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Gov. DeSantis signs bill to protect Florida public beach access, give power to local governments

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Published  June 24, 2025 10:52am EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Tuesday morning that will aid in preserving the state’s beaches.
    • The governor said Senate Bill 1622 will repeal a provision relating to the establishment of recreational customary use of beaches.
    • DeSantis said money from the 2025-2026 state budget will be allocated to the beach preservation efforts, as around $60 million has been used on Florida beaches.

SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Tuesday morning that will aid in preserving the state’s beaches.

DeSantis made the announcement and signed the bill at a news conference held in Santa Road Beach, Florida. The governor said Senate Bill 1622 will repeal a provision relating to the establishment of recreational customary use of beaches.

What is S.B. 1622?

What we know:

DeSantis said S.B. 1622 will repeal the burden of some state mandates and return decision-making power to local governments when it comes to recognizing recreational customary use of beaches.

Under the prior law that was enacted by former Gov. Rick Scott, local governments were prohibited from affirming the public's recreational use of the dry sand areas of private beaches unless they first went through a complex and costly judicial process. 

The governor said the legislation will make it easier to restore eroded beaches in certain Gulf Coast counties with relatively smaller populations, as well as allow the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to move forward with beach restoration in areas that the state has already declared critically eroded without having to secure public assessment from private Gulf-run landowners. 

In addition, the bill includes a declaration that the state is not expanding its ownership claims beyond what is already constitutionally and legally recognized. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about the new legislation at a news conference on Tuesday morning. 

What's next:

DeSantis said money from the 2025-2026 state budget will be allocated to the beach preservation efforts, as around $60 million has been used on Florida beaches.

‘First-class beaches’ in Florida

What they're saying:

DeSantis said he knows a lot of people care about the topic, and it's something that he's had in the back of his mind for a while. 

"A lot of people have been talking about this issue for a long time," DeSantis said. "We have been very, very strong in supporting the vitality of Florida's beaches. We have the best beaches in the United States, maybe in the world. Certainly, the people that come to this part of the state recognize that these are really, really first-class beaches here on Florida's Gulf Coast. Being able to have these beautiful beaches is a huge, huge asset to our state. It really does help drive the economy, and it's also just an important part of the culture of the state."

This bill is about much more than policy; it's about families," Florida leaders at the news conference said. "It's about tradition, and it's about restoring something that never should have been taken away in the first place."

"We’re taking an important step to better protect and restore these beaches," said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis Lambert. "The bill clarifies how local governments can set beach use rules without unnecessary red tape. It also simplifies how we can set erosion control lines, allowing vital beach nourishment projects to move forward more efficiently."

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How big of an impact do Florida's beaches have?

By the numbers:

Florida's sandy beaches stretch for 825 miles. This coastline makes up a significant portion of the state's total 1,350 miles of coastline, according to Visit Florida. 

Florida’s beaches are a primary attraction for almost 19 million tourists each year, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Florida beaches generate billions of dollars annually. Specifically, beach-oriented tourism contributes over $56 billion to the state's economy and supports more than 900,000 jobs, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This includes direct spending by tourists, tax revenues and the broader economic impact of beach-related activities. 

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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Visit Florida, as well as information shared by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a news conference on June 24, 2025. 

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