THE BILL ITSELF
SB 34
Historic Cemeteries Program
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 34 By Senator Sharief 35-00005-26 202634__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to the Historic Cemeteries Program;
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amending s. 267.21, F.S.; requiring local governments
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to approve applications from historic African-American
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cemeteries to change the land use category and zoning
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district of excess vacant land under certain
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conditions; providing an effective date.
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WHEREAS, the State of Florida recognizes the work done by
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the University of South Florida’s Black Cemetery Network to
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reclaim black histories that have been underrepresented, to
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redress the exploitation and erasure of these African-American
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cemeteries due to urban redevelopment and land use practices,
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and to restore dignity to these cemeteries and honor the
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deceased, and
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WHEREAS, the Black Cemetery Network has identified and
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registered 35 sites in Florida, and
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WHEREAS, the Legislature passed House Bill 49 during the
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2023 Regular Session, and it was signed into law by the Governor
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on May 25, 2023, creating the Historic Cemeteries Program, and
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WHEREAS, the Historic Cemeteries Program provides grants to
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eligible cemeteries for preservation efforts; however, some of
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these cemeteries have vacant land that could be sold to help
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fund the long-term maintenance and upkeep of such cemeteries,
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ensuring that the grants are used for the initial preservation
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efforts of these cemeteries, NOW, THEREFORE,
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Present subsection (3) of section 267.21,
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Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (4), and a new
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subsection (3) is added to that section, to read:
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267.21 Historic Cemeteries Program.—
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(3) If a historic African-American cemetery with excess
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vacant land sells or enters into a contract to sell such land
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for the express purpose of funding the cemetery’s long-term
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maintenance and upkeep, the local government where such cemetery
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is located must approve an application to change the land use
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designation and zoning of such land to match the most permissive
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land use category and zoning district adjacent to the excess
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property.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.