State Rep. Lindsay Cross introduced a new bill, House Bill 1109, aimed at expanding building inspection and permitting support to reduce the bottlenecks that often slow recovery after major storms and natural disasters.

“Many of us know someone – a loved one, a neighbor, or a community member – who has had to rebuild their home after a natural disaster,” Cross said during this morning’s Legislative Session. “It is a heart-wrenching and often prolonged process made worse by inadequate staffing to process the enormous increase in permits and building inspections.”

Cross’s bill would authorize the governor to bring in additional inspectors and plans examiners from other states during an emergency (note: Cross is exploring an additional requirement that those professionals complete Florida-specific training and work under local building officials to ensure compliance and consistency).

The proposal has a Senate companion, SB 1260, sponsored by Sen. Nick DiCeglie. DiCeglie presented his version before Cross, though she described her bill as “a little more fleshed out,” noting the two worked cooperatively on the concept. The collaboration, she added, builds on policies she and him worked on last year and is “a nice continuation of the proactive policies we passed last year that will make us better prepared for natural disasters in the future.”

Cross emphasized the measure is still evolving: “This is a new idea,” she said. “Every time we make a committee stop we learn new things and better modify the bill’s language.” She added that committee members appeared receptive and that lawmakers are continuing to refine the mechanics to ensure the process is effective without becoming overly burdensome.

To address concerns about whether Florida could realistically attract out-of-state inspectors after a disaster, Cross pointed to existing mutual aid agreements between states. While those agreements are commonly used during emergencies, she said they have not typically been leveraged for building inspectors and plans examiners. Her bill explores using that framework to fill critical staffing gaps during recovery, as well as leveraging private contractors already in Florida, if needed in a pinch.

The bill also comes amid a broader legislative conversation about how Florida handles rebuilding after major storms. Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, DiCeglie introduced Senate Bill 180 to expedite recovery.

While the bill was well-intentioned, critics argued its broad language went beyond storm recovery and created major concerns around local planning authority and home rule. As of last September, 25 local governments had joined lawsuits arguing the measure breaches Florida’s constitution.

In response, DiCeglie introduced Senate Bill 840, which narrows SB 180’s reach by shortening the freeze on local planning, reducing the impacted radius from 100 miles to 50 miles, and clarifying exceptions. SB 840 received unanimous approval in a 9–0 vote from the House Judiciary Committee during a Jan. 20 meeting.

Unlike SB 180 and SB 840, Cross’s proposal does not focus on land use, zoning, or beachside municipal policy. Instead, HB 1109 narrowly targets operational response – specifically the permitting and inspection backlog that can stall rebuilding long after the storm has passed.

Cross’s bill was favorably received during today’s subcommittee meeting.