Florida House waters down, passes bill restricting data centers

The Florida House has passed a bill (SB 484) that aims to put restrictions on the growth of massive data centers that power the rapidly developing AI technology. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Griff Griffitts, R-Panama City Beach, is part of Gov. Ron DeSantis' effort to regulate artificial intelligence. The House amended the bill, removing a provision that restricted local governments from entering nondisclosure agreements involving potential data center development. The bill also requires an independent study on the economic impact of data centers and establishes new tariffs and service requirements for large load customers to ensure they bear the full cost of service. The Senate unanimously approved its version of the bill in February, but a separate effort by DeSantis to establish an "Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights" has not been heard in the House.