SESSION WATCH
Superseded — its companion passed SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/SB 934

Areas of Critical State Concern
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SPONSOR
Community Affairs; Rodriguez
FILED BY
Ana Maria Rodriguez — District 40, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
COMPANION
CS/HB 755 — CS/SB 934 was set aside and its companion carried the policy

Filed under Environment & Water.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Areas of Critical State Concern; Providing an exemption from specified payment and performance bond requirements for specified entities under specified conditions; extending the time period specific Florida Forever appropriations must be spent on land acquisition in the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Extends Florida Keys land-acquisition funding mandate through fiscal year 2036.

The bill extends, from fiscal year 2026-2027 to fiscal year 2035-2036, the window during which at least $5 million a year of Florida Forever funds must go to land acquisition in the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern.

Separately, it exempts certain public works contractors from posting a payment and performance bond when building on land within an area of critical state concern under a 99-year-or-longer ground lease with Habitat for Humanity or its local affiliates.

Without that bond, unpaid subcontractors and suppliers can still file a mechanic's lien against the leasehold itself, but the underlying land owned by the state or local government stays protected from any lien claims.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Nine-year extension of Florida Keys land-acquisition mandate majors. 259.105

AIThe requirement that at least $5 million a year of Florida Forever funds be spent on land acquisition in the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern now runs through fiscal year 2035-2036 instead of ending in 2026-2027.

“continuing through the 2035-2036 fiscal year, at least $5 million of the funds allocated pursuant to this paragraph shall be spent on land acquisition”
§ 2 Bond exemption for Habitat for Humanity ground-lease projects majors. 255.05

AIA contractor may be exempted from the payment and performance bond otherwise required for public works, if the project sits on critical-state-concern land under a 99-year-or-longer ground lease with Habitat for Humanity or a local affiliate.

“A person may be exempted from executing the payment and performance bond required under this subsection if the following conditions are met” bill text, line 29 →
§ 3 Underlying public land shielded from liens on leasehold work moderates. 255.05

AIEven though the leasehold interest can be subject to mechanic's lien claims when no bond is posted, the underlying property owned by the state or a local government cannot be subjected to any lien rights under chapter 713.

“is not subject to any lien rights created under chapter 713” bill text, line 43 →
TIMELINE
3/10/2026
Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 755 (Ch....
3/10/2026
Substituted CS/HB 755 -SJ 742
3/10/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 742
3/5/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 03/10/26
3/4/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
3/3/2026
Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 21 NAYS 0
2/26/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 03/03/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
2/25/2026
Now in Rules
2/25/2026
Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment,...
2/20/2026
On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Agriculture,...
2/18/2026
CS by Community Affairs read 1st time
2/12/2026
Now in Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and...
2/12/2026
Remaining references corrected to Appropriations Committee on...
2/12/2026
Original reference(s) removed: Finance and Tax
2/11/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/10/2026
CS by Community Affairs; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
2/5/2026
On Committee agenda-- Community Affairs, 02/10/26, 3:00 pm, 37...
1/13/2026
Introduced
1/5/2026
Referred to Community Affairs; Finance and Tax; Rules
12/17/2025
Filed
14 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 255.05
+147 / −0
s. 259.105
+1 / −1
STAFF ANALYSES
2 MORE →