Florida Senate - 2021 SB By Senator Rodriguez 39-01124-21 20211668__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled

An act relating to seagrass mitigation banks; amending s. 253.03, F.S.; authorizing the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to establish seagrass mitigation banks under certain conditions; 5 providing construction; providing an effective date. 6

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8

Section 1. Subsection (17) is added to

section 253.03, 10 Florida Statutes, to read: 11 253.03 Board of trustees to administer state lands; lands enumerated.— 13

(17) The board of trustees may establish seagrass mitigation banks under s. 373.4136 to ensure the preservation and regeneration of seagrass, as defined in s. 253.04(3)(a), and to offset the unavoidable impacts of projects when seagrass banks meet the public interest criteria under chapters and 18 258. This subsection does not prohibit mitigation for impacts to seagrass or other habitats on sovereignty or nonsovereignty submerged lands, upon approval of the board of trustees. 21

Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021. 22