Executive Order 26-74 Extends Hurricane Milton Emergency Declaration

FL Governor Executive Orders

Published March 24th, 2026

Detected March 27th, 2026

Summary

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 26-74, extending the state of emergency declared for Hurricane Milton by 60 days. This extension is necessary to continue state support for recovery efforts in the affected areas.

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What changed

Executive Order 26-74, issued by the Florida Governor on March 24, 2026, renews the state of emergency related to Hurricane Milton for an additional sixty (60) days. This action extends Executive Order 24-214, as amended by Executive Order 24-215, which was initially declared due to severe weather, flooding, and high winds. The renewal is deemed necessary to ensure continued state support for ongoing recovery efforts and for those impacted by the disaster.

This extension means that the emergency declarations and associated provisions remain in effect, allowing state agencies to continue deploying resources and implementing measures necessary for disaster recovery. Compliance officers should note that the emergency management framework, including any waivers or suspensions of regulations previously enacted under the original executive orders, will continue to apply for the duration of this extension. The specific implications for operational activities will depend on the provisions detailed in the original Executive Orders 24-214 and 24-215.

What to do next

Review Executive Orders 24-214 and 24-215 for specific provisions and waivers applicable during the extended emergency period.
Ensure continued adherence to any state-mandated emergency management protocols or resource allocations.

Source document (simplified)

STATE OF FLO RI DA

.OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 26-74

(Emergency Management-Extension of Executive Order 24-214-Hurricane Milton) WHEREAS, on October 5, 2024, I issued Executive Order24-214, declaring a state of emergency for thirty-five counties due to the severe weather, heavy rainfall, flash flooding,river flooding, and gu~ty winds caused by Tropical Storm Milton; and WHEREAS, on October 6, 2024, I issued Executive Order 24-215, which· amended Executive Order 24-214, and extended the state of emergency to fifty-one counties;.and WHEREAS, the tropical system surged from a tropical storm to a category 5 hurricane in less than twenty-four hours on its trajectory in the Gulf of America; and WHEREAS, on October 9, 2024, Hurricane Milton made landfall as a dangerous category 3 hurricane along Florida's Gulf Coast near Siesta Key, about five miles west of Sarasota; and WHEREAS, the affected areas ate still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Milton; and WHEREAS, Executive Order 24-214, as amended by Executive Order 24-215, and subsequently extended, expires on March 24, 2026, unless extended; a11d WHEREAS, an extension of Executive Order 24-214, as amended by Executive Order 24-215, is necessary because recovery efforts and those affected by this disaster require the continued support of the State of Florida. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RON DESANTIS, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the biauthority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1 ( a) of the Florida Constitution and the Florida

Emergency Management Act, as amended, and all other applicable laws, promulgate the following Executive Order to take immediate effect: Section 1. The state of emergency and all provisions of Executive Order 24-214, as amended by Executive Order 24-215, are renewed for sixty (60) days following the date of this Executive Order. Section 2. Except as amended herein, Executive Order 24-214, as amended by Executive Order 24-215, is ratified and reaffirmed. Section 3. This Executive Order is effective immediately. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, this 24th day of ' March, 2026.

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