THE BILL ITSELF
CS/SB 1422
Coral Reefs
Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 1422 By the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources; and Senators Garcia and Jones 592-02472-26 20261422c1
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to coral reefs; amending s. 403.93345,
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F.S.; revising legislative findings; providing a
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legislative designation; 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. Present subsections (5) through (12) of section
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403.93345, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (6)
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through (13), respectively, a new subsection (5) is added to
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that section, and subsection (4) and present subsections (7) and
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(8) of that section are amended, to read:
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403.93345 Coral reef protection.—
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(4) (a) The Legislature finds that coral reefs are valuable
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natural resources that contribute ecologically, aesthetically,
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and economically to the state. Therefore, the Legislature
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declares it is in the best interest of the state to clarify the
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department’s powers and authority to protect coral reefs through
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timely and efficient recovery of monetary damages resulting from
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vessel groundings and anchoring-related injuries.
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(b) The Legislature further finds that coral reefs can help
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mitigate the risks and related loss and damage from floods,
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climate change, and natural disasters. The Legislature
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recognizes that studies have shown that healthy coral reefs can
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protect coastal properties from climate change-related risks and
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disaster events, including storms, high wave events, sea level
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rise, and flooding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
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(FEMA) is responsible for responding to natural disasters and
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providing technical and financial hazard mitigation support,
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primarily distributed as grant funding through FEMA’s hazard
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mitigation assistance programs. Coral reef restoration for risk
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reduction, known as CR4, is an active restoration strategy with
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the aim of increasing the structural integrity and complexity of
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coral reef ecosystems to attenuate wave energy and reduce
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coastal flooding. Legislative recognition of coral reefs as
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critical natural infrastructure and a nature-based solution
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demonstrates political support for nature-based solutions.
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(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department
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be recognized as the state’s lead trustee for coral reef
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resources located within waters of the state or on sovereignty
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submerged lands unless preempted by federal law. This section
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does not divest other state agencies and political subdivisions
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of the state of their interests in protecting coral reefs.
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(5) The Legislature designates coral reefs as critical
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natural infrastructure and as a nature-based solution that helps
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mitigate climate change-related risks and disaster events,
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including storms, high wave events, sea level rise, and
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flooding. As such, the Legislature further designates the
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protection of corals, coral reefs, and coral reef-associated
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hardbottom in Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm
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Beach Counties as being in the public interest.
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(8) (7) The department may use habitat equivalency analysis
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as the method by which the compensation described in subsection
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(7) (5) is calculated. The parameters for calculation by this
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method may be prescribed by rule adopted by the department.
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(9) (8) In addition to the compensation described in
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subsection (7) (5) , the department may assess, per occurrence,
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civil penalties according to the following schedule:
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(a) For any anchoring of a vessel on a coral reef or for
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any other damage to a coral reef totaling less than or equal to
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an area of 1 square meter, $225, provided that a responsible
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party who has anchored a recreational vessel as defined in s.
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327.02 which is lawfully registered or exempt from registration
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pursuant to chapter 328 is issued, at least once, a warning
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letter in lieu of penalty; with aggravating circumstances, an
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additional $225; occurring within a state park or aquatic
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preserve, an additional $225.
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(b) For damage totaling more than an area of 1 square meter
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but less than or equal to an area of 10 square meters, $450 per
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square meter; with aggravating circumstances, an additional $450
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per square meter; occurring within a state park or aquatic
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preserve, an additional $450 per square meter.
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(c) For damage exceeding an area of 10 square meters,
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$1,500 per square meter; with aggravating circumstances, an
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additional $1,500 per square meter; occurring within a state
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park or aquatic preserve, an additional $1,500 per square meter.
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(d) For a second violation, the total penalty may be
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doubled.
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(e) For a third violation, the total penalty may be
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tripled.
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(f) For any violation after a third violation, the total
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penalty may be quadrupled.
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(g) The total of penalties levied may not exceed $375,000
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per occurrence.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.