CS/HB 7135 Summary

• Defines "low-impact agriculture" as any agricultural activity on conservation land consistent with land management plans that does not adversely impact conservation purposes, and adds it as a measurable management objective for state lands.

• Requires the Division of State Lands to review state-owned conservation lands every 10 years to identify lands suitable for low-impact agriculture or disposal, with the Acquisition and Restoration Council providing recommendations within 9 months.

• Authorizes private landowners to request exchanges where state-owned land is exchanged for permanent conservation easements over contiguous private land, with easements allowing low-impact agricultural use.

• Creates the Florida State-Owned Lands and Records Information System (FL-SOLARIS) database to inventory federal, state, and local conservation lands, with counties and municipalities required to submit conservation land lists by July 1, 2017-2018.

• Appropriates $2,635,706 in recurring funds and $1,520,528 in nonrecurring funds to the Department of Environmental Protection for staffing and implementation of low-impact agriculture assessments, land inventory, and conservation land title consolidation by July 1, 2018.