Government Affairs
Bills That Did Not Pass
HB 1133 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Vetoed by the Governor 7/1/2025 Provides for regional representation on FWCC; revises membership & terms; authorizes commission to define geographic boundaries of regions; specifies conditions under which commission officers & personnel may enter private...
HB 1812 Derelict Vessels
Revising conditions that may determine a vessel is at risk of becoming derelict Revising list of vessels must place notice Revising definition of "derelict vessel"
SB 58 – Boating Safety Enhancements
Introduced as a Senate bill to require lifelong boating‑identification symbols on driver ID cards, stiffen penalties for reckless boating and BUI, and expand "vessel homicide" to include harm to unborn children. Progressed through Senate committees but was...
HB 795 / SB 594 – Port Buffer ‘No‑Anchoring’ Zones
A proposal to create broad anchoring exclusion zones (1,500–5,000 ft) around 16 commercial seaports (notably Port of Lake Worth). Strong pushback led the sponsor to withdraw the proposal, so it never advanced in the House
SB 1812 – Derelict Vessels
Intended to revise the criteria for defining derelict vessels. The bill was withdrawn prior to House consideration
Bills That Passed
SB 0164 Vessel Accountability
6/19/2025 Approved by Governor Defining the term "vessel owner"; providing a penalty for a person anchoring, mooring, or allowing certain vessels to occupy the waters of this state if an officer of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or a law enforcement...
HB 0289 Boating Safety
Approved by Governor 6/24/2025 Revises & provides penalties for vessel collisions, accidents, casualties, reckless operation, & providing false information in specified reports; revises requirements for operating certain vessels; requires person convicted of...
HB 0481 Anchoring Limitation Areas
Approved by Governor 5/19/2025 Restricts local regulation of vessels outside marked boundaries of mooring fields in certain counties; designates specified sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County as grandfathered-in anchoring limitation areas; increases...
HB 0687 Driving and Boating Offenses
Approved by Governor 6/5/2025 Provides enhanced penalties for DUI and BUI manslaughter & vehicular & vessel homicide f person has prior conviction for specified offenses; requires that a person be told that his or her failure to submit to lawful test of breath...
HB 0736 Water Access Facilities
Approved by Governor 5/19/2025 Provides sovereignty submerged land leases for Clean Marine Manufacturer facilities; provides competitive grant programs for construction & maintenance of public parking lots for boat-hauling vehicles & traliers
SB 0830 Disposition of Migrant Vessels
Approved by Governor 5/19/2025 Defining the term "migrant vessel"; revising provisions concerning relocation or removal of certain vessels to include migrant vessels; providing procedures for law enforcement officers concerning disposition of migrant vessels, etc.
SB 1388 Vessels
Approved by Governor 5/19/2025 Revising the definition of the term "livery vessel"; revising and providing penalties for vessel collisions, accidents, ad casualties; requiring the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to issue, at no cost, a permit for the...
Beaches SB 1622
Approved by Governor 6/24/2025 Repealing a provision relating to the establishment of recreational customary use of beaches; requiring the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to adopt the erosion control line by resolution in certain...
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