South Florida Legislator Evan Jenne calls controversial law created through passage of HB 631 “a wildly unpopular law.”
As the fight over who owns Florida’s beaches moves beyond the shores of Walton County, a bill has been introduced to repeal HB 631, which on July 1, 2018, began wreaking havoc in Northwest Florida.
The bill, signed into law by then Gov. Rick Scott, shredded Walton County’s customary use ordinance and afforded private owners, many of whom hold deeds to the mean high water line, the right to call out beachgoers for trespassing on the dry sand behind their homes.
Chaos ensued as beachgoers were frustrated by fences, signs and security guards dictating where they could pitch their umbrellas and dangle their toes. Law officers still don’t know exactly how to enforce the trespassing provisions and public works officials have been told they can’t pick up garbage in some beach locations.
“It’s a wildly unpopular law, no matter where you are in the state of Florida,” Jenne said.
Jenne said he is confident there is a lot of support on both sides of the aisle for his repeal bill. He’s convinced a lot of those who voted for HB 631 two years ago didn’t take the time to read the wording to realize its potential impact.
Passed into law in 2018, HB 631 nullified a Walton County customary use ordinance and freed up county beach property owners to post no trespassing signs and erect fences to keep beachgoers off sections of dry sand beach to which they held deeds.
Herring, Rauschkolb and other proponents of customary use — the theory that beaches should be open to all by virtue of their always having been that way — are confident that the vast majority of Florida citizens think the way they do.
They believe many legislators did not realize what they were voting on when HB 631 was brought to them two years ago, and can be convinced now to support repeal.
Bill filed to repeal controversial HB 631
As the fight over who owns Florida’s beaches moves beyond the shores of Walton County, a bill has been introduced to repeal HB 631, which on July 1, 2018, began wreaking havoc in Northwest Florida.
The bill, signed into law by then Gov. Rick Scott, shredded Walton County’s customary use ordinance and afforded private owners, many of whom hold deeds to the mean high water line, the right to call out beachgoers for trespassing on the dry sand behind their homes.
Chaos ensued as beachgoers were frustrated by fences, signs and security guards dictating where they could pitch their umbrellas and dangle their toes. Law officers still don’t know exactly how to enforce the trespassing provisions and public works officials have been told they can’t pick up garbage in some beach locations.
“It’s a wildly unpopular law, no matter where you are in the state of Florida,” Jenne said.
Jenne said he is confident there is a lot of support on both sides of the aisle for his repeal bill. He’s convinced a lot of those who voted for HB 631 two years ago didn’t take the time to read the wording to realize its potential impact.
Passed into law in 2018, HB 631 nullified a Walton County customary use ordinance and freed up county beach property owners to post no trespassing signs and erect fences to keep beachgoers off sections of dry sand beach to which they held deeds.
Herring, Rauschkolb and other proponents of customary use — the theory that beaches should be open to all by virtue of their always having been that way — are confident that the vast majority of Florida citizens think the way they do.
They believe many legislators did not realize what they were voting on when HB 631 was brought to them two years ago, and can be convinced now to support repeal.
Bill filed to repeal controversial HB 631
