Report examines local lawmakers’ voting records on state preemption.
By Derek Gilliam/Suncoast Searchlight
Original Air Date: July 15, 2026
Host: A Suncoast Searchlight report examines local lawmakers’ voting records on state preemption. It concludes that there’s been few consequences for the region’s elected state-level officials for taking a hatchet to local government’s home rule powers. Here’s Derek Gilliam with the report.
Derek Gilliam: On a late afternoon in May, Sarasota County’s statehouse liaison explained to a group of residents how a controversial state law required county staff to approve large apartment projects despite heavy opposition.
It was one of five workshops the Sarasota County Commission organized after several developers filed proposals under the Live Local Act. The property owners aimed to build large-scale apartments in rural areas where county regulations would otherwise not have permitted them.
For months, residents furiously lobbied county commissioners and demanded they stop the projects. When the officials listened, developers filed lawsuits against the county.
Rob Lewis, the Sarasota County director of government relations, talking to a group of residents about the Live Local Act. | Photo by Derek Gilliam via Suncoast Searchlight
While Live Local has drawn ire, it is far from the only example of new state laws that override local decision making.
During the last five years alone, the Florida Legislature has voted to pass more than 50 laws restricting local government’s ability to respond to issues ranging from how they manage growth to how they handle public health matters or oversee elections. That’s according to a review of legislation by Suncoast Searchlight.
Suncoast Searchlight also reviewed the voting records of the eight state lawmakers representing Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties—Representatives Danny Nix Jr. of Port Charlotte, Fiona McFarland of Sarasota, Bill Conerly of Lakewood Ranch, Will Robinson of Bradenton, James Buchanan of Sarasota and Vanessa Oliver of Punta Gorda. The outlet also reviewed the voting records of Senator Jim Boyd of Bradenton and Senator Joe Gruters of Sarasota.
Together, they voted in favor of every one of those measures, with vanishingly few exceptions, like when one of them was absent.
During the last five years alone, the Florida Legislature has voted to pass more than 50 laws restricting local government’s ability to respond to issues. | Photo courtesy of DXR through a Creative Commons license (BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons by way of Suncoast Searchlight
The only lawmaker to vote against any of the bills reviewed by Suncoast Searchlight was Robinson—who is not running for re-election—when he opposed a preemption restricting diversity and inclusion efforts by local governments.
With few serious challengers in this year’s elections, the six incumbent lawmakers seeking another term now seem poised to sweep back into office. Three are running unopposed in the Republican primary, while three others face less-funded, lesser-known GOP challengers.
Suncoast Searchlight contacted every incumbent state lawmaker representing the tri-county region about their votes on legislation affecting local government authority. Not one agreed to comment.
For an in-depth analysis of Florida’s preemption bills and how Suncoast Republicans have supported them, read the full article at suncoastsearchlight.org/live-local-sb180-sarasota-manatee-desoto-lawmakers-home-rule.
This is Derek Gilliam with Suncoast Searchlight.
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