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Legislation for Clean Water + Healthy Beaches
The 2025 session began on March 4. On May 2, session was extended to June 6 for budget negotiations and finalization.
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.
Session Recap: The Safe Waterways Act legislation did not advance in the 2025 session. This bill will remain a priority as we gear up for the 2026 session.
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.
Session Recap: The carbon sequestration bills made it through a committee stop in both the Senate and the House, but did not advance further in committees in the 2025 session.
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.
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.
Session Recap: The Senate nature based methods bill passed the full Senate floor vote unanimously. The House nature-based methods bill also passed House committees unanimously but was not taken up on the House floor. Legislation prioritizing nature-based solutions will continue to be a priority in the 2026 Session.
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. HB209 was amended in the House State Affairs Committee to remove language that weakened the protections and conservation-intent of the bill -- the amended bill provides much stronger protection for our state parks.
Session Recap: A strong state parks bill passed unanimously in the Florida Legislature. The bill is now ready for the Governor's signature. We thank Sens. Harrell & Bradley, Reps. Snyder & Gossett-Seidman, and the many co-sponsors and supporters in the Florida Legislature for their commitment to protecting our state parks.
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
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, foam, and aluminum). The legislation would negate existing local laws pertaining to any of these items.
SB1822 was amended in the Senate Rules Committee to allow Department of Environmental Protection to regulate auxiliary containers in state parks and to allow local regulation of glass on public beaches. Preserving DEP's ability to regulate auxiliary containers in state parks is a baseline protection for these important spaces but the amended bill still fails to address any statewide plastic pollution and waste management problems. The amended bill will still negate existing local laws and prevent future local action.
Go to the Stop Plastic Preemption Expansion campaign page for more info on how you can take action.
Session Recap: The expansion of auxiliary container preemption did not pass in the 2025 Session. After HB565 was temporarily postponed in the House, SB1822 progressed to the Senate floor. The container language was then added to HB1609, a bill addressing the siting of waste incinerator facilities. HB1609 sponsor Rep. Weinberger and the Florida House refused the addition of the container preemption bill multiple times and ultimately, HB1609 did not pass. We thank Rep. Weinberger, Speaker Perez, the House bill co-sponsors, and the House members refusing this language. We also thank Sen. Garcia, Sen. Smith, and Sen. Bradley for opposing this container preemption language in the Senate.
Regulation of Auxiliary Containers Resources
Beach Access
Recreational use of Florida’s dry sandy beaches is a long-held, central aspect of Florida culture and must not be diminished. As long recognized by the Florida Supreme Court, customary use rights exist where the public’s use of the beach has been ancient, reasonable, without interruption, and free from dispute. Local governments and the state should seek to maintain and protect public beach access, including the public’s customary use rights, for low-impact and respectful recreational uses while balancing the rights of private property owners. As the 2025 session progresses, we will highlight key legislation and efforts to protect public beach access.
Recreational Customary Use of Beaches - SUPPORT
Bill Sponsor: Representative Alex Andrade (R - Pensacola) & Representative Shane Abbott (R - Defuniak Springs), Senator Jay Trumbull (R - Panama City)
HB6043/SB1622 seeks to repeal the procedural requirements needed for a governmental entity to adopt ordinances recognizing and protecting recreational customary use of the beach. Enacted in 2018, HB631’s procedural requirements applied to and preempted customary use ordinances passed after 2016. The outcome has been fraught with difficulties and detrimental for the beachgoing public. This bill would facilitate the public's rightful access to the beach by restoring authority to local governments to recognize and protect the public's recreational customary use on beaches.
Session Summary: The Florida Legislature overwhelmingly passed the bill repealing the procedural requirements for local governments seeking to recognize and protect the public's recreational customary use through local ordinances. We thank Sen. Trumbull and Reps. Andrade and Abbott for their efforts to facilitate the public's rightful access to Florida beaches. The bill is ready for the Governor's signature.
Recreational Customary Use of Beaches Resources