The Florida Senate on Wednesday advanced a wide-ranging legislative package designed to bolster economic development, infrastructure, and public services in the state’s rural communities.

The Rural Renaissance legislation, sponsored by Sen. Corey Simon, and supported by Senate President Ben Albritton, allocates more than $200 million to targeted investments in education, health care, housing, and transportation across 31 of Florida’s 67 counties.

The measure expands state support for fiscally constrained counties by modernizing eligibility criteria, raising the property tax revenue threshold from $5 million to $10 million per 1 mil, and increasing annual state funding from $10.4 million to $50 million. The funds, previously derived from taxes on direct-to-home satellite services, will now come from general sales tax revenue. Allocations must be directed toward public safety (50 percent), infrastructure (30 percent), and other public purposes (20 percent), excluding debt service.

The bill also establishes a dedicated Office of Rural Prosperity within the Department of Commerce to provide technical assistance, facilitate access to state and federal resources, and oversee a newly created Rural Resource Directory to aid local governments in navigating available grants and funding opportunities. Additionally, eight counties—Gadsden, Hardee, Taylor, Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Madison, and Lafayette—will receive $1 million annually in block grants to counteract population declines, with funding continuing until each records three consecutive years of growth.

“We are focusing on infrastructure improvements that support existing businesses as they grow and transition based on the needs of our economy,” said Albritton. “This includes our legacy farm and citrus operations, who will be well-served by improvements to farm-to-market roads essential to keeping fresh food within reach of Florida families. These are critical enhancements and investments to support 31 of our 67 counties and hundreds of rural communities across Florida.

The legislation prioritizes infrastructure improvements, including a $50 million annual investment in arterial roads that connect agricultural regions to market distribution centers through the newly established Florida Arterial Road Modernization Program. The Small County Road Assistance Program will also receive increased funding through redirected vehicle title fees, more than doubling the state’s annual contribution.

Housing initiatives receive a funding increase as well, with the State Housing Initiatives Partnership minimum allocation rising from $350,000 to $1 million per county. The bill directs $30 million toward preserving subsidized USDA rental housing in rural areas, mitigating the risk of properties converting to market-rate rentals as federal affordability requirements expire.

In education, the measure increases funding for regional education consortia, which assist small, rural school districts in consolidating administrative functions and educational programs. Per-member funding rises from $50,000 to $150,000, and an additional grant program is created to support transportation, cybersecurity, and workforce development initiatives. To address teacher shortages, the bill establishes the Rural Incentive for Professional Educators program, offering up to $15,000 in student loan repayment assistance over five years to educators working in fiscally constrained counties.

Health care investments include grants to expand primary care access in underserved areas, providing startup funding for physicians, physician assistants, and autonomous nurse practitioners to establish rural practices. The Florida Reimbursement Assistance for Medical Education program is expanded to support emergency medicine physicians working in rural hospitals. Additionally, a new Stroke, Cardiac, and Obstetric Response and Education Grant Program will fund specialized training for paramedics in medically complex emergency care. The bill also increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for rural hospitals and provides $25 million for mobile health units and telemedicine kiosks to improve access to primary, behavioral, and maternal health care.

“Quality of life in rural areas can be impacted by access to job opportunities, education and health care. We are combining enhancements to the traditional infrastructure for schools and hospitals with innovations that drastically expand opportunities for education, commerce, and health care in rural Florida,” said Simon. “We know commerce and capital are attracted to strong transportation infrastructure and robust public services, which will provide the chance for rural communities to prosper and grow in a manner that maintains a highly sought after and time-honored way of life.”

The measure reallocates $30 million in documentary stamp revenue to the State Transportation Trust Fund to modernize farm-to-market roadways and commits $45 million to the Rural Infrastructure Fund, with an additional $40 million in one-time funding. The Small Business Development Center Network will receive $1 million to expand its business development services in rural areas, while an additional $5 million will support the state’s rural revolving loan program.

The bill now moves to the Florida House of Representatives for further consideration.