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Legislation for Clean Water + Healthy Beaches
The 2025 session began on March 4.
Surfrider Florida is monitoring legislation closely to support bills that protect our coasts and ocean and oppose bills that jeopardize them.
Check out the summaries below for an overview of critical bills in the 2025 session. You can also track session updates via our blog series, Impact Zone.
Clean Water
Sewage spills and stormwater runoff threaten the health of beachgoers, coastal ecosystems, and economies. Consistent water quality monitoring and public notification are needed to protect public health and inform solutions. We must also advance efforts and investments to repair, upgrade, and ensure climate resilience of Florida’s failing water infrastructure.
Safe Waterways Act - SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Representative Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R - Highland Beach), Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez (R - Doral)
HB73 / SB156 (aka Safe Waterways Act) is a game-changing bill to address deficiencies in Florida's program for the bacteriological sampling of beach waters. The legislation would begin the process of transferring the Florida Healthy Beaches Program from the Department of Health to the Department of Environmental Protection, requires prompt and consistent public notification when water quality conditions are exceed human health standards, and establishes an interagency database for fecal bacteria.
The bill has been filed in the House and Senate and referenced to committees in the respective chambers.
House Committee Stops: Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee; Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee; Budget Committee; State Affairs Committee
Senate Committee Stops: Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; Fiscal Policy
Safe Waterways Act resources:
Coasts and Climate
Florida’s coastal communities, infrastructure, and marine ecosystems are increasingly threatened by sea level rise, extreme weather events, and flooding. Bold state leadership is needed to implement sea level rise solutions that advance coastal resilience, protect coastal and marine habitats and communities, and harness the power of nature to protect and prepare Florida’s coasts from flooding and sea level rise. As the 2025 session progresses, we will highlight key legislation and efforts for coastal resilience.
Carbon Sequestration Task Force - SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Representative Lindsay Cross (D - St. Petersburg), Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez (R - Doral)
HB1063/SB1148 seeks to establish a state level task force for carbon sequestration to identify suitable habitats, policies, and land management activities for carbon sequestration. The bill also aims to identify appropriate methodology, benchmarks, and funding mechanisms to establish a state-level carbon sequestration program. This legislation seeks to bolster statewide resiliency, conservation, and nature-based efforts in the wake of increasing sea level rise and flooding.
The bill has been filed in the House and Senate and referenced to committees.
House Committee Stops: Natural Resources & Disasters; Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget; State Affairs Committee
Senate Committee Stops: Environment & Natural Resources (passed); Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; Rules
Carbon Sequestration Task Force Resources
Nature-Based Methods for Improving Coastal Resilience - SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Representative Jim Mooney (R - Islamorada), Senator Ileana Garcia (R - Miami)
CS/HB371/SB50 focus on nature-based solutions and better awareness and implementation of these methods across the state. The amended House bill (CS/HB371) requires FDEP to develop guidelines for the implementation of key nature-based solutions including mangrove restoration, native shoreline vegetation, and living shorelines. The bill also requires Florida Flood Hub to develop a report on standards and guidelines for optimal combinations of hybrid green-gray infrastructure for coastal resilience and strategies to minimize impacts on mangroves and native dune vegetation. Surfrider supports the focused language of the amended House bill.
The Senate bill (SB50) requires FDEP rulemaking related to nature-based methods as well as other infrastructure permitting and hard armoring efforts in resiliency actions. The bill instructs Florida Flood Hub to develop guidelines and standards for hybrid green-gray infrastructure. The bill also requires DEP to conduct a statewide feasibility study on nature-based methods and coastal flood reduction.
The bill has been filed in the House and Senate and referenced to committees in the respective chambers.
House Committee Stops: Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee (amended & passed); Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee; State Affairs Committee
Senate Committee Stops: Environment and Natural Resources Committee (passed); Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government (passed); Rules Committee (passed)
Nature-Based Methods Resources
STATE PARK PRESERVATION ACT - STRENGTHEN
Bill Sponsor: Representative John Snyder (R - Stuart) & Representative Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R - Highland Beach); Senator Gayle Harrell (R - Stuart) & Senator Jennifer Bradley (R - Fleming Island)
HB209/SB80 requires state parks to be managed for "conservation-based public outdoor recreational uses and prohibits certain specific uses. The bill also revises notice requirements for public meetings about changes to land management plans. This legislation is a step in the right direction following the release of development plans for resort-style lodging, golf courses, and pickleball courts in Florida State Parks in the fall of 2024. The plans were met with widespread public opposition and did not move forward at that time. While this legislation aims to address those potential development threats to state parks, there are several provisions that must be strengthened to ensure we are adequately protecting our parks against immediate threats and threats in the future. In particular: removing language allowing development in "disturbed" areas; eliminating vague terms that weaken regulations (e.g., "maximum extent practicable"; "substantial harm"); adding explicit prohibitions and definitions; and extending protections to state forests and wildlife management areas.
The bill has been filed in the House and Senate and referenced to committees in the respective chambers.
House Committee Stops: Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee (passed); Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee; State Affairs Committee
Senate Committee Stops: Environment and Natural Resources Committee (passed); Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; Rules Committee
State Park Preservation Resources
Plastic Pollution
Each year 7,000 tons of wasteful plastic pollution enters the ocean in Florida, posing a major threat to our marine environment and coastal economy. Yet, current state preemption on the regulation of most plastics prevents meaningful regulatory action to curb marine plastic and its negative economic impacts in Florida. Surfrider supports laws aimed at reducing sources of plastic pollution, as well as prevention and response to marine debris. As the 2025 session progresses, we will highlight key legislation and efforts to reduce plastic pollution.
Auxiliary Containers, Wrappings, and Disposable Plastic Bags - SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Representative Robin Bartleman (D - Weston), Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith (D - Miami)
HB6023/SB836 seeks to repeal the state preemption of single-use plastics regulation.
The bill has been filed in the House and Senate and referenced to committees in the respective chambers.
House Committee Stops: Natural Resources and Disasters; State Affairs
Senate Committee Stops: Environment and Natural Resources Committee; Community Affairs Committee; Rules Committee
Auxiliary Containers, Wrappings, and Disposable Plastic Bags Resources
Regulation of Auxiliary Containers - OPPOSE
Bill Sponsor: Representative Omar Blanco (R - Miami), Senator Jonathan Martin (R - Ft. Myers)
HB565/SB1822 would greatly expand state preemption of single-use plastics regulation by local governments. Further, the legislation preempts regulation of containers made of other materials (including glass, cloth, styrofoam, and aluminum). The legislation would negate existing local laws pertaining to any of these items and existing rules regarding food packaging in state parks.
The bill has been filed in the House and Senate and referenced to committees in both chambers.
House Committee Stops: Natural Resources and Disasters (passed); Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee; State Affairs Committee
Senate Committee Stops: Environment and Natural Resources Committee (passed); Community Affairs Committee; Rules Committee
Regulation of Auxiliary Containers Resources