Florida HB 981: Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

Bill Text

CS/CS/HB 981, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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 tributaries of the St. Johns River; 2
providing a short title; creating s. 373.464, F.S.; 3
requiring the Department of Environmental Protection, 4
by a specified date, to hire a project lead to oversee 5
the implementation of the act; requiring that the 6
project lead have certain expertise; requiring the 7
department to develop, by a specified date, a project 8
plan for the restoration of the Ocklawaha River; 9
specifying requirements for the project plan; 10
providing that the project plan is an environmental 11
restoration or enhancement project subject to a 12
general permit from the department and water 13
management districts; requiring the department to 14
complete the project plan by a specified date, subject 15
to the provision of funds; creating the Northeast 16
Florida River and Springs Recreation and Economic 17
Development Advisory Council by a specified date; 18
assigning the council to the Department of 19
Environmental Protection; providing that the project 20
lead is the chair of the council; providing for 21
council membership, meetings, and duties; requiring 22
the council to submit an advisory report to the 23
Governor, the Legislature, and the department by a 24
specified date; specifying requirements for the 25

CS/CS/HB 981, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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

advisory report; providing for future repeal; 26
requiring the department to develop an outdoor 27
recreation plan, in collaboration with certain 28
commissions, councils, and local governments of river 29
communities; specifying requirements for the outdoor 30
recreation plan; requiring the department to implement 31
the plan by a specified date; requiring the department 32
to complete projects on state-owned lands in the 33
outdoor recreation plan by a specified date, subject 34
to certain funding and the commencement of specified 35
plans; requiring the department to develop a grant 36
program for a specified purpose; requiring that the 37
grant program be compatible with certain plans; 38
requiring the department to implement the grant 39
program contingent on the commencement of the project 40
plan; requiring the Department of Commerce to develop 41
guidelines and processes for and implement an economic 42
development program for Marion and Putnam Counties for 43
a specified purpose by a specified date; requiring 44
that the economic development plan be compatible with 45
certain plans and programs; requiring the Department 46
of Commerce to implement the economic development 47
program contingent on the commencement of the project 48
plan; providing an effective date. 49
50

CS/CS/HB 981, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 51
52
Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Northeast Florida 53
Rivers, Springs, and Community Investment Act." 54
Section 2. Section 373.464, Florida Statutes, is created 55
to read: 56
373.464 Ocklawaha River restoration, recreation, and 57
economic development.— 58
(1) PROJECT LEAD.—The department shall, no later than 59
August 31, 2026, hire a full-time equivalent contractor or 60
employee, whose position title will be project lead, to oversee 61
the implementation of this act. The project lead must have 62
subject matter expertise in conservation and recreation 63
planning. 64
(2) PROJECT PLAN.— 65
(a) By July 1, 2027, the department shall develop a 66
project plan for the restoration of the Ocklawaha River with the 67
goal of restoring the river's natural flow, hydrology, and 68
floodplain function to the approximate conditions that existed 69
before the construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal project 70
and its associated project works. The project plan must provide 71
for restoration and increased resiliency and recreation benefits 72
of the Ocklawaha and St. Johns Rivers and Silver Springs. The 73
project plan must incorporate the best available science and 74
include engineering and design updates, including topographic 75

CS/CS/HB 981, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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

and bathymetric surveys, and precise estimates of material to be 76
dredged or excavated. In addition, the project plan must provide 77
recommendations for road and bridge construction which are 78
compatible with the restoration plan and ensure continued access 79
for the communities west of the project. The project plan must 80
in