New UPDATE: Senate Bill CS-1260 has undergone a title change from "Recreational Boating Zones" to "Anchoring Limitation Areas" and has now been referred to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development for a hearing this coming Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016, 1:30 pm, in 301 Senate Office Building in Tallahassee. Here is a list of the Senators on this committee (legislators pay particular attention to their own constituents, especially if their correspondence is courteous and concise):

Senator Jack Latvala (R) (Chair): Email [email protected]  Phone (727) 793-2797
Senator Jeff Clemens (D) (Vice Chair): Email [email protected]  Phone (561) 540-1140
Senator Jeff Brandes (R): Email [email protected]  Phone (727) 563-2100
Senator Nancy C.  Detert (R): Email [email protected]  Phone (941) 480-3547
Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla (R): Email [email protected]  Phone (305) 643-7200
Senator Audrey Gibson (D): Email [email protected]  Phone (904) 359-2553
Senator Dorothy L. Hukill (R): Email [email protected]  Phone (386) 304-7630
Senator Maria Lorts Sachs (D): Email [email protected]  Phone (561) 279-1427
Senator Geraldine F. "Geri" Thompson (D): Email [email protected]  Phone (407) 245-1511

See sample correspondence suggested by the Seven Seas Cruising Association's Concerned Cruiser's Committee:

"I am (a Florida resident/Florida tourist) and cruise extensively in Florida waters. I oppose the present language in CS/SB1260 because the bill does not give cruising boats the ability to anchor for a reasonable time while in navigation under federal law. We are also concerned that this bill opens the door for communities to pursue similar legislation without adequate justification which would result in unfair, random and unreasonable anchoring restrictions. A better way to address the issues in these areas is to pursue enactment of a comprehensive mooring/anchoring planning and adoption process that would apply to all communities, not just selected ones.”

If you are a Florida resident and live in one of these Senator's districts, please make it clear that you are one of their constituents when you call or email.

Better yet – if you can make it to Tallahassee to appear at the hearing, you can speak directly to the committee or waive in non-support.

UPDATE (Feb. 17, 2016 – edited and corrected): The amended SB CS-1260, banning overnight anchoring in specific anchorages in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale with "safe harbor" and other exceptions, narrowly passed the Environmental Preservation and Conservation committee today, 5 to 4 (see vote record). Six attendees spoke against the bill – including representatives of SSCA, AGLCA, MTOA and BoatUS. Another attendee waived in non-support the bill. One attendee representing the City of Ft. Lauderdale and homeowners in Miami-Dade spoke in favor of the bill. The bill may now be referred to its second of three Senate committees (Correction: This update stated in error that SB-1260 had passed in a previous Senate committee hearing. Environmental Preservation and Conservation was the first committee to hear and vote on the bill).

Two Senators spoke strongly against the bill during the hearing, citing the problems that a piece-meal approach may raise, the need to work with the FWC Pilot Program currently underway, and the concerns that the legislation may not hold up constitutionally. Some of the Senators who voted in favor voiced similar reservations, and urged for a new amendement to be crafted before the bill is heard in the next committee.

The amended Senate bill closely matches the adopted amendment to the House version of the bill (HB-1051), but adding a "1.5 million county resident" minimum – Broward and Miami-Dade are the only counties with populations over 1.5 million, although Palm Beach County is close with around 1.3 million, so the Crab Key anchorage in Destin is no longer on the list. Although this amendment allows for safe harbor and other exceptions, it would significantly restrict anchoring in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.

Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida also reported on the hearing:

Boaters would be prohibited from anchoring overnight in newly designated recreational zones in two South Florida counties where homeowners have clashed with people on live-aboard vessels, under a Senate bill that nearly got scuttled Wednesday.

The idea drew questions from a number of senators as potentially creating an unconstitutional "local law" that would fail to be applied uniformly across the state...

Continue reading article at The Ledger.com: Florida Senate wades into anchoring, boat-speed issues.

(Posted Feb. 13, 2016) Vessel anchoring legislation is scheduled to be heard Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016. Senate Bill 1260, which would ban overnight anchoring in several areas popular with cruising boaters in Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, and Destin FL, is the only bill currently on the agenda for a hearing by the Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Mallory Horne Committee Room, 37 Senate Office Building at the State Capitol in Tallahassee.

Several boating organizations have stated their opposition to the passage of this bill, and your action may help preserve these safe anchorages – and stop a precedent that could lead to the closure of many other safe anchoring spots.

Why were these specific anchorages chosen to be "recreational boating zones?" Read Waterway Guide article: Anchoring ban bill passes FL House subcommittee.

Other Florida boating legislation updates:

• The "At-Risk Vessels" Senate Bill 1300 was placed on the agenda of the Fiscal Policy Committee yesterday for a hearing Feb. 17, 2016, 4:00 pm, 412 Knott Building.
• The "probable cause required before vessel stop" Senate Bill CS-1454 was placed on the agenda of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice yesterday for a hearing Feb. 17, 2016, 10:00 am, 37 Senate Office Building.

For more about current cruising- and boating-related legislation, see the newly updated Waterway Guide article: Florida boating legislation 'halftime' report.