Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1658
By
Senator Truenow
13-01296-26 20261658__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to cattle grazing on state land;
3 amending s. 253.034, F.S.; requiring land managing
4 entities to consider the feasibility of leasing
5 portions of land to private entities for cattle
6 grazing when land management plans are being developed
7 or updated; providing requirements for the land
8 management plan; requiring land managing entities to
9 allow such lands to be leased for such purpose under
10 certain conditions; providing applicability; providing
11 an effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Present paragraphs (d) through (i) of subsection
16 (5) of section 253.034, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
17 paragraphs (e) through (j), respectively, a new paragraph (d) is
18 added to that subsection, and subsection (4) and present
19 paragraph (g) of subsection (5) of that section are amended, to
20 read:
21 253.034 State-owned lands; uses.—
22 (4) A management agreement, lease, or other instrument
23 authorizing the use of lands owned by the board of trustees may
24 not be executed for a period greater than is necessary to
25 provide for the reasonable use of the land for the existing or
26 planned life cycle or amortization of the improvements, except
27 that an easement in perpetuity may be granted by the board of
28 trustees if the improvement is a transportation facility. If an
29 entity managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of
30 trustees does not meet the short-term goals under paragraph
31 (5)(b) for conservation lands, the Department of Environmental
32 Protection may submit the lands to the Acquisition and
33 Restoration Council to review whether the short-term goals
34 should be modified, consider whether the lands should be offered
35 to another entity for management or leasing, or recommend to the
36 board of trustees whether to surplus the lands. If an entity
37 managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of trustees
38 does not meet the short-term goals under paragraph
(5)(j)
(5)(i)
39 for nonconservation lands, the department may submit the lands
40 to the board of trustees to consider whether to require the
41 managing or leasing entity to release its interest in the lands
42 and to consider whether to surplus the lands. If the state-owned
43 lands are determined to be surplus, the board of trustees may
44 require an entity to release its interest in the lands. An
45 entity managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of
46 trustees may not sublease such lands without prior review by the
47 Division of State Lands and, for conservation lands, by the
48 Acquisition and Restoration Council. All management agreements,
49 leases, or other instruments authorizing the use of lands owned
50 by the board of trustees shall be reviewed for approval by the
51 board of trustees or its designee. The council is not required
52 to review subleases of parcels which are less than 160 acres in
53 size.
54 (5) Each manager of conservation lands shall submit to the
55 Division of State Lands a land management plan at least every 10
56 years in a form and manner adopted by rule of the board of
57 trustees and in accordance with s. 259.032. Each manager of
58 conservation lands shall also update a land management plan
59 whenever the manager proposes to add new facilities or make
60 substantive land use or management changes that were not
61 addressed in the approved plan, or within 1 year after the
62 addition of significant new lands. Each manager of
63 nonconservation lands shall submit to the Division of State
64 Lands a land use plan at least every 10 years in a form and
65 manner adopted by rule of the board of trustees. The division
66 shall review each plan for compliance with the requirements of
67 this subsection and the requirements of the rules adopted by the
68 board of trustees pursuant to this section. All nonconservation
69 land use plans, whether for single-use or multiple-use
70 properties, must be managed to provide the greatest benefit to
71 the state. Plans for managed areas larger than 1,000 acres must
72 contain an analysis of the multiple-use potential of the
73 property which includes the potential of the property to
74 generate revenues to enhance the management of the property. In
75 addition, the plan must contain an analysis of the potential use
76 of private land managers to facilitate the restoration or
77 management of these lands and whether nonconservation lands
78 would be more appropriately transferred to the county or
79 municipality in which the land is located for the purpose of
80 providing affordable multifamily rental housing that meets the
81 criteria of s. 420.0004(3). If a newly acquired property has a
82 valid conservation plan that was developed by a soil and water
83 conservation district, such plan must be used to guide
84 management of the property until a formal land use plan is
85 completed.
86
(d)
When a land management plan is developed or updated,
87
the land managing entity must consider the feasibility of
88
leasing portions of the land to private entities for cattle
89
grazing. Any lands determined to be suitable must be described
90
in the land management plan, and the land managing entity must
91
allow such lands to be leased for such purpose. If the land
92
managing entity determines no portions of the land are suitable
93
for such leases, the entity must include an explanation for its
94
determination in the land management plan.
95
(h)
(g)
The Division of State Lands shall make available to
96 the public at least 30 days before the public hearing required
97 by paragraph
(g)
(f)
an electronic copy of each land management
98 plan for parcels that exceed 160 acres in size and for parcels
99 located within a state park. The division shall review each plan
100 for compliance with the requirements of this subsection, the
101 requirements of chapter 259, and the requirements of the rules
102 adopted by the board of trustees pursuant to this section. The
103 Acquisition and Restoration Council shall also consider the
104 propriety of the recommendations of the managing entity with
105 regard to the future use of the property, the protection of
106 fragile or nonrenewable resources, the potential for alternative
107 or multiple uses not recognized by the managing entity, and the
108 possibility of disposal of the property by the board of
109 trustees. After its review, the council shall submit the plan,
110 along with its recommendations and comments, to the board of
111 trustees. The council shall specifically recommend to the board
112 of trustees whether to approve the plan as submitted, approve
113 the plan with modifications, or reject the plan. If the council
114 fails to make a recommendation for a land management plan, the
115 Secretary of Environmental Protection, Commissioner of
116 Agriculture, or executive director of the Fish and Wildlife
117 Conservation Commission or their designees must submit the land
118 management plan to the board of trustees.
119 Section 2.
The amendments made to s. 253.034, Florida
120
Statutes, by this act apply to land management plans developed
121
or updated on or after July 1, 2026.
122 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.