FL H1075

Authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to establish protection zones around springs restricting vessel speed and operation to protect water quality, hydrology, wetlands, and aquatic species, with escalating noncriminal penalties ranging from $50 for a first offense to $1,000 for a fourth offense within 72 months, and mandatory boating safety education after two violations within 12 months.

Consolidates and restructures state land acquisition procedures under s. 253.025, requiring one appraisal per parcel, two when estimated value exceeds $1 million, and allowing a third when the first two differ significantly, with appraisals prepared by state-certified appraisers and kept confidential until an option contract is executed or two weeks before board consideration.

Creates a new standalone section (s. 253.0341) governing surplus determinations for state-owned lands, requiring an affirmative vote of at least 3 Board of Trustees members for disposal, mandating that conservation land exchanges yield a net positive conservation benefit, and establishing valuation thresholds where parcels over $500,000 must be offered first by competitive bid.

Encourages alternatives to fee simple acquisition — including conservation easements, development rights purchases, flowage easements, and life estates — with a stated legislative intent that a portion of Florida Forever bond proceeds fund such techniques, and requires that private landowners retain full use of rights not specifically acquired.

Establishes new conservation easement acquisition procedures (s. 570.715) for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, mirroring Board of Trustees appraisal requirements, with option contract consideration capped at $1,000 or 0.01% of estimated value, and board authority to waive requirements or substitute federally mandated procedures when federal funds are involved.

Expands Florida Forever Act priorities to emphasize protection of uplands, springsheds, aquifer recharge areas, working lands, and agricultural activities, and adds priority for projects supporting military mission sustainability, improving spring water quality and flow, and those acquirable at 80% or less of appraised value or in less-than-fee ownership.

Requires updated land management plans for conservation lands with measurable short-term (2-year) and long-term (10-year) goals, and authorizes DEP to initiate review or surplusing of lands when managing entities fail to meet short-term goals, with plans over 1,000 acres requiring multiple-use potential analysis including revenue generation.

Creates an expedited surplus process for water management district parcels valued at $25,000 or less, requiring only a single published notice and certified mail to adjacent property owners, with sales to adjacent owners permitted 14 days after publication and sealed bids accepted after 30 days, while extending the general appraisal validity window from 120 to 360 days.

Directs that proceeds from surplus conservation lands purchased before July 1, 2015 be deposited into the Florida Forever Trust Fund and those purchased on or after July 1, 2015 into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, with nonconservation surplus proceeds deposited into the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, and prohibits dispositions that would jeopardize the federal tax-exempt status of related bonds.

Updates numerous cross-references throughout Florida Statutes to reflect the consolidation of acquisition procedures into s. 253.025 and surplus procedures into s. 253.0341, affecting provisions governing eminent domain, county and municipal purchases, water management districts, the Florida Greenways and Trails Program, the Wekiva Parkway, Florida Communities Trust, and areas of critical state concern.