The proposal (HB 547) by Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers, seeks to ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking. On Monday, the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously backed a similar proposal (SB 200) by its chairman Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee. Lawmakers did not pass similar bills during the 2019 session, with Republican leaders balking at the proposal to ban matrix acidization. Other proposals that would have only banned hydraulic fracturing went further but did not ultimately pass. Senate Agriculture Chairman Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said Monday he hasn't seen enough change to warrant refiling the bill that would only address hydraulic fracturing for the 2020 session.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Continuing a flurry of activity before the end of the month, the Legislature on Wednesday sent a dozen bills to Gov. Ron DeSantis, including proposals that would toughen human-trafficking laws and create a new expressway agency in Miami-Dade County. The expressway bill (HB 385), sponsored by Rep. Bryan Avila, R-Miami Springs, and Rep. Daniel Perez, R-Miami, would eliminate the Miami-Dade County Expressway Authority and replace it with the newly created Greater Miami Expressway Agency. Judge John Cooper left open the possibility of revisiting the issue if DeSantis signs the measure. DeSantis has received and acted on numerous bills this week, including signing 15 measures Tuesday.