Catherine Welch

It also allows local water management districts to deny permits to large-scale data centers if the water needs are harmful to the local area or already prohibited by local zoning and planning regulations.

And it keeps land regulations in the hands of local governments.

The new law is part of DeSantis' push to regulate AI in Florida.

The law does allow local governments and tech companies to enter into confidential agreements that keep proposals from the public for 12 months.

For NPR News, I'm Catherine Welch in Orlando.