# Florida SB 700: Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Florida SB 700, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is a 2025 Senate bill sponsored by Agriculture, Keith L. Truenow (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-20 (Chapter No. 2025-22); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/FL-SB700-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Florida SB 700 - State: Florida - Session: 2025 - Title: Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-13 - Last action: 2025-05-20, Chapter No. 2025-22 - Sponsors: Agriculture, Keith L. Truenow (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Appropriation, Agriculture, Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, Fiscal Policy, House Calendar - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 6 (155 yes, 66 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 49 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Fuel stations get backup power grants: benefit, high. Subject to appropriation, eligible retail fuel facilities can get grants to install or modernize transfer switches for backup power. Grants reach $10,000 per facility in fiscally constrained counties and $5,000 elsewhere. Switches must support fuel pumps, dispensing equipment, life-safety systems,… - Farmers gain protection against lending restrictions: benefit, medium. Financial institutions with more than $100 million in assets cannot limit services to Florida-authorized agricultural producers based on environmental, social, or governance factors. The ban covers denying, ending, restricting, or burdening services based partly or fully on those factors. An instit… - Clearer package prices for shoppers: benefit, low. Each package in a random-weight lot of the same product must clearly show its price per unit of weight. It must also show the total retail price on the outside. When a packaged product’s retail price is stated, its quantity must appear clearly and closely beside the price. These disclosures give sh… - Education reimbursement for state veterinary pathologists: benefit, low. The agriculture department can reimburse education expenses for qualified veterinary pathologists. Recipients must agree to remain employed by the department for a specified period. The department must adopt rules to run the program. The law does not set a reimbursement amount or guarantee payment. - More agriculture opportunities for school students: benefit, low. Subject to appropriation, the agriculture department can extend state and national Future Farmers of America opportunities to eligible students. Students must attend public school and be enrolled in agricultural education. Opportunities can cost students or school districts little or nothing. The d… - Food Businesses Can Combine Renewal Dates: benefit, low. The agriculture department can set one permit renewal date for multiple food establishments owned by the same entity. This option is no longer limited to owners with at least 100 permitted locations. The law does not require a fee cut. - New conservation option for small farms: benefit, low. The agriculture department can create a simpler path for eligible farms to enroll in water-quality best practices. Parcels must be 25 acres or less and have county agricultural land-use designation or agricultural tax classification. Average water use cannot exceed 100,000 gallons daily, unless all… - Tax relief for emergency farm loans: benefit, low. Loans from the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Emergency Recovery Loan Program are exempt from all taxes imposed by Florida’s chapter 201. The exemption applies to loans made through that program, not farm loans generally. No specific tax saving is stated. - Cities Gain State Mosquito Funding Access: benefit, low. Cities join counties and districts in eligibility for dollar-for-dollar state mosquito-control aid under department-approved plans. Matching local funds must be budgeted only for mosquito and related pest control. Distribution rules direct up to 80% of available funds to eligible programs with loca… - Drone Harassment Brings Criminal Penalties: benefit, low. Knowingly or willfully letting a drone contact covered property, people, or objects with intent to harass is a crime. Covered places include private property, state wildlife management lands, and sport shooting and training ranges. A first offense is generally a second-degree misdemeanor; repeat of… - Mail Theft Brings New State Penalties: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Florida establishes offenses for theft and unlawful dealings involving mail and mail-depository keys or locks. The offenses require the specified intent to deprive an owner or recipient, or knowledge or intent tied to unlawful dealings. A first violation is a first-degree mi… - More startup aid for mosquito control: benefit, low. Counties, cities, and districts can receive startup aid for mosquito or other arthropod control in areas they have not served. The annual maximum rises from $50,000 to $75,000 for up to 3 years. No local matching funds are required. Aid can include money, supplies, services, or equipment, and the a… - Mosquito Programs Can Share Emergency Resources: benefit, low. During a pest-borne epidemic or other disaster requiring emergency control, the department can move equipment, materials, and staff between programs. It must notify the affected program and obtain its approval first. Before treating pests it finds threaten public or animal health, it must consult l… - New Drone Protections for Farm Land: benefit, low. The law bans knowingly or willfully operating drones on land classified as agricultural or letting them contact people or objects there. It also bans bringing drones close enough to interfere with or disturb farming. A first offense is a second-degree misdemeanor; later offenses are first-degree mi… - Stronger Enforcement for Mosquito Control Programs: benefit, low. The department can warn or fine mosquito-control violators, deny participation or state aid, and deny, suspend, or revoke licenses or certificates. Grounds include state control-law violations, federal pesticide violations, and failure to provide requested truthful information essential to