Florida Senate - 2017                                     SB 230
       
       
        
       By Senator Artiles
       
       40-00395-17                                            2017230__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to nonnative animals; amending s.
    3         379.231, F.S.; directing the Fish and Wildlife
    4         Conservation Commission, in consultation with the
    5         Department of Environmental Protection, to establish a
    6         pilot program for the eradication of specific species;
    7         providing legislative findings; providing goals for
    8         the pilot program; requiring the commission to enter
    9         into specified contracts; specifying parameters for
   10         the implementation of the pilot program; requiring the
   11         commission to submit a report to the Governor and the
   12         Legislature by a specified date; providing an
   13         appropriation for the implementation of the pilot
   14         program; providing an effective date.
   15          
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Section 379.231, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   19  read:
   20         379.231 Regulation of nonnative animals.—
   21         (1) It is unlawful to import for sale or use, or to release
   22  within this state, any species of the animal kingdom not native
   23  to Florida unless authorized by the Fish and Wildlife
   24  Conservation Commission.
   25         (2) A person in violation of this section commits a Level
   26  Three violation under s. 379.4015.
   27         (3) The commission, in consultation with the Department of
   28  Environmental Protection, is directed to establish a pilot
   29  program to mitigate the impact of lizards of the genus
   30  Tupinambis, also known as tegu lizards, and species listed in s.
   31  379.372(2)(a) on public lands in this state.
   32         (a) The Legislature finds that lizards of the genus
   33  Tupinambis, also known as tegu lizards, and species listed in s.
   34  379.372(2)(a) continue to expand their range and to decimate the
   35  fauna and flora of the Everglades and other natural areas and
   36  ecosystems in the southern and central parts of this state at an
   37  accelerating rate.
   38         (b) The goal of the pilot program is to examine the
   39  benefits of using strategically deployed hunting teams to slow
   40  the advance of these nonnative animals and begin to contain and
   41  eradicate such species from this state.
   42         (c) The commission shall form hunting teams by entering
   43  into contracts with entities or individuals to capture or
   44  destroy lizards of the genus Tupinambis, also known as tegu
   45  lizards, and species listed in s. 379.372(2)(a) found on public
   46  lands. The commission shall award such contracts through a
   47  competitive bidding process. All parties awarded contracts by
   48  the commission shall ensure that each individual who
   49  participates in a hunt holds a valid hunting license of this
   50  state. The commission shall ensure that all captures and kills
   51  of lizards of the genus Tupinambis, also known as tegu lizards,
   52  and species listed in s. 379.372(2)(a) are documented and
   53  photographed and that the geographic location of the take is
   54  recorded for research purposes. The commission shall direct the
   55  disposal of all animals captured and not destroyed in a hunt.
   56         (d) The commission shall compose teams of contracted
   57  entities and individuals and direct their operations in
   58  geographic areas in a manner designed to maximize the take of
   59  lizards of the genus Tupinambis, also known as tegu lizards, and
   60  species listed in s. 379.372(2)(a) or to achieve the greatest
   61  gain in territory from which such species have been eradicated.
   62         (e) Teams are authorized to hunt at the direction of the
   63  commission in the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife
   64  Management Areas and all other state lands managed by the
   65  commission. The commission is authorized to enter into memoranda
   66  of agreement with other state and local entities to be permitted
   67  to deploy teams of hunters in other state and local natural
   68  areas. The commission is directed to seek permission from the
   69  National Park Service to deploy hunting teams in the Everglades
   70  National Park.
   71         (f) The commission shall submit a report of findings and
   72  recommendations regarding its implementation of the pilot
   73  program to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
   74  Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2020.
   75         (g) The Legislature appropriates $300,000 per year from the
   76  Land Acquisition Trust Fund for the next 2 fiscal years for the
   77  implementation of this subsection.
   78         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.