II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 770 

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 

MARCH 18, 2015 

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 of Florida that 

6 was conveyed by the United States to the County 

7 under the Act of July 30, 1946 (60 Stat. 712, chap8 ter 699), and by deed dated January 15, 1947. 

9 SEC. 3. RECONVEYANCE OF NON-FEDERAL LAND. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the restrictions 

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

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

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

14 and subject to subsection (c), the County may convey all 

15 right, title, and interest of the County in and to the non16 Federal land or any portion of the non-Federal land, to 

17 any person or entity, without any restriction on convey18 ance or reconveyance imposed by the United States in that 

19 Act or deed. 

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

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

22 as of the date of enactment of this Act shall be required 

23 to involuntarily accept a fee interest to the non-Federal 

24 land in place of the leasehold interest. 

25 (c) LAND WITHIN SANTA ROSA COUNTY.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The County may convey to 

2 Santa Rosa County, Florida, all right, title, and in3 terest of the County in and to any portion of the 

4 non-Federal land that is within the jurisdictional 

5 boundaries of Santa Rosa County. 

6 (2) REQUIREMENTS.—A conveyance under 

7 paragraph (1) shall— 

8 (A) be absolute; 

9 (B) terminate— 

10 (i) any subjugation of Santa Rosa 

11 County to the County; or 

12 (ii) any regulation of Santa Rosa 

13 County by the County; and 

14 (C) be without consideration, except that 

15 the County may require Santa Rosa County, 

16 Florida, to pay the actual costs associated with 

17 the conveyance of the non-Federal land. 

18 (3) RECONVEYANCE.—Santa Rosa County, 

19 Florida, or any other person to whom Santa Rosa 

20 County, Florida, reconveys the non-Federal land 

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

22 the non-Federal land conveyed to Santa Rosa Coun23 ty, Florida, under paragraph (1). 

24 (4) INCORPORATION OR ANNEXATION.—The 

25 owners or leaseholders of non-Federal land conveyed 


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1 under this subsection may pursue incorporation, an2 nexation, or any other governmental status for the 

3 non-Federal land, if the owners or leaseholders com4 ply with the legal conditions required for incorpora5 tion, annexation, or the other governmental status. 

6 (5) INTENT OF CONGRESS.—It is the intent of 

7 Congress that the conveyance under paragraph (1) 

8 shall be completed by the date that is 2 years after 

9 the date of enactment of this Act. 

10 (d) JURISDICTION.—The non-Federal land conveyed 

11 under this section shall be subject to the jurisdiction of 

12 the county or unit of local government in which the non13 Federal land is located. 

14 (e) PROCEEDS.—Any proceeds from the conveyance 

15 of non-Federal land by the County or Santa Rosa County, 

16 Florida (other than amounts paid for the direct and inci17 dental costs associated with the conveyance) under this 

18 section shall— 

19 (1) be considered windfall profits; and 

20 (2) revert to the United States. 

21 (f) PRESERVATION.—The County and Santa Rosa 

22 County, Florida, shall preserve the areas of the non-Fed23 eral land conveyed under this section that, as of the date 

24 of enactment of this Act, are dedicated for conservation, 

25 preservation, public recreation access, and public parking, 


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1 in accordance with resolutions adopted by the Board of 

2 County Commissioners of the County or Santa Rosa 

3 County, Florida, respectively. 

4 (g) AUTHORITY OF COUNTIES.—The County and 

5 Santa Rosa County, Florida— 

6 (1) shall not be subject to a deadline or require7 ment to make any conveyance or reconveyance of the 

8 non-Federal land authorized under this section; and 

9 (2) may establish terms for the conveyance or 

10 reconveyance of the non-Federal land authorized 

11 under this section, subject to this Act and applicable 

12 State law. 

Æ 


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