Senate Action on Florida Forever Successor Bill

Florida Senate gives initial passage to Florida Forever successor bill.

TALLAHASSEE — April 16, 2008 — Today, the Florida Senate gave initial passage to the Florida Forever successor bill (Senate Bill 542). The bill reauthorizes Florida Forever for 10 years at $300 million annually.

The changes made to the bill included 1) the retention of the the Florida Communities Trust as a program of the Department of Community Affairs; 2) the creation of a $5 million annual "working waterfronts" land acquisition program at the Department of Community Affairs; and 3) the expansion of the existing Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) from nine to 11 members.

The progress to date on this bill is due to the strong leadership of Senate President Ken Pruitt and Environmental Preservation Committee Chair Burt Saunders.

The Nature Conservancy and its partners in the Florida Forever Coalition strongly supports the Senate's Florida Forever successor bill.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. With funding from the voter approved Florida Forever program and our generous donors the Conservancy has helped protect more than 1.2 million acres in Florida since 1961. Visit us on the Web at nature.org/florida.

The Florida Forever Coalition is an organization of more than 100 groups that cross all stakeholders. More than half of Florida’s 67 counties and 19 cities have passed resolutions in support of Florida Forever and the need for a successor program. For more information visit www.supportfloridaforever.org.