THE BILL ITSELF

HR 8017

St. Johns County Day

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

1 House Resolution

2 A resolution designating February 5, 2026, as "St.

3 Johns County Day" in Florida.

5 WHEREAS, St. Johns County was established in 1821 and is

6 recognized as one of the first counties in the State of Florida,

7 and

8 WHEREAS, St. Johns County is home to the city of St

9 Augustine, which was established in 1565 and is the oldest

10 continuously occupied city of European origin in the United

11 States, and

12 WHEREAS, St. Johns County has a rich cultural heritage and

13 boasts numerous historical landmarks, including the location of

14 the first documented reference of a wooden watchtower in the

15 United States, which later became the St. Augustine Lighthouse;

16 the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fortification in

17 the continental United States; and Fort Mose, the first free

18 African American community in the United States, and

19 WHEREAS, the early modernization of Florida began in St.

20 Johns County through the vision of Henry Flagler, whose

21 development of the railroad and the construction of the Hotel

22 Ponce de Leon, which is now the esteemed Flagler College, helped

23 shape the foundation of the region's growth, and

24 WHEREAS, St. Johns County has 42 miles of pristine

25 coastline which includes beaches listed in Tripadvisor's Top 10

26 U.S. Beaches ratings, and

27 WHEREAS, St. Johns County is consistently ranked among

28 Florida's best public school systems, and

29 WHEREAS, St. Johns County hosts the Nights of Lights, one

30 of the highest rated holiday light displays in the world by

31 National Geographic, and

32 WHEREAS, St. Johns County stands as a pillar of Florida's

33 history and tourism industry, continually contributing to this

34 state's prosperity through vibrant communities, cultural

35 enrichment, world class recreational opportunities, economic

36 development, and a high quality of life, and

37 WHEREAS, "St. Johns County Day" serves as a valuable

38 opportunity to celebrate the county's profound historical

39 contributions, natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and

40 continued impact on the success and identity of this state, NOW,

41 THEREFORE,

43 Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

44 Florida:

46 That February 5, 2026, is designated as "St. Johns County

47 Day" in Florida.