program… - Federal Pesticide Violations Trigger State Discipline: benefit, low. Final federal pesticide civil-penalty orders and criminal convictions become grounds for Florida pest-control and pesticide license discipline. For pest-control credentials, the department can warn, fine, deny or refuse renewal, or suspend or revoke credentials. For pesticide licenses, it can deny,… - Fuel Tampering and Fraud Bring Felonies: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, unauthorized, knowing, and willful fuel-dispenser tampering is covered more broadly by a second-degree felony offense. It covers manipulating, removing, replacing, or interrupting mechanical or electronic parts inside or outside the dispenser. Possessing or using a fuel-paym… - New charity registry informs Florida donors: benefit, low. The agriculture department must publish an Honest Services Registry to help residents choose charities. To seek listing, a charity must submit a verified statement that it does not solicit or accept money, support, or services from a defined foreign source of concern. It must also state that such a… - Farm Education Sites Gain Local Protections: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, local governments cannot limit activities at public facilities built for agricultural education, Future Farmers of America, or 4-H. The protection covers educational and auxiliary facilities, including storing animals or equipment there. - Marketing support for Florida cattle producers: benefit, low. Subject to appropriation, the Cattle Enhancement Board must establish a Florida beef marketing program with the agriculture department. The program studies expanded uses of beef and beef products. It also supports in-state and national campaigns and promotions for Florida’s cattle industry. The law… - Citrus Nurseries Lose Distance Restrictions: benefit, low. Citrus nurseries no longer face the one-mile separation requirement from commercial citrus groves. The law also removes regulated-area requirements around commercial citrus nurseries and related citrus planting and removal restrictions. Nursery stock must still be grown in department-approved prote… - Agriculture education land gains farm status: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, land used for agricultural education, Future Farmers of America, or 4-H counts as agricultural land. The status applies under Florida’s agricultural land-classification law, and the land is also subject to the cited farm-protection law. Any property-tax effect depends on how… - Florida wine fund gets tax revenue: benefit, low. The law sends 50% of qualifying wine excise-tax revenue to the Florida Wine Trust Fund. The wine must be made in Florida by an in-state manufacturer using products grown in Florida. This directs money to the fund rather than creating a household payment or changing the stated tax rate. - Farm housing owners face removal deadlines: cost, medium. Covered farmworker housing cannot continue after more than 365 days without qualifying use, loss of agricultural land classification, or permit revocation. Unused sites generally must be removed within 180 days after written county notice. An unused site can remain if the owner shows qualifying use… - Public water systems face additive limits: cost, medium. Public water systems can use only substances that meet the law’s definition of a water quality additive. The definition covers substances used to meet or surpass drinking-water standards, prevent or remove contaminants, or improve water quality. Additives outside that definition are prohibited. - Gun License Military Experience Rule Narrows: cost, low. The military-service option for showing firearm experience on a Florida concealed-weapon license application is limited to U.S. military service. Participation in organized shooting competition remains another way to show equivalent firearm experience. - Agricultural Officers Lose Career Service Coverage: cost, low. Positions primarily serving as captains or majors in the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement leave Career Service coverage. Their salaries and benefits follow Selected Exempt Service rules unless another law provides otherwise. The provision does not specify a pay change. - Tighter food rules for small sellers: cost, low. Cottage food products cannot need time or temperature controls for safety or be potentially hazardous under department rules. Minor food outlets avoid permits only when they sell qualifying commercially prepackaged food and no other food. That food cannot be potentially hazardous, age restricted, o… - Migrant housing owners must keep permits: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, owners of covered migrant labor camps and residential migrant housing must keep approved permit records. This includes successor permits, and records must be kept for at least 3 years. Owners must make them available for inspection within 14 days after a government request. - Yearly nutrient reports for covered farms: cost, low. Covered farms enrolled through the by-rule process in basin management action plan areas must file yearly nutrient records. Records must show nitrogen and phosphorus applications for the previous calendar year. The agriculture department must collect and keep these records. Each year, it must inspe… - Charities Face Election Filings and Enforcement: cost, low. Nonexempt charities must include an authorized official's signed election-registration statement with initial registrations and annual renewals. It must confirm required state campaign-finance registration or, when law bars registration, that the charity avoids activities requiring it. The agricult… - Charities Face Foreign Contribution Ban: cost, low. Charities and sponsors cannot solicit or accept contributions or anything of value from a legally defined foreign source of concern. The ban covers activity connected to solicitations and charitable or sponsor sales promotions. For a first violation, the department can forgo punishment after docume… - Drug-Producing Mushroom Material Sales Are Banned: cost, low. People cannot transport, offer to transport, import, sell, offer for sale, furnish, or give away qualifying mushroom spores or mycelium. The ban applies when the material can produce controlled substances during its life cycle, including psilocybin or psilocyn. A violation is a first-degree misdeme… - More vehicle coolants count as antifreeze: cost, low. The law expands the definition of antifreeze to include coolant and more vehicle-cooling products. It covers products intended to raise water’s boiling point, cool vehicle parts, or prevent engine overheating. The definition applies whether or not a product is used year-round in a vehicle cooling s… - Plant based sellers face labeling limits: cost, low. The law directs the agriculture department to prohibit plant-based products mislabeled as milk, meat, poultry, eggs, or related products. Each labeling requirement takes effect when 11 of 14 named states enact consistent mandatory labeling laws. Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,… - Petroleum Operators Must Register Each Year: cost, low. Petroleum owners and operators must register annually with the agriculture department at no charge. Registration includes contacts, transfer switches, fuel infrastructure, inventories, and deliveries. During a state of emergency declared by the Governor, the department can require status updates. - Gun License Reviews Gain Time Limits: mixed, medium. The department must temporarily suspend concealed-weapon licenses or application processing after official notice of a potentially disqualifying arrest or charge. It must notify the person of hearing rights. Otherwise-eligible people can end suspension by sending a nondisqualifying final resolution… - Remote certification tests retain applicant fees: mixed, low. Limited pesticide, commercial landscape, and commercial wildlife certification applicants can test in person or remotely; vendors can add convenience fees. Applicants must pass; limited governmental/private pesticide and commercial landscape exams cost $50–$150, with the former costing $50 until ru… - Remote pest exams with possible fees: mixed, low. The agriculture department must offer pest-control and certified pesticide-applicator exams in person and remotely through a third-party vendor. The vendor can charge and keep a convenience fee; no amount is specified. Pest-control certificateholders can renew through required continuing education… - Wineries Gain Signs but Risk Removal: mixed, low. Florida Farm Winery signs can guide visitors to certified wineries, not just certified winery tourist attractions. A winery that misses annual recertification or its required licensing fee faces sign removal. The winery must pay all state transportation department costs for removing its signs. - Local Mosquito Programs Gain Broader Authority: mixed, low. The mosquito-control framework now covers any governmental jurisdiction conducting mosquito control, including cities. Cities can join special taxing districts, and city or county governing bodies can exercise board powers without separate boards. Programs seeking state aid must submit a management… - Mosquito Programs Own State-Funded Equipment: mixed, low. Equipment bought with state money provided directly to a mosquito-control program becomes its property, unless another rule applies. Programs can trade or sell equipment they no longer need. Usable state-funded equipment must first be offered to other control programs at a price set by the owning b… - Work Drone Permissions Shift in Florida: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, licensed professionals and their agents, employees, and contractors lose a general work-task drone exception. That exception no longer authorizes reasonable tasks within the scope of a state license. Local governments, their contractors, and people acting under their directi… - Farmworker Housing Faces Reports and Inspections: mixed, low. Governmental entities must report farmworker housing information quarterly under rules set by the agriculture department. The department must create a public complaint process, inspect randomly selected sites, investigate complaints, and enforce housing requirements. It must also send collected inf… - Farmworker housing protections come with limits: mixed, low. Government entities cannot adopt or enforce measures that inhibit qualifying housing for legally verified agricultural workers on bona fide farms. Housing must be on agriculturally classified land, meet building and health standards, and keep dwellings at least 10 feet apart. Climate-controlled fac… - State safety rules for public chargers: mixed, low. Public electric vehicle chargers must be registered with the agriculture department before entering service. The department must adopt rules and can set placement, design, installation, maintenance, and operating safety standards. Local permits must follow department standards and other state law,… - Stronger food oversight and shipping records: mixed, low. The agriculture department can arrange destruction when it finds, or has probable cause to believe, food-law violations exist. Covered violations include dangerous, unwholesome, mislabeled, fraudulent, or insanitary food or facilities. Detained or embargoed items can be moved, used, or discarded on… - State Can Sell Protected Agricultural Land: mixed, low. The agriculture department can sell eligible land acquired through the utility-land process after consulting the environmental department about farming suitability. The state must keep a rural-lands protection easement. All proceeds enter the department's Incidental Trust Fund to buy land interests… - Utilities Must Offer Farm Land First: mixed, low. Beginning July 31, 2026, utilities must offer qualifying land to the agriculture department for full ownership before private sale or transfer. Covered land was utility-owned or acquired on or after January 1, 2009, and agricultural within five years before acquisition. Utilities must send certifie… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Agriculture - Sponsor: Keith L. Truenow (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government - Cosponsor: Fiscal Policy ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-29 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 88 | 27 | | | 2025-04-16 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 