk of water and electricity, that the public be aware of it,” Eskamani said.
The House also added a requirement for the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct an independent study on the economic impact of data centers, considering land, water, and energy uses and costs, along with effects on public health and safety.
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During committee hearings, business lobbying groups raised concerns that the centers are being overregulated, with additional permitting not required for other large industrial users, which could offset the economic benefit.
The environmental advocacy nonprofit Earthjustice has outlined communities already facing the potential for excess water withdrawals and electricity demands from data center projects proposed in Polk County, Palm Beach County, Martin County, Citrus County, and St. Lucie County.
A separate effort pushed by DeSantis to establish an “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights” (SB 482) hasn’t been heard in the House.
On March 4, the Senate voted 35-2 on the proposal that in part establishes a right for parents to control children’s interactions with AI chatbots. However, House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, has repeatedly maintained the issue should be handled at the federal level.
The data center bill, in part, would also require the Florida Public Service Commission, which regulates electric utilities, to develop what are known as “tariffs” and service requirements to “reasonably ensure that each large load customer bears its own full cost of service and that such cost is not shifted to the general body of ratepayers.”
That would include costs related to issues such as connecting to electric systems and increased power transmission and generation costs.