SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

CS/HB 1421

Cattle Grazing on State Land

VERSION H 1421 c1 · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to cattle grazing on state land;
3 amending s. 253.034, F.S.; requiring land managing
4 entities to identify existing grazable lands and
5 consider whether leasing portions of such land to
6 private entities for cattle grazing is appropriate
7 based on certain goals; requiring land managing
8 entities to consider certain information when
9 determining such appropriateness; requiring lands
10 determined to be appropriate for cattle grazing to be
11 described in the land management plan; requiring land
12 managing entities to allow such lands to be leased for
13 such purpose; prohibiting cattle grazing leases from
14 allowing the conversion of native wildlife habitat to
15 improved pasture; requiring land managing entities to
16 include in the land management plan an explanation for
17 a determination that no portions of such land are
18 appropriate for cattle grazing; amending s. 369.252,
19 F.S.; revising requirements for a Fish and Wildlife
20 Conservation Commission program to control invasive
21 plants; providing applicability; providing an
22 effective date.
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
26 Section 1. Paragraphs (d) through (i) of subsection (5) of
27 section 253.034, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
28 paragraphs (e) through (j), respectively, a new paragraph (d) is
29 added to that subsection, and subsection (4) and present paragraph (g) of subsection (5) of that section are amended, to
31 read:
32 253.034 State-owned lands; uses.—
33 (4) A management agreement, lease, or other instrument
34 authorizing the use of lands owned by the board of trustees may
35 not be executed for a period greater than is necessary to
36 provide for the reasonable use of the land for the existing or
37 planned life cycle or amortization of the improvements, except
38 that an easement in perpetuity may be granted by the board of
39 trustees if the improvement is a transportation facility. If an
40 entity managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of
41 trustees does not meet the short-term goals under paragraph
42 (5)(b) for conservation lands, the Department of Environmental
43 Protection may submit the lands to the Acquisition and
44 Restoration Council to review whether the short-term goals
45 should be modified, consider whether the lands should be offered
46 to another entity for management or leasing, or recommend to the
47 board of trustees whether to surplus the lands. If an entity
48 managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of trustees
49 does not meet the short-term goals under paragraph (5)(j) (5)(i)
50 for nonconservation lands, the department may submit the lands
51 to the board of trustees to consider whether to require the
52 managing or leasing entity to release its interest in the lands
53 and to consider whether to surplus the lands. If the state-owned
54 lands are determined to be surplus, the board of trustees may
55 require an entity to release its interest in the lands. An
56 entity managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of
57 trustees may not sublease such lands without prior review by the
58 Division of State Lands and, for conservation lands, by the
59 Acquisition and Restoration Council. All management agreements,
60 leases, or other instruments authorizing the use of lands owned
61 by the board of trustees shall be reviewed for approval by the
62 board of trustees or its designee. The council is not required
63 to review subleases of parcels which are less than 160 acres in
64 size.
65 (5) Each manager of conservation lands shall submit to the
66 Division of State Lands a land management plan at least every 10
67 years in a form and manner adopted by rule of the board of
68 trustees and in accordance with s. 259.032. Each manager of
69 conservation lands shall also update a land management plan
70 whenever the manager proposes to add new facilities or make
71 substantive land use or management changes that were not
72 addressed in the approved plan, or within 1 year after the
73 addition of significant new lands. Each manager of
74 nonconservation lands shall submit to the Division of State
75 Lands a land use plan at least every 10 years in a form and
76 manner adopted by rule of the board of trustees. The division
77 shall review each plan for compliance with the requirements of
78 this subsection and the requirements of the rules adopted by the
79 board of trustees pursuant to this section. All nonconservation
80 land use plans, whether for single-use or multiple-use
81 properties, must be managed to provide the greatest benefit to
82 the state. Plans for managed areas larger than 1,000 acres must
83 contain an analysis of the multiple-use potential of the
84 property which includes the potential of the property to
85 generate revenues to enhance the management of the property. In
86 addition, the plan must contain an analysis of the potential use
87 of private land managers to facilitate the restoration or
88 management of these lands and whether nonconservation lands
89 would be more appropriately transferred to the county or
90 municipality in which the land is located for the purpose of
91 providing affordable multifamily rental housing that meets the
92 criteria of s. 420.0004(3). If a newly acquired property has a
93 valid conservation plan that was developed by a soil and water
94 conservation district, such plan must be used to guide
95 management of the property until a formal land use plan is
96 completed.
97 (d) When a land management plan is developed or updated,
98 the land managing entity must identify existing grazable lands
99 and consider whether leasing portions of the land to private
100 entities for cattle grazing is appropriate based on any
101 ecological, wildlife, and public recreation goals of such lands.
102 When determining such appropriateness, the managing entity must
103 consider, if such land were to be leased for cattle grazing, a
104 maximum stocking rate; grazing term, if not continuous; method
105 of animal containment; and sources of water and forage
106 available. Any lands determined to be appropriate for cattle
107 grazing must be described in the land management plan, and the
108 land managing entity must allow such lands to be leased for such
109 purpose. Cattle grazing leases shall not allow the conversion of
110 native wildlife habitat to improved pasture. If the land
111 managing entity determines no portions of the land are
112 appropriate for such leases, the entity must include an
113 explanation for its determination in the land management plan.
114 (h)(g) The Division of State Lands shall make available to
115 the public at least 30 days before the public hearing required
116 by paragraph (g) (f) an electronic copy of each land management
117 plan for parcels that exceed 160 acres in size and for parcels
118 located within a state park. The division shall review each plan
119 for compliance with the requirements of this subsection, the
120 requirements of chapter 259, and the requirements of the rules
121 adopted by the board of trustees pursuant to this section. The
122 Acquisition and Restoration Council shall also consider the
123 propriety of the recommendations of the managing entity with
124 regard to the future use of the property, the protection of
125 fragile or nonrenewable resources, the potential for alternative
126 or multiple uses not recognized by the managing entity, and the
127 possibility of disposal of the property by the board of
128 trustees. After its review, the council shall submit the plan,
129 along with its recommendations and comments, to the board of
130 trustees. The council shall specifically recommend to the board
131 of trustees whether to approve the plan as submitted, approve
132 the plan with modifications, or reject the plan. If the council
133 fails to make a recommendation for a land management plan, the
134 Secretary of Environmental Protection, Commissioner of
135 Agriculture, or executive director of the Fish and Wildlife
136 Conservation Commission or their designees must submit the land
137 management plan to the board of trustees.
138 Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 369.252, Florida
139 Statutes, is amended to read:
140 369.252 Invasive plant control on public lands.—The Fish
141 and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall establish a program
142 to:
143 (3) Contract, or enter into agreements, with entities in
144 the State University System or other governmental or private
145 sector entities for research concerning control agents;
146 production and growth of biological control agents; and
147 development of workable methods for the eradication or
148 maintenance control of invasive exotic plants on public lands,
149 including the use of cattle grazing; and
150 Section 3. The amendments made to s. 253.034, Florida
151 Statutes, by this act apply to land management plans developed
152 or updated on or after July 1, 2026.
153 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.