Bill > S0156

Introduced Session

An act relating to the Safe Waterways Act; providing a short title; requiring the Department of Health to provide a report of specified information to the Governor and the Legislature by a specified date; requiring the Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Protection to submit to the Governor and the Legislature, by a specified date, certain recommendations relating to the transfer of duties related to the bacteriological sampling of beach waters and public bathing places; requiring the departments to enter into an interagency agreement, by a specified date, that meets certain requirements; transferring the duties related to the bacteriological sampling of beach waters and public bathing places from the Department of Health to the Department of Environmental Protection by a type two transfer by a specified date; providing that certain employees retain and transfer certain types of leave upon the transfer; amending s. 514.021, F.S.; specifying that the Department of Environmental Protection is solely responsible for adopting and enforcing rules related to the bacteriological sampling of beach waters and public bathing places; amending s. 514.023, F.S.; defining the term “department”; requiring, rather than authorizing, the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt and enforce certain rules; revising requirements for such rules; requiring, rather than authorizing, the department to issue health advisories under certain circumstances; directing the department to require closure of beach waters and public bathing places under certain circumstances; requiring that such closures remain in effect for a specified period; including public bathing places in an existing preemption of authority to the state pertaining to the issuance of such health advisories and an existing notification requirement; requiring the department to notify the local affiliates of national television networks in affected areas; requiring municipalities and counties to notify the department of any incident that may affect the quality of beach waters and public bathing places within their respective jurisdictions; requiring public boat docks, marinas, and piers to notify the municipality or county having jurisdiction of any incident that may affect the quality of beach waters in which the dock, marina, or pier is located; requiring the department to investigate wastewater treatment facilities and ocean outfalls within the adjoining municipalities and counties of the affected beach waters and public bathing places; requiring the department to adopt by rule a certain health advisory sign; providing requirements for the sign; providing that municipalities and counties are responsible for posting and maintaining the health advisory signs around affected beach waters and public bathing places that they own; providing that the department is responsible for maintaining the health advisory signs around affected beach waters and public bathing places owned by the state; requiring the department to coordinate with the Department of Health and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as necessary to implement such signage requirements; requiring the department to monitor affected beach waters and public bathing places for compliance with the signage requirements; requiring the department to establish a public statewide interagency database for a specified purpose; requiring the department, in coordination with the Department of Health, to adopt certain rules and procedures; providing requirements for the publication of certain data; amending s. 514.0231, F.S.; deleting an obsolete provision; conforming a provision to changes made by the act; providing effective dates.

AI Summary

Ana Maria Rodriguez (R)*, 

Died in Health Policy (on 06/16/2025)

Official Document