27 | 9 | | | 2025-04-15 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | fail | 13 | 21 | | | 2025-04-08 | Senate | Fiscal Policy Vote | pass | 13 | 5 | | | 2025-03-26 | Senate | Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Vote | pass | 8 | 4 | | | 2025-03-11 | Senate | Agriculture Vote | pass | 6 | 0 | | ## Actions (42) - 2025-05-20: Chapter No. 2025-22 - 2025-05-15: Approved by Governor - 2025-05-14: Signed by Officers and presented to Governor - 2025-04-29: Ordered enrolled (Senate) - 2025-04-29: CS passed; YEAS 88, NAYS 27 (House) - 2025-04-29: Read 3rd time (House) - 2025-04-29: Added to Third Reading Calendar (House) - 2025-04-29: Placed on 3rd reading (House) - 2025-04-29: Amendment 910335 Failed (House) - 2025-04-29: Amendment 649901 Failed (House) - 2025-04-29: Read 2nd time (House) - 2025-04-28: 1st Reading (Engrossed 1) (House) - 2025-04-28: Bill added to Special Order Calendar (4/29/2025) (House) - 2025-04-28: Bill referred to House Calendar (House) - 2025-04-16: In Messages (House) - 2025-04-16: Immediately certified -SJ 444 (Senate) - 2025-04-16: CS passed; YEAS 27 NAYS 9 -SJ 444 (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Read 3rd time -SJ 441 (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Placed on 3rd reading -SJ 418 (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Ordered engrossed -SJ 418 (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Amendment(s) adopted (340838) -SJ 418 (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Amendment(s) failed (154380, 274106, 765612) -SJ 417 (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Read 2nd time -SJ 415 (Senate) - 2025-04-14: CS/CS/CS by Fiscal Policy read 1st time (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Placed on Special Order Calendar, 04/15/25 (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute) (Senate) - 2025-04-08: CS/CS/CS by- Fiscal Policy; YEAS 13 NAYS 5 (Senate) - 2025-04-03: On Committee agenda-- Fiscal Policy, 04/08/25, 2:00 pm, 412 Knott Building (Senate) - 2025-04-02: CS/CS by Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government read 1st time (Senate) - 2025-03-28: Now in Fiscal Policy (Senate) - 2025-03-28: Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute) (Senate) - 2025-03-26: CS/CS by Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; YEAS 8 NAYS 4 (Senate) - 2025-03-21: On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, 03/26/25, 3:30 pm, 412 Knott Building (Senate) - 2025-03-18: CS by Agriculture read 1st time (Senate) - 2025-03-13: Now in Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government (Senate) - 2025-03-13: Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute) (Senate) - 2025-03-11: CS by Agriculture; YEAS 6 NAYS 0 (Senate) - 2025-03-06: On Committee agenda-- Agriculture, 03/11/25, 4:00 pm, 301 Senate Building (Senate) - 2025-03-04: Introduced (Senate) - 2025-02-25: Referred to Agriculture; Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; Fiscal Policy (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - er, 2025-07-01: [HTML](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/er/HTML), [PDF](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/er/PDF) - e1, 2025-04-15: [HTML](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/e1/HTML), [PDF](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/e1/PDF) - c3, 2025-04-10: [HTML](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c3/HTML), [PDF](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c3/PDF) - c2, 2025-03-28: [HTML](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c2/HTML), [PDF](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c2/PDF) - c1, 2025-03-13: [HTML](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c1/HTML), [PDF](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c1/PDF) - Filed, 2025-02-13: [HTML](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/Filed/HTML), [PDF](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/Filed/PDF) ## Related bills - HB 1427: Nursing Education Programs (vetoed) - HB 1095: Criminal Offender Substance Abuse Program (vetoed) - HB 6017: Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death (vetoed) - HB 1445: Public Officers and Employees (vetoed) - HB 11: Municipal Water and Sewer Utility Rates (vetoed) - HB 5015: State Group Insurance (vetoed) ## Sources - [er (HTML)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/er/HTML) - [er (PDF)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/er/PDF) - [e1 (HTML)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/e1/HTML) - [e1 (PDF)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/e1/PDF) - [c3 (HTML)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c3/HTML) - [c3 (PDF)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c3/PDF) - [c2 (HTML)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c2/HTML) - [c2 (PDF)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c2/PDF) - [c1 (HTML)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c1/HTML) - [c1 (PDF)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/c1/PDF) - [Filed (HTML)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/Filed/HTML) - [Filed (PDF)](https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/BillText/Filed/PDF) ## Related - [HB 1427: Nursing Education Programs](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/FL-HB1427-2025) - [HB 1095: Criminal Offender Substance Abuse Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/FL-HB1095-2025) - [HB 6017: Recovery of Damages for Medical Negligence Resulting in Death](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/FL-HB6017-2025) - [HB 1445: Public Officers and Employees](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/FL-HB1445-2025) - [HB 11: Municipal Water and Sewer Utility Rates](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/FL-HB11-2025) - [HB 5015: State Group Insurance](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/FL-HB5015-2025) - [Florida bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/florida/bills) - [Florida state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/florida) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/FL-SB700-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).