Every year, the Florida Legislature, made up of 120 House members and 40 Senate members, convenes to pass legislation. STC closely monitors bills and policies that could positively or negatively impact Florida’s sea turtles and their habitats and, when necessary, calls upon its members and followers to contact legislators about these policies. Outside of the Legislative Session, STC also monitors proposals that could impact sea turtles.
The 2025 Florida Legislative Session will begin on April 14, 2025. To be informed and support STC’s policy initiatives, we suggest:
- Checking this page for up to date information on legislation and other topics that impact sea turtles and their habitats
- Signing up to receive Sea Turtle Conservancy’s Turtle Talk E-newsletter
- Supporting Sea Turtle Conservancy (If you prefer, you can make a monthly donation of $5 or more to support us throughout the year)
General Legislative Priorities:
Our legislative priorities are focused on reducing the many threats that Florida’s sea turtles face, including: climate change and sea level rise, risky coastal development, plastic pollution, degraded water quality and associated impacts to sea turtle food sources. STC’s general legislative priorities are as follows:
- Encouraging nature-based solutions to sea level rise and coastal erosion
- Defending Home Rule and local governments’ ability to protect natural resources
- Protecting the Specialty License Plate program, particularly the Helping Sea Turtles Survive License Plate
- Supporting efforts to reduce nutrient pollution within Florida’s waterways
How to contact Florida’s legislators:
Florida residents and organizations can have the most influence by directly contacting legislators in their district. If you are unsure who your Florida Senator or Representative is, click the links below:
Find Florida Senators: https://www.flsenate.gov/senators/find
Find members of the Florida House Representative: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/findyourrepresentative
While sending an email about a bill or policy can be an effective way to reach a legislator, calling and stating your concerns is more effective, and attending committee meetings where bills will be considered and signing up to speak is even more effective.
How non-Floridians can help
People residing outside the state of Florida can still make a difference for sea turtles. If you are concerned about a bill or policy, please contact the relevant entity mentioned in each “action needed” section.
If you have additional questions about STC’s Policy Priorities, please email Stacey Gallagher at stacey@conserveturtles.org.