THE BILL ITSELF
HB 1249
Police Powers of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to police powers of the Fish and
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Wildlife Conservation Commission; amending s.
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379.3311, F.S.; specifying the conditions under which
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commission officers and other commission personnel may
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enter private property; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection
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(2) of section 379.3311, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
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379.3311 Police powers of commission and its agents.—
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(1) The commission, the executive director and the
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executive director's assistants designated by her or him, and
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each commission officer are constituted peace officers with the
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power to make arrests for violations of the laws of this state
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when committed in the presence of the officer or when committed
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on lands under the supervision and management of the commission,
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the department, the Board of Trustees of the Internal
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Improvement Trust Fund, or the Department of Agriculture and
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Consumer Services, including state parks, coastal and aquatic
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managed areas, and greenways and trails. The general laws
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applicable to arrests by peace officers of this state shall also
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be applicable to such director, assistants, and commission
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officers. Such persons may enter upon any land or waters of the
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state in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as
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a law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 943.10(1), for
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performance of their lawful duties and may take with them any
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necessary equipment, and such entry does not constitute a
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trespass.
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(2) Such officers may enforce throughout the state all
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laws relating to game, nongame birds, fish, and fur-bearing
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animals and all rules and regulations of the commission relating
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to wild animal life, marine life, and freshwater aquatic life,
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and in connection with such laws, rules, and regulations, in the
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enforcement thereof and in the performance of their duties
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thereunder, to:
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(a) Go upon all premises in the same manner and subject to
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the same requirements as a law enforcement officer, as defined
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in s. 943.10(1), posted or otherwise;
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.