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Nature Conservancy Applauds Governor for Signing Conservation-Related Bills into Law

Florida Forever remains unfunded for first time in 20 years

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL — June 10, 2009 — The Nature Conservancy applauds Governor Charlie Crist for signing into law today SB 2430, sponsored by Senators Al Lawson, Carey Baker, and Dan Gelber, and HB 7157, sponsored by House Finance & Tax Council, Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff and Senator Thad Altman.

SB 2430 corrects a loophole in the state’s documentary stamp collections. The effect of this bill will be to capture additional documentary stamp revenue that went uncollected because of the loophole. 

SB 2430, as originally passed 38-1 by the full Florida Senate, directed nearly ten million dollars from the increased proceeds realized by closing the loophole to be used for bonding authority for Florida Forever and Save Our Everglades bonds for the next fiscal year. The House unfortunately stripped the Florida Forever provision from the bill, leaving only the loophole closure. As a result, for the first time in 20 years, Florida Forever (and Preservation 2000 before it) will receive no new funding next year.

HB 7157 provides the statutory language required to implement “Amendment 4,” which authorizes an ad valorem tax exemption for conservation easements, and passed with 68.5 percent of the vote in the 2008 general election.

“The Nature Conservancy offers our sincere thanks to Governor Crist, and to those senators who were responsible for amending and passing SB 2430, particularly Senators Lawson, Gelber, Baker, Alexander and Atwater,” said Jeff Danter, The Nature Conservancy’s Florida director. “We are hopeful that an economic turnaround combined with the increased revenues from SB 2430 will ensure that Florida Forever will be funded in the future. We are dedicated to working to restore Florida Forever funding.”

During the 2009 Legislative session, a poll was released by The Nature Conservancy and the Trust For Public Land that detailed the widespread, statewide support for Florida Forever. This poll showed that 67 percent of Floridians supported fully funding Florida Forever, and that 63 percent would look unfavorably upon an incumbent legislator that voted against the program.  

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.