Florida

Civic/Governance Barriers activates on moratorium-class action (C1), meaningful 2026 race (C3), litigation/recall pathway (C4) — governance instruments on the electoral, legislative, and regulatory surface (protocol §10; Overview Civic breakout). Capital Flows is a dominant stressor: SB 484 codifies full cost-of-service tariffs so residential/small-business ratepayers do not subsidize data centers (DeSantis: 'You should not ... have to subsidize some of the wealthiest companies'), while the retained sales-tax exemption remains a fiscal-cost debate (The Cool Down; Hoodline). Water/Geology is a major stressor given Florida hydrogeology (Tamiami Formation freshwater limits in SW Florida) and SB 484's consumptive-use/reclaimed-water rules (Central Intelligence). Energy/Power framing centers on grid upgrades and self-generation (Miami Herald).

Governor (open seat; DeSantis term-limited; GOP primary Aug. 18, 2026): U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds is the Trump-endorsed frontrunner and says he is 'pro having a plan' — favoring setbacks and self-generated power — while ex-House Speaker Paul Renner runs on a 'full halt' to 'unchecked hyperscale AI data centers' as a first-100-days pledge, and Jay Collins/James Fishback trail; likely Democratic nominee David Jolly (Miami Herald; Wikipedia FL gov election). The pro-AI PAC 'Leading the Future' ran a ~$5M ad buy backing Donalds (voterenner.com).

No statewide moratorium (SB 484 preserves local zoning authority instead). A wave of Tampa Bay-area local moratoriums: Zephyrhills adopted a one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers (final 4-0 vote June 22, 2026); Lakeland scheduled hearings (July 6 and 20) on a 12-month pause; and Pasco County was set to vote on a one-year moratorium on July 14 (WUSF Zephyrhills; The Florida Press; WUSF Lakeland). More than a dozen Florida local governments have paused approvals (The Cool Down).

SB 484 (signed May 7 / in Lakeland; effective July 1, 2026) directs the Florida PSC to set tariffs so large data centers (~50 MW+ monthly peak) bear their full electric cost of service, adds consumptive water-permitting limits and reclaimed-water requirements, requires public disclosure of deals, bans certain NDAs, and preserves local land-use control (Central Intelligence; Just The News; The Cool Down). The separate 2017 sales/use tax exemption for 'data center property' ($150M investment / 100 MW IT-load threshold) remains and was extended, drawing criticism (Hoodline).

None identified. No Florida November 2026 statewide data-center ballot measure surfaced; the state acted via SB 484 and local moratoriums rather than a ballot initiative (Central Intelligence).

Fort Meade is cited as a hyperscale reference point, with scrutiny extending to Walton, Pinellas, Citrus, Polk and DeSoto counties; DeSoto County faces water/environmental questions tied to a project (Central Intelligence). No single canceled/voided flagship site identified; the fight is chiefly regulatory plus local moratoriums.

No distinct labor-organizing or AI-displacement fight identified; jobs framing appears mainly in the gubernatorial economic debate. Included as secondary context.

Emerging: Florida currently lacks true hyperscale campuses (SB 484 was passed as a pre-emptive guardrail), with local scrutiny across Fort Meade, Pasco, Polk, Pinellas, Citrus, Walton and DeSoto counties (Ground News/DeSantis signing; Central Intelligence).

"You should not, as a hard-working Floridian, have to subsidize some of the wealthiest companies in the history of humanity." — Gov. Ron DeSantis, signing SB 484 (The Cool Down)

Broadband Breakfast SB 484; Just The News SB 484; The Cool Down; Hoodline tax breaks; Miami Herald governor; Wikipedia FL gov election; WUSF Zephyrhills; Central Intelligence