By Clint Thompson
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto of CS/SB 1082 stopped progress this past legislative session on a bill related to housing for legally verified agricultural workers. But according to Florida Sen. Jay Collins, the bill should pick back up next legislative session.
“That’s going to be run again. We’ve already talked to my partner in the House, Rep. (Danny) Alvarez. I’ve talked to the governor’s team. We’re going to run the bill as it was last year, and we expect it to pass again. I expect as long as all the high points were made and things are funded properly, we’ll be fine and this thing will pass,” Collins said.
CS/SB 1082 would prohibit local governments from inhibiting the construction and installation of housing on farms for agricultural workers. According to DeSantis’ veto letter, the “bill’s terms apply to legal migrant farm workers, but the bill does not include the means to enforce this limitation and could pave the way for housing of illegal alien workers. Additionally, local governments currently have the ability to establish uniform guidelines and standards through their zoning ordinances which best suit each agricultural community.”
Labor Issue
Labor remains a complicated and contentious issue for Florida’s specialty crop growers. A domestic workforce is almost non-existent, so producers must utilize the H-2A program to satisfy their labor needs. Anything to make that process easier is welcomed.
“Ultimately, we have a labor issue. We have to make labor manageable. If you lose work hours transporting people in there, there’s a huge problem; and there’s also the security of it. We’re drawing people in from all over the world to work here. Lets let them be here where they’re actually working; live, eat and work where you are, not two or three hours outside your space,” Collins said. “All of this makes sense. I believe we’re going to be fine, and we’ve already got it in draft. It’s going to be a thing.”