HB 1063 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1063-00
Page 1 of 6
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 carbon sequestration; creating s. 2
403.945, F.S.; providing definitions; providing 3
legislative findings; creating the Carbon 4
Sequestration Task Force adjunct to the Department of 5
Environmental Protection; providing for task force 6
membership and duties; requiring the task force to 7
submit specified reports to the Secretary of 8
Environmental Protection and to the Governor and 9
Legislature by specified dates; providing for 10
expiration of the task force; providing an 11
appropriation; providing an effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
15
Section 1. Section 403.945, Florida Statutes, is created 16
to read: 17
403.945 Carbon Sequestration Task Force .— 18
(1) As used in this section, the term: 19
(a) "Blue carbon" means carbon sequestered by marine and 20
coastal ecosystems. 21
(b) "Carbon sequestration" means the long -term storage of 22
carbon in plants, soils, geologic formations, and the ocean 23
through land and aquatic habitat management. 24
(2) The Legislature finds that: 25
HB 1063 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1063-00
Page 2 of 6
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) Maintaining coastal and freshwater wetlands, nearshore 26
and offshore aquatic ecosystems, conservation lands, healthy and 27
sustainable agriculture, shellfish a quaculture, and timber and 28
silvicultural industries is vital to the state's economy, 29
environment, and natural resources, including significant 30
environmental contributions to water quality and quantity, air 31
purification, carbon sequestration, blue carbon, c oastal 32
resilience, and habitat for threatened and endangered wildlife. 33
(b) The continued expansion of urban sprawl and the 34
development of coastal areas have led to losses of the state's 35
natural and agricultural lands and decreases in water quality 36
and quantity that have harmed coastal ecosystems and industries, 37
including imperiled wetlands, coral reefs, seagrasses, and 38
shellfish aquaculture. 39
(c) To ensure healthy and sustainable agriculture, 40
shellfish aquaculture and silvicultural industries, and natura l 41
and working lands and waters, a statewide program is necessary 42
to provide incentives for landowners and managers to continue 43
activities and land uses that sequester carbon. 44
(3) The Carbon Sequestration Task Force, a task force as 45
defined in s. 20.03, i s created adjunct to the department to 46
provide recommendations for the development of a statewide 47
carbon sequestration program. The task force shall operate in a 48
manner consistent with the requirements of s. 20.052. 49
(4)(a) The task force shall be compose d of the following 50
HB 1063 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1063-00
Page 3 of 6
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
members: 51
1. The Secretary of Environmental Protection, or his or 52
her designee. 53
2. The Commissioner of Agriculture, or his or her 54
designee. 55
3. The executive director of the Fish and Wildlife 56
Conservation Commission, or his or her designee. 57
4. The Chief Resilience Officer, or his or her designee. 58
5. The State Geologist. 59
6. A representative from the National Estuary Program, 60
appointed by the Secretary of Environmental Protection. 61
7. A member of an environmental not -for-profit 62
organization, appointed by the Secretary of Environmental 63
Protection. 64
8. A landowner of working agricultural lands, appointed by 65
the Commissioner of Agriculture. 66
9. A representative from a state university with expertise 67
in energy or sustainability, a ppointed by the Secretary of 68
Environmental Protection. 69
10. A representative from the University of Florida 70
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences , appointed by the 71
Commissioner of Agriculture. 72
11. A representative from the Florida Sea Grant Program, 73
appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture. 74
(b) Appointments to the task force must be made by August 75
HB 1063 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1063-00
Page 4 of 6
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
1, 2025. 76
(c) Each appointed member serves at the pleasure of the 77
appointing official. 78
(d) A vacancy on the task force must be filled in t he same 79
manner as the original appointment. 80
(e) The task force shall elect a chair from among the 81
members. 82
(f) The task force shall convene no later than September 83
1, 2025. The task force shall meet quarterly or upon the call of 84
the chair. The task for ce shall hold its meetings in person or 85
through teleconference or other electronic means. 86
(5) The duties of the task force shall include all of the 87
following: 88
(a) Identify and inventory terrestrial and aquatic 89
environments suitable for carbon sequestra tion in this state. 90
(b) Consider possible methods of increasing carbon 91
sequestration within the natural environment through state land 92
and marine resource use policies; agricultural, aquacultural, 93
and silvicultural practices; and other practices to achie ve 94
restoration of natural resources and long -term conservation. 95
(c) Develop a standardized methodology, including 96
appropriate technology and existing research, to establish 97
baseline carbon levels and account for increases in carbon 98
sequestration over tim e. 99
(d) Evaluate additional ecosystem services and benefits of 100
HB 1063 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1063-00
Page 5 of 6
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
terrestrial and aquatic environments that may promote 101
conservation and ecosystem restoration success, including water 102
recharge, stormwater filtration, threatened or endangered 103
wildlife habitat, nutrient reduction, flood mitigation and 104
protection, coastal resilience, air quality, soil health, and 105
food security. 106
(e) Recommend short -term and long-term benchmarks for 107
increasing carbon sequestration in terrestrial and aquatic 108
ecosystems. 109
(f) Identify existing carbon markets and other 110
considerations relevant to participation by the state in such 111
markets. 112
(g) Identify potential funding mechanisms to encourage 113
carbon sequestration practices and activities in this state. 114
(6) By October 1, 2026, t he task force shall submit to the 115
Secretary of Environmental Protection a report summarizing the 116
task force activities and findings in its first year, including 117
a nonrecurring budget request for the 2026 -2027 fiscal year. 118
(7) By October 1, 2027, the task force shall submit to the 119
Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the 120
House of Representatives a report that compiles the findings and 121
recommendations of the task force. The task force shall 122
terminate on April 30, 2028. 123
Section 2. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the sum of 124
$350,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the 125
HB 1063 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1063-00
Page 6 of 6
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
Administrative Trust Fund to the Department of Environmental 126
Protection for the purpose of providing administrative and 127
support services to the Carbon Sequestra tion Task Force pursuant 128
to s. 403.945, Florida Statutes . 129
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 130