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February 2026
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Legislative Update Week Four – Ending Feb. 6, 2026
The District tracks numerous bills related to the environment, water, land, agriculture and other
District-related issues including human resources, legal, ethics and retirement issues.
Data Centers - SB 484 (Sen. Avila)
Prohibits agencies from entering nondisclosure agreements with data centers that restrict public
disclosure of data center development information. Language pertaining to water management
provides public hearings for water use permits and requirements for large-scale data center
water use permits, including use of reclaimed water if available.
SB 484 passed its first committee in Senate Regulated Industries Jan. 20 and passed in Senate
Community Affairs Committee Feb. 3. It will now move to the Senate Rules Committee.
Landscape Irrigation – SB 508 (Sen. Truenow) and HB 611 (Rep. Cobb)
These bills establish standards and restrictions for landscape irrigation and expand licensing
requirements for irrigation contractors.
Creates the “Landscape Irrigation Standards and Watering Restrictions Act,” requiring minimum
design, installation, and maintenance guidelines for new and modified irrigation systems.
Specifies that only licensed irrigation contractors or property owners may work on irrigation
systems and establish new permit application steps, provided by a local government or water
management district.
Bill language sets one day per week watering schedules and limits based on address and time
of year and authorizes local governments to enforce requirements.
SB 508 and HB 611 have not been heard in committee to date.
Conservation Lands – SB 546 (Sen. Mayfield) and HB 441 (Rep. Kendall)
These bills require the Division of State Lands and water management districts to publish
proposed sales or exchanges of conservation lands at least 30 days before a meeting for the
public to review the proposed action.
Language mandates a statement explaining why the lands are no longer needed for
conservation or how an exchange will benefit conservation efforts.
Specifies that each proposed land exchange must include at least one appraisal following
board-approved criteria.
For state lands, it requires procedures for submitting requests to the Acquisition and Restoration
Council.
A committee substitute was passed for both bills which clarifies that the same notice
requirements apply to the Acquisition and Restoration Council, the Board of Trustees of the
Internal Improvement Trust Fund, and water management districts for any meeting to review the
proposed sale or exchange of conservations lands.
For water management districts, the bill requires the governing board to publish certain
information related to the proposed sell and exchange at least 30 days before meeting. This
information must include: the district-owned parcels of land for sale or proposed for exchange,
the privately-owned parcels proposed for exchange, the portions of those parcels that will be
preserved in a permanent conservation easement, and a statement from the water management
district explaining why those lands are no longer needed for conservation purposes.
SB 546 passed its first committee, Senate Environment and Natural Resources Jan. 13 and the
Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Feb.
4. It will now move to the Senate Rules Committee.
HB 441 passed its first committee, House Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee Jan.
13, House Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee Jan. 28, and passed in its
final committee, House State Affairs Committee, Feb. 3. It is now on the House Floor.
Water Management - SB 718 (Sen. McClain) and Land and Water Management HB 479
(Rep. Maggard)
HB 479 was amended to remove language pertaining to regulation of water quality, quantity,
pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention and removal, and wetlands to the state.
Bill language now contains language prohibiting a county or municipality from adopting a law,
regulation, rule, policy, or ordinance that prohibits adjacent upland activities that are outside of a
wetland buffer if that buffer is a minimum width of 15 feet from the wetland and an average
width of 25 feet from a wetland.
Bill language states that a county’s authority or a municipality’s authority to regulate and operate
its own water, wastewater, or stormwater systems is not affected by the bill’s provisions.
SB 718 has not yet been amended and still retains language prohibiting counties and
municipalities from adopting laws, regulations, rules or policies relating to water quality or
quantity, pollution control, discharge prevention or removal, or wetlands and preempt regulation
to the state.
Both bills state that language does not apply to interagency or interlocal agreements between
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), agency, water management district
or local government that are conducting programs affecting water quality and repeal land
management review teams in 373.591, Florida Statutes.
