Florida Senate - 2026 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for SB 290
Ì423906.Î423906
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
02/10/2026 .
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The Committee on Rules (Truenow) recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete lines 1109 - 1397
4 and insert:
5 Section 32. Subsection (7) of section 573.112, Florida
6 Statutes, is amended to read:
7 573.112 Advisory council.—
8 (7) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, the
9 Citrus Research and Field Trial Development Foundation, Inc., a
10 direct-support organization of the Department of Agriculture and
11 Consumer Services University of Florida established pursuant to
12 s. 570.691 s. 1004.28, shall serve as the advisory council for a
13 citrus research marketing order, provide the department with
14 advice on administering the order, and, in accordance with the
15 order, conduct citrus research and perform other duties assigned
16 by the department. Notwithstanding s. 570.691 s. 1004.28(3) or
17 any provision of this section, the foundation’s board of
18 directors shall be composed of the Florida State Plant Health
19 Inspection Service Director and, appointed by the Commissioner
20 of Agriculture, 7 members who are 13 members, including 10
21 citrus growers, 2 representatives of the university’s Institute
22 of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and 1 member who is a Florida
23 citrus nursery representative. Members of the board of directors
24 shall serve without compensation but appointed by the
25 Commissioner of Agriculture, who are each entitled to
26 reimbursement from the foundation for per diem and travel
27 expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
28 Section 33. Subsection (32) of section 581.031, Florida
29 Statutes, is amended to read:
30 581.031 Department; powers and duties.—The department has
31 the following powers and duties:
32 (32) To conduct or cause to be conducted research projects,
33 including, but not limited to, citrus canker and citrus
34 greening, which are recommended by the Citrus Research and Field
35 Trial Development Foundation, Inc., within the limits of
36 appropriations made specifically for such purpose.
37 Section 34. Subsection (4) of section 583.01, Florida
38 Statutes, is amended to read:
39 583.01 Definitions.—For the purpose of this chapter, unless
40 elsewhere indicated, the term:
41 (4) “Dealer” means a person, firm, or corporation,
42 including a producer, processor, retailer, or wholesaler, that
43 sells, offers for sale, or holds for the purpose of sale in this
44 state 30 dozen or more eggs or its equivalent in any one week,
45 or more than 20,000 384 dressed birds annually in any one week.
46 Section 35. Section 590.02, Florida Statutes, is amended to
47 read:
48 590.02 Florida Forest Service; powers, authority, and
49 duties; liability; building structures; Withlacoochee and Welaka
50 Training Centers Center.—
51 (1) The Florida Forest Service has the following powers,
52 authority, and duties to:
53 (a) Enforce the provisions of this chapter;
54 (b) Prevent, detect, and suppress wildfires wherever they
55 may occur on public or private land in this state and do all
56 things necessary in the exercise of such powers, authority, and
57 duties;
58 (c) Provide firefighting crews, who shall be under the
59 control and direction of the Florida Forest Service and its
60 designated agents;
61 (d) Appoint center managers, forest area supervisors,
62 forestry program administrators, a forest protection bureau
63 chief, a forest protection assistant bureau chief, a field
64 operations bureau chief, deputy chiefs of field operations,
65 district managers, forest operations administrators, senior
66 forest rangers, investigators, forest rangers, firefighter
67 rotorcraft pilots, and other employees who may, at the Florida
68 Forest Service’s discretion, be certified as forestry
69 firefighters pursuant to s. 633.408(8). Other law
70 notwithstanding, center managers, district managers, forest
71 protection assistant bureau chief, and deputy chiefs of field
72 operations have Selected Exempt Service status in the state
73 personnel designation;
74 (e) Develop a training curriculum for wildland firefighters
75 which must contain a minimum of 40 hours of structural
76 firefighter training, a minimum of 40 hours of emergency medical
77 training, and a minimum of 376 hours of wildfire training;
78 (f) Pay the cost of the initial commercial driver license
79 examination fee, and renewal for those employees whose position
80 requires them to operate equipment requiring a license. This
81 paragraph is intended to be an authorization to the department
82 to pay such costs, not an obligation;
83 (g) Provide fire management services and emergency response
84 assistance and set and charge reasonable fees for performance of
85 those services. Moneys collected from such fees shall be
86 deposited into the Incidental Trust Fund of the Florida Forest
87 Service;
88 (h) Require all state, regional, and local government
89 agencies operating aircraft in the vicinity of an ongoing
90 wildfire to operate in compliance with the applicable state
91 Wildfire Aviation Plan;
92 (i) Authorize broadcast burning, prescribed burning, pile
93 burning, and land clearing debris burning to carry out the
94 duties of this chapter and the rules adopted thereunder; and
95 (j) Make rules to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.
