Janelle Irwin Taylor
The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) has announced its 2025 legislative priorities, with strong support for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposed tax holidays and various tax cuts.
The list includes support and opposition for policies related to energy; insurance and financial services; health care; information technology; manufacturing, aerospace and defense; transportation; and taxes.
The priorities are established through a variety of AIF policy councils and coalitions, including the Coalition for the Future of AI in Business; Environmental Sustainability & Agriculture Council; Energy Council; Financial Services Council; Transportation & Maritime Council; Information Technology Council; Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defense Council; Health Care Council; Taxation Council; Workers’ Compensation Coalition for Business and Industry; and H2O Coalition.
“With another Legislative Session underway in Tallahassee, AIF is proud to release our 2025 priorities to bring awareness to the top issues impacting Florida’s business community,” said AIF President and CEO Brewster Bevis.
“For more than 100 years, AIF has proudly advocated on behalf of Florida’s employers, and thankfully, Florida’s leaders have made our state an example for the rest of the nation. To ensure our state maintains its business-friendly climate and thriving economy, AIF will continue to advocate for Florida’s job creators this Session, just as we have proudly done since 1920.”
Its priorities on taxation are largely in line with DeSantis’ $115.6 billion “Focus on Fiscal Responsibility” budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
“We applaud the historic $2.2 billion tax relief package Governor DeSantis included in his proposed budget, which not only features numerous sales tax holidays to benefit Florida families, but also puts a significant focus on providing tax relief for Florida businesses and spurring growth and investment in our state,” Bevis said.
“This importantly includes permanently eliminating Florida’s business rent tax. We are currently the only state in the nation to levy this tax on businesses and repealing it will save our state’s employers a substantial $1.6 billion. The Governor’s proposals for a new venture capital tax credit program and a permanent extension of the sales tax exemption on data center property further illustrates his commitment to ensuring the ongoing growth and success of our great state. AIF appreciates the leadership of Governor DeSantis, Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez, as they continue to prioritize tax relief for Florida families and businesses while exercising fiscal responsibility.”
Among this year’s legislative priorities, AIF is supporting reducing the state sales tax on commercial electricity and gas, and reducing or eliminating the corporate income tax. It also supports the reduction of business rental taxes, as well as the proposed sales tax holidays for school supplies and hurricane season, among other policies that reduce the overall tax burden to Florida residents and businesses.
On transportation, the group is “level, and when appropriate, increased funding” for transportation and infrastructure projects. It opposes redirecting state funds from the State Transportation Trust Fund for other uses outside of transportation infrastructure.
The group is also weighing in on AI, supporting the continued monitoring of the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute for Standards and Technology for possible use of its recommendations, as well as tailoring AI application regulations to specific risk profiles to ensure responsible innovation. It also broadly supports legislative measures that foster innovation and promote emerging technologies.
Notably, AIF supports “removing regulatory scope-of-practice obstacles for qualified health care professionals,” which relates to legislation filed in the ongoing “eyeball wars” seeking to expand treatment authority for optometrists.
While the group did not lay out specifics, it wrote in its priority guide that it supports policies that would reduce health care costs for both employers and employees, and opposes policies that would increase costs.
The guide dedicates significant space toward possible energy policies. It is supporting policies that support building future energy pipelines. It also supports legislation that would enhance prosecutorial authority against anyone who tampers with energy infrastructure.
It also supports increased use of compressed natural gas.
On offshore drilling, AIF backs legislation that would establish “a process by which the state of Florida can begin considering proposals for safe, offshore drilling in federal waters.” That’s a controversial proposal in Florida where, historically, offshore drilling has been widely unpopular across political ideologies. AIF explains in its guide that “Florida’s economic recovery is heavily dependent on reasonably priced and reliable sources of petroleum.”
AIF publishes its legislative priorities online, and distributes it to all 160 members of the Legislature, as well as members of the Cabinet, agency Secretaries and the AIF membership. The overall guide is nearly 25 pages long, and includes robust explanations for each of its policy preferences and objections.
Known as “The Voice of Florida Business” in the Sunshine State, AIF has represented the principles of prosperity and free enterprise before the three branches of state government since 1920. A voluntary association of diversified businesses, AIF was created to foster an economic climate in Florida conducive to the growth, development, and welfare of industry and the people of the state.