SB 718 has not been heard in committee to date.
HB 479 passed the Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee Jan. 13
Water Management Districts – SB 1120 (Sen. Brodeur) and HB 701 (Rep. Conerly)
SB 1120 and HB 0701 address changes for the state’s water management districts.
Bill language establishes quorum to include appointed and vacant seats and updates
procedures for remote attendance.
Prohibits state funds as a local match unless specifically appropriated and authorizes separate
ad valorem taxes for capital improvement projects (CIPs). Requires preliminary budgets to
include capital improvement plans with specified project details and allows the Legislative
Budget Commission to reject certain budget proposals.
Bill language directs districts to give preference to bids and proposals for large-scale CIPs that
meet bonding and warranty requirements.
Requires separate ranking for water management districts projects in the Statewide Flooding
and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan.
Has additional bill language specifically for South Florida Water Management District’s
Everglades Restoration Plan.
SB 1120 passed its first committee, Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture,
Environment & General Government Feb. 4 and will now move to its final committee, Senate
Appropriations.
HB 701 has not been heard in committee to date.
Claims Against the Government – SB 1366 (Sen. Brodeur) and Suits Against the
Government HB 145 (Rep. McFarland)
These bills increase the statutory liability limits for tort claims against governmental entities.
Raises sovereign immunity caps in multiple phases, reaching as high as $600,000 per individual
claim and $1.2 million per incident after Oct. 1, 2031.
Empowers local governments to settle claims in excess of these limits without legislative action.
Shortens from three years to 18 months the timeframe for presenting tort claims to an agency
and reduces the statute of limitations for negligence suits from four years to two years.
SB 1366 passed its first committee and passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Feb. 3. It will
now move to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
HB 145 passed the House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee Nov. 5, passed the House
Budget Committee Dec. 3, and the House Judiciary Committee Dec. 11. HB 145 passed off the
Senate Floor Jan. 15, was sent to the Senate and is now referred to the Senate Rules
Committee.
The District tracks numerous bills related to the environment, water, land, agriculture and other
District-related issues including human resources, legal, ethics and retirement issues.
Data Centers - SB 484 (Sen. Avila)
Prohibits agencies from entering nondisclosure agreements with data centers that restrict public
disclosure of data center development information. Language pertaining to water management
provides public hearings for water use permits and requirements for large-scale data center
water use permits, including use of reclaimed water if available.
SB 484 passed its first committee in Senate Regulated Industries Jan. 20 and passed in Senate
Community Affairs Committee Feb. 3. It will now move to the Senate Rules Committee.
Landscape Irrigation – SB 508 (Sen. Truenow) and HB 611 (Rep. Cobb)
These bills establish standards and restrictions for landscape irrigation and expand licensing
requirements for irrigation contractors.
Creates the “Landscape Irrigation Standards and Watering Restrictions Act,” requiring minimum
design, installation, and maintenance guidelines for new and modified irrigation systems.
Specifies that only licensed irrigation contractors or property owners may work on irrigation
systems and establish new permit application steps, provided by a local government or water
management district.
Bill language sets one day per week watering schedules and limits based on address and time
of year and authorizes local governments to enforce requirements.
SB 508 and HB 611 have not been heard in committee to date.
Conservation Lands – SB 546 (Sen. Mayfield) and HB 441 (Rep. Kendall)
These bills require the Division of State Lands and water management districts to publish
proposed sales or exchanges of conservation lands at least 30 days before a meeting for the
public to review the proposed action.
Language mandates a statement explaining why the lands are no longer needed for
conservation or how an exchange will benefit conservation efforts.
Specifies that each proposed land exchange must include at least one appraisal following
board-approved criteria.
For state lands, it requires procedures for submitting requests to the Acquisition and Restoration
Council.
A committee substitute was passed for both bills which clarifies that the same notice
requirements apply to the Acquisition and Restoration Council, the Board of Trustees of the
Internal Improvement Trust Fund, and water management districts for any meeting to review the
proposed sale or exchange of conservations lands.
