Following the devastation left by hurricanes Helene and Milton, Florida lawmakers have approved a sweeping legislative package aimed at preventing the debris removal chaos that overwhelmed communities across the state in 2024.

In the wake of the storms, streets were lined for weeks with ruined furniture, tree limbs, and other debris. Landfills turned crews away, and frustrated residents waited months for pickup. State Sen. Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks Beach) said the experience exposed critical gaps in the state’s disaster response.

“There’s always going to be frustration — when you’ve got a pile of [storm] debris in front of your home, you want it gone,” DiCeglie said. “But without preparation, we end up scrambling after the storm, and that delays everything.”

Back in Tallahassee, DiCeglie and fellow lawmakers crafted a bill requiring local governments to improve their storm debris management. The new legislation includes:

• Mandatory annual debris removal plans published online by May 1
• Pre-designated debris collection sites to be identified before hurricane season
• Clear, public pickup timelines for residents

The bill also targets private contractors, aiming to prevent haulers from abandoning jobs for better pay elsewhere. “We’re going to hold these collectors accountable,” DiCeglie said. “They had contracts, but too many left communities behind. That’s unacceptable.”

With bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, the bill now heads to Governor Ron DeSantis for final approval.

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