Balancing act: Bills to both regulate, promote AI data centers advance to final committee

Balancing act: Bills to both regulate, promote AI data centers advance to final committee

Legislation moving through the halls of the Florida Capitol seeks a balance between protecting the environment and electricity ratepayers and encouraging an emerging industry. (Stock photo by Tolgart/Getty Images)Florida Sen. Bryan Avila acknowledges his pair of AI bills present a quandary: Attempt to regulate data centers enough that they don’t harm the environment, but not too much that they’re not built within the state. And although the Miam…

Balancing act: Bills to both regulate, promote AI data centers in Florida advance to final committee

By Liv Caputo, Florida Phoenix Florida state Sen. Bryan Avila acknowledges his pair of AI bills present a quandary: attempt to regulate data centers enough that they don’t harm the environment, but not too much that they’re not built within the state. And although the Miami Republican believes he’s struck the right balance with SB 484 and SB 1118, he told the Senate Community Affairs Committee Tuesday afternoon, he’ll also have to span the widen…