Florida 2025 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1133 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 04/01/2025

                       
 
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A bill to be entitled 1 
An act relating to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation 2 
Commission; providing a short title; amending s. 3 
379.102, F.S.; providing for regional and at -large 4 
representation on the commission; revising membership 5 
of the commission; providing for staggered terms; 6 
providing for the filling of vacancies; authorizing 7 
the commission to define the geographic boundaries of 8 
the regions; requiring compliance with specifi ed 9 
provisions; amending s. 379.3311, F.S.; specifying the 10 
conditions under which commission officers and other 11 
commission personnel may enter private property; 12 
providing an effective date. 13 
 14 
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15 
 16 
 Section 1. This act shall be known as the "Fish and 17 
Wildlife Conservation Commission Regional Representation Act." 18 
 Section 2.  Section 379.102, Florida Statutes, is amended 19 
to read: 20 
 379.102  Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. — 21 
 (1)  The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall 22 
consist of seven members who shall be appointed by the Governor, 23 
subject to confirmation by the Senate , for staggered terms of 5 24 
years. 25     
 
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 (2)  Members of the commission so appointed shall annually 26 
select one of their members as chair. The Such chair may be 27 
removed at any time for sufficient cause , by the affirmative 28 
vote of the majority of the members of the commission. If In 29 
case the said office of chair becomes vacant by removal or 30 
otherwise, it the same may be filled for the unexpired term at 31 
any time by the commission from its members. 32 
 (3)(a)  To ensure statewide representation, one member 33 
shall reside full-time within each of the five regions 34 
established by the commission. The five regions are as follows: 35 
 1.  Northwest Region. 36 
 2.  North Central Region. 37 
 3.  Northeast Region. 38 
 4.  Southwest Region. 39 
 5.  South Region. 40 
 (b)  The remaining two members shall be appointed as at -41 
large members, representing the state as a whole. 42 
 (4)(a)  Each regional member must reside full-time within 43 
the boundaries of his or her respective region at the time of 44 
appointment and throughout his or her term of service. 45 
 (b)  The at-large members are not subject to regional 46 
residency requirements but must be residents of this state. 47 
 (5)(a)  Members shall serve staggered terms of 5 years. 48 
 (b)  A vacancy occurring during the term of a member shall 49 
be filled in the same manner as the original appointment and for 50     
 
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the remainder of the unexpired term. 51 
 (c)  A vacancy for a regional member may not be filled by 52 
an individual who resides in the same region as a sitting 53 
regional member. 54 
 (6)(a)  The commission is authorized to take all necessary 55 
actions to define the geographic boundaries of the five regions. 56 
 (b)  The Governor shall ensure co mpliance with this section 57 
when appointing members to the commission. 58 
 (7)(3) Commission members shall receive no compensation 59 
for their services as such, but shall be reimbursed for travel 60 
expenses as provided in s. 112.061. 61 
 Section 3.  Subsection (1) and paragraph (a) of subsection 62 
(2) of section 379.3311, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 63 
 379.3311  Police powers of commission and its agents. — 64 
 (1)  The commission, the executive director and the 65 
executive director's assistants designated by her or him, and 66 
each commission officer are constituted peace officers with the 67 
power to make arrests for violations of the laws of this state 68 
when committed in the presence of the officer or when committed 69 
on lands under the supervision and management of the commission, 70 
the department, the Board of Trustees of the Internal 71 
Improvement Trust Fund, or the Department of Agriculture and 72 
Consumer Services, including state parks, coastal and aquatic 73 
managed areas, and greenways and trails. The general laws 74 
applicable to arrests by peace officers of this state shall also 75     
 
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be applicable to such director, assistants, and commission 76 
officers. Such persons may enter upon any land or waters of the 77 
state in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as 78 
a law enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10(1) for 79 
performance of their lawful duties and may take with them any 80 
necessary equipment, and such entry does not constitute a 81 
trespass. 82 
 (2)  Such officers may enforce throughout the state all 83 
laws relating to game, n ongame birds, fish, and fur -bearing 84 
animals and all rules and regulations of the commission relating 85 
to wild animal life, marine life, and freshwater aquatic life, 86 
and in connection with such laws, rules, and regulations, in the 87 
enforcement thereof and in the performance of their duties 88 
thereunder, to: 89 
 (a)  Go upon all premises in the same manner and subject to 90 
the same requirements as a law enforcement officer as defined in 91 
s. 943.10(1), posted or otherwise; 92 
 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 93