II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1073 

To authorize Escambia County, Florida, to convey certain property that 

was formerly part of Santa Rosa Island National Monument and that 

was conveyed to Escambia County subject to restrictions on use and 

reconveyance. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 9, 2017 

Mr. RUBIO introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize Escambia County, Florida, to convey certain 

property that was formerly part of Santa Rosa Island 

National Monument and that was conveyed to Escambia 

County subject to restrictions on use and reconveyance. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Escambia County 

5 Land Conveyance Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) COUNTY.—The term ‘‘County’’ means 

2 Escambia County, Florida. 

3 (2) NON-FEDERAL LAND.—The term ‘‘non-Fed4 eral land’’ means the former Santa Rosa Island Na5 tional Monument land in the State that was con6 veyed by the United States to the County under the 

7 Act of July 30, 1946 (60 Stat. 712, chapter 699), 

8 and by deed dated January 15, 1947. 

9 (3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 

10 of Florida. 

11 SEC. 3. RECONVEYANCE OF NON-FEDERAL LAND TO 

12 ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the restrictions 

14 on conveyance in the Act of July 30, 1946 (60 Stat. 712, 

15 chapter 699), and the deed to the non-Federal land from 

16 the United States to the County dated January 15, 1947, 

17 and subject to subsections (c) through (g), the County 

18 may convey all right, title, and interest of the County in 

19 and to the non-Federal land or any portion of the non20 Federal land, to any person or entity, without any restric21 tion on conveyance or reconveyance imposed by the United 

22 States in that Act or deed. 

23 (b) EFFECT ON LEASEHOLD INTERESTS.—No person 

24 or entity holding a leasehold interest in the non-Federal 

25 land as of the date of enactment of this Act shall be reVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 May 12, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1073.IS S1073

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1 quired to involuntarily accept a fee interest to the non2 Federal land in place of the leasehold interest in the non3 Federal land. 

4 (c) CONVEYANCE OF LAND WITHIN SANTA ROSA

5 COUNTY, FLORIDA.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—As a condition of the au7 thority granted to the County to convey the non8 Federal land under subsection (a), all right, title, 

9 and interest of the County in and to any portion of 

10 the non-Federal land that is within the jurisdictional 

11 boundaries of Santa Rosa County, Florida, shall be 

12 conveyed by the County to Santa Rosa County, Flor13 ida, by the date that is 2 years after the date of en14 actment of this Act. 

15 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—A conveyance under 

16 paragraph (1) shall— 

17 (A) be absolute; 

18 (B) terminate— 

19 (i) any subjugation of Santa Rosa 

20 County, Florida, to the County; or 

21 (ii) any regulation of Santa Rosa 

22 County, Florida, by the County; and 

23 (C) be without consideration, except that 

24 the County may require Santa Rosa County, 

25 Florida, to pay the actual costs associated with 


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1 the conveyance of the non-Federal land to 

2 Santa Rosa County, Florida. 

3 (3) ASSUMPTION OF OWNERSHIP; IMPOSITION

4 OF RESTRICTIONS.—On conveyance of the non-Fed5 eral land to Santa Rosa County, Florida, under 

6 paragraph (1), Santa Rosa County, Florida— 

7 (A) shall assume ownership of the non8 Federal land free of the restrictions on the non9 Federal land described in subsection (g); and 

10 (B) may establish any lawful restrictions 

11 on, or criteria for the reconveyance of, the non12 Federal land to any leaseholder of the non-Fed13 eral land. 

14 (4) RECONVEYANCE.—Santa Rosa County, 

15 Florida, or any other person to whom Santa Rosa 

16 County, Florida, reconveys the non-Federal land 

17 may reconvey the non-Federal land or any portion of 

18 the non-Federal land conveyed to Santa Rosa Coun19 ty, Florida, under paragraph (1). 

20 (d) INCORPORATION OR ANNEXATION.—An owner or 

21 leaseholder of the non-Federal land conveyed under this 

22 section may pursue incorporation, annexation, or any 

23 other governmental status for the non-Federal land, if the 

24 owner or leaseholder complies with the legal conditions reVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 May 12, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1073.IS S1073

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1 quired for incorporation, annexation, or the other govern2 mental status. 

3 (e) JURISDICTION.—The non-Federal land shall be 

4 subject to the jurisdiction of the county or unit of local 

5 government in which the non-Federal land is located. 

6 (f) PROCEEDS.—Any proceeds from the conveyance 

7 of the non-Federal land by the County or Santa Rosa 

8 County, Florida (other than amounts paid for the direct 

9 and incidental costs associated with the conveyance), 

10 under this section shall— 

11 (1) be considered to be windfall profits; and 

12 (2) revert to the United States. 

13 (g) PRESERVATION.—As a condition of the grant of 

14 the authority to convey the non-Federal land under sub15 section (a), the County shall preserve in perpetuity the 

16 areas of the non-Federal land that, as of the date of enact17 ment of this Act, are dedicated for conservation, preserva18 tion, public recreation access, and public parking, in ac19 cordance with any resolutions of the Board of Commis20 sioners of the County. 

21 (h) DETERMINATION OF COMPLIANCE.—The County 

22 and Santa Rosa County, Florida— 

23 (1) except as provided in subsection (c)(1), shall 

24 not be subject to a deadline or requirement to make 


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1 any conveyance or reconveyance of the non-Federal 

2 land authorized under this section; and 

3 (2) may establish terms for the conveyance or 

4 reconveyance of the non-Federal land authorized 

5 under this section, subject to this Act and applicable 

6 State law. 

Æ 


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