Bill That Would Rename Coral Reef After Late State Rep. Kristin Jacobs Goes To Gov. DeSantis
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - A proposal to name a coral-reef system after the late state Rep. Kristin Jacobs, a Broward County Democrat and leader on environmental issues, has gone to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The House bill would designate the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area as the Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area.
It was one of 25 bills that the Legislature sent to DeSantis on Monday. Among the other bills was a measure (HB 839) that would prohibit local governments from preventing the siting or development of gas stations. The bill also would prevent mandating infrastructure, including electric vehicle charging stations, on fuel retailers.
DeSantis will have 15 days to act on the bills, which passed during the legislative session that ended April 30.
Jacobs died of cancer in April 2020. The conservation area sits off Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties, running from the northern boundary of Biscayne National Park to the St. Lucie Inlet. Once known as the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative Region, the conservation area was established on July 1, 2018.
Under the bill, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection would erect markers designating the area in honor of Jacobs.
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