Florida SB 1364: Public Records/Substance Abuse Service Providers

Bill Text

1364 
Joint Resolution/Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 
2026-01-07T09:59:37Z 
Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to declare collective responsibility for certain animal life and to revise the composition of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and appointments thereto, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
SJR 
Joint Resolution 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SJR 1364 

 By Senator Smith 

 17-00420B-26 20261364__ 
 1 Senate Joint Resolution 
 2 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 9 
 3 of Article IV and the creation of a new section in 
 4 Article XII of the State Constitution to declare 
 5 collective responsibility for certain animal life and 
 6 to revise the composition of the Fish and Wildlife 
 7 Conservation Commission and appointments thereto. 
 8 
 9 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 10 
 11 That the following amendment to Section 9 of Article IV and 
 12 the creation of a new section in Article XII of the State 
 13 Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the 
 14 electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next 
 15 general election or at an earlier special election specifically 
 16 authorized by law for that purpose: 
 17 ARTICLE IV 
 18 EXECUTIVE 
 19 SECTION 9. Fish and wildlife conservation commission.— 
 20 (a) The wild animal life, fresh water aquatic life, and 
 21 marine life of this state belong to all of the people of this 
 22 state and must be conserved and sustainably managed for the 
 23 benefit of all the people of this state and its future 
 24 generations. 
 25 (b) There shall be a fish and wildlife conservation 
 26 commission, composed of nine qualified seven members appointed 
 27 by the governor, subject to confirmation by the senate for 
 28 staggered terms of five years. At least one commissioner must be 
 29 a full-time resident of one of the five regional administrative 
 30 divisions established by the commission as of July 1, 2026, and 
 31 at least three commissioners must also have: 
 32 (1) A postgraduate degree in the field of conservation, 
 33 biology, or wildlife management; and 
 34 (2) Direct experience in fish or wildlife conservation or 
 35 management which is evidenced through professional occupation. 
 36 (c) The fish and wildlife conservation commission shall 
 37 exercise the regulatory and executive powers of the state with 
 38 respect to wild animal life and fresh water aquatic life, and 
 39 shall also exercise regulatory and executive powers of the state 
 40 with respect to marine life, except that all license fees for 
 41 taking wild animal life, fresh water aquatic life, and marine 
 42 life and penalties for violating regulations of the commission 
 43 shall be prescribed by general law. The commission shall 
 44 establish procedures to ensure adequate due process in the 
 45 exercise of its regulatory and executive functions. The 
 46 legislature may enact laws in aid of the commission, not 
 47 inconsistent with this section, except that there shall be no 
 48 special law or general law of local application pertaining to 
 49 hunting or fishing. The commission’s exercise of executive 
 50 powers in the area of planning, budgeting, personnel management, 
 51 and purchasing shall be as provided by law. Revenue derived from 
 52 license fees for the taking of wild animal life and fresh water 
 53 aquatic life shall be appropriated to the commission by the 
 54 legislature for the purposes of management, protection, and 
 55 conservation of wild animal life and fresh water aquatic life. 
 56 Revenue derived from license fees relating to marine life shall 
 57 be appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of 
 58 management, protection, and conservation of marine life as 
 59 provided by law. The commission shall not be a unit of any other 
 60 state agency and shall have its own staff, which includes 
 61 management, research, and enforcement. Unless provided by 
 62 general law, the commission shall have no authority to regulate 
 63 matters relating to air and water pollution. 
 64 ARTICLE XII 
 65 SCHEDULE 
 66 Appointments to fish and wildlife conservation commission. 
 67 The following procedures apply to the appointment of members to 
 68 the fish and wildlife conservation commission in accordance with 
 69 the amendment to Section 9 of Article IV: 
 70 (a) To ensure compliance with the qualifications in 
 71 accordance with Section 9(b) of Article IV, for the terms of 
 72 office of commissioners who were originally appointed between 
 73 January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, such seats shall be 
 74 vacated January 5, 2027. By March 5, 2027, the governor shall 
 75 appoint four qualified commissioners, subject to confirmation by 
 76 the senate. 
 77 (b) By March 5, 2027, for the terms of office of 
 78 commissioners who were originally appointed between January 1, 
 79 2019, and December 31, 2019, such seats shall be vacated and th