Legislative Affairs
The Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Legislative Affairs Office serves as the Division’s primary liaison to elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels. Acting as FDEM’s front line at the Florida Capitol, the office develops and advances the agency’s legislative priorities each session, supports leadership and subject matter experts during committee weeks and legislative session, and tracks state and federal legislation and the budget process affecting emergency management.
Legislative Affairs also coordinates all external communications with elected officials, assists legislators with questions related to legislation, disaster response, and recovery in their districts, and connects residents and officials with the appropriate experts and resources. During disaster activations, the office maintains constant communication with elected officials to provide timely updates, address community concerns, and help identify solutions that support response, recovery, and resilience statewide.
The Legislature passed Senate Bill (SB) 180 Emergencies on May 2, 2025, and Governor DeSantis signed it into law on June 26. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) requires a training requirements training for that county or municipal administrators, county or city managers, county or municipal emergency management directors, and county or municipal public works directors or other officials responsible for the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure must complete biennially in addition to the training required pursuant to section 252.38(1)(b), Florida Statutes. FDEM will provide training to meet these requirements or approve training to be given by a not-forprofit corporation.
Fact Sheet_2025 SB 180 Training Requirements
Florida Senior Elected Officials Course
The Florida Senior Elected Officials Course facilitates a discussion focused on the education of Florida's elected officials led by their local emergency management director and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, centered on the National Incident Management System component of command and coordination.
CLICK HERE to take the virtual course.
Once you have completed the course, fill out THIS FORM to obtain your Certificate of Completion. Be sure to check the “Virtual (Self-Paced)” option. Once you have submitted the form, a member of our team will email you your certificate within 72 hours.
Meigs Lamb, Legislative Affairs Director
