This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives.
STORAGE NAME: h1165a.LFS
DATE: 2/1/2024
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LOCAL BILL STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/HB 1165 Town of Sneads, Jackson County
SPONSOR(S): Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee, Abbott
TIED BILLS: IDEN./SIM. BILLS:
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special
Districts Subcommittee
14 Y, 0 N, As
CS
Roy Darden
2) State Affairs Committee
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
The State of Florida owns lands for many purposes including preservation, conservation, recreation, water
management, historic preservation, and administration of government. Most of these lands are held by the
Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund (Board), consisting of the Governor and Cabinet.
The Board may acquire, sell, transfer, and administer state lands in the manner consistent with state law.
The Town of Sneads is a municipality of approximately 4.5 square miles in Jackson County. The town has a
population of 1,687. Located on the southeastern shore of Lake Seminole, Sneads is well-known for its “rich
outdoor recreation” opportunities, including freshwater fishing, boating, and hunting.
The bill directs the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to convey in fee simple to Town
of Sneads property in Jackson County consisting of approximately 13.44 acres. The bill requires the Board of
Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to convey the property within 60 days of the bill taking effect.
The bill requires the Town of Sneads to manage and protect the conveyed property and use it continuously for
recreational means and purposes. In the event of a sale or disposition of the property, the bill gives the
Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund the option to regain ownership of the property.
The Economic Impact Statement states that the bill is not expected to have a fiscal impact.
STORAGE NAME: h1165a.LFS PAGE: 2
DATE: 2/1/2024
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
State Lands
The State of Florida owns lands for many purposes including preservation, conservation, recreation,
water management, historic preservation, and administration of government. These lands include:
All swamp and overflowed lands held by the state or that may inure to the state;
All lands owned by the state by right of its sovereignty;
1
All internal improvement lands proper;
All tidal lands;
All lands covered by shallow waters of the ocean or gulf, or bays or lagoons thereof, and all
lands owned by the state covered by fresh water;
All parks, reservations, or lands or bottoms set aside in the name of the state, excluding lands
held for transportation facilities and transportation corridors and canal rights-of-way; and
All lands that have accrued or may accrue to the state.
2
State lands are held in trust for the use and benefit of the people of Florida by the Board of Trustees of
the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
3
The board consists of the Governor, Attorney General, Chief
Financial Officer, and Commissioner of Agriculture.
4
This body may acquire, sell, transfer, and
administer state lands in the manner consistent with state law.
5
The Department of Environmental Protection, through its Division of State Lands, generally performs all
staff duties and functions related to the acquisition, administration, and disposition of state lands,
although certain staff duties related to state lands may be performed by water management districts,
the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission.
6
Town of Sneads
The Town of Sneads is a municipality of approximately 4.5 square miles in Jackson County.
7
The town
has a population of 1,687.
8
Located on the southeastern shore of Lake Seminole, Sneads is well-
known for its “rich outdoor recreation” opportunities, including freshwater fishing, boating, and hunting.
Effect of Proposed Changes
The bill directs the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to convey in fee simple to
the Town of Sneads property in Jackson County consisting of approximately 13.44 acres. The bill
requires the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to convey the property within 60
days of the bill taking effect.
1
These are “sovereignty submerged lands,” which include but are not limited to, tidal lands, islands, sand bars, shallow banks, and
lands waterward of the ordinary or mean high water line, beneath navigable fresh water or beneath tidally-influenced waters, to which
the State of Florida acquired title on March 3, 1845, by virtue of statehood, and which have not been heretofore conveyed or alienated.
R. 18-21.003(67), F.A.C.
2
S. 253.03(1), F.S.
3
S. 253.001, F.S.
4
S. 253.02(1), F.S.
5
Id.
6
S. 253.002(1), F.S.
7
Town of Sneads, Community Information, https://sneadsfl.com/ (last visited Jan. 24, 2024).
8
Office of Economic and Demographic Research, Florida Population Estimates by County and Municipality
April 1, 2023, http://edr.state.fl.us/Content/population-demographics/data/2023_Pop_Estimates.pdf (last visited Jan. 27. 2024). STORAGE NAME: h1165a.LFS PAGE: 3
DATE: 2/1/2024
The bill requires the Town of Sneads to manage and protect the conveyed property and use it
continuously for recreational means and purposes. In the event of a sale or disposition of the property,
the bill gives the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund the option to regain ownership of the
property.
The Economic Impact Statement states that the bill is not expected to have a fiscal impact.
B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
Section 1: Requires the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to convey
property in fee simple to the Town of Sneads, and provides a description of the property.
Section 2: Provides a requirement that the Town of Sneads continuously use the land for
recreational means and purposes provides that any sale or disposition of the property
may result in ownership reverting to the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement
Trust Fund on behalf of the state.
Section 3: Requires the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to convey the
property to the Town of Sneads within 60 days of the effective date of the bill.
Section 4: Provides an effective date of upon becoming a law.
II. NOTICE/REFERENDUM AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
A. NOTICE PUBLISHED? Yes [x] No []
IF YES, WHEN? October 12, 2023.
WHERE? Jackson County Times, a weekly newspaper published in Jackson County.
B. REFERENDUM(S) REQUIRED? Yes [] No [x]
IF YES, WHEN?
C. LOCAL BILL CERTIFICATION FILED? Yes [x] No []
D. ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT FILED? Yes [x] No []
III. COMMENTS
A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
None.
B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
The bill neither provides authority for nor requires rulemaking by executive branch agencies.
C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
None.
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DATE: 2/1/2024
IV. AMENDMENTS/COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
On January 31, 2024, the Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee adopted
an amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. The amendment removes the
requirement to perform a cultural resource assessment survey, requires the property to be used
continuously for recreational means and purposes, and provides the Trustees of the Internal Improvement
Trust Fund the option to regain ownership of the property in the event of sale or disposition.
This analysis is drafted to the committee substitute as passed by the Local Administration, Federal Affairs
& Special Districts Subcommittee.