TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Tuesday, the Florida legislature was absolutely booked with committee conferences and plenty of payments cleared their committee stops.
Listed here are the highlights:
Extremely-processed meals ban in colleges
- What it does: SB 1826 prohibits a public college from serving or promoting ultra-processed meals on college grounds in the course of the college day.
- The sponsor: Sen. Jonathan Martin is carrying the Senate invoice. Throughout a committee cease, he stated there isn’t a Home invoice nevertheless it might be amended onto an identical Home invoice.
- Push again: A number of senators – even some Republicans – voiced they have been going to vote in opposition to the invoice throughout debate.
- Amongst considerations are prices, points with the definition of “ultra-processed meals,” sourcing challenges (“meals doesn’t simply come from Florida”), and a perception that federal authorities ought to “take the lead” on the difficulty.
- Briefly Postponed: In closing remarks, Martin addressed the senators’ considerations, after which briefly postponed the invoice, expressing optimism about potential amendments earlier than placing the invoice again up for consideration.
BREAKING: A number of senators – even some Republicans – voiced they have been going to vote in opposition to a invoice, SB 1826, banning public colleges from serving ultra-processed meals in the course of the college day.
Amongst considerations are prices, points with the definition of “ultra-processed meals,”… pic.twitter.com/bznGInDrNJ
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) March 25, 2025
Property tax exemption, evaluation limitation on long-term leased property
- What it does: SB 1512 is linked to SJR 1510, which proposes an modification to the state structure to permit the legislature to supply the identical homestead exemption and Save Our Houses advantages for added properties topic to residential leases of six months or extra that are owned by homesteaders already receiving these advantages on their everlasting residences.
- Sponsor: Sen. Bryan Avila is carrying the Senate invoice. Rep. Demi Busatta is carrying the Home invoice, HB 1259.
- Modification anticipated: After some Senators cited considerations in regards to the invoice, Avila stated the intent is to supply inexpensive housing for individuals, and he’s going to work to refine the invoice.
- Subsequent steps: The Senate invoice handed and has two extra committee stops. The Home invoice has three committee stops.
Database of animal cruelty violators
- What it does: The invoice, SB 494, directs the Florida Division of Regulation Enforcement to publish a searchable database of those that have dedicated crimes of animal abuse.
- Why: The invoice’s sponsor defined that “Dexter’s Regulation” is known as after a canine who was adopted, solely to have his decapitated physique found in a bag dumped in a park’s waters simply 4 days later.
- The sponsors: Republican Sen. Tom Leek is carrying the Senate invoice. The home invoice HB 455, is being carried by Republican Rep. Meg Weinberger.
- Subsequent steps: The Senate invoice handed favorably. Each the Senate invoice and Home invoice have two extra stops.
Work restrictions loosened for minors
- What it does: SB 918 eases employment restrictions for minors in Florida, eliminating all working hour limitations for 16 and 17-year-olds and eradicating numerous restrictions for 14 and 15-year-olds who’ve graduated, are home-schooled, or qualify for hardship waivers.
- The sponsors: Sen. Jay Collins is carrying the invoice within the Senate. The same invoice, HB 1225, is being carried by Rep. Monique Miller within the Home.
- Subsequent steps: The invoice handed and has two extra committee stops. The Home invoice has three committee stops left.
Changing mockingbird with flamingo as Florida State fowl
- What it does: SB 880 designates the American flamingo as Florida’s official state fowl and the Florida scrub-jay because the official state songbird, changing the northern mockingbird which had held the state fowl designation since 1927.
- The sponsors: Sen. Ileana Garcia is carrying the invoice within the Senate. An equivalent invoice, HB 81, is being carried by Rep. Jim Mooney.
- Subsequent steps: The invoice handed and has two committee stops left. The Home invoice has two committee stops left.
Elimination of false on-line information, expands defamation guidelines
- What it does: SB 752 strengthens defamation legal guidelines by requiring newspapers, broadcasters, and periodicals to take away false on-line content material inside 10 days of notification to restrict legal responsibility, topics newspapers to the identical due care requirements as broadcast media, and extends the statute of limitations for failing to take away defamatory on-line statements.
- The sponsors: Sen. Corey Simon is carrying the invoice within the Senate. The same invoice, HB 667, is being carried by Rep. J.J. Develop within the Home.
- Subsequent steps: The Senate invoice handed and has yet another committee cease. The Home invoice additionally has two committee stops left.
Prohibiting political flags, veterans to make use of drive to guard U.S. flag
- A invoice banning the show of political viewpoint flags by Florida’s governmental entities and authorizing veterans to make use of drive to guard the U.S. flag. superior after passing a Senate committee. Click on right here for the complete story.
Gender identification employment practices
- A controversial invoice that may limit the usage of most popular pronouns in Florida workplaces and restrict gender identification coaching for state and native authorities staff handed its first Senate committee Tuesday. Click on right here to learn the complete story.
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