96 (2) The Florida Forest Service’s employees, and the
97 firefighting crews under their control and direction, may enter
98 upon any lands for the purpose of preventing, detecting, and
99 suppressing wildfires and investigating smoke complaints or open
100 burning not in compliance with authorization and to enforce the
101 provisions of this chapter.
102 (3) Employees of the Florida Forest Service and of federal,
103 state, and local agencies, and all other persons and entities
104 that are under contract or agreement with the Florida Forest
105 Service to assist in firefighting operations as well as those
106 entities, called upon by the Florida Forest Service to assist in
107 firefighting may, in the performance of their duties, set
108 counterfires, remove fences and other obstacles, dig trenches,
109 cut firelines, use water from public and private sources, and
110 carry on all other customary activities in the fighting of
111 wildfires without incurring liability to any person or entity.
112 The manner in which the Florida Forest Service monitors a
113 smoldering wildfire or smoldering prescribed fire or fights any
114 wildfire are planning level activities for which sovereign
115 immunity applies and is not waived.
116 (4)(a) The department may build structures, notwithstanding
117 chapters 216 and 255, not to exceed a cost of $50,000 per
118 structure from existing resources on forest lands, federal
119 excess property, and unneeded existing structures. These
120 structures must meet all applicable building codes.
121 (b) Notwithstanding s. 553.80(1), the department shall
122 exclusively enforce the Florida Building Code as it pertains to
123 wildfire, law enforcement, and other Florida Forest Service
124 facilities under the jurisdiction of the department.
125 (5) The Florida Forest Service shall organize its
126 operational units to most effectively prevent, detect, and
127 suppress wildfires, and to that end, may employ the necessary
128 personnel to manage its activities in each unit. The Florida
129 Forest Service may construct lookout towers, roads, bridges,
130 firelines, and other facilities and may purchase or fabricate
131 tools, supplies, and equipment for firefighting. The Florida
132 Forest Service may reimburse the public and private entities
133 that it engages to assist in the suppression of wildfires for
134 their personnel and equipment, including aircraft.
135 (6) The Florida Forest Service shall undertake
136 privatization alternatives for fire prevention activities
137 including constructing fire lines and conducting prescribed
138 burns and, where appropriate, entering into agreements or
139 contracts with the private sector to perform such activities.
140 (7) The Florida Forest Service may organize, staff, equip,
141 and operate the Withlacoochee and Welaka Training Centers
142 Center. The centers center shall serve as sites a site where
143 fire and forest resource managers can obtain current knowledge,
144 techniques, skills, and theory as they relate to their
145 respective disciplines, and the centers:.
146 (a) The center May establish cooperative efforts involving
147 federal, state, and local entities; hire appropriate personnel;
148 and engage others by contract or agreement with or without
149 compensation to assist in carrying out the training and
150 operations of the centers center.
151 (b) The center Shall provide wildfire suppression training
152 opportunities for rural fire departments, volunteer fire
153 departments, and other local fire response units.
154 (c) The center Shall focus on curriculum related to, but
155 not limited to, fuel reduction, an incident management system,
156 prescribed burning certification, multiple-use land management,
157 water quality, forest health, environmental education, and
158 wildfire suppression training for structural firefighters.
159 (d) The center May assess appropriate fees for food,
160 lodging, travel, course materials, and supplies in order to meet
161 their its operational costs and may grant free meals, room, and
162 scholarships to persons and other entities as determined by the
163 Florida Forest Service, regardless of whether training occurs at
164 the Withlacoochee Training Center or Welaka Training Center or
165 at another location in exchange for instructional assistance.
166 (8)(a) The Cross City Work Center shall be named the L.
167 Earl Peterson Forestry Station. This is to honor Mr. L. Earl
168 Peterson, Florida’s sixth state forester, whose distinguished
169 career in state government has spanned 44 years, and who is a
170 native of Dixie County.
171 (b) The Madison Forestry Station shall be named the Harvey
172 Greene Sr. Forestry Station. This is to honor Mr. Harvey Greene
173 Sr., a World War I veteran and pioneer in forestry in Madison
174 County. In 1947, Mr. Harvey Greene Sr. offered to give the land
175 on which the forestry station is located to the state; however,
176 at that time, the state could not accept donations of land.
177 Instead, Mr. Harvey Greene Sr. sold the land to the state and,
178 with the proceeds of the sale, purchased forestry equipment to
179 be used by the citizens of Madison County to plant trees and
180 fight wildfires.
181 (c) The Bonifay Forestry Station shall be named the John
182 Michael Mathis Forestry Station. This is to honor the late Mr.
183 John Michael Mathis, the Chipola Forestry Center manager whose
184 distinguished career spanned 18 years, and who received many
185 awards for his service, including commendation for leadership in
186 wildfire mitigation for his service during Hurricane Michael.
187 Mr. John Michael Mathis was a proud husband, father, forester,
188 and friend.
