Florida Historical Resources Act amendments dead this session

Florida Public Archaeology Network Northeast Director, Sarah Miller, explained some of the successful preservation programs of the University of West Florida program hosted at Flagler College over the past decade; including laws and regulations that help to protect archaeological sites. Historic City News readers learned how they can help to protect and save Florida’s heritage.

According to the Florida Historical Resources Act, Chapter 267 of the Florida Statutes, historical and archaeological sites and artifacts located on State-owned lands, including submerged lands, belong to the people of Florida. Excavating, disturbing, or collecting is prohibited in order to protect information about our State’s past.

“The issue of collecting from State lands seems to reappear often under various names; most recently as proposed House Bill 803 and the companion Senate Bill 1054,” Miller reported. “Whether referred to as Isolated Finds permits, Citizen Archaeology permits, or by some other name, they all are basically the same thing — a way for some people to collect, own, sell, and trade things that belong to all Floridians.”

Miller confirmed for City Manager John Regan that the bill that would have allowed Citizen Archaeology Permits is dead for this legislative session which ended last Friday.