HB 1457 Florida House · 2026 Regular Session

Stormwater Treatment

Summary
Stormwater Treatment ; Prohibits certain stormwater treatment & net improvement activities; requires DEP to require specified documentation for issuance of environmental resource permit for regional stormwater management systems; provides requirements for environmental resource permits authorizing such systems; authorizes certain permit applicants to purchase & use certain pollution reduction allocations & water quality enhancement credits; requires DEP & water management districts to use specified information to establish drainage areas; provides that certain use of enhancement credits constitutes stormwater treatment; provides that certain pollutant load reductions may not be referred to as enhancement credits; requires DEP to file specified rules for adoption by specified date; provides for water quality enhancement provisional permits; provides for modification of such permits under certain conditions; requires DEP & water management districts to recognize enhancement credits established in provisional permits; clarifies types of mitigation measures for compensating stormwater treatment which DEP or water management district governing boards must consider.
Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 9, 2026 Last action Mar 11, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

H 1457 c1 H 1457 c2 · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was revised to clarify that water quality enhancement areas cannot use credits to provide stormwater treatment or achieve net improvement, while simultaneously authorizing governmental entities to use these credits to meet performance standards. The text was also updated to remove the specific definition of 'enhancement credit' and replace it with broader language regarding the use of credits by government bodies.
Scope change
The bill's scope was narrowed regarding the use of enhancement credits for stormwater treatment, restricting them for non-governmental entities while explicitly permitting their use by governmental entities.
ELIGIBILITY

Restricted the ability of certain water quality enhancement areas to convey credits for stormwater treatment or net improvement.

Authorized governmental entities to use water quality enhancement credits to meet environmental resource permit standards.

DEFINITION

Deleted the specific statutory definition of the term 'enhancement credit' and replaced it with descriptive language about credit usage.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the summary of legislative findings and intent to reflect the new rules regarding credit usage and governmental authorization.

Floor votes · House Feb 26, 2026

How they voted

240
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 27
Feb 26, 2026
D Democratic8
6 Yea 2
75% Yea
R Republican19
18 Yea 1
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
23
Key actions
9
Committee
12
Mar 2, 2026
Committee
Bill referred to House Calendar
lower
Feb 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported out of State Affairs Committee
lower
Feb 26, 2026
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (24-0-3)
house
Feb 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with CS by State Affairs Committee
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Added to State Affairs Committee agenda
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Now in State Affairs Committee
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Referred to State Affairs Committee
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
lower
Feb 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with CS by Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Added to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee agenda
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Lower · Passed
Now in Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Committee
Referred to State Affairs Committee
lower
Jan 15, 2026
Committee
Referred to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
lower
2 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors