Florida HB 1249: Police Powers of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Bill Text

HB 1249 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1249-00
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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 police powers of the Fish and 2
Wildlife Conservation Commission; amending s. 3
379.3311, F.S.; specifying the conditions under which 4
commission officers and other commission personnel may 5
enter private property; providing an effective date. 6
7
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
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Section 1. Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection 10
(2) of section 379.3311, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 11
379.3311 Police powers of commission and its agents.— 12
(1) The commission, the executive director and the 13
executive director's assistants designated by her or him, and 14
each commission officer are constituted peace officers with the 15
power to make arrests for violations of the laws of this state 16
when committed in the presence of the officer or when committed 17
on lands under the supervision and management of the commission, 18
the department, the Board of Trustees of the Internal 19
Improvement Trust Fund, or the Department of Agriculture and 20
Consumer Services, including state parks, coastal and aquatic 21
managed areas, and greenways and trails. The general laws 22
applicable to arrests by peace officers of this state shall also 23
be applicable to such director, assistants, and commission 24
officers. Such persons may enter upon any land or waters of the 25

HB 1249 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1249-00
Page 2 of 2
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

state in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as 26
a law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 943.10(1), for 27
performance of their lawful duties and may take with them any 28
necessary equipment, and such entry does not constitute a 29
trespass. 30
(2) Such officers may enforce throughout the state all 31
laws relating to game, nongame birds, fish, and fur-bearing 32
animals and all rules and regulations of the commission relating 33
to wild animal life, marine life, and freshwater aquatic life, 34
and in connection with such laws, rules, and regulations, in the 35
enforcement thereof and in the performance of their duties 36
thereunder, to: 37
(a) Go upon all premises in the same manner and subject to 38
the same requirements as a law enforcement officer, as defined 39
in s. 943.10(1), posted or otherwise; 40
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 41