Bill > S0700

Introduced Session

An act relating to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; amending s. 110.205, F.S.; providing that certain positions in the department are exempt from the Career Service System; amending s. 163.3162, F.S.; defining terms; prohibiting governmental entities from adopting or enforcing any legislation that inhibits the construction of housing for legally verified agricultural workers on agricultural land operated as a bona fide farm; requiring that the construction or installation of such housing units on agricultural lands satisfies certain criteria; requiring that local ordinances comply with certain regulations; authorizing governmental entities to adopt local land use regulations that are less restrictive; requiring property owners to maintain certain records for a specified timeframe; requiring that use of a housing site be discontinued and authorizing the removal of such a site under certain circumstances; specifying applicability of permit allocation systems in certain areas of critical state concern; authorizing the continued use of housing sites constructed before the effective date of the act if certain conditions are met; requiring the department to adopt certain rules; providing for enforcement; requiring the department to submit certain information to the State Board of Immigration Enforcement on a certain schedule; amending s. 201.25, F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made by the act; amending s. 253.0341, F.S.; authorizing the department to surplus certain lands determined to be suitable for bona fide agricultural production; requiring the department to consult with the Department of Environmental Protection before making such determination; requiring the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to retain a rural lands-protection easement for all surplused lands and deposit all proceeds into a specified trust fund; requiring the department to provide a report of lands surplused to the board of trustees; providing that certain lands are ineligible to be surplused; providing for retroactive applicability; amending s. 330.41, F.S.; defining terms; prohibiting a person from knowingly or willfully performing certain actions on lands classified as agricultural; providing criminal penalties; providing applicability; prohibiting a person from knowingly or willfully performing certain actions on private property, state wildlife management lands, or a sport shooting and training range; providing criminal penalties; providing applicability; creating s. 366.20, F.S.; requiring that certain lands acquired or owned by an electric utility by a certain date be offered for fee simple acquisition by the department before the land may be offered for sale or transfer to a private individual or entity; requiring an electric utility to issue a written intent to sell through certified mail to the Commissioner of Agriculture within a specified timeframe before offering to sell or transferring certain lands; authorizing the commissioner to issue a written intent to purchase via certified mail within a specified timeframe after receipt of such written intent to sell; requiring the electric utility to be released from certain provisions under certain circumstances; requiring that certain offers accepted and received by the department within a specified timeframe be executed no later than a certain date; requiring the department to adopt rules; amending s. 366.94, F.S.; defining the term “electric vehicle charging station”; authorizing the department to adopt rules; requiring local governmental entities to issue permits for electric vehicle charging stations based on specified standards and provisions of law; requiring that an electric vehicle charger be registered with the department before being placed into service for use by the public; providing the department with certain authority relating to electric vehicle charging stations; providing a penalty; authorizing the department to issue an immediate final order to an electric vehicle charging station under certain circumstances; providing that the department may bring an action to enjoin a violation of specified provisions or rules; requiring the court to issue a temporary or permanent injunction under certain circumstances; amending s. 388.011, F.S.; revising the definition of the terms “board of commissioners” and “district”; defining the term “program”; amending s. 388.021, F.S.; making a technical change; amending s. 388.181, F.S.; authorizing programs to perform specified actions; amending s. 388.201, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; requiring that the tentative work plan budget covering the proposed operations and requirements for arthropod control measures show the estimated amount to be raised by county, municipality, or district taxes; requiring that county commissioners’ or a similar governing body’s mosquito control budget be made and adopted pursuant to specified provisions and requiring that summary figures be incorporated into the county budgets as prescribed by the department; amending s. 388.241, F.S.; providing that certain rights, powers, and duties be vested in the board of county commissioners or similar governing body of a county, or municipality; amending s. 388.261, F.S.; increasing the maximum annual amount that a county, municipality, or district may receive, without contributing matching funds, in state funds, supplies, services, or equipment for a certain number of years for any new program for the control of mosquitos and other arthropods which serves an area not previously served by a county, municipality, or district; conforming a provision to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.271, F.S.; requiring each program participating in arthropod control activities to file a tentative integrated arthropod management plan with the department by a specified date; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.281, F.S.; requiring that all funds, supplies, and services released to programs be used in accordance with the integrated arthropod management plan and certified budget; requiring that such integrated arthropod management plan and certified budget be approved by both the department and the board of county commissioners or an appropriate representative; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.291, F.S.; providing that a program may perform certain source reduction measures in any area providing that the department has approved the operating or construction plan as outlined in the integrated arthropod management