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Bill of the Week: State Land Management
By SCCF Environmental Policy Staff
This week, we’re focusing on a good bill — House Bill 209/Senate Bill 80: State Land Management.
These bills were spurred from the threats that faced Florida’s state parks last year. Many of our followers will remember the outcry and statewide protests that quickly followed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s plans to construct hotels, golf courses, pickleball courts, and other ‘amenities’ in nine state parks.
The uproar was successful in stopping the projects in their tracks, and lawmakers filed a pair of bills this session to ensure that our state parks remain the jewels of natural outdoor recreation that we know them to be today.
The House version of the bill, HB 209, passed unanimously on April 16, requiring that state parks are “managed for conservation-based recreational uses.” Per the bill, activities may not “invade, degrade, or displace natural resources” within state parks. Additionally, golf courses, tennis courts, pickleball courts, ball fields, and similar facilities are explicitly prevented from being constructed in state parks.
The Senate companion bill, SB 80, heads to the Fiscal Policy Committee, its last committee stop, on April 22 before hopefully heading to a floor vote.
There are some discrepancies between the two bills that will need to be worked out before it can be voted on and signed into law, but hopefully they can serve as a roadblock to efforts that would erode our natural spaces and harm our state parks.
Our state parks are some of our most important natural spaces, giving Floridians and visitors a chance to enjoy the outdoors while experiencing the unique landscapes and ecosystems that define Florida.
If you would like to support SB 80 prior to the committee hearing on April 22, we encourage you to call the offices of the committee members and to inform them of your support.
- Senator Gruters, Chair, 850-487-5022
- Senator Osgood, Vice Chair, 850-487-5032
- Senator Arrington
- Senator Avila
- Senator Bernard
- Senator Boyd
- Senator Bradley
- Senator Burton
- Senator Calatayud
- Senator Davis
- Senator Gaetz
- Senator Ingoglia
- Senator Jones
- Senator Leek
- Senator Passidomo
- Senator Rodriguez
- Senator Simon
- Senator Truenow
- Senator Yarborough