May 23 (UPI) -- State parks in Florida are now protected from commercial construction after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the State Park Preservation Act into law Thursday.

The act, which will take effect in July, prevents developers from constructing hotels, golf courses or other commercial enterprises in any of Florida's 175 state parks.

Pinellas County Democratic Rep. Lindsay Cross, who also is an environmental scientist, posted to social media Friday that the act establishes "protections for all 175 state parks against commercial development," and also thanked "everyone who fought for this bill, and who stood up to preserve our home."

Republican Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, Highland Beach, called the passage of the act a "bipartisan, bicameral legislative victory," on her X account Thursday, and then quoted "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss to close her post with "I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."

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