TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA), a prominent hospitality trade association in the state, issued a statement following Governor Ron DeSantis’ veto of SB 280. The bill was designed to establish fairness between hotels and unregulated short-term rentals across Florida.
“Regulation of vacation rentals has been a perennial issue in Florida for more than a decade, and FRLA and the greater lodging industry here have long advocated for reasonable and actionable regulations to create balance and fairness within the industry,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA). “We were proud to work with the bill sponsors and have this important legislation pass this Session as a solid framework and first step for regulatory reform in the sector. We are disappointed with Governor DeSantis’ veto but will continue with our efforts to work toward a resolution and ensure equity across Florida’s lodging industry – from vacation rentals to hotels – to best serve our guests and promote their safety.”
The bill included several key provisions: it would have required advertising platforms to submit quarterly reports on all units advertised for rent in Florida; it would have mandated that advertising platforms list the vacation rental license number on advertisements; it would have required these platforms to collect and remit bed taxes; it proposed creating within DBPR the Vacation Rental Information System to facilitate data collection on vacation rental licensees; and it would have allowed local governments to adopt comprehensive local registration systems.
