HB 981 Florida House · 2026 Regular Session

Tributaries of the St. Johns River

Summary

Tributaries of the St. Johns River; Requires DEP to hire project lead to oversee implementation of act, to develop project plan for restoration of Ocklawaha River, & to develop specified outdoor recreation plan; creates Northeast Florida River & Springs Recreation & Economic Development Advisory Council; requires Department of Commerce to develop specified economic development program for Marion & Putnam Counties.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 5, 2026 Last action Mar 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

H 981 c2 → H 981 e1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered to its third engrossed version and reorganized to consolidate requirements into a single section. The most significant policy change is the addition of a requirement that the project plan must incorporate the best available science and include engineering and design updates. Additionally, the implementation of both the river restoration and economic development programs is now explicitly contingent on the commencement of the project plan.

REQUIREMENT

Added a mandate that the Ocklawaha River restoration project plan must incorporate the best available science and include engineering and design updates, including topographic changes.

Changed the implementation of the river restoration and economic development programs to be contingent upon the commencement of the project plan.

TECHNICAL

Reorganized the text to consolidate multiple requirements into a single section and updated the bill version number to 'Engrossed 1'.

Floor votes · House Mar 4, 2026

How they voted

107–3

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 117

Mar 4, 2026

D Democratic34

30 Yea 1 Nay 3

88% Yea

R Republican83

77 Yea 2 Nay 4

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Rules

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

CS passed as amended; YEAS 107, NAYS 3

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Amendment 048673 adopted

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Committee

Bill referred to House Calendar

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported out of State Affairs Committee

lower

Feb 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with CS by State Affairs Committee

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Added to State Affairs Committee agenda

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

Now in State Affairs Committee

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Budget Committee

lower

Jan 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable by Budget Committee

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Added to Budget Committee agenda

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Now in Budget Committee

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Committee

Referred to State Affairs Committee

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Committee

Referred to Budget Committee

lower

Jan 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee

lower

Jan 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with CS by Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee

lower

Jan 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

Added to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee agenda

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Now in Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to State Affairs Committee

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to Budget Committee

lower

Jan 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee

lower

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors