THE BILL ITSELF
SB 1658
Cattle Grazing on State Land
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1658 By Senator Truenow 13-01296-26 20261658__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to cattle grazing on state land;
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amending s. 253.034, F.S.; requiring land managing
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entities to consider the feasibility of leasing
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portions of land to private entities for cattle
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grazing when land management plans are being developed
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or updated; providing requirements for the land
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management plan; requiring land managing entities to
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allow such lands to be leased for such purpose under
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certain conditions; providing applicability; providing
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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 paragraphs (d) through (i) of subsection
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(5) of section 253.034, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as
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paragraphs (e) through (j), respectively, a new paragraph (d) is
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added to that subsection, and subsection (4) and present
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paragraph (g) of subsection (5) of that section are amended, to
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read:
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253.034 State-owned lands; uses.—
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(4) A management agreement, lease, or other instrument
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authorizing the use of lands owned by the board of trustees may
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not be executed for a period greater than is necessary to
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provide for the reasonable use of the land for the existing or
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planned life cycle or amortization of the improvements, except
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that an easement in perpetuity may be granted by the board of
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trustees if the improvement is a transportation facility. If an
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entity managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of
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trustees does not meet the short-term goals under paragraph
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(5)(b) for conservation lands, the Department of Environmental
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Protection may submit the lands to the Acquisition and
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Restoration Council to review whether the short-term goals
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should be modified, consider whether the lands should be offered
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to another entity for management or leasing, or recommend to the
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board of trustees whether to surplus the lands. If an entity
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managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of trustees
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does not meet the short-term goals under paragraph (5)(j) (5)(i)
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for nonconservation lands, the department may submit the lands
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to the board of trustees to consider whether to require the
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managing or leasing entity to release its interest in the lands
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and to consider whether to surplus the lands. If the state-owned
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lands are determined to be surplus, the board of trustees may
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require an entity to release its interest in the lands. An
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entity managing or leasing state-owned lands from the board of
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trustees may not sublease such lands without prior review by the
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Division of State Lands and, for conservation lands, by the
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Acquisition and Restoration Council. All management agreements,
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leases, or other instruments authorizing the use of lands owned
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by the board of trustees shall be reviewed for approval by the
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board of trustees or its designee. The council is not required
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to review subleases of parcels which are less than 160 acres in
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size.
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(5) Each manager of conservation lands shall submit to the
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Division of State Lands a land management plan at least every 10
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years in a form and manner adopted by rule of the board of
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trustees and in accordance with s. 259.032. Each manager of
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conservation lands shall also update a land management plan
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whenever the manager proposes to add new facilities or make
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substantive land use or management changes that were not
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addressed in the approved plan, or within 1 year after the
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addition of significant new lands. Each manager of
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nonconservation lands shall submit to the Division of State
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Lands a land use plan at least every 10 years in a form and
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manner adopted by rule of the board of trustees. The division
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shall review each plan for compliance with the requirements of
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this subsection and the requirements of the rules adopted by the
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board of trustees pursuant to this section. All nonconservation
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land use plans, whether for single-use or multiple-use
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properties, must be managed to provide the greatest benefit to
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the state. Plans for managed areas larger than 1,000 acres must
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contain an analysis of the multiple-use potential of the
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property which includes the potential of the property to
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generate revenues to enhance the management of the property. In
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addition, the plan must contain an analysis of the potential use
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of private land managers to facilitate the restoration or
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management of these lands and whether nonconservation lands
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would be more appropriately transferred to the county or
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municipality in which the land is located for the purpose of
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providing affordable multifamily rental housing that meets the
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criteria of s. 420.0004(3). If a newly acquired property has a
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valid conservation plan that was developed by a soil and water
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conservation district, such plan must be used to guide
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management of the property until a formal land use plan is
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completed.
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(d) When a land management plan is developed or updated,
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the land managing entity must consider the feasibility of
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leasing portions of the land to private entities for cattle
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grazing. Any lands determined to be suitable must be described
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in the land management plan, and the land managing entity must
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allow such lands to be leased for such purpose. If the land
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managing entity determines no portions of the land are suitable
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for such leases, the entity must include an explanation for its
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determination in the land management plan.
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(h) (g) The Division of State Lands shall make available to
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the public at least 30 days before the public hearing required
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by paragraph (g) (f) an electronic copy of each land management
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plan for parcels that exceed 160 acres in size and for parcels
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located within a state park. The division shall review each plan
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for compliance with the requirements of this subsection, the
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requirements of chapter 259, and the requirements of the rules
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adopted by the board of trustees pursuant to this section. The
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Acquisition and Restoration Council shall also consider the
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propriety of the recommendations of the managing entity with
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regard to the future use of the property, the protection of
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fragile or nonrenewable resources, the potential for alternative
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or multiple uses not recognized by the managing entity, and the
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possibility of disposal of the property by the board of
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trustees. After its review, the council shall submit the plan,
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along with its recommendations and comments, to the board of
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trustees. The council shall specifically recommend to the board
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of trustees whether to approve the plan as submitted, approve
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the plan with modifications, or reject the plan. If the council
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fails to make a recommendation for a land management plan, the
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Secretary of Environmental Protection, Commissioner of
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Agriculture, or executive director of the Fish and Wildlife
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Conservation Commission or their designees must submit the land
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management plan to the board of trustees.
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Section 2. The amendments made to s. 253.034, Florida
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Statutes, by this act apply to land management plans developed
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or updated on or after July 1, 2026.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.