Statewide Update
Governor DeSantis and Cabinet Approve Largest Investment in Decades for Conservation Land
Last week, Governor DeSantis and the Cabinet approved an investment to protect nearly 28,000 acres of Florida’s natural lands, including the first acquisition within the Caloosahatchee-Big Cypress Corridor, an important Everglades and panther habitat.
“Florida continues to lead the way in land conservation and protecting our natural resources,” said Governor DeSantis. “These protections will further protect our natural lands for Florida’s families to enjoy for generations to come.”
Since 2019, the Florida Legislature has committed more than $1.25 billion to the Florida Forever Program, including $100 million in recurring annual funding. This consistent funding has enabled the FL Department of Environmental Protection to acquire over 220,000 acres for conservation, 90% the acreage is within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
Additional approval was provided for the acquisition of more than 8,000 acres of working agricultural and conservation lands through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. This includes over 3,000 acres within the Heart Bar Ranch, a working cattle ranch since 1847 operated by 5th and 6th generation Florida farmers.
The Governor and the Cabinet also approved the Florida Forever Priority List which includes 128 projects containing more than 2.1 million acres.
More information on today’s conservations can be found here.
Voters Will See Four Legislative Initiatives and Two Citizens Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution on the November Ballot
Floridians will see six constitutional amendments on their ballots for their approval this November. The state Supreme Court approved two citizens’ initiatives last week regarding abortion rights and the recreational use of marijuana. The remaining four proposed amendments were approved by the Florida Legislature. Passage of each proposalrequires 60 percent of voter support.
Proposed Constitutional Amendments:
Abortion: (Citizens’ Initiative) In summary, the proposed constitutional amendment states that no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.
Campaign money: The legislature approved placing the campaign money issue on the ballot to repeal ‘a program that offers state matching funds to gubernatorial and state Cabinet candidates.’ The issue dates back to 1998 when the initiative was created. Attempts to repeal the measure have failed over time.
Fishing and hunting: Voters will determine whether to preserve the rights to fish and hunt in the state Constitution. In summary, the proposal says hunting and fishing ‘shall be preserved forever as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.’
Marijuana: (Citizens’ Initiative) Eight years after voters approved a constitutional amendment that broadly allowed medical marijuana, in November recreational use of marijuana will be on the ballot. The initiative allows people ages 21+ to ‘possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption.’
Property taxes: Homeowners could receive slightly larger property-tax breaks if voters approve a constitutional amendment. The proposal adjusts part of the homestead property-tax exemption for inflation. Homeowners receive tax exemptions on the assessed values of their property up to $25,000 and on the values between $50,000 and $75,000. The proposal would require adjusting for inflation the exempt portion currently between $50,000 and $75,000.
School board elections: On the November ballot, voters will decide whether to hold partisan school-board elections. Voters passed an amendment in 1998 to make school board elections non-partisan; recently the legislature placed a measure on this year’s ballot that would return to partisan races starting in 2026.
For more information on the Constitutional Ballot Initiatives, please reach out to the Supervisor of Elections here or contact my office for assistance at 321-409-2025.
Over 200 Americans Rescued from Haiti by the State of Florida
Since the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s first state coordinated rescue flight on March 20th, a total of 220 Americans have been successfully evacuated from Haiti to Florida.
“When Floridians and other Americans are in need, the State of Florida acts,” said Governor DeSantis. “I’m pleased to announce that we’ve been able to successfully rescue more than 200 Floridians and other Americans from Haiti. Even when the federal government fails to act, Florida will always step up.”
Floridians make up over 95% of the Americans that the state has evacuated from Haiti at no expense to those who were rescued.
For more information, click here.
Last week, Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 1301 and announced expedited construction timelines for several “Moving Florida Forward” infrastructure projects, including the widening of I-4 in Osceola and Polk counties.
The I-4 Moving Florida Forward projects will be constructed in segments to widen 14.7 miles of I-4 in Osceola and Polk counties from six to 10 lanes, and add express lanes to reduce traffic congestion, and to widen road shoulders for emergency situations.
“Under my watch, Florida’s Department of Transportation will be solely focused on transporting people, unlike the federal government’s politicization of our national Department of Transportation,” said Governor DeSantis. “And because of this approach, Florida’s major transportation upgrades are fully funded and ahead of schedule, by decades.”
House Bill 1301 provides FDOT the remaining authority to complete the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative. Additionally, the bill fortifies Florida’s transportation priorities in state law to focus on reducing congestion, supporting the supply chain, promoting Florida’s quality of life, and spending transportation dollars wisely.
More information on the projects announced last week, can be found here.
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