A small group of locals walked up and down the beach passing out flyers letting beachgoers know about a bill that could change the way they soak up the sun.

 

SB 804, fast tracked through the senate the bill filed at the beginning of November quickly passed with a 12 to 1 vote at the beginning of the month.

What this could mean for beachfront owners of any property, is the potential to privatize parts of the beach reaching the water. If the bill passes, walking through a private property could mean trespassing.

Second generation Melbourne resident Hunter Kendrick is hoping it's not too late.

“This could have passed yesterday, or be on the Governor's desk by the weekend,” says Kendrick.

Other beachgoers like Eric Audette hopes Paradise Beach doesn’t become like Vero Beach where hotels own part of the sand.

“That’s unfortunate,” he says.

Kendrick says he’s expecting the bill to pass because of how quickly the senate voted and doesn’t expect Gov. Scott to veto the bill.

If that happens, he says the only way to fight back is to make their voices heard in opposition of this bill.

However, the legislatve session is almost over, so it's not clear where the bill would go from here. 

To view the bill and track its progress, click here.