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CS/HB 1421 2026
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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 cattle grazing on state land; 2
amending s. 253.034, F.S.; requiring land managing 3
entities to identify existing grazable lands and 4
consider whether leasing portions of such land to 5
private entities for cattle grazing is appropriate 6
based on certain goals; requiring land managing 7
entities to consider certain information when 8
determining such appropriateness; requiring lands 9
determined to be appropriate for cattle grazing to be 10
described in the land management plan; requiring land 11
managing entities to allow such lands to be leased for 12
such purpose; prohibiting cattle grazing leases from 13
allowing the conversion of native wildlife habitat to 14
improved pasture; requiring land managing entities to 15
include in the land management plan an explanation for 16
a determination that no portions of such land are 17
appropriate for cattle grazing; amending s. 369.252, 18
F.S.; revising requirements for a Fish and Wildlife 19
Conservation Commission program to control invasive 20
plants; providing applicability; providing an 21
effective date. 22
23
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 24
25
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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
Section 1. Paragraphs (d) through (i) of subsection (5) of 26
section 253.034, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 27
paragraphs (e) through (j), respectively, a new paragraph (d) is 28
added to that subsection, and subsection (4) and present 29
paragraph (g) of subsection (5) of that section are amended, to 30
read: 31
253.034 State-owned lands; uses.— 32
(4) A management agreement, lease, or other instrument 33
authorizing the use of lands owned by the board of trustees may 34
not be executed for a period greater than is necessary to 35
provide for the reasonable use of the land for the existing or 36
planned life cycle or amortization of the improvements, except 37
that an easement in perpetuity may be granted by the board of 38
trustees if the improvement is a transportation facility. If an 39
entity managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of 40
trustees does not meet the short-term goals under paragraph 41
(5)(b) for conservation lands, the Department of Environmental 42
Protection may submit the lands to the Acquisition and 43
Restoration Council to review whether the short-term goals 44
should be modified, consider whether the lands should be offered 45
to another entity for management or leasing, or recommend to the 46
board of trustees whether to surplus the lands. If an entity 47
managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of trustees 48
does not meet the short-term goals under paragraph (5)(j) (5)(i) 49
for nonconservation lands, the department may submit the lands 50
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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
to the board of trustees to consider whether to require the 51
managing or leasing entity to release its interest in the lands 52
and to consider whether to surplus the lands. If the state-owned 53
lands are determined to be surplus, the board of trustees may 54
require an entity to release its interest in the lands. An 55
entity managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of 56
trustees may not sublease such lands without prior review by the 57
Division of State Lands and, for conservation lands, by the 58
Acquisition and Restoration Council. All management agreements, 59
leases, or other instruments authorizing the use of lands owned 60
by the board of trustees shall be reviewed for approval by the 61
board of trustees or its designee. The council is not required 62
to review subleases of parcels which are less than 160 acres in 63
size. 64
(5) Each manager of conservation lands shall submit to the 65
Division of State Lands a land management plan at least every 10 66
years in a form and manner adopted by rule of the board of 67
trustees and in accordance with s. 259.032. Each manager of 68
conservation lands shall also update a land management plan 69
whenever the manager proposes to add new facilities or make 70
substantive land use or management changes that were not 71
addressed in the approved plan, or within 1 year after the 72
addition of significant new lands. Each manager of 73
nonconservation lands shall submit to the Division of State 74
Lands a land use plan at least every 10 years in a form and 75
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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
manner adopted by rule of the board of trustees. The division 76
shall review each plan for compliance with the requirements of 77
this subsection and the requirements of the rules adopted by the 78
board of trustees pursuant to this section. All nonconservation 79
land use plans, whether for single-use or multiple-use 80
properties, must be managed to provide the greatest benefit to 81
the state. Plans for managed areas larger than 1,000 acres must 82
contain an analysis of the multiple-use potential of the 83
property which includes the potential of the property to 84
generate revenues to enhance the management of the property. In 85
addition, the plan must contain an analysis of the potential use 86
of private land managers to facilitate the restoration or 87
management of these lands and whether nonconservation lands 88
would be more appropriately transferred to the county or 89
municipality in which the land is located for the purpose of 90
providing affordable multifamily rental housing that meets the 91
criteria of s. 420.0004(3). If a newly acquired property has a 92
valid conservation plan that was developed by a soil and water 93
conservation district, such plan must be used to guide 94
management of the property until a formal land use plan is 95
completed. 96
(d) When a land management plan is developed or updated, 97
the land managing entity must identify existing grazable lands 98
and consider whether leasing portions of the land to private 99
entities for cattle grazing is appropriate based on any 100
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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
ecological, wildlife, and public recreation goals of such lands. 101
When determining such appropriateness, the managing entity must 102
consider, if such land were to be leased for cattle grazing, a 103
maximum stocking rate; grazing term, if not continuous; method 104
of animal containment; and sources of water and forage 105
available. Any lands determined to be appropriate for cattle 106
grazing must be described in the land management plan, and the 107
land managing entity must allow such lands to be leased for such 108
purpose. Cattle grazing leases shall not allow the conversion of 109
native wildlife habitat to improved pasture. If the land 110
managing entity determines no portions of the land are 111
appropriate for such leases, the entity must include an 112
explanation for its determination in the land management plan. 113
(h)(g) The Division of State Lands shall make available to 114
the public at least 30 days before the public hearing required 115
by paragraph (g) (f) an electronic copy of each land management 116
plan for parcels that exceed 160 acres in size and for parcels 117
located within a state park. The division shall review each plan 118
for compliance with the requirements of this subsection, the 119
requirements of chapter 259, and the requirements of the rules 120
adopted by the board of trustees pursuant to this section. The 121
Acquisition and Restoration Council shall also consider the 122
propriety of the recommendations of the managing entity with 123
regard to the future use of the property, the protection of 124
fragile or nonrenewable resources, the potential for alternative 125
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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
or multiple uses not recognized by the managing entity, and the 126
possibility of disposal of the property by the board of 127
trustees. After its review, the council shall submit the plan, 128
along with its recommendations and comments, to the board of 129
trustees. The council shall specifically recommend to the board 130
of trustees whether to approve the plan as submitted, approve 131
the plan with modifications, or reject the plan. If the council 132
fails to make a recommendation for a land management plan, the 133
Secretary of Environmental Protection, Commissioner of 134
Agriculture, or executive director of the Fish and Wildlife 135
Conservation Commission or their designees must submit the land 136
management plan to the board of trustees. 137
Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 369.252, Florida 138
Statutes, is amended to read: 139
369.252 Invasive plant control on public lands.—The Fish 140
and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall establish a program 141
to: 142
(3) Contract, or enter into agreements, with entities in 143
the State University System or other governmental or private 144
sector entities for research concerning control agents; 145
production and growth of biological control agents; and 146
development of workable methods for the eradication or 147
maintenance control of invasive exotic plants on public lands, 148
including the use of cattle grazing; and 149
Section 3. The amendments made to s. 253.034, Florida 150
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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
Statutes, by this act apply to land management plans developed 151
or updated on or after July 1, 2026. 152
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 153