The bill establishes a new section, 373.027, in the Florida Statutes, which prohibits counties and municipalities from enacting any laws, regulations, rules, or policies concerning water quality, water quantity, pollution control, pollutant discharge prevention or removal, and wetlands. This regulation is exclusively preempted to the state, meaning that only state authorities will have the power to manage these aspects of water management. The bill also clarifies that it does not affect local governments' authority to manage their own water, wastewater, or stormwater systems, nor does it apply to interagency agreements that involve local governments and water management districts.

Additionally, the bill mandates that if the Department of Environmental Protection identifies a violation of this section by a county or municipality, it must notify the Chief Financial Officer, who is then required to withhold any state funds that the violating entity may be entitled to receive. Furthermore, the bill repeals section 373.591, which pertains to land management review teams. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 718 Filed: 373.591