UPDATE: The legislative session came to a delayed end on Monday, March 14 as lawmakers approved a $112 billion state budget, the state’s biggest budget ever. The budget includes $200 million for a Resilient Florida grant program to provide local governments with funds for climate resiliency projects and $100 million for Everglades restoration.
ORIGINAL POST: The Florida State Legislative Session is an action-packed 60 days. This year’s session began on January 11 and ends on March 11.
Our student-led team has sifted through thousands of bills to find those that pertain to our state’s environment. For some, we have talked to policy experts and scientists to provide context about how the proposed legislation might impact our state.
It is important to note that only a fraction of the thousands of bills that have been introduced are actively debated on the chamber floor. The only bill that absolutely must be passed is the state’s budget, which Gov. Ron DeSantis is referring to this year as the “Freedom First Budget.” The proposed budget includes more than $660 million for Everglades restoration, $195 million for water quality improvements, $40 million toward algal bloom research and cleanups, $3 million toward removal of invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades, and over $550 million toward coastal resiliency projects. Read more about the proposed budget in this press release.
Our coverage is by no means exhaustive, but we hope it will orient you to the hot topics that are on lawmakers’ minds this session — climate change and energy, water quality/quantity and agriculture, just to name a few.
Use the links below to learn more about some of this year’s proposed legislation. Learn how to track these bills in our previous Action of the Month.
Have questions about any of the proposed legislation? Email earthsystems@floridamuseum.ufl.edu, and we may be able to connect you to an appropriate expert on the subject.
We have updated the posts below to reflect where this legislation stands today.
Water Quality and Quantity
Legislation introduced this session aims to address the quality and quantity of Florida’s water resources.
Energy
Bills address topics like rooftop solar power, electric vehicles, floating solar facilities, solid-waste-to-energy and more.
Agriculture
State representatives often put forth bills that aim to balance production with environmental conservation – a task that isn’t always easy.
Climate Change
Bills address topics like greenhouse gases, extreme heat, hurricanes, sea level rise and saltwater intrusion.
Recycling and Pollution
What does the state do with the massive number of materials and products that residents use — and then need to dispose of?
Habitats and Biodiversity
Several bills have the potential to affect some of the state’s most-loved species and the habitats they depend on.