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--- version:H 981 Filed+++ version:(document, no version)@@ -1,254 +1,59 @@-HB 981 2026+ COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEE AMENDMENT+Bill No. HB 981 (2026)+Amendment No.+636109 - h0981-line 105.docx+ Published On: 1/16/2026 1:34:27 PM+Page 1 of 2-CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.-hb981-00-Page 1 of 8-F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S+ COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEE ACTION+ADOPTED (Y/N)+ADOPTED AS AMENDED (Y/N)+ADOPTED W/O OBJECTION (Y/N)+FAILED TO ADOPT (Y/N)+WITHDRAWN (Y/N)+OTHER-A bill to be entitled 1-An act relating to tributaries of the St. Johns River; 2-providing a short title; creating s. 373.464, F.S.; 3-requiring the Department of Environmental Protection, 4-by a specified date, to hire a project lead to oversee 5-the implementation of the act; requiring that the 6-project lead have certain expertise; requiring the 7-department to develop, by a specified date, a project 8-plan for the restoration of the Ocklawaha River; 9-specifying requirements for the project plan; 10-providing that the project plan is an environmental 11-restoration or enhancement project subject to a 12-general permit from the department and water 13-management districts; requiring the department to 14-complete the project plan by a specified date, subject 15-to the provision of funds; creating the Northeast 16-Florida River and Springs Recreation and Economic 17-Development Advisory Council; assigning the council to 18-the Department of Environmental Protection; providing 19-that the project lead is the chair of the council; 20-providing for council membership, meetings, and 21-duties; requiring the council to submit an advisory 22-report to the Governor, the Legislature, and the 23-department by a specified date; specifying 24-requirements for the advisory report; providing for 25+Committee/Subcommittee hearing bill: Natural Resources & 1+Disasters Subcommittee 2+Representative Duggan offered the following: 3+ 4+ Amendment 5+ Remove lines 105-132 and insert: 6+ 2. The council shall be composed of the following 16 7+members: 8+ a. Nine members of the council shall be appointed by and 9+serve at the pleasure of the Governor and shall include: 10+ (I) Two representatives of river recreation-related 11+businesses local to Marion or Putnam Counties. 12+ (II) Two representatives of outdoor recreation user 13+groups, one of whom represents fishing interests local to Marion 14+or Putnam Counties. 15-HB 981 2026+ COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEE AMENDMENT+Bill No. HB 981 (2026)+Amendment No.+636109 - h0981-line 105.docx+ Published On: 1/16/2026 1:34:27 PM+Page 2 of 2-CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.-hb981-00-Page 2 of 8-F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S--future repeal; requiring the department to develop an 26-outdoor recreation plan, in collaboration with certain 27-commissions, councils, and local governments of river 28-communities; specifying requirements for the outdoor 29-recreation plan; requiring the department to implement 30-the plan by a specified date; requiring the department 31-to complete projects on state-owned lands in the 32-outdoor recreation plan by a specified date, subject 33-to certain funding; requiring the department to a 34-develop grant program for a specified purpose; 35-requiring that the grant program be compatible with 36-certain plans; requiring the department to implement 37-the plan by a specified date; requiring the Department 38-of Commerce to develop guidelines and processes for 39-and implement an economic development program for 40-Marion and Putnam Counties for a specified purpose by 41-a specified date; requiring that the economic 42-development plan be compatible with certain plans and 43-programs; requiring the Department of Commerce to 44-implement the economic development program by a 45-specified date; providing an effective date. 46- 47-Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 48- 49- Section 1. This act may cited as the "Northeast Florida 50--HB 981 2026--CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.-hb981-00-Page 3 of 8-F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S--Rivers, Springs, and Community Investment Act." 51- Section 2. Section 373.464, Florida Statutes, is created 52-to read: 53- 373.464 Ocklawaha River restoration, recreation, and 54-economic development.— 55- (1) PROJECT LEAD.—The department shall, no later than 56-August 31, 2026, hire a full-time equivalent contractor or 57-employee, whose position title will be project lead, to oversee 58-the implementation of this act. The project lead must have 59-subject matter expertise in conservation and recreation 60-planning. 61- (2) PROJECT PLAN.— 62- (a) By July 1, 2027, the department shall develop a 63-project plan for the restoration of the Ocklawaha River. The 64-project plan must provide for restoration and increased 65-resiliency and recreation benefits of the Ocklawaha and St. 66-Johns Rivers and Silver Springs. The project plan must be 67-consistent with the partial restoration plan described in the 68-2001 Final Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the United 69-States Department of Agriculture Forest Service for the 70-department's Ocklawaha River Restoration Project, as described 71-in the department's Joint Application for Environmental Resource 72-Permit and Federal Dredge and Fill Permit, dated November 24, 73-1997. The project plan must include engineering and design 74-updates, including topographic and bathymetric surveys, and 75--HB 981 2026--CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.-hb981-00-Page 4 of 8-F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S--precise estimates of material to be dredged or excavated. In 76-addition, the project plan must provide recommendations for road 77-and bridge construction that is compatible with the partial 78-restoration plan and ensures continued access for the 79-communities west of the project. The project plan must include 80-estimates by fiscal year of the cost of implementing the project 81-plan and potential sources of funding for such costs. 82- (b) Notwithstanding any law or rule, the project plan for 83-the restoration of the Ocklawaha River is an environmental 84-restoration or enhancement project subject to a general permit 85-from the department and water management districts for 86-environmental restoration or enhancement pursuant to rule 62-87-330.405, F.A.C., and rule 62-330.485, F.A.C. 88- (c) Subject to the provision of state, federal, or other 89-funds, the department shall complete the restoration project by 90-December 31, 2032. 91- (3) NORTHEAST FLORIDA RIVER AND SPRINGS RECREATION AND 92-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.— 93- (a) Establishment of the council.