House Bill 167

(The examples and issues highlighted in this discussion are informed by the investigative reporting of Jason Garcia, whose work has helped expose the influence of money and special interests in Florida politics. To read more of Jason Garcia’s work, link to his Substack)

One of the world’s largest mining firms wrote a bill (HB 167) in the Florida Legislature that would help the company dodge lawsuits related to radiation on former mines — and make it easier to develop some of its vast land holdings across the southern interior of the state.

HB 167 – Phosphate Mining Liability

HB 167 raises the legal hurdle for Floridians harmed by radiation exposure on former phosphate-mined lands compared to other environmental pollution claims under the Water Quality Assurance Act. The bill effectively reduces liability for mining companies and makes it harder for unsuspecting landowners who later discover contamination on previously mined property to seek relief. Phosphate mining already leaves behind severely altered landscapes, lost habitat, and radioactive waste that can threaten human health. Rather than weakening accountability, the industry should be held to a higher standard.

This bill is a free pass for the phosphate mining industry and does nothing to protect unsuspecting landowners who purchase property on former mined lands,” said Whitlock. “Radiation exposure on these sites presents a serious health risk, so the industry should be held to a higher standard, not given additional legal protection.”

This past session (2026), HB 167 passed the Florida House 87-24, then HB 167 passed the Florida Senate 32-4 and was signed into law by Governor DeSantis.

Records obtained by Seeking Rents show that lobbyists for the Mosaic Co. — a Fortune 500 corporation that mines phosphate ore in central Florida and processes it for fertilizer at chemical factories near Tampa — gave state lawmakers the original draft of the legislation, which would effectively immunize the company against certain kinds of legal claims under a tough environmental law.

Mosaic’s goal is to snuff out lingering legal risk on the more than 200 square miles of former mines it owns across five counties in Florida, so the company can redevelop the land or sell it off to other real-estate developers without fear of future claims from homeowners exposed to elevated levels of radiation.

The records also show that Mosaic has been working on the issue with one of the most powerful people in Tallahassee: Senate President Ben Albritton, a Republican whose district includes most of Mosaic’s land.

A lobbyist for Mosaic sent the initial draft of the legislation giving the company protection from lawsuits to aides to Senate President Ben Albritton.

Mosaic is one of the largest campaign contributors in Florida politics. Records show the company has donated more than $500,000 to state candidates and committees through the first nine months of the year — including more than $100,000 to a fundraising committee led by GOP leaders in the Florida Senate.