State Land Management

After Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection announced a plan last year to develop nine Florida State Parks – six of which include sea turtle nesting habitat – bipartisan outcry forced the Department to abandon the plan. SB 80/HB 209 is a rare good bill that intends to prevent a similar proposal from occurring in the future, but it needs to be strengthened to further protect all of Florida’s public lands. Amendments are needed to explicitly define what types of development are prohibited in our State Parks, take out vague terms, and more.

Photo by Raymond Mojica

Understanding the Legislation

Affecting Change

SB 80/HB 209

Senator Harrell and Representative Snyder

Bill summary: STC supports SB 80/HB 209 – “State Park Preservation Act”. If passed, would requiring public hearings for all updated conservation and non-conservation land management plans; requiring the Division of Recreation and Parks of the Department of Environmental Protection to comply with specified provisions when granting certain privileges, leases, concessions, and permits; requiring that individual management plans for parcels located within state parks be developed and updated with input from an advisory group, etc.

The Results

Bill Status

SB 80 was approved in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee 9-0. Remaining two stops are Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Committee and Fiscal Policy Committee. HB 209 was approved in the Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee and is now in the State Affairs Committee.

Find Out What Happened