Earlier this month, the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee discussed the possibility of filing Senate Bill 80, the State Park Preservation Act.
The bill was introduced by Florida Senator Gayle Harrell, with the aim of preserving Florida’s state parks by prohibiting the development of recreational facilities on park grounds. This includes golf courses, tennis courts, pickleball courts and ball fields. The bill would also restrict the installation or operation of hotels, motels, time shares and vacation rentals on state park properties.
SB 80 was influenced by the public’s outright opposition to the Great Outdoors Initiative which was part of the Department of Environmental Protection’s “Great Outdoors Initiative,” which DEP proposed in August of last year. This initiative was created to develop golf courses, lodging and recreational activities within Florida’s nine state parks. This act was aimed at expanding the public’s access to recreational activities within parks. The initiative was seen as controversial and received considerable criticism. Many residents believed the Great Outdoors Initiative would lead to over development, and instead valued the preservation of their local environments.
In fact, this initiative led to protests across the state. Residents rallied in state parks across Florida, including Honeymoon Island State Park, Anastasia State Park and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. In August of last year a protest took place on the steps of the DEP’s headquarters in Tallahassee.
Laurie Hood, the founder and executive director of Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport, Florida, attended the protest and shared her concerns with WUWF.
“We all want to keep our state parks natural. None of us want to see the privatization of public parks,” Hood said.
These protests were brought to the attention of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and during a press conference in Crystal River, DeSantis addressed the controversy.
“We’re not going to take away any green space … If that’s what the general public wants, then that’s fine with me,” DeSantis said.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection then withdrew the Great Outdoors Initiative proposal.
Not only does Senate Bill 80 prevent the development of recreation facilities on state park grounds, it also requires public hearings for any updated conservation and non-conservation land management plans. Ensuring that any developments within state parks undergo strict environmental reviews and allowing the public to increase involvement in decisions regarding the preservation of their local parks.
Senator Gayle Harrell, the sponsor of SB 80, told the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee about her beliefs on the matter.
“Our state parks are so unique, and we want to make sure that they are there for the enjoyment and the conservation of our natural resources in our state of Florida,” Harrell said.
SB 80’s companion bill, House Bill 105, is currently in the Florida House of Representatives. This House Bill was sponsored by Florida Representative Sam Garrison. Both bills focus on state land management, mandating the Division of Recreation and Parks to follow certain guidelines regarding permits, concessions, and leases on state grounds.
SB 80 passed the Senate’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously on Feb. 13. The bill was then reviewed by the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government. If this bill is officially passed into law, SB 80 will go into effect on July 1.