Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order Thursday requesting Florida counties to ensure beach access for the public, contradicting a law he signed four months ago.
Executive Order 18-202 is in direct opposition to HB631, a bill that Scott signed into law in March and went into effect on July 1.The new law made it harder for local governments to prevent private citizens from blocking off their land from beachgoers. If a city or town wanted to allow public access to these lands, it would have to sue the private owner.
The new law left many citizens confused as to who had access to certain areas of the beach. It also made it easier for people to block off portions of the beach behind their properties, even though the public had been using it for decades.
Read more at our news partner, the Miami Herald.
