Florida HB 1319: School Readiness Program

Bill Text

HB 1319 2026

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hb1319-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to surface waters; amending s. 2
373.414, F.S.; requiring the Department of 3
Environmental Protection to incorporate habitat 4
equivalency analysis in the uniform mitigation 5
assessment method; defining the term "habitat 6
equivalency analysis"; amending s. 403.811, F.S.; 7
requiring that permits for dredging and filling 8
include certain requirements; requiring the department 9
to adopt rules; requiring permitted entities to bear 10
the full cost and responsibility for any damage or 11
destruction caused by dredging, filling, or related 12
activities; amending s. 403.93345, F.S.; revising 13
legislative findings; providing a legislative 14
designation; reenacting s. 373.4137(2)(b) and (4), 15
F.S., relating to mitigation requirements for 16
specified transportation projects, to incorporate the 17
amendment made to s. 373.414, F.S., in a reference 18
thereto; providing an effective date. 19
20
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 21
22
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (18) of section 23
373.414, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 24
373.414 Additional criteria for activities in surface 25

HB 1319 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1319-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

waters and wetlands.— 26
(18) The department and each water management district 27
responsible for implementation of the environmental resource 28
permitting program shall develop a uniform mitigation assessment 29
method for wetlands and other surface waters. The department 30
shall adopt the uniform mitigation assessment method by rule no 31
later than July 31, 2002. The rule shall provide an exclusive 32
and consistent process for determining the amount of mitigation 33
required to offset impacts to wetlands and other surface waters, 34
and, once effective, shall supersede all rules, ordinances, and 35
variance procedures from ordinances that determine the amount of 36
mitigation needed to offset such impacts. Once the department 37
adopts the uniform mitigation assessment method by rule, the 38
uniform mitigation assessment method shall be binding on the 39
department, the water management districts, local governments, 40
and any other governmental agencies and shall be the sole means 41
to determine the amount of mitigation needed to offset adverse 42
impacts to wetlands and other surface waters and to award and 43
deduct mitigation bank credits. A water management district and 44
any other governmental agency subject to chapter 120 may apply 45
the uniform mitigation assessment method without the need to 46
adopt it pursuant to s. 120.54. It shall be a goal of the 47
department and water management districts that the uniform 48
mitigation assessment method developed be practicable for use 49
within the timeframes provided in the permitting process and 50

HB 1319 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

result in a consistent process for determining mitigation 51
requirements. It shall be recognized that any such method shall 52
require the application of reasonable scientific judgment. The 53
uniform mitigation assessment method must determine the value of 54
functions provided by wetlands and other surface waters 55
considering the current conditions of these areas, utilization 56
by fish and wildlife, location, uniqueness, and hydrologic 57
connection, and, when applied to mitigation banks, the factors 58
listed in s. 373.4136(4). The uniform mitigation assessment 59
method shall also account for the expected time-lag associated 60
with offsetting impacts and the degree of risk associated with 61
the proposed mitigation. The uniform mitigation assessment 62
method shall account for different ecological communities in 63
different areas of the state. In developing the uniform 64
mitigation assessment method, the department and water 65
management districts shall consult with approved local programs 66
under s. 403.182 which have an established mitigation program 67
for wetlands or other surface waters. The department and water 68
management districts shall consider the recommendations 69
submitted by such approved local programs, including any 70
recommendations relating to the adoption by the department and 71
water management districts of any uniform mitigation methodology 72
that has been adopted and used by an approved local program in 73
its established mitigation program for wetlands or other surface 74
waters. Environmental resource permitting rules may establish 75

HB 1319 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1319-00
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