Committee approves bill to promote nature-based and hybrid coastal resilience solutions

The Environment and Natural Resources Committee reported Senate Bill 50 favorably after sponsor Senator Garcia said the measure would integrate green infrastructure (wetlands, mangroves), gray infrastructure (seawalls), and hybrid systems to enhance coastal resilience.

The bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules addressing erosion and protecting mangroves and directs the University of South Florida to develop guidelines and model effects for hybrid infrastructure. It also tasks the DEP and the Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services with a study of nature-based flood-risk reduction to explore potential insurance premium reductions and flood rating improvements; findings are due to the governor, senate president and house speaker by July 1, 2026.

Nut graf: sponsors framed SB 50 as a statutory framework to speed the use of natural features alongside engineered solutions on Florida’s coastlines, and to include state-backed research and insurance-market study so policy and permitting changes are informed by modeling.

Several environmental organizations waived in support, including the CLEO Institute and others. Senator Garcia waived closing. On roll call the committee recorded unanimous affirmative votes and reported SB 50 favorably.

Ending: the bill includes a specific reporting deadline and directs state research and rulemaking; the committee record does not attach committee-level appropriations for the required modeling or studies.