plan; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.301, F.S.; revising the schedule by which state funds for the control of mosquitos and other arthropods may be paid; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.311, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.321, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.322, F.S.; requiring the department to maintain a record and inventory of certain property purchased with state funds for arthropod control use; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.323, F.S.; requiring that certain equipment no longer needed by a program be first offered for sale to other programs engaged in arthropod control at a specified price; requiring that all proceeds from the sale of certain property owned by a program and purchased using state funds be deposited in the program’s state fund account; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.341, F.S.; requiring a program receiving state aid to submit a monthly report of all expenditures from all funds for arthropod control by a specified timeframe as may be required by the department; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.351, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.361, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.3711, F.S.; revising the department’s enforcement powers; amending s. 388.381, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.391, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.401, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 388.46, F.S.; revising the composition of the Florida Coordinating Council on Mosquito Control; amending s. 403.067, F.S.; providing an exception for inspection requirements for certain agricultural producers; authorizing the department to adopt rules establishing an enrollment in best management practices by rule process; authorizing the department to identify best management practices for specified landowners; requiring the department to perform onsite inspections annually of a certain percentage of all enrollments that meet specified qualifications within a specified area; providing requirements for such inspections; requiring agricultural producers enrolled by rule in a best management practice to submit nutrient records annually to the department; requiring the department to collect and retain such records; amending s. 403.852, F.S.; defining the term “water quality additive”; amending s. 403.859, F.S.; prohibiting the use of certain additives in a water system which do not meet specified requirements; amending s. 482.111, F.S.; revising requirements for the renewal of a pest control operator’s certificate; authorizing a third-party vendor to collect and retain a convenience fee; amending s. 482.141, F.S.; requiring the department to provide in-person and remote testing for the examination through a third party vendor for an individual seeking pest control operator certification; authorizing a third-party vendor to collect and retain a convenience fee; amending s. 482.155, F.S.; requiring the department to provide in-person and remote testing for the examination through a third-party vendor for an individual seeking limited certification for a governmental pesticide applicator or a private applicator; authorizing a third-party vendor to collect and retain a convenience fee; deleting provisions requiring the department to make such examination readily accessible and available to all applicants on a specified schedule; amending s. 482.156, F.S.; requiring the department to provide in person and remote testing for the examination through a third-party vendor for an individual seeking a limited certification for commercial landscape maintenance; authorizing a third-party vendor to collect and retain a convenience fee; deleting provisions requiring the department to make such examination readily accessible and available to all applicants on a specified schedule; amending s. 482.157, F.S.; revising requirements for issuance of a limited certification for commercial wildlife management personnel; authorizing a third-party vendor to collect and retain a convenience fee; deleting provisions requiring the department to make an examination readily accessible and available to all applicants on a specified schedule; amending s. 482.161, F.S.; authorizing the department to take specified disciplinary action upon the issuance of a final order imposing civil penalties or a criminal conviction pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; amending s. 487.044, F.S.; requiring the department to provide in-person and remote testing through a third-party vendor for the examination of an individual seeking a limited certification for pesticide application; authorizing a third-party vendor to collect and retain a convenience fee; amending s. 487.175, F.S.; providing that the department may suspend, revoke, or deny licensure of a pesticide applicator upon issuance of a final order to a licensee which imposes civil penalties or a criminal conviction under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; amending s. 496.404, F.S.; defining the terms “foreign country of concern” and “foreign source of concern”; amending s. 496.405, F.S.; revising which documents a charitable organization or sponsor must file before engaging in specified activities; requiring that any changes to such documents be reported to the department on a specified form in a specified timeframe; revising the requirements of the charitable organization’s initial registration statement; authorizing the department to investigate or refer to the Florida Elections Commission certain violations of the charitable organization or sponsor; amending s. 496.415, F.S.; prohibiting specified persons from soliciting or accepting anything of value from a foreign source of concern; providing penalties; amending s. 496.417, F.S.; authorizing the department to investigate or refer to the Florida Elections Commission certain violations of a charitable organization or sponsor; amending s. 496.419, F.S.; providing discretionary penalties for a charitable organization or sponsor whose registration is denied or revoked for submitting a false attestation; creating s. 496.431, F.S.; requiring the department to create the Honest Services Registry to provide residents with information relating to charitable organizations; requiring a charitable organization included in the Honest Services Registry to submit an attestation statement to the department; requiring the department to publish the Honest Services Registry on the department’s website; requiring the department to adopt