189 (9)(a) Notwithstanding ss. 273.055 and 287.16, the
190 department may retain, transfer, warehouse, bid, destroy, scrap,
191 or otherwise dispose of surplus equipment and vehicles that are
192 used for wildland firefighting.
193 (b) All money received from the disposition of state-owned
194 equipment and vehicles that are used for wildland firefighting
195 shall be retained by the department. Money received pursuant to
196 this section is appropriated for and may be disbursed for the
197 acquisition of exchange and surplus equipment used for wildland
198 firefighting, and for all necessary operating expenditures
199 related to such equipment, in the same fiscal year and the
200 fiscal year following the disposition. The department shall
201 maintain records of the accounts into which the money is
202 deposited.
203 (10)(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 252.38, the
204 Florida Forest Service has exclusive authority to require and
205 issue authorizations for broadcast burning and agricultural and
206 silvicultural pile burning. An agency, commission, department,
207 county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the
208 state may not adopt or enforce laws, regulations, rules, or
209 policies pertaining to broadcast burning or agricultural and
210 silvicultural pile burning.
211 (b) The Florida Forest Service may delegate to a county,
212 municipality, or special district its authority:
213 1. As delegated by the Department of Environmental
214 Protection pursuant to ss. 403.061(29) and 403.081, to manage
215 and enforce regulations pertaining to the burning of yard trash
216 in accordance with s. 590.125(6).
217 2. To manage the open burning of land clearing debris in
218 accordance with s. 590.125.
219 Section 36. Section 595.421, Florida Statutes, is created
220 to read:
221 595.421 Farmers Feeding Florida Program.—There is
222 established the Farmers Feeding Florida Program to coordinate
223 with Feeding Florida, or its successor entity, for the
224 acquisition, transportation, and distribution of non-Emergency
225 Food Assistance Program fresh food products for the benefit of
226 residents who are food insecure due to a lack of local food
227 resources, accessibility, and affordability.
228 (1) In order to implement the program, Feeding Florida
229 shall:
230 (a) Enter into an agreement with the department to provide,
231 at a minimum, all of the following services:
232 1. Transportation of non-Emergency Food Assistance Program
233 fresh food products using owned vehicles or contracted
234 commercial vehicles.
235 2. Coordination of the purchase and pickup of food from the
236 purchase location and delivery to the distribution location.
237 (b) Submit monthly reports to the department, beginning
238 July 1, 2026, which include, at a minimum, all of the following:
239 1. A detailed record of the amount of food purchased,
240 measured per pound and itemized according to its commodity type.
241 2. Food purchase locations.
242 3. Food purchase dates.
243 4. The date of delivery and locations to which the food was
244 distributed.
245 (c) Submit quarterly reports, beginning July 1, 2026, to
246 the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees,
247 including all of the following information:
248 1. A detailed record of the amount of food distributed,
249 measured per pound and itemized according to its commodity type.
250 2. The distribution locations.
251 3. An itemized list of the types of commodities
252 distributed.
253 (2) Foods purchased by Feeding Florida through the program
254 are restricted to charitable purposes for hunger relief and may
255 not reenter the wholesale, retail, or secondary market.
256 (3) Feeding Florida may not, in implementing this section,
257 allow a candidate for elective office to host a food
258 distribution event during the period of time between the last
259 day of the election qualifying period and the date of the
260 election if the candidate is opposed for election or reelection
261 at the time of the event. This subsection does not apply if the
262 event is in response to a declared state of emergency.
263 Section 37. Present paragraph (c) of subsection (7) of
264 section 597.004, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph
265 (d) and amended, a new paragraph (c) is added to that
266 subsection, and paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of that section
267 is amended, to read:
268 597.004 Aquaculture certificate of registration.—
269 (2) RULES.—
270 (a) The department, in consultation with the Department of
271 Environmental Protection, the water management districts,
272 environmental groups, and representatives from the affected
273 farming groups, shall adopt rules to:
274 1. Specify the requirement of best management practices to
275 be implemented by holders of aquaculture certificates of
276 registration.
277 2. Establish procedures for holders of aquaculture
278 certificates of registration to submit the notice of intent to
279 comply with best management practices.
280 3. Establish schedules for implementation of best
281 management practices, and of interim measures that can be taken
282 prior to adoption of best management practices. Interim measures
283 may include the continuation of regulatory requirements in
284 effect on June 30, 1998.
285 4. Establish a system to assure the implementation of best
286 management practices, including recordkeeping requirements.
287 5. Require any facility that cultures Micropterus salmoides
288 floridanus to maintain stock acquisition documentation or
289 records of genetic testing.
290 (7) REGISTRATION AND RENEWALS.—
291 (c) The department may not renew a certificate of
292 registration for a facility that is not compliant with this
293 section unless documentation of corrective action is provided
294 with the renewal application.
