Hurricanes likely a major issue for Florida lawmakers next session

TALLAHASSEE — With parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast still reeling from Hurricane Helene and much of the state girding for Hurricane Milton’s midweek landfall, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo said Tuesday that storm-related issues likely “will dominate” the next legislative session.

Hurricane Milton, described by Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw as what could be the “storm of the century,” is projected to barrel into the Tampa Bay area late Wednesday and sweep across the middle of the state.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie held a conference call with state lawmakers Tuesday afternoon to advise them about the potentially deadly storm, which is expected to make landfall less than two weeks after Helene caused a dozen deaths in the state and resulted in catastrophic damage.

DeSantis and Guthrie answered questions about preparations for Milton and the recovery from Helene, which made landfall in Taylor County and devastated other coastal areas as it moved up the Gulf of Mexico, Passidomo told The News Service of Florida.

Passidomo, a Naples Republican whose home was severely damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022, said she thought the state was prepared to deal with the double punch of Helene and Milton hitting the Gulf Coast.

DeSantis gave lawmakers “an overview of where we’re at, what we’ve done to prepare for it,” Passidomo said.

“We talked a little bit about having to deal with the aftermath of Helene … being somewhat in the same area” and having to grapple with issues such as debris removal, she said.

Passidomo, whose tenure as Senate president will end after the Nov. 5 elections but who has two more years in the Senate, said damage from Helene and Milton likely will be the focus of the next legislative session, which is scheduled to begin in March.

“Frankly, although he (DeSantis) didn’t talk about this now, once we’re through this cycle, we’re going to have to start looking at … a whole new — this is my feeling — a whole new philosophy of reconstruction and resilience and resiliency in our state,” Passidomo, a real estate attorney, said. “A lot of these little homes, they’re going to be destroyed. Some of them already have been, in Helene. And how are we going to rebuild? It’s going to be a challenge. I think that’s going to dominate our next session.”

Fifty-one counties in Florida on Tuesday were under a state of emergency for Milton, which had 165 mph maximum sustained winds as of 5 p.m., making it a Category 5 hurricane. After making landfall on the Gulf Coast, it is expected to remain a hurricane as it crosses Florida, causing storm surge on both coasts.

“Think about it. If some of these older buildings are going to get wind and storm, it’s going to be awful. When Ian went through Naples, we had a lot of older condominiums that got destroyed. … I think that’s something that’s going to dominate the conversation — how we’re going to rebuild, how we’re going to insure these buildings,” Passidomo said.

When asked if lawmakers should gather in a special legislative session after the election to address storm-related issues, Passidomo said it is too early to tell.

“Until the storm actually makes it through, everything’s speculative. And there’s also got to be a time for assessing damage. The worst thing you can do is to jump in there and do something without knowing exactly where you’re going to end up,” Passidomo added.

The Legislature held a special session in 2022 focused on insurance issues and providing money to communities affected by Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole.

One measure allocated $350 million to the Florida Division of Emergency Management to match Federal Emergency Management Agency public-assistance grants; $150 million to the Florida Housing Finance Corp. to assist property owners and renters with housing repairs; and $100 million to beach-erosion projects.

DeSantis described Tuesday’s call with legislators as a briefing on state resources “that are being offered and being utilized.”

He said a similar call was held with members of the state’s congressional delegation and that he’s talked with President Joe Biden and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell. The Biden administration has approved what is known as “pre-landfall” assistance for the state.

“We will get a landfall, a (federal) major disaster declaration, approved once the storm hits, and that will be (for) things like debris removal and individual assistance,” DeSantis said during a news conference at Florida Horse Park in Ocala, a staging area for utility workers.

More than 43,000 utility workers are in position to begin restoring power after Milton, with crews in place from states as far away as California, officials said Tuesday.

Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said traffic and congestion were heavy Tuesday as people evacuated from coastal areas.

“This is a good thing,” Perdue said. “People are evacuating, they’re heeding the evacuation orders.”

By Dara Kam and Jim Turner, News Service of Florida

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