The Florida Senate

514.023  Sampling of beach waters; health advisories.--

(1)  The department may adopt and enforce rules to protect the health, safety, and welfare of persons using the beach waters of the state. The rules must establish health standards and prescribe procedures and timeframes for bacteriological sampling of beach waters.

(2)  The department may issue health advisories if the quality of beach waters fails to meet standards established by the department. The issuance of health advisories related to the results of bacteriological sampling of beach waters is preempted to the state.

(3)  For purposes of this section, the term "beach waters" means the waters along the coastal and intracoastal beaches and shores of the state, and includes salt water and brackish water.

(4)  Contingent upon legislative appropriation to the department in the amount of $600,000 nonrecurring, the department will perform a 3-year study to determine the water quality at beaches throughout the state. The study will be performed in all counties that have public-access saltwater and brackish water beaches.

History.--s. 2, ch. 2000-309.