For water management districts, the bill requires the governing board to publish certain
information related to the proposed sell and exchange at least 30 days before meeting. This
information must include: the district-owned parcels of land for sale or proposed for exchange,
the privately-owned parcels proposed for exchange, the portions of those parcels that will be
preserved in a permanent conservation easement, and a statement from the water management
district explaining why those lands are no longer needed for conservation purposes.
SB 546 passed its first committee, Senate Environment and Natural Resources Jan. 13 and the
Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Feb.
4. It will now move to the Senate Rules Committee.
HB 441 passed its first committee, House Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee Jan.
13, House Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee Jan. 28, and passed in its
final committee, House State Affairs Committee, Feb. 3. It is now on the House Floor.
Water Management - SB 718 (Sen. McClain) and Land and Water Management HB 479
(Rep. Maggard)
HB 479 was amended to remove language pertaining to regulation of water quality, quantity,
pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention and removal, and wetlands to the state.
Bill language now contains language prohibiting a county or municipality from adopting a law,
regulation, rule, policy, or ordinance that prohibits adjacent upland activities that are outside of a
wetland buffer if that buffer is a minimum width of 15 feet from the wetland and an average
width of 25 feet from a wetland.
Bill language states that a county’s authority or a municipality’s authority to regulate and operate
its own water, wastewater, or stormwater systems is not affected by the bill’s provisions.
SB 718 has not yet been amended and still retains language prohibiting counties and
municipalities from adopting laws, regulations, rules or policies relating to water quality or
quantity, pollution control, discharge prevention or removal, or wetlands and preempt regulation
to the state.
Both bills state that language does not apply to interagency or interlocal agreements between
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), agency, water management district
or local government that are conducting programs affecting water quality and repeal land
management review teams in 373.591, Florida Statutes.
SB 718 has not been heard in committee to date.
HB 479 passed the Natural Resources and Disasters Subcommittee Jan. 13
Water Management Districts – SB 1120 (Sen. Brodeur) and HB 701 (Rep. Conerly)
SB 1120 and HB 0701 address changes for the state’s water management districts.
Bill language establishes quorum to include appointed and vacant seats and updates
procedures for remote attendance.
Prohibits state funds as a local match unless specifically appropriated and authorizes separate
ad valorem taxes for capital improvement projects (CIPs). Requires preliminary budgets to
include capital improvement plans with specified project details and allows the Legislative
Budget Commission to reject certain budget proposals.
Bill language directs districts to give preference to bids and proposals for large-scale CIPs that
meet bonding and warranty requirements.
Requires separate ranking for water management districts projects in the Statewide Flooding
and Sea Level Rise Resilience Plan.
Has additional bill language specifically for South Florida Water Management District’s
Everglades Restoration Plan.
SB 1120 passed its first committee, Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture,
Environment & General Government Feb. 4 and will now move to its final committee, Senate
Appropriations.
HB 701 has not been heard in committee to date.
Claims Against the Government – SB 1366 (Sen. Brodeur) and Suits Against the
Government HB 145 (Rep. McFarland)
These bills increase the statutory liability limits for tort claims against governmental entities.
Raises sovereign immunity caps in multiple phases, reaching as high as $600,000 per individual
claim and $1.2 million per incident after Oct. 1, 2031.
Empowers local governments to settle claims in excess of these limits without legislative action.
Shortens from three years to 18 months the timeframe for presenting tort claims to an agency
and reduces the statute of limitations for negligence suits from four years to two years.
SB 1366 passed its first committee and passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Feb. 3. It will
now move to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
HB 145 passed the House Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee Nov. 5, passed the House
Budget Committee Dec. 3, and the House Judiciary Committee Dec. 11. HB 145 passed off the
Senate Floor Jan. 15, was sent to the Senate and is now referred to the Senate Rules
Committee.