— 94- 1. The Northeast Florida River and Springs Recreation and 95-Economic Development Advisory Council, an advisory council as 96-defined in s. 20.03(7), is established and assigned to the 97-department. The council shall be administratively housed within 98-the department. The project lead shall serve as the council 99-chair, and the members shall meet at the call of the project 100--HB 981 2026--CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.-hb981-00-Page 5 of 8-F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S--lead. Members shall serve without compensation but are entitled 101-to reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 102-112.061. Council members shall serve 4-year terms, except that 103-the initial terms shall be staggered. 104- 2. The council shall be composed of the following 15 105-members: 106- a. Nine members of the council shall be appointed by and 107-serve at the pleasure of the Governor and shall include: 108- (I) Two representatives of river recreation-related 109-businesses local to Marion or Putnam Counties. 110- (II) Two representatives of outdoor recreation user 111-groups, one of whom represents fishing interests local to Marion 112-or Putnam Counties. 113- (III) One representative of the department's Office of 114-Greenways and Trails. 115- (IV) One representative of the Florida Fish and Wildlife 116-Conservation Commission's Division of Freshwater Fisheries 117-Management. 118- (V) One representative of the Florida Fish and Wildlife 119-Conservation Commission's Imperiled Species Management Section. 120- (VI) One representative of the Department of Commerce. 121- (VII) One representative of an environmental community 122-support organization who has subject matter expertise on springs 123-or rivers. 124- b. Six members of the council shall be appointed by the 125--HB 981 2026--CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.-hb981-00-Page 6 of 8-F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S--boards of county commissioners for the following counties: 126- (I) Putnam County shall appoint two members, one of whom 127-must oversee parks and recreation for the county. 128- (II) Marion County shall appoint two members, one of whom 129-must oversee parks and recreation for the county. 130- (III) Clay County shall appoint one member. 131- (IV) St. Johns County shall appoint one member. 132- (b) Report.—The council shall submit an advisory report to 133-the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the 134-House of Representatives, and the department by February 1, 135-2027. The report must include all of the following: 136- 1. Recommendations for projects to be included in the 137-outdoor recreation plan created in subsection (4), including 138-priorities for state-funded land projects. 139- 2. Recommendations to the department for the creation of 140-guidelines to govern the grant program created in subsection 141-(5). 142- 3. Recommendations to the Department of Commerce for the 143-creation of guidelines to administer the economic development 144-program created in subsection (6). 145- 4. Recommendations for measures to minimize the impact of 146-the restoration plan on property owners or businesses directly 147-affected by the restoration project. 148- (c) Repeal.—In accordance with s. 20.052(8), this 149-subsection is repealed October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and 150--HB 981 2026--CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.-hb981-00-Page 7 of 8-F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S--saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature. 151- (4) OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN.— 152- (a) The department, in collaboration with the Fish and 153-Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Northeast Florida River 154-and Springs Recreation and Economic Development Advisory 155-Council, and the local governments of river communities in Clay, 156-Marion, Putnam, and St. Johns Counties, shall develop an outdoor 157-recreation plan. 158- (b) The outdoor recreation plan must identify and 159-implement projects for enhanced and expanded river and springs 160-access for recreational activities, such as fishing, hunting, 161-swimming, wildlife viewing, paddling, and hiking. Such projects 162-must be compatible with the project plan and applicable 163-statutes. The outdoor recreation plan must be made available for 164-public comment before its implementation. 165- (c) The department shall implement the outdoor recreation 166-plan by January 1, 2028. 167- (d) Subject to the provision of state, federal, or other 168-funds, the department shall complete projects on state-owned 169-lands identified in the outdoor recreation plan by December 31, 170-2035. 171- (5) GRANT PROGRAM.— 172- (a) By January 1, 2028, the department shall develop a 173-grant program for river communities in Clay, Marion, Putnam, and 174-St. Johns Counties to implement the outdoor recreation plan. 175--HB 981 2026--CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.-hb981-00-Page 8 of 8-F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S-- (b) The grant program must be compatible with the project 176-plan and outdoor recreation plan. 177- (c) The department shall implement the grant program by 178-January 1, 2028. 179- (6) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.— 180- (a) The Department of Commerce shall develop guidelines 181-and processes for an economic development program for Marion and 182-Putnam Counties. The economic development program must support 183-projects that encourage job creation, capital investment, and 184-strengthening and diversification of each county's economy. 185- (b) The economic development program must be compatible 186-with the project plan, the outdoor recreation plan, and the 187-grant program. 188- (c) The Department of Commerce shall implement the 189-economic development program by January 1, 2028. 190- Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 191+ (III) One representative of the department's Office of 16+Greenways and Trails. 17+ (IV) One representative of the Florida Fish and Wildlife 18+Conservation Commission's Division of Freshwater Fisheries 19+Management. 20+ (V) One representative of the Florida Fish and Wildlife 21+Conservation Commission's Imperiled Species Management Section. 22+ (VI) One representative of the Department of Commerce. 23+ (VII) One representative of an environmental community 24+support organization who has subject matter expertise on springs 25+or rivers. 26+ b. Six members of the council shall be appointed by the 27+boards of county commissioners for the following counties: 28+ (I) Putnam County shall appoint two members, one of whom 29+must oversee parks and recreation for the county. 30+ (II) Marion County shall appoint two members, one of whom 31+must oversee parks and recreation for the county. 32+ (III) Clay County shall appoint one member. 33+ (IV) St. Johns County shall appoint one member. 34+ c. The commanding officer of Naval Air Station 35+Jacksonville or his or her designee. 36
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