THE BILL ITSELF
CS/SB 544
Golf Courses
Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 544 By the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources; and Senator Truenow 592-01911-26 2026544c1
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to golf courses; transferring,
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renumbering, and amending s. 403.9339, F.S.; providing
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a short title; providing legislative findings and
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intent regarding golf course best management practices
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certification; defining the term “department”;
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providing for a type two transfer of the Golf Course
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Best Management Practices Certification program in the
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Department of Environmental Protection to the
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Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;
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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. Section 403.9339, Florida Statutes, is
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transferred, renumbered as section 604.75, Florida Statutes, and
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amended to read:
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604.75 403.9339 Golf course best management practices
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certification.—
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(1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the
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“Golf Course Best Management Practices Certification Act.”
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(2) The Legislature finds that, due to the foundational
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agricultural nature of golf courses and since the Department of
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Agriculture and Consumer Services oversees best management
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practices programs for sod growing operations and for the green
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industry, it is appropriate for the department to oversee golf
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course best management practices certification. Certified
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participants must abide by the best management practices
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governing the application of fertilizer on sod.
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(3) As used in this section, the term “department” means
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the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
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(4) (1) To provide a means of documenting and ensuring
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compliance with best management practices for fertilizer
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application to golf courses, the turfgrass science program at
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the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural
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Sciences, in coordination with the department, shall administer
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a certification for golf course best management practices.
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(5) (2) The turfgrass science program, in cooperation with
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the department, shall:
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(a) Provide training and testing programs in golf course
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best management practices and may issue certificates
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demonstrating satisfactory completion of the training.
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(b) Approve training and testing programs in golf course
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best management practices that are equivalent to or more
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comprehensive than the programs provided by the turfgrass
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science program under this subsection paragraph (a) . Such
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programs must be reviewed and reapproved by the turfgrass
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science program if significant changes are made.
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(6) (3) To obtain a golf course best management practices
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certification, an applicant must submit to the turfgrass science
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program a copy of the training certificate issued under
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subsection (5) (2) .
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(7) (4) A golf course best management practices
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certification issued under this section expires 4 years after
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the date of issuance. Upon expiration of the certification, or
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after a grace period of not more than 30 days after the
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expiration date, a recertification may be issued.
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(8) (5) To obtain a golf course best management practices
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recertification, an applicant must submit to the turfgrass
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science program proof of having completed 8 classroom hours of
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continuing education, of which at least 2 hours must address
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fertilizer best management practices.
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(9) (6) A person certified under this section is exempt
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from:
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(a) Additional local training.
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(b) Local ordinances relating to water and fertilizer use
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blackout periods or restrictions, unless a state of emergency is
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declared. The certified person must continue to coordinate with
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the local government to ensure that he or she adheres to the
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comprehensive best management practices for that specific
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community.
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(10) (7) This section does not exempt a person certified
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under this section from complying with the rules and
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requirements for basin management action plans set forth in s.
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403.067(7) if the golf course is located in an area within a
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basin management action plan.
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(11)(a) (8)(a) The turfgrass science program may provide the
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certification status of persons certified under this section to
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local and state governmental entities.
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(b) The turfgrass science program is encouraged to create a
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registry of persons certified under this section on its website.
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Section 2. Type two transfer from the Department of
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Environmental Protection.—
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(1) All powers, duties, functions, and administrative
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authority relating to the Golf Course Best Management Practices
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Certification program within the Department of Environmental
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Protection are transferred by a type two transfer, as defined in
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s. 20.06(2), Florida Statutes, to the Department of Agriculture
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and Consumer Services.
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(2) Any binding contract or interagency agreement existing
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before July 1, 2026, between the Department of Environmental
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Protection, or an entity or agent of the department, and any
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other agency, entity, or person relating to the Golf Course Best
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Management Practices Certification program shall continue as a
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binding contract or agreement for the remainder of the term of
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such contract or agreement on the successor entity responsible
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for the program, activity, or functions relative to the contract
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or agreement.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.