rules; amending s. 500.03, F.S.; revising the definition of the term “cottage food product”; amending s. 500.12, F.S.; providing that the department requires a food permit from any person or business that operates a food establishment; revising exceptions; revising the schedule for renewing certain food permits; authorizing the department to establish a single permit renewal date for certain food establishments; amending s. 500.166, F.S.; requiring certain persons engaged in interstate commerce to retain all records that show certain information for a specified timeframe; amending s. 500.172, F.S.; authorizing the department to facilitate the destruction of certain articles that violate specified provisions; prohibiting certain persons from certain actions without permission from, or in accord with a written agreement with, the department; creating s. 500.75, F.S.; providing that it is unlawful to transport or offer to transport, import into this state, sell or offer for sale, furnish, or give away certain spores or mycelium; providing a penalty; creating s. 500.93, F.S.; defining terms; requiring the department to adopt rules to enforce the Food and Drug Administration’s standard of identity for milk, meat, poultry, and poultry products, and eggs and egg products to prohibit the sale of plant-based products mislabeled as milk, meat, poultry, or poultry products, or egg or egg products; providing contingent effective dates; requiring the department to adopt rules; providing construction; repealing s. 501.135, F.S., relating to consumer unit pricing; amending s. 501.912, F.S.; revising the definition of the term “antifreeze”; creating s. 525.19, F.S.; requiring the department to create an annual petroleum registration program for petroleum owners or operators; requiring the department to adopt rules for such registration which include specified information; requiring that the registration program be free for all registrants; authorizing the department to require registrants to provide certain information during a state of emergency; creating s. 526.147, F.S.; creating the Florida Retail Fuel Transfer Switch Modernization Grant Program within the department; requiring the grant program to provide funds up to a certain amount to be used for installation and equipment costs related to installing or modernizing transfer switch infrastructure at retail fuel facilities; requiring the department to award funds based on specified criteria; requiring retail fuel facilities awarded grant funds to comply with specified provisions; requiring such facilities to install a transfer switch with specified capabilities; requiring retail fuel facilities to provide specified documentation before being awarded funding; prohibiting certain facilities from being awarded funding; requiring the department, in consultation with the Division of Emergency Management, to adopt rules; requiring that such rules include specified information; amending s. 531.48, F.S.; requiring that certain packages bear specified information on the outside of the package; amending s. 531.49, F.S.; revising requirements for the advertising of a packaged commodity; amending s. 564.06, F.S.; requiring that a certain percentage of revenues collected from certain excise taxes be deposited into the Florida Wine Trust Fund; amending s. 570.07, F.S.; requiring the department to foster and encourage the employment and retention of qualified veterinary pathologists; providing that the department may reimburse the educational expenses of certain veterinary pathologists who enter into a certain agreement with the department; requiring the department to adopt certain rules; requiring the department to extend certain opportunities to public school students enrolled in agricultural education to support Future Farmers of America programming; requiring the department to use contracts procured by agencies; defining the term “agency”; amending s. 570.544, F.S.; revising which provisions the director of the Division of Consumer Services must enforce; creating s. 570.546, F.S.; authorizing the department to create a process for the bulk renewal of licenses; authorizing the department to create a process that will allow licensees to align the expiration dates of licenses within a specified program; authorizing the department to change the expiration date for current licenses for a certain purpose; requiring the department to prorate the licensing fee for certain licenses; requiring the department to adopt rules; creating s. 570.694, F.S.; creating the Florida Aquaculture Foundation as a direct support organization within the department; providing the purpose of the foundation; providing governance for the foundation; authorizing the department to appoint an advisory committee adjunct to the foundation; amending s. 570.822, F.S.; defining the term “declared emergency,” rather than “declared natural disaster,” and revising the definition of the term “program”; providing that loan funds from the department may be used to restock aquaculture; authorizing the department to renew a loan application under certain circumstances; authorizing the department to defer or waive loan payments under certain circumstances; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; creating s. 570.823, F.S.; defining terms; establishing the silviculture emergency recovery program within the department to administer a grant program to assist certain timber landowners; requiring that such grants be used for certain purposes; requiring that only timber lands located on agricultural property are eligible for the program; requiring the department to coordinate with state agencies to provide financial assistance to timber landowners after a specified declared emergency; providing construction; authorizing the department to adopt rules to implement this section including emergency rules that may be effective for a specified timeframe; creating s. 570.831, F.S.; requiring, subject to appropriation of funds, the Cattle Enhancement Board, Inc., in coordination with the department, to establish a Florida beef marketing program; providing a purpose for such program; amending s. 581.1843, F.S.; deleting provisions that exclude certain citrus nurseries from certain requirements; deleting provisions relating to regulated areas around the perimeter of commercial citrus nurseries; repealing ss. 593.101, 593.102, 593.103, 593.104, 593.105, 593.106, 593.107, 593.108, 593.109, 593.11, 593.111, 593.112, 593.113, 593.114, 593.1141, 593.1142, 593.115, 593.116, and 593.117, F.S., relating to the Florida Boll Weevil Eradication Law; definitions; powers