Rethinking Home Rule, Preemption & the City

Join us for presentations from advocate Ida Vishkaee Eskamani and attorney Rick Geller as well as a Q&A discussion on the topic of state preemption over local governance (cities and counties).

Home rule or local democracy are terms used to describe local governments’ rights to pass local laws. Preemption is when the state government passes sweeping laws to replace local laws with one statewide law. A wide range of issues are impacted by preemption including affordable housing, immigrant protections, conversion therapy bans, tree coverage, living wages, placement of cellular towers, cigarette smoking bans, styrofoam bans, local taxation, the distribution of medical cannabis, and more.

To read more about preemption and home rule prior to our meet up, below are some articles and resources to consider:

How Preemption is Expanding and Changing in 2019: https://citiesspeak.org/2019/08/21/how-preemption-is-expanding-and-changing-in-2019/

Florida Groups Unite to Take on Preemption: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/florida-groups-unite-to-take-on-preemption

Central Florida LGBT groups push for conversion therapy ban: https://www.wesh.com/article/local-lgbt-groups-push-for-conversion-therapy-ban/28715705

Florida Legislature passes ban on sanctuary cities: https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/02/politics/florida-legislature-sanctuary-city-ban/index.html

Florida Cities Take Aim At Wireless Technology Law: https://news.wjct.org/post/florida-cities-take-aim-wireless-technology-law

Florida city’s ban on Styrofoam overturned by appeal from Florida Retail Federation: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2019/08/15/florida-citys-ban-on-styrofoam-overturned-by-appeal-from-florida-retail-federation

The Florida House insults Hillsborough voters by fighting transportation tax (Editorial): https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2019/09/05/the-florida-house-insults-hillsborough-voters-by-fighting-transportation-tax-editorial/

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RTC thanks Credo Conduit for being gracious hosts.

Rethinking the City (RTC) is an independently organized event dedicated to building a dialogue within the Orlando community and with changemakers around the world about the forces that shape cities and how we can participate in positive change in our own city through arts, engagement, service, and enterprise.