HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A bill aiming to protect state parks from certain development has received approval from the Florida Legislature. 

It’s now up to Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign the bill into law.

The “State Parks Preservation Act” would bar golf courses, resort-style lodges, pickleball courts and other sports facilities from being built on park land. The legislation would maintain “conservation-based recreational uses” at state parks while prohibiting types of development that drew outrage last summer in the “Great Outdoors Initiative.” 

It mapped several proposals to build certain types of developments across state parks including on Honeymoon Island State Park and Hillsborough River State Park.

Passage of the bill has environmental advocates celebrating.

“What happened today is one of the most significant pieces of environmental legislation to happen in a generation in the state of Florida,” James Scott of Suncoast Sierra Club said.

Scott said the environment should never be a partisan issue. He’s hopeful the governor will sign the bill.

“He’s got a lot on his plate, and I think that signing this landmark piece of historic legislation is in Floridians’ interest and ultimately, I think it’s in his interest,” Scott said.

Sen. Gayle Harrell (R-Stuart) said she was appalled by the proposals last year. She sponsored the bill.

“This is what the great state of Florida is all about. Coming together for a purpose, and that was, in this case, preserving our parks,” she said.

The bill doesn’t ban all types of development. But any projects must be “conservation-based recreational uses” that support things like hiking, swimming, horseback riding, boating, studying nature and other similar activities, according to a House staff analysis.

Rep. John Snyder (R-Stuart) said the bill’s language was strengthened by an amendment proposed in the Senate, which also added a name change for a state park in Tallahassee.

Gov. DeSantis has not shared whether he’ll sign it but stated last year he’s in favor of what the general public wants.

“I am totally fine to just do nothing, and do no improvements if that’s what the general public wants, and that’s fine with me,” DeSantis said.

10 Tampa Bay reached out to the governor’s office for comment. This article will be updated if and when a response is given.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.