SESSION WATCH
Superseded — its companion passed SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/SB 546

Conservation Lands
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SPONSOR
Environment and Natural Resources; Mayfield
FILED BY
Debbie Mayfield — District 19, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
COMPANION
CS/HB 441 — CS/SB 546 was set aside and its companion carried the policy

Filed under Environment & Water.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Conservation Lands; Requiring the Division of State Lands to publish certain information on its website before the Acquisition and Restoration Council or the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund meets to review the proposed sale of conservation lands; requiring that certain parcels proposed for exchange be appraised in accordance with certain criteria; requiring the governing board of a water management district to publish certain information on its website before meeting to review the proposed sale or exchange of certain lands, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Requires 30-day public notice before selling or trading conservation land.

Before the state considers selling conservation land, the Division of State Lands must now post the parcels and its reason for calling them no longer needed for conservation at least 30 days ahead of the review meeting.

The same 30-day public notice applies before a state land exchange goes to a vote: parcels on both sides, what portion gets a permanent conservation easement, and a statement of the conservation benefit must all be posted first.

Any parcel proposed for a land exchange with the state must now also get at least one appraisal that follows the board of trustees' own adopted appraisal criteria, techniques, and methods.

Water management districts face the identical 30-day public-notice duty before their governing boards vote to sell or exchange land no longer needed for conservation purposes.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Requires 30-day public notice before state land sales majors. 253.0341

AIAt least 30 days before the Acquisition and Restoration Council or the board of trustees meets to review a proposed sale of conservation land, the Division of State Lands must publish the parcels for sale and its reason for calling them no longer needed for conservation.

“At least 30 days before any meeting of the Acquisition and Restoration Council or board of trustees to review the proposed sale of conservation lands,” bill text, line 38 →
§ 2 Requires 30-day public notice before state land exchanges majors. 253.42

AIBefore the council or board of trustees can review a proposed land exchange, the Division of State Lands must post both sides' parcels, which portions get a permanent conservation easement, and a statement of the conservation benefit the exchange produces.

“At least 30 days before any meeting of the Acquisition and Restoration Council or board of trustees to review the proposed land exchange of conservation” bill text, line 38 →
§ 3 Requires 30-day public notice before district land sales majors. 373.089

AIBefore a water management district's governing board meets to review selling or exchanging conservation land, the district must publish the parcels involved, any conservation-easement portion, and its reason the land is no longer needed for conservation.

“At least 30 days before the governing board meets to review the proposed sale or exchange of such lands, the governing board shall publish” bill text, line 130 →
§ 4 Requires an appraisal for parcels proposed in a land exchange moderates. 253.42

AIEvery parcel offered for a land exchange under this subsection must now get at least one appraisal, and that appraisal must follow the criteria, techniques, and methods the board of trustees has already adopted.

“Each parcel proposed for exchange pursuant to this subsection must have at least one appraisal that follows the appraisal criteria, techniques, and methods” bill text, line 83 →
TIMELINE
2/26/2026
Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 441 (Ch....
2/26/2026
Substituted CS/HB 441 -SJ 456
2/26/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 456
2/23/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/26/26
2/18/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/17/2026
Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 23 NAYS 0
2/12/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/17/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
2/5/2026
Now in Rules
2/4/2026
Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment,...
1/30/2026
On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Agriculture,...
1/14/2026
CS by Environment and Natural Resources read 1st time
1/14/2026
Now in Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and...
1/14/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
1/13/2026
Introduced
1/13/2026
CS by Environment and Natural Resources; YEAS 7 NAYS 0
1/8/2026
On Committee agenda-- Environment and Natural Resources, 01/13/26,...
12/9/2025
Referred to Environment and Natural Resources; Appropriations...
11/18/2025
Filed
12 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 253.0341
+67 / −2
s. 253.42
+208 / −61
s. 373.089
+93 / −0
s. 215.196
+2 / −2
s. 253.0341
+0 / −0
s. 253.42
+0 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES
2 MORE →