Florida · House Bill 481 · 2025 Regular Session

Anchoring Limitation Areas

HB 481 Sponsored by Vicki L. Lopez Became law

  1. Introduced Feb 7, 2025
  2. In committee Feb 19, 2025
  3. Passed the House  
  4. Passed the Senate  
  5. To the governor May 16, 2025
  6. Became law May 19, 2025

What it does

The legislature's own summary of the bill, or its official long title.

Restricts local regulation of vessels outside marked boundaries of mooring fields in certain counties; designates specified sections of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County as grandfathered-in anchoring limitation areas; increases prohibited anchoring & mooring distance of vessels & floating structures near public mooring fields.

Every action

47 steps, oldest first, as the legislature records them.

Show the 39 earlier steps
  1. HouseFiled
  2. CommitteeReferred to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee · House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
  3. CommitteeReferred to State Affairs Committee · House State Affairs Committee
  4. CommitteeNow in Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee · House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
  5. House1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
  6. CommitteeAdded to Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee agenda · House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
  7. CommitteeFavorable with CS by Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee · House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee18–0 vote
  8. CommitteeReported out of Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee · House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
  9. HouseLaid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
  10. HouseCS Filed
  11. House1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
  12. CommitteeReferred to State Affairs Committee · House State Affairs Committee
  13. CommitteeNow in State Affairs Committee · House State Affairs Committee
  14. CommitteeAdded to State Affairs Committee agenda · House State Affairs Committee
  15. CommitteeAdded to State Affairs Committee agenda · House State Affairs Committee
  16. CommitteeFavorable with CS by State Affairs Committee · House State Affairs Committee25–0 vote
  17. CommitteeReported out of State Affairs Committee · House State Affairs Committee
  18. HouseLaid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
  19. HouseCS Filed
  20. House1st Reading (Committee Substitute 2)
  21. HouseBill referred to House Calendar
  22. HouseAdded to Second Reading Calendar
  23. HouseBill added to Special Order Calendar (4/16/2025)
  24. HouseRead 2nd time
  25. HousePlaced on 3rd reading
  26. HouseAdded to Third Reading Calendar
  27. HouseRead 3rd time
  28. HouseCS passed; YEAS 115, NAYS 0
  29. HouseImmediately certified
  30. SenateIn Messages
  31. CommitteeReferred to Rules · Senate Rules
  32. HouseMessage sent to senate
  33. CommitteeOn Committee agenda-- Rules, 04/21/25, 2:00 pm, 412 Knott Building · Senate Rules
  34. SenateReceived
  35. CommitteeFavorable by- Rules; YEAS 16 NAYS 7 · Senate Rules16–7 vote
  36. SenatePlaced on Calendar, on 2nd reading
  37. SenatePlaced on Special Order Calendar, 04/29/25
  38. SenateRead 2nd time -SJ 617
  39. SenateAmendment(s) failed (134212) -SJ 638
  1. SenatePlaced on 3rd reading
  2. SenateRead 3rd time -SJ 1009
  3. SenateCS passed; YEAS 29 NAYS 8 -SJ 101029–8 vote
  4. HouseIn Messages
  5. HouseOrdered enrolled
  6. GovernorSigned by Officers and presented to Governor
  7. GovernorApproved by Governor
  8. Chapter No. 2025-39

Roll calls

5 recorded votes: 2 on the floor, 3 in committee. Each shows how every member voted.

Passage · Full House

115–0
Apr 16, 2025 · journal entry
Yes 115 No 0 Not voting 4
Democrats: 33 yes, 0 no Republicans: 82 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 115

Not voting · 4

CS passed; YEAS 29 NAYS 8 -SJ 1010 · Full Senate

29–8
Apr 30, 2025 · journal entry
Yes 29 No 8 Not voting 1
Democrats: 3 yes, 6 no Independents: 1 yes, 0 no Republicans: 25 yes, 2 no
How each member voted

Yes · 29

No · 8

Not voting · 1

Committee and other votes

DateWhereQuestionResult
Mar 11, 2025 House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee Favorable with CS by Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee
Members

Yes · 18

 Passed 18–0
Apr 2, 2025 House State Affairs Committee Favorable with CS by State Affairs Committee
Members

Yes · 25

Not voting · 1

 Passed 25–0
Apr 21, 2025 Senate committee Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 16 NAYS 7 Passed 16–7

Sponsors

The member who introduced it, joined by 1 cosponsor: 1 Republican.

  • Vicki L. LopezR Primary sponsor · District 113
  • SA State Affairs Committee Sponsoring committee
  • NR Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee Sponsoring committee
All 1 cosponsor

From Florida's official records (leg.state.fl.us; flhouse.gov), checked Nov 2, 2026. Text links go to the official versions; LegiList does not copy bill text.