HB 215 creates the “Construction Disruption Assistance Act” and establishes a new state program to help small businesses that are harmed by state or local government construction projects. The bill finds that prolonged construction can block access to businesses, reduce revenue, increase costs, and threaten local jobs and economic activity. To address that harm, it directs the Department of Commerce to create the Construction Impact Relief Program within the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund framework.
Under the program, eligible small businesses with 50 or fewer employees that are directly affected by construction zones could receive grants of up to $25,000 per construction phase for demonstrable losses and low-interest loans of up to $100,000 at no more than 3 percent interest for operating costs during disruptions. The department must also create a public awareness campaign with chambers of commerce and other business groups, establish a hotline for information, adopt implementing rules by October 1, 2025, and submit annual reports on program performance and funding.
Impact
The bill would add a new part to chapter 288, Florida Statutes, and create several new sections governing construction disruption assistance. It expands the Department of Commerce’s responsibilities by authorizing it to administer grants and loans, define eligibility and loss documentation standards through rulemaking, operate a hotline, and report annually to state leadership. The measure would affect small businesses located adjacent to state or local construction projects and would use the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund as the vehicle for financial assistance.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text, the measure is framed as pro-small-business and remedial, with a clear emphasis on economic relief, resilience, and public outreach. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented debate or formal vote history to indicate broader legislative sentiment. The available context suggests the bill is intended to address a perceived hardship caused by public construction rather than to regulate construction activity itself.
Contention
The main policy questions raised by the bill are likely to be eligibility standards, proof of “demonstrable loss,” and the fiscal exposure of providing grants and subsidized loans for construction-related disruptions. Another possible point of contention is whether the state should compensate businesses for impacts caused by public infrastructure work, and how broadly “construction zone” and “eligible small business” should be interpreted. Because no transcripts or votes are available, no specific lawmakers or stakeholder groups are identified as opposing or supporting these issues in the record provided.