The bill amends several sections of Florida Statutes related to the regulation of vessel anchoring and mooring. It restricts local regulations concerning vessels outside marked mooring fields in counties with populations of 1.5 million or greater and in areas of critical state concern. The bill introduces new exceptions for live-aboard vessels, commercial vessels (excluding commercial fishing vessels), and any vessel that remains anchored overnight for at least four hours during specific times, provided it does not exceed 30 days in a six-month period.

Additionally, the bill designates specific sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County as grandfathered-in anchoring limitation areas and increases the prohibited anchoring distance from public mooring fields from 100 feet to 300 feet. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 866 Filed: 327.60, 327.4108, 327.4109