Florida Forever bill seeks $100 million, bans spending on salaries, IT services, etc.

A bill seeking $100 million for Florida Forever is headed to the Senate floor with an amendment that prohibits the state from spending the money on general operations.

The state Senate budget committee passed Senate Bill 370 Thursday, the same day its chairman filed the amendment to protect the funding he seeks in the bill he filed in September.

State Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Orange Park, said he wants to make sure the state doesn't continue to spend money reserved for environmental land preservation on certain overhead costs. The amendment specifically prohibits providing the appropriation to:

• Executive direction and support services, and technology and information services within the Department of Environmental Protection
• Executive direction and support services, and technology services within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Executive direction and administrative support services within the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Executive direction and support services within the Department of State

Bradley said that's not what voters intended in 2014 when they overwhelmingly approved Amendment 1, which sets aside one-third of real estate transaction tax revenue to "acquire, restore, improve and manage conservation lands," including those that protect water resources such as the Everglades and rivers. 

"I would like to appropriate the money in the way that I believe fully effectuates the intent of the voters," Bradley said Thursday. 

However, the amendment doesn't ban some expenditures, such as insurance and vehicle purchases, that critics say should be included. Bradley didn't explain why.

Pending lawsuit

Bradley said his amendment is just "good policy" and not a response to what he called a "meritless" lawsuit environmentalist groups filed in 2015.

The lawsuit claims the Legislature "misappropriated" and state agencies "misspent" nearly $308.3 million of the $713.3 million earmarked for Florida Forever in the 2015-16 fiscal year budget. 

The Legislature has argued — and Bradley agreed — Amendment 1 authorized lawmakers to spend the money the way they did, saying state agencies can't manage or improve environmental lands without paying employees and other operating costs.

The lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in a Leon County circuit court in July. 

Funding breakdown

The majority of the $100 million would benefit DEP's Division of State Lands and the state's five water management districts. 

State Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, co-sponsored SB 370. The House version (HB 1353) was filed this week, but has not had any committee hearings. 

Florida Conservation Voters' executive director applauded the bill. 

"We are closer than ever to securing a long-term funding plan to safeguard Florida's most vulnerable natural areas and waters," Aliki Moncrief wrote in a news release. "It couldn't come at a better time," as Florida's population continues to grow.

Gutted funding

Florida Forever received zero funding last year, taking a back seat to the $800 million Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, wanted for a reservoir to reduce harmful Lake Okeechobee discharges into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers.

The Legislature last year also failed to pass an amendment to provide a funding minimum to Florida Forever, filed by Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Fort Myers.

Florida Forever used to receive about $300 million annually since 1999, but Gov. Rick Scott gutted it during the recession.

Scott cut all environmental funding by more than 97 percent between 2009 and 2014.

Amendment 1 bills

SB 370 is one of four bills seeking Land Acquisition Trust Fund money: 

• SB 174 would provide $50 million for beach renourishment projects
• HB 339 would provide up to $50 million for Indian River Lagoon restoration projects.
• SB 204 would provide $50 million toward helping restore the St. Johns River, its tributaries and the Keystone Heights lake region.