{"id":"950c4843-5dcc-474e-8f35-ae689ffa8893","feedVisibility":"normal","congress":119,"billType":"hr","billNumber":3831,"title":"Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025","displayTitle":"Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025","abstract":"Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025 This bill prohibits shark feeding in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) seaward of Florida for any purpose other than to harvest sharks, subject to limited exceptions. (Florida state waters generally extend 3 miles from the shore in the Atlantic Ocean and 9 miles from the shore in the Gulf of America. The EEZ is seaward of and adjacent to state waters and generally extends to 200 miles from the U.S. coastline.) Specifically, the bill makes it unlawful to introduce, or attempt to introduce, food or any other substance into these waters to attract sharks for any purpose other than to harvest sharks. Exceptions allow shark feeding (1) for research programs funded by federal appropriations, or (2) to the extent that the feeding presents no public health hazard or safety risk (as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or under state law).","displaySummary":"<p><strong>YVN Summary</strong></p>\n\n<p>Most people would notice no change. If you dive with sharks off Florida, this one matters. Putting food or bait in federal waters off Florida to attract sharks would become illegal. Doing it to catch sharks would still be allowed. The same federal ban has applied off Hawaii since 2007.\n\nFlorida already bars shark feeding closer to shore, under a state rule from 2002. Federal waters begin 3 miles out on the Atlantic side. On the Gulf side they begin 9 miles out. Charter boats now run baited shark dives just past that line. The change would reach them there. Some feeding would still be allowed. Research paid for with federal money is exempt. So is feeding that federal ocean officials or state law find safe.</p>","status":"COMMITTEE_CONSIDERATION","topics":["GOVERNMENT_OPERATIONS"],"introducedAt":"2025-06-06T00:00:00+00:00","latestActionAt":"2025-07-22T00:00:00+00:00","congressGovUrl":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3831","accountabilityFlags":{"environment":["↑ Ban on feeding wild sharks — Florida's federal waters added"],"corporate_benefits":["↓ What Florida dive charters may sell — baited shark trips barred offshore"]},"tldr":"No more feeding sharks in federal waters off Florida — baited dive trips too.","summaryStandard":"v2","flagExplainers":{"environment":["Today it is legal to put bait in federal water off Florida to draw sharks in. The ban would spare research, plus feeding that federal ocean officials or state law find safe."],"corporate_benefits":["Florida barred shark feeding near shore back in 2002. Charter boats running baited shark dives moved farther out, into federal water, where this change would reach them."]},"flagValence":{"environment":["contested"],"corporate_benefits":["bad"]},"needsResummary":false,"displaySummaryHtml":null,"rawStatusText":"Subcommittee Hearings Held","chamber":"HOUSE","policyArea":"Public Lands and Natural Resources","legislativeSubjects":["Fishes","Florida","Marine and coastal resources, fisheries"],"lawStatus":null,"lawNumber":null,"latestActionText":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.","latestTextVersion":"Referred in Senate","textVersionUsed":null,"dateAdded":"2026-05-29T00:00:00+00:00","summarizedAt":"2026-08-18T18:32:18+00:00","recordId":"950c4843-5dcc-474e-8f35-ae689ffa8893","feedIdentityKey":"119/hr/3831","websiteBillId":"HR-3831","yourvoiceSummary":"Most people would notice no change. If you dive with sharks off Florida, this one matters. Putting food or bait in federal waters off Florida to attract sharks would become illegal. Doing it to catch sharks would still be allowed. The same federal ban has applied off Hawaii since 2007.\n\nFlorida already bars shark feeding closer to shore, under a state rule from 2002. Federal waters begin 3 miles out on the Atlantic side. On the Gulf side they begin 9 miles out. Charter boats now run baited shark dives just past that line. The change would reach them there. Some feeding would still be allowed. Research paid for with federal money is exempt. So is feeding that federal ocean officials or state law find safe.","updatedAt":"2026-10-25T01:17:20.312535+00:00"}