and duties of Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the entry of premises to carry out boll weevil eradication activities and inspections; reports by persons growing cotton; quarantine areas and the regulation of articles within a boll weevil eradication zone; the regulation of collection, transportation, distribution, and movement of cotton; cooperative programs for persons engaged in growing, processing, marketing, or handling cotton; the department’s authority to designate eradication zones, prohibit planting of cotton, and require participation in eradication program; regulation of the pasturage of livestock, entry by persons, and location of honeybee colonies in eradication zones and other areas; eligibility for certification of cotton growers’ organization; the certification of cotton growers’ organization; a referendum; an assessment; the department’s authority to enter agreements with the Farm Service Agency; liens; mandamus or injunction; penalty for violation; and the handling of moneys received, respectively; amending s. 595.404, F.S.; revising the department’s powers and duties regarding school nutrition programs; amending s. 599.002, F.S.; renaming the Viticulture Advisory Council as the Florida Wine Advisory Council; revising the membership of the Florida Wine Advisory Council; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 599.003, F.S.; renaming the State Viticulture Plan as the State Wine Plan; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 599.004, F.S.; making technical changes; providing that wineries that fail to recertify annually or pay a specified licensing fee are subject to certain actions and costs; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 599.012, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 616.12, F.S.; deleting provisions requiring a person who operates a minstrel show in connection with any certain public fairs to pay specified license taxes; deleting a provision that exempts such person from paying specified taxes; creating s. 687.16, F.S.; providing a short title; defining terms; prohibiting a financial institution from discriminating in the provision of financial services to an agricultural producer based on an ESG factor; providing an inference with regard to a certain violation; providing that the financial institution may overcome the inference by making certain demonstrations regarding its denial or restriction of financial services to an agricultural producer; authorizing the Attorney General to enforce specified provisions; providing that a violation of specified provisions constitutes an unfair and deceptive trade practice; authorizing the Attorney General to investigate and seek remedies for such unfair trade practices; authorizing an aggrieved party to seek an action for damages; amending s. 741.0305, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 790.06, F.S.; revising the circumstances under which the department may temporarily suspend a person’s license to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm or the processing of an application for such license; requiring the department to notify certain licensees or applicants of their right to a hearing; requiring the department to issue an order confirming the end of a suspension within a specified timeframe after an applicant or licensee submits a copy of a specified document to the department; requiring that such document be sent through electronic or certified mail to a specified location; requiring that the suspension remain in effect upon a certain disposition of a criminal case or injunction; providing construction; providing legislative findings; revising the duties of the department after the date of receipt of a completed application for a license to carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm; requiring that a license issued under this section be temporarily suspended or revoked if the license was issued in error or if the licensee commits certain actions; amending s. 812.0151, F.S.; revising the elements of third degree and second degree felony retail fuel theft; creating s. 812.136, F.S.; defining terms; providing elements for the crime of mail theft; providing elements of theft of or unauthorized reproduction of a mail depository key or lock; providing criminal penalties; amending s. 934.50, F.S.; deleting certain exceptions from the prohibited uses of drones; providing that a drone may be used for certain purposes by a local governmental entity or person under contract with or acting under the direction of such entity; creating s. 1013.373, F.S.; prohibiting a local government from adopting any measure to limit the activities of public educational facilities or auxiliary facilities constructed by certain organizations; requiring that lands used for agricultural education or for the Future Farmers of America or 4-H activities be considered agricultural lands; reenacting s. 295.07(5)(a), F.S., relating to preference in appointment and retention, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 110.205, F.S., in a reference thereto; reenacting s. 189.062(1)(a), F.S., relating to special procedures for inactive districts and state aid to counties, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 388.271, F.S., in references thereto; reenacting ss. 482.072(3)(b) and 482.163, F.S., relating to pest control customer contact centers and responsibility for pest control activities of employee, respectively, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 482.161, F.S., in references thereto; reenacting s. 487.156, F.S., relating to governmental agencies, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 487.044, F.S., in a reference thereto; reenacting ss. 496.4055(2) and 496.406(2) and (4), F.S., relating to charitable organization or sponsor board duties and exemption from registration, respectively, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 496.405, F.S., in references thereto; reenacting s. 500.80(1)(a), F.S., relating to cottage food operations, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 500.12, F.S., in a reference thereto; reenacting s. 500.121(6), F.S., relating to disciplinary procedures, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 500.172, F.S., in a reference thereto; reenacting s. 790.061, F.S., relating to judges and justices, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 790.06, F.S., in a reference thereto; providing effective dates.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Keith Truenow (R)*, 

Other Sponsors (3)

Chapter No. 2025-22 (on 05/20/2025)

Official Document