HB 6003 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6003-00
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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 legal rights of the natural 2
environment; amending s. 403.412, F.S.; repealing 3
provisions prohibiting local governments from 4
recognizing or granting certain legal rights to the 5
natural environment or granting such rights relating 6
to the natural environment to a person or political 7
subdivision; providing an effective date. 8
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Flo rida: 10
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Section 1. Subsection (9) of section 403.412, Florida 12
Statutes, is amended to read: 13
403.412 Environmental Protection Act. — 14
(9)(a) A local government regulation, ordinance, code, 15
rule, comprehensive plan, charter, or any other provision of la w 16
may not recognize or grant any legal rights to a plant, an 17
animal, a body of water, or any other part of the natural 18
environment that is not a person or political subdivision as 19
defined in s. 1.01(8) or grant such person or political 20
subdivision any spec ific rights relating to the natural 21
environment not otherwise authorized in general law or 22
specifically granted in the State Constitution. 23
(b) This subsection does not limit the power of an 24
adversely affected party to challenge the consistency of a 25
HB 6003 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb6003-00
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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
development order with a comprehensive plan as provided in s. 26
163.3215 or to file an action for injunctive relief to enforce 27
the terms of a development agreement or challenge compliance of 28
the agreement as provided in s. 163.3243. 29
(c) This subsection does not limit the standing of the 30
Department of Legal Affairs, a political subdivision or 31
municipality of the state, or a citizen of the state to maintain 32
an action for injunctive relief as provided in this section. 33
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 34