SESSION WATCH
Became law HOUSE · SESSION 2026 · CHAPTER 2026-44

No. CS/HB 441

Conservation Lands
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SPONSOR
Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee; Kendall; Tant
FILED BY
Kim Kendall — District 18, Republican [search donations]
Allison Tant — District 9, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026

Filed under Environment & Water.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Conservation Lands; Requires Division of State Lands to publish certain information on its website before Acquisition & Restoration Council or Board of Trustees of Internal Improvement Trust Fund meets to review proposed sale of conservation lands; requires that certain parcels proposed for exchange be appraised in accordance with certain criteria; removes provisions requiring division to submit certain requests to Acquisition & Restoration Council for review; removes provisions requiring division to provide certain recommendations to board of trustees; requires division to publish certain information on its website before council or board of trustees meets to review proposed land exchange; requires division to submit certain requests to council for review & requiring council to provide recommendations to division in certain circumstances; requires division to provide certain recommendations to board of trustees in certain circumstances; requires governing board of water management district to publish certain information on its website before meeting to review proposed sale or exchange of certain lands.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Forces public disclosure before officials sell or trade conservation land.

At least 30 days before officials meet to consider selling state conservation land, the Division of State Lands must post the parcels involved and its reasoning on its website.

The same 30-day website notice now applies to proposed land exchanges too, adding the conservation easement details and a statement on how the trade benefits the state.

Every parcel offered in one of these land exchanges must now get at least one appraisal, using valuation criteria and methods the board of trustees has separately adopted.

Water management districts face the same disclosure rule when they sell or trade their own conservation land, publishing parcels, easement terms, and their reasoning 30 days ahead of time.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Requires 30-day advance disclosure before a land sale majors. 253.0341

AIAt least 30 days before the Acquisition and Restoration Council or the board of trustees meets on a proposed conservation-land sale, the Division of State Lands must post the parcels for sale and why they are no longer needed for conservation.

“the Division of State Lands must publish the following information on its website: (a) The parcels of state-owned land for sale” bill text, line 41 →
§ 2 Requires disclosure of the conservation benefit of an exchange majors. 253.42

AIBefore a proposed land exchange is reviewed, the division must publish the parcels involved, the portions kept under conservation easement, and a statement on how the trade benefits the state.

“A statement from the division explaining how the exchange will result in a conservation benefit to the state” bill text, line 107 →
§ 3 Requires an appraisal for every parcel proposed in a land exchange majors. 253.42

AIA parcel offered in a state land-for-land conservation exchange must be appraised using criteria, techniques, and methods the board of trustees has separately adopted, a step the exchange process did not previously require.

“Each parcel proposed for exchange pursuant to this subsection must have at least one appraisal that follows the appraisal criteria” bill text, line 84 →
§ 4 Extends the disclosure duty to water management districts majors. 373.089

AIA water management district governing board must publish the same kind of parcel, easement, and justification information on its website at least 30 days before it meets to approve selling or exchanging its own conservation land.

“shall publish the following information on its website, as applicable: 1. The parcels of district-owned lands for sale or proposed for exchange” bill text, line 134 →
TIMELINE
4/23/2026
Chapter No. 2026-44
4/22/2026
Approved by Governor
4/21/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
2/26/2026
Ordered enrolled
2/26/2026
In Messages
2/26/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 463
2/26/2026
CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 457
2/26/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 457
2/26/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 457
2/26/2026
Substituted for CS/SB 546 -SJ 457
2/26/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/26/2026
Withdrawn from Rules -SJ 456
2/18/2026
Received
2/18/2026
Referred to Rules
2/17/2026
In Messages
2/17/2026
CS passed; YEAS 109, NAYS 0
2/17/2026
Read 3rd time
2/17/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
2/17/2026
Read 2nd time
2/10/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (2/17/2026)
2/3/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/3/2026
Bill released to House Calendar
2/3/2026
Reported out of State Affairs Committee
2/3/2026
Favorable by State Affairs Committee
1/30/2026
Added to State Affairs Committee agenda
1/28/2026
Now in State Affairs Committee
1/28/2026
Reported out of Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee
1/28/2026
Favorable by Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee
1/26/2026
Added to Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee agenda
1/16/2026
Now in Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee
1/16/2026
Referred to State Affairs Committee
1/16/2026
Referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee
1/15/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
1/14/2026
CS Filed
1/14/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
1/13/2026
Reported out of Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
1/13/2026
Favorable with CS by Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
1/9/2026
Added to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee agenda
11/24/2025
Now in Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
11/24/2025
Referred to State Affairs Committee
11/24/2025
Referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee
11/24/2025
Referred to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
11/18/2025
Filed
38 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 253.0341
+67 / −1
s. 253.42
+209 / −61
s. 373.089
+93 / −0
s. 215.196
+2 / −2
s. 253.0341
+0 / −0
s. 253.42
+0 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES