HB0669 • 2026

Public Mooring Fields

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee ; Gossett-Seidman
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in State Affairs Committee
Effective date: upon becom

Plain English Breakdown

While the bill passed both chambers, the official status notes it 'Died in State Affairs Committee' on March 13, 2026. This creates uncertainty about whether the law is currently active or if further executive action was required.

Rules for Public Mooring Fields

This bill stops local governments and special districts from applying for permits to build or keep public mooring fields in areas outside their own boundaries, with some exceptions.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits counties, cities (municipalities), and special districts from applying for a permit to create or maintain a public mooring field outside of their territorial boundaries.
Stops counties from applying for a permit to establish or maintain a mooring field inside an incorporated area.
Allows these rules not to apply if all local governments involved have already approved the project.
Exempts projects that have received a final, nonappealable permit before this law takes effect.
Requires the state department to start making new general permits for public mooring fields within 60 days of the law taking effect.

Who It Names or Affects

Counties
Municipalities (cities)
Special districts

Terms To Know

Public mooring field: A place where boats can tie up, built for the exclusive use of the general public.
Incorporated area: Land that is officially part of a city with its own local government.
Territorial boundaries: The official lines or borders that define where a county, city, or district ends and another begins.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill does not explain the specific details of how the new general permits will be written beyond stating they must follow existing water laws.
The text does not say what happens to mooring fields that are already being built but do not have a final permit yet.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in State Affairs Committee
2026-02-16 House
• Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in State Affairs Committee
2026-02-13 House
• Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a) • CS Filed • 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2026-02-12 House
• Favorable with CS by Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee • Reported out of Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
2026-02-10 House
• PCS added to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee agenda
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2025-12-16 House
• Referred to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee • Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Referred to Budget Committee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
2025-12-05 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Public Mooring Fields; Prohibits local governments & special districts from applying for permit to establish or maintain public mooring field.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

CS/HB 669 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb669-01-c1
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to public mooring fields; amending s. 2
373.118, F.S.; prohibiting local governments and 3
special districts from applying for a permit to 4
establish or maintain a public mooring field under 5
certain circumstances; providing applicability; 6
providing an effective date. 7
8
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 9
10
Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 373.118, Florida 11
Statutes, is amended to read: 12
373.118 General permits; delegation.— 13
(4)(a) The department shall adopt by rule one or more 14
general permits for local governments to construct, operate, and 15
maintain public mooring fields, public boat ramps, including 16
associated courtesy docks, and associated parking facilities 17
located in uplands. Such general permits adopted by rule shall 18
include provisions to ensure compliance with part IV of this 19
chapter, subsection (1), and the criteria necessary to include 20
the general permits in a state programmatic general permit 21
issued by the United States Army Corps of Engineers under s. 404 22
of the Clean Water Act, Pub. L. No. 92-500, as amended, 33 23
U.S.C. ss. 1251 et seq. A facility authorized under such general 24
permits is exempt from review as a development of regional 25

CS/HB 669 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb669-01-c1
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

impact if the facility complies with the comprehensive plan of 26
the applicable local government. Such facilities shall be 27
consistent with the local government manatee protection plan 28
required pursuant to chapter 379. Mooring fields authorized 29
under such general permits may not exceed 100 vessels. All 30
facilities permitted under this section shall be constructed, 31
maintained, and operated in perpetuity for the exclusive use of 32
the general public. The department is authorized to have 33
delegation of authority from the Board of Trustees of the 34
Internal Improvement Trust Fund to issue leases for mooring 35
fields that meet the requirements of such general permits. The 36
department shall initiate the rulemaking process within 60 days 37
after the effective date of this act. 38
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, 39
a county, municipality, or special district may not apply for a 40
permit to establish or maintain a mooring field outside of its 41
territorial boundaries. Notwithstanding any provision of law to 42
the contrary, a county may not apply for a permit to establish 43
or maintain a mooring field within an incorporated area. This 44
paragraph does not apply to a mooring field that has been 45
approved by all jurisdictional local governments or that has 46
been issued a final, nonappealable permit by the department. 47
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 48