Florida legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Florida H479: Land and Water Management
Status: Failed, March 13, 2026
Prohibits counties & municipalities from adopting laws, regulations, rules, policies, or ordinances that prohibit adjacent upland activities that are outside certain wetland buffers; repeals provisions relating to land management review teams.
What the bill says
An act relating to land and water management; creating s. 373.027, F.S.; prohibiting counties and municipalities from adopting a law, regulation, rule, policy, or ordinance that prohibits adjacent upland activities that are outside a certain wetland buffer; providing applicability and construction; repealing s. 373.591, F.S., relating to management review teams; providing an effective date.
From the introduced text, January 14, 2026:
An act relating to land and water management; creating s. 373.027, F.S.; prohibiting counties and municipalities from adopting a law, regulation, rule, policy, or ordinance that prohibits adjacent upland activities that are outside a certain wetland buffer; providing applicability and construction; repealing s. 373.591, F.S., relating to management review teams; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 373.027, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 373.027 Prohibition on counties and municipalities prohibiting adjacent upland activities outside a certain wetland buffer.— (1) A county or municipality may not adopt a law, regulation, rule, policy, or ordinance that prohibits adjacent upland activities that are outside a wetland buffer that is a minimum width of 15 feet from the wetland and an average width of 25 feet from the wetland. (2) This section does not: (a) Apply to an interagency or interlocal agreement between the department and any agency, water management CS/HB 479 2026 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb479-01-c1 Page 2 of FLORIDAHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES district, or local government conducting programs relating to or materially affecting the water resources of the state. (b) Affect the authority of a county or municipality to regulate and operate its own water system, wastewater system, or stormwater system. Section 2. Section 373.591, Florida Statutes, …
Sponsors
- Maggard, Randy (R, HD-054) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
- : Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
- : Referred to State Affairs Committee
- : Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
- : 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
- : CS Filed
- : Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
- : Reported out of Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
- : 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
- : Favorable with CS by Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
Votes
- House: Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee (January 13, 2026): 11 yea, 5 nay, passed
- House: Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee (January 13, 2026): 11 yea, 5 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is H479?
- H479 is a bill in the Florida Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Land and Water Management.
- What does H479 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to land and water management; creating s. 373.027, F.S.; prohibiting counties and municipalities from adopting a law, regulation, rule, policy, or ordinance that prohibits adjacent upland activities that are outside a certain wetland buffer; providing applicability and construction; repealing s. 373.591, F.S., relating to management review teams; providing an effective date.
- What is the status of H479?
- Failed as of March 13, 2026. Latest action: Died in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee (March 13, 2026).
- Who sponsored H479?
- Maggard, Randy (R, HD-054).
- Where is the official record for H479?
- On the Florida Legislature website: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/479
Source: official Florida record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.