The county’s lobbying agenda is taking shape ahead of Tuesday’s formal approval vote.
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Pinellas County Commissioners are finalizing their legislative priorities for 2027, pursuing tighter regulations on Flock surveillance, changes to hurricane recovery laws and relief from unfunded mandates while also rejecting a proposal to loosen Florida’s Sunshine Law.
The Commission will vote Tuesday on the 2027 State Legislative Program, which will guide the county’s lobbying efforts during the 2027 Legislative Session that begins March 2.
A Commission work session covered the county’s established legislative priorities and five additional proposals introduced by individual Commissioners, addressing issues ranging from government transparency and public utilities to fire district consolidation and stormwater management.
Of the five proposals, Commissioners supported legislation allowing local governments to use electricity generated at waste-to-energy facilities to power their own buildings. They also backed new protections for private daycare floor plans and agreed to make relief from unfunded mandates the program’s top guiding principle.
The Sunshine Law proposal was the only one Commissioners rejected outright. They opposed allowing local officials to discuss certain policy matters outside publicly noticed meetings, and county staff agreed not to pursue the change.
The other three proposals were deferred or given lower priority.
Commissioners agreed to wait for the results of an ongoing state study before pursuing fire district consolidation and left a reduction in the size of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) Board off their legislative priorities — although they remained open to supporting the change if legislation emerges. They also requested further research into the county’s existing authority to maintain stormwater systems on private property.
Florida’s Sunshine Law generally requires public board meetings to be open and noticed when members discuss matters that could foreseeably come before the board.
Commissioner Kathleen Peters said she opposed any change that could create the appearance of government officials making deals behind closed doors. Commissioner Rene Flowers also opposed the change, arguing that “we should be transparent with the residents of our community.”
The waste-to-energy proposal would allow the county to use its own electricity rather than selling it to utility companies and purchasing power for its buildings. Existing utility networks would distribute the electricity.
Peters argued that the change could significantly reduce electricity costs for taxpayers. County Administrator Barry Burton said the county previously tried to negotiate such an arrangement with Duke Energy, but the utility rejected the idea.
“I think it’s worth fighting for,” Peters said.
The fire district consolidation proposal would have established a pilot program to study the benefits and drawbacks of merging districts across Pinellas or the greater Tampa Bay region.
An existing state study requested by Sen. Nick DiCeglie is already examining potential efficiencies among fire districts, although staff said there is no timeline for its completion. Burton recommended allowing that study to proceed before pursuing additional legislation.
Some Commissioners supported reducing the PSTA Board’s size but questioned a separate legislative effort.
The stormwater proposal raised questions about private property rights and the county’s maintenance responsibilities. Peters said clogged or collapsing culverts on private property have contributed to flooding in neighboring communities, but some property owners refuse to maintain them or allow the county access to address the problems.
Burton cautioned against expanding the county’s responsibility for privately owned drainage systems, while Commissioners questioned whether existing laws already give the county authority to intervene. Staff agreed to research the issue further.
The daycare proposal followed a public records request for floor plans at more than 200 private childcare facilities. Commissioner Vince Nowicki said state law protects public daycare layouts but not private ones, potentially revealing where children sleep and use restrooms. Staff agreed to incorporate the proposed protections into the legislative program.
Following Amendment 3’s passage, Commissioners agreed to make relief from unfunded state mandates a top legislative priority. Peters said the county already faces just under $200 million in such obligations.
The program also maintains the county’s opposition to state preemption of local authority.
Beyond Thursday’s decisions, the county seeks statewide standards for automated license plate readers, commonly known as Flock cameras. The proposal calls for regular audits, tighter access controls, greater data-storage transparency and safeguards for information shared across jurisdictions. It would also restrict how private companies collect, share, store and retain surveillance data.
The proposal follows months of debate over the technology, including concerns about law enforcement access to surveillance data and allegations of four separate instances of misuse involving local officers — three within the Sheriff’s Office and one in St. Petersburg.
Pinellas plans to work with Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and law enforcement associations on legislation addressing privacy protections while preserving the technology’s investigative uses.
County staff said the Florida League of Cities has heard that state lawmakers may instead pursue an outright ban on the technology.
The county also supports revisions to SB 180, the state’s disaster recovery law, to give local governments greater flexibility to amend development regulations and comprehensive plans following natural disasters.
DiCeglie, who sponsored SB 180 in 2025, advanced similar legislation during the 2026 Session, but the measure never moved in the House. County staff said they also provided draft language to Rep. Linda Chaney.
The county is also seeking greater influence over voting power under a proposed merger of Tampa Bay’s three transportation planning agencies, which determine funding priorities for major road, transit and other transportation projects.
The agencies have struggled to agree on the makeup of a consolidated board. Pinellas wants equitable county representation, but questions remain over equal versus population-based voting.
Staff clarified Thursday that Pasco’s letter supported a Tampa Bay Water-style model for an executive committee, not necessarily the full board. Commissioners questioned whether population-based voting would give Hillsborough greater influence.
The county supports Forward Pinellas’ efforts to update the agency’s governing structure ahead of a possible regional transportation merger.
The county’s remaining priorities include stronger regulations for electric bicycles, a higher 911 fee and greater local authority over short-term rentals, following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 2024 veto of legislation addressing vacation rental regulations.
Pinellas is also seeking state funding for several projects, including recurring support for maintenance and security at Weedon Island and Shell Key preserves, Brooker Creek Bridge widening, Beckett Bridge replacement and upgrades to two water utility facilities. The presentation does not specify requested amounts.
Peters questioned whether the county should seek state support for parks and recreation projects facing potential cuts after Amendment 3. Staff said the requests were drafted before the amendment passed but could be revisited if funding opportunities arise.
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