Florida 2025 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H5203 Analysis / Analysis

Filed 03/31/2025

                    STORAGE NAME: h5203.BUC 
DATE: 3/31/2025 
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FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
BILL ANALYSIS 
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. 
BILL #: HB 5203          PCB SAB 25-02 
TITLE: Capitol Center 
SPONSOR(S): Lopez, V. 
COMPANION BILL: None 
LINKED BILLS: None 
RELATED BILLS: None 
Committee References 
 Orig. Comm.: State Administration Budget 
13 Y, 0 N 

Budget 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
Effect of the Bill: 
The bill conforms current law to the proposed House of Representatives’ Fiscal Year 2025-2026 General 
Appropriations Act (House GAA). The bill provides for certain rights and duties concerning the occupation and 
management of the Capitol Center. The bill specifies that the Governor, Cabinet officers, and Legislature are 
permanent tenants of the Capitol Center. The bill will prevent disruptions caused by unforeseen lease cancellations 
and provides flexibility for the Legislature to renovate or complete projects for the space in which they are the 
tenant. Further, the bill ensures that the Legislature is aware of and has the opportunity to approve any project in 
the Capitol Center that might impact their respective tenancies.  
 
Fiscal or Economic Impact: 
The proposed House GAA provides $250,000 to DMS from the Supervision Trust Fund for general maintenance and 
repairs of the Capitol Center. From these funds, DMS is directed to describe to the Legislature any additional 
hardware or programming requirements needed to ensure that the Legislature has direct control over utilities, 
including lighting, heating, and air-conditioning, for any space in which the Legislature is the tenant. 
 
  
JUMP TO SUMMARY 	ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY 
 
ANALYSIS 
EFFECT OF THE BILL: 
The bill: 
 Revises s. 272.04, F.S., to specify that the Governor, Cabinet officers, and the Legislature are permanent 
tenants of the Capitol Center. The bill states that interior space allocated to each tenant on January 1, 2025, 
may not be reduced or moved without approval of the tenant. The bill specifies that the Legislature has the 
first right of refusal for use of any additional space in the Capitol Center that becomes vacant. 
 Revises s. 272.09, F.S., to require that before the Department of Management Services (DMS), plans or 
schedules any project that impacts space occupied by a permanent tenant other than the Governor, DMS 
must coordinate and receive the tenant’s approval on the scope, design, and timeline of the project.  For 
projects that would impact space in which the Legislature is the tenant, DMS must coordinate with and 
receive approval from the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or both, 
as appropriate.  For any project that impacts space in which the Legislature is the tenant, the Department of 
Management Services must consider the schedule and time constraints of the Legislature, as well as the 
Legislature's needs. Additionally, the bill states that the Legislature may renovate any space allocated to 
their chamber without approval from DMS. 
 Revises s. 272.121, F.S., to specify that DMS must solicit feedback of all permanent tenants of the Capitol 
Center, when completing the Capitol Center’s long-range plan report. The bill also specifies that DMS must 
consult with and receive approval from the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, or both, as appropriate, before including in DMS’ Capitol Center’s long-range plan report, 
any project that impacts any space in the Capitol Center in which the Legislature is the tenant  JUMP TO SUMMARY 	ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY 
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 Revises s. 272.16, F.S., to specify that parking spaces allocated to the Legislature on January 1, 2025, may 
not be reduced or reassigned without the express consent of the Legislature. In addition, the Legislature 
has the first right of refusal for the use of spaces upon availability. 
 
The effective date of the bill is July 1, 2025. 
 
FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:  
 
STATE GOVERNMENT:  
The proposed House General Appropriations Act (GAA) provides $250,000 to DMS from the Supervision Trust 
Fund for general maintenance and repairs of the Capitol Center. From these funds, DMS is directed to describe to 
the Legislature any additional hardware or programming requirements needed to ensure that the Legislature has 
direct control over utilities, including lighting, heating, and air-conditioning, for any space in which the Legislature 
is the tenant. 
 
 
RELEVANT INFORMATION 
SUBJECT OVERVIEW: 
Background 
 
Capitol Center and Capitol Complex 
 
Chapter 272, F.S., provides that the Capitol Center
1 is under the general control and supervision of DMS,
2 which 
includes the management and maintenance of both grounds and buildings.
3 DMS is authorized to allocate space in 
the specified buildings to house various departments, agencies, boards, and commissions except the Supreme 
Court Building.
4 
 
The term “Capitol Complex” is defined to include: 
 
 that portion of Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida, commonly referred to as the Capitol, the  
Historic Capitol, the Senate Office Building, the House Office Building, the Knott  
Building, the Pepper Building, the Holland Building, the Elliot Building, the R.A. Gray building, 
and the associated parking garages curtilage of each, including the state-owned lands  
and public streets adjacent thereto within an area bounded by and including Calhoun  
Street, East Pensacola Street, Monroe Street, Jefferson Street, West Pensacola, Martin Luther 
King Jr. Boulevard, and Gaines Street. The term does not include the Supreme Court Building  
or the public streets adjacent thereto. The portion of the Capitol Complex existing  
between and including the Elliot Building and the Holland Building within an area bounded 
by and including Monroe Street, Gaines Street, Calhoun Street, and East Pensacola Street  
shall be known as “Memorial Park.”
5 
 
DMS is responsible for the management, maintenance, and upkeep of the Capital Complex and has authority to 
employ a superintendent of the grounds and other employees, and to designate or appoint a nonsalaried advisory 
committee to advise them.
6 
 
                                                            
1
 Section 272.12, F.S., defines the Capitol Center as the area bound by South Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, East and West 
College Avenue, Franklin Boulevard, East Jefferson Street, and the Seaboard Coastline Railway right-of-way as the Capitol 
Center. 
2
 S. 272.03, F.S. 
3
 S. 272.09, F.S. 
4
 S. 272.04, F.S.  
5
 S. 272.09(1), F.S.  
6
 S. 272.09(2), F.S.  JUMP TO SUMMARY 	ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY 
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In an email dated March 5, 2025, DMS informed the House of Representatives that Lease Number: 911:7666 for 
space within the Capitol Center on the 21
st Floor would terminate on April 1, 2025.
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BILL HISTORY 
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE 
STAFF 
DIRECTOR/ 
POLICY CHIEF 
ANALYSIS 
PREPARED BY 
Orig. Comm.: State Administration 
Budget Subcommittee 
13 Y, 0 N Topp Thomas 
Budget Committee   Pridgeon Thomas 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
                                                            
7
 Email from Brian Kenyon, Chief, Real Property Administrator, Department of Management Services, RE: Lease Cancellation 
911:7666 (March 5, 2025).