House passes bill to allow big counties to set overnight anchoring limitations

Four Florida counties could gain a new tool to better address mooring issues in their waters through legislation that just passed in the Legislature’s lower chamber.

House members just voted 115-0 for HB 481, which would enable counties with 1.5 million or more residents — Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough and Palm Beach, currently — to regulate vessels that anchor overnight within their jurisdiction.

The regulation would only apply to vessels anchored for an hour or more for more than 30 days in a given six-month period, down from 45 days.

The bill’s sponsor, Miami Republican Rep. Vicki Lopez, said in a statement that increased congestion in Florida’s waters, environmental damage and safety risks “demand decisive action.”

“Current regulation leaves gaps that threaten the well-being of boaters and the health of our marine ecosystem,” she said.

“HB 481 addresses these issues by empowering local governments to establish stricter anchoring zones in heavily impacted regions … reduces anchoring periods in designated areas and expands protections to critical environmental zones and sensitive waterways,” she added.

“This important piece of legislation is essential to preserving Florida’s waterways for generations to come. It reflects our commitment to sustainable marine practices, community safety, and responsible waterway stewardship. By enacting these measures, we send a clear message: safeguarding our natural resources and protecting the boating community are top priorities.”

Proponents of Lopez’s measure, including many of the counties and cities it would empower, say it will help them to clean up their waterways and hold irresponsible boaters accountable.

Opponents of the bill argue it will lead to geographically inconsistent rules that penalize responsible boaters for merely staying in one place for too long while doing little to address the negative impact derelict vessels have on the environment.

HB 481 will next go to the Senate Rules Committee, where it would be considered alongside its upper-chamber analog (SB 866) by Fort Myers Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin before going to a Senate floor vote.

Another pair of bills aimed at tackling the state’s derelict vessels issue (SB 146, HB 1149) by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez and Rep. Fabián Basabe are close to passing. The Senate bill cleared a floor vote April 3, while the House bill has one more committee stop before being subject to a full chamber vote.