Quiet passage of HB 781 could hold the key to state park development mystery
As the backlash against Governor Ron DeSantis’ proposed state park development plans reached a fever pitch this week, a little noticed but recently passed law, House Bill 781, may provide a crucial piece of the puzzle. The new law permits unsolicited proposals for public-private partnerships (PPPs) without a competitive bidding process, and appears to offer a streamlined pathway for developers to push through controversial projects in Florida’s state parks, among other places.
The law’s passage has gone largely unnoticed amid the uproar, but its provisions, which became effective July 1st, might explain how plans to build golf courses, hotels, and other amenities in nine state parks managed...
