Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed legislation to create new regulations for large-scale data centers.
SB 484, which DeSantis signed at Florida Polytechnic University, aims to prevent utility costs from being passed on to Florida consumers.
“Today in Lakeland, I signed legislation to protect our citizens and communities from hyperscale data centers,” DeSantis said.
The Republican governor said SB 484 does the following:
- “Ensures that local governments maintain the authority to reject data center development in their communities”
- “Prevents data center costs from being passed on to consumers, including electricity costs”
- “Protects Florida’s water resources from data center consumption
These are much-needed protections for taxpayers and our natural resources.”
Today in Lakeland, I signed legislation to protect our citizens and communities from hyperscale data centers.
SB 484:
✔️ Ensures that local governments maintain the authority to reject data center development in their communities
✔️ Prevents data center costs from being passed… pic.twitter.com/HQCPuSn970— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 7, 2026
More from FOX 13 Tampa Bay:
State officials said the bill requires discussions involving water use and utility impacts from data centers to happen during public meetings, adding more transparency for communities.
The centers will have to apply to be considered for a consumptive use permit in order to tap into the state’s water resources.
“This bill I think is the first in the country that ensures that the rhetoric we hear is actually reality on the ground,” DeSantis said.
State leaders voiced concerns about the amount of water and electricity needed to operate massive data centers, particularly as artificial intelligence infrastructure continues to expand nationwide.
Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly said the bill strikes a balance between economic growth and public accountability.
Kelly added that the legislation ensures utility costs tied to the facilities remain the responsibility of the data centers themselves rather than taxpayers or utility customers.
“Consumer protections signed into law regarding data centers, including ensuring local control, conservation of water resources and prohibiting energy costs to be passed onto individuals and businesses. It seems to now be a consensus view that data center companies should pay their own way, but Florida is the first to codify those protections into law,” DeSantis said.
Consumer protections signed into law regarding data centers, including ensuring local control, conservation of water resources and prohibiting energy costs to be passed onto individuals and businesses.
It seems to now be a consensus view that data center companies should pay… https://t.co/iZC6l1pzlI
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) May 7, 2026
DeSantis said he believes there needs to be more of a framework for artificial intelligence.
“I think a lot of people, as more and more of this stuff comes out, they’re like, ‘What the h*** is going on here?’” he said, according to WFLA.
“There’s definitely a need to provide a framework for this, so the incentives are not going to do things that are bad for our country, bad for individuals, bad for children, bad for families,” he continued.
Watch the press conference below:
Governor DeSantis Signs Law to Protect Floridians from Subsidizing Data Centers https://t.co/VOc5MCO31V
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 7, 2026
WFLA shared further:
DeSantis argued that AI data centers don’t create many jobs for people in local communities and said he understands some of the concerns that have arisen regarding electricity costs and water resources.
This comes after Fort Meade officials unanimously approved plans for a massive “hyperscale” AI data center. The project still faces major hurdles before it can proceed and has faced opposition from many residents and state leaders.
According to DeSantis, there have not yet been any data centers constructed in the state, but there have been several proposed.
He said Florida is one of the first states to pass a bill regulating these large-scale data centers.
“You should not as a hard-working Floridian have to subsidize some of the wealthiest companies in all of humanity,” DeSantis said. “I know a lot of people in Florida can breathe a sigh of relief given what they’ve seen happen in other parts of the country.”