It looks to be another year of “playing defense” on clean water and environmental protection in the FL Legislature. Legislators have already filed a number of bills that would have negative impacts on our natural resources, in many cases by taking away the ability of cities and counties to regulate growth and land use in their communities. This continues a trend in recent years of the Legislature “preempting” the ability of local governments to regulate land development in their communities.
Most of the bills filed so far are ones that would reduce protections for natural resources and lessen local control. Unfortunately, very few bills would actually improve the conservation of Florida’s land and water. Much of the focus of Healthy Gulf and other conservation organizations will be on keeping those bad bills from becoming law. To help make that happen, I’ll lead a group of NW FL residents to Tallahassee Feb. 9 – 10 as we gather with advocates from around the state for FL Healthy Beaches Day. As part of that, we’ll meet with legislators and their staff to educate them about these bills and work to get their support for environmental protection.
Below are some of the key bills we are tracking. If Healthy Gulf has a position on the bill, it is noted in the summary.
Land and Resilience Bills
S 302: Nature-Based Solutions For Improving Coastal Resilience (Garcia)
Requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules and guidelines for nature-based solutions for improving coastal resilience; requiring the department, in consultation with the Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services of the Department of Financial Services, to conduct a statewide feasibility study regarding the value of nature-based solutions being used for a specified purpose, etc.
SUPPORT
B 546: Conservation Lands (Mayfield)
Requiring the Division of State Lands to publish certain information on its website before the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund meets to review the proposed sale of conservation lands; requiring that certain parcels proposed for exchange be appraised in accordance with certain criteria; requiring the governing board of a water management district to publish certain information on its website before meeting to review the proposed sale or exchange of certain lands, etc.
SUPPORT – This bill would bring more transparency to the process of land disposition, when the state sells land that was acquired for conservation purposes.
SB 208: Land Use and Development Regulations (McClain)
Prohibiting local land development regulations from requiring the denial of, or conditioning or delaying the approval of, residential development on the basis of a lack of compatibility under certain circumstances; revising the circumstances under which land development regulations may be applied to a single-family or two-family dwelling; prohibiting local land development regulations from conditioning the approval of an application for certain residential development on the payment of certain fees, charges, or exactions; requiring that a fee or charge imposed by a local government in connection with the review, processing, or inspection of a residential development application meet certain requirements, etc.
OPPOSE – This is another of the FL Legislature’s many “preemption” bills in which they take authority away from local governments and grant it only to the state. We believe that local communities and their elected bodies are in the best position to regulate new development.
SB 354: Blue Ribbon Projects (McClain)
Requiring that a development project meet certain requirements to qualify as a blue ribbon project; specifying maximum residential density and nonresidential intensity permitted within the development area of a blue ribbon project; requiring that a blue ribbon project have a blue ribbon plan; requiring that a project receive dollar-for-dollar credits from a local government under certain circumstances; specifying that a project may be located on land with any future land use designation or zoning designation, etc.
OPPOSE – While this bill would require more environmentally-friendly land use patterns–more compact development, a mix of land uses, walkability, required levels of land conservation–it would do so at the expense of local control. The bill would automatically grant approvals for qualifying projects, regardless of the position of local communities, and could facilitate more conversion of rural lands into development.
HB 105: Local Government Enforcement Actions (Brackett)
Local Government Enforcement Actions; Prohibits certain enforcement actions by counties, municipalities, & special districts; authorizes persons or business entities subject to such actions to submit request for review; requires counties, municipalities, & special districts to review such actions & respond within specified time period; authorizes filing of legal action & provides legal remedies; provides for certain protections from retaliation; provides for preemption.
OPPOSE – This bill is another attempt to make it harder for local citizens and local governments to properly regulate development in their communities.
SB 218: Land Use Regulations (Gaetz)
Defining the term “impacted local government”, etc. Changes definition of “impacted local government” to “a county listed in the Federal Disaster Declaration for Hurricane Debby (DR-4806), Hurricane Helene (DR-4828), or Hurricane Milton (DR-4834) which was designated or within which a tribal area designated as eligible for both individual assistance and public assistance…” applies to 11 counties NW FL and 3 in the rest of the state.
SUPPORT – This bill would mitigate the impacts of SB 180, which passed in 2025. That legislation basically made it illegal for local governments to pass any new regulations seen as more stringent on land development over a three year period from 2024 – 2027. Overturning the very damaging restrictions of SB 180 is a priority for Healthy Gulf, as it would restore some level of local control so that communities across FL can better protect rural lands and waterways from poorly-planned development.
Key Funding & Budget Requests (FY 2026-27)
- FDACS (agriculture): seeking $150m for easements plus $200 million recurring for the Rural And Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP).
- DEP (Environmental Protection): requesting $100 million recurring for Florida Forever (land acquisition) and $30 million for parks.
Energy and Climate Bills
SB 126: Florida Public Service Commission (Gaetz)
Revising the membership of the Florida Public Service Commission; requiring that orders issued by the commission contain adequate support and rationale for any conclusions made by the commission; requiring the commission to ensure that the allowable return on equity does not exceed the national average authorized return on equity for comparable public utilities; requiring the commission to establish a schedule by which rate change requests may be submitted to the commission by each public utility company, etc.
SUPPORT
Water Bills
SB 718: Water Management (McClain)
Water Management; Prohibiting counties and municipalities from adopting laws, regulations, rules, or policies relating to water quality or quantity, pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention or removal, or wetlands; preempting such regulation to the state.
OPPOSE – Another preemption bill that would make it harder for local communities to protect their waterways from pollution.
FL Healthy Beaches Day–Tallahassee
If you’re interested in Healthy Beaches Day, contact Christian: christian@healthygulf.org