295 (d)(c) A Any person whose certificate of registration has
296 been revoked or suspended must reapply to the department for
297 certification. A person, a company, or an entity, or a principal
298 of a company or an entity whose certificate of registration has
299 been revoked, may not reapply for a period of 3 years.
300 Section 38. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
301 597.010, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
302 597.010 Shellfish regulation; leases.—
303 (5) LEASES IN PERPETUITY; RENT.—
304 (a) All leases issued previously under the provisions of s.
305 379.2525 shall be enforced under the authority of this chapter,
306 notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, and shall
307 continue in perpetuity under such restrictions as stated in the
308 lease agreement. The annual rental fee charged for all leases
309 shall consist of the minimum rate of $15 per acre, or any
310 fraction of an acre, per year and may shall be adjusted on
311 January 1, 1995, and every 5 years thereafter, based on the 5
312 year average change in the Consumer Price Index. Rent must shall
313 be paid in advance of January 1 of each year or, in the case of
314 a new lease, at the time of signing, regardless of who holds the
315 lease.
316 Section 39. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) of
317 section 599.012, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
318 599.012 Florida Wine Trust Fund; creation.—
319 (1) There is established the Florida Wine Trust Fund within
320 the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The
321 department shall use the moneys deposited in the trust fund
322 pursuant to subsection (2) to do all the following:
323 (b) Promote wine viticulture products manufactured from
324 products grown in the state.
325 (c) Provide grants for wine and viticultural research.
326 Section 40. Subsection (3) of section 601.13, Florida
327 Statutes, is amended to read:
328 601.13 Citrus research; administration by Department of
329 Citrus; appropriation.—
330 (3) An entity that solicits research proposals and awards
331 funding for those proposals expending funds received from the
332 State Treasury on citrus production research conducted pursuant
333 to chapter 573, as recommended by the Citrus Research and Field
334 Trial Development Foundation, Inc., or conducted through
335 contract with the department shall deliver a report that
336 includes all of the following information to the commission
337 biannually and at the request of the commission:
338 (a) Project plans selected for funding.
339 (b) The financial status of the projects.
340 (c) Current findings of the funded research.
341 (d) Availability of citrus products or application of
342 growers’ practices found through funded research.
343 (e) The status of the commercialization process of such
344 products or practices.
345 Section 41. (1) The Citrus Research and Development
346 Foundation, Inc., the nonprofit corporation established in s.
347 573.112(7), Florida Statutes, is merged into the Citrus Research
348 and Field Trial Foundation, Inc.
349 (2) The Citrus Research and Development Foundation, Inc.,
350 must enter into a plan with the Citrus Research and Field Trial
351 Foundation, Inc., for the merger. Such merger must be completed
352 by October 1, 2026. The merger is subject to chapter 617,
353 Florida Statutes, related to the merger of nonprofit
354 corporations.
355 (3) Any funds held in trust which were donated to or earned
356 by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, Inc., shall
357 be transferred to the Citrus Research and Field Trial
358 Foundation, Inc., and shall be used for the original purposes of
359 the funds.
360 (4) The transfer of any program, activity, duty, or
361 function under this act includes the transfer of any records and
362 unexpected balances of appropriations, allocations, or other
363 funds related to such program, activity, duty, or function.
364 Except as otherwise provided by law, the Citrus Research and
365 Field Trial Foundation, Inc., shall become the custodian of any
366 property of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation,
367 Inc., on the date specified in the plan of merger or October 1,
368 2026, whichever occurs first.
369
370 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
371 And the title is amended as follows:
372 Delete lines 138 - 169
373 and insert:
374 s. 573.112, F.S.; renaming the Citrus Research and
375 Development Foundation, Inc., as the Citrus Research
376 and Field Trial Foundation, Inc.; establishing the
377 Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation, Inc., as a
378 direct-support organization of the Department of
379 Agriculture and Consumer Services; revising provisions
380 relating to the membership; amending s. 581.031, F.S.;
381 conforming a provision to changes made by the act;
382 amending s. 583.01, F.S.; revising the definition of
383 the term “dealer”; amending s. 590.02, F.S.; revising
384 the Florida Forest Service’s powers, authority, and
385 duties; authorizing the Florida Forest Service to
386 manage the Welaka Training Center; conforming
387 provisions to changes made by the act; authorizing the
388 Withlacoochee and Welaka Training Centers to assess
389 certain fees as determined by the Florida Forest
390 Service, regardless of where certain training occurs;
391 renaming the Bonifay Forestry Station as the John
392 Michael Mathis Forestry Station to honor the late John
393 Michael Mathis; creating s. 595.421, F.S.;
394 establishing the Farmers Feeding Florida Program for
395 specified purposes; requiring Feeding Florida to take
396 certain actions to implement the program; prohibiting
397 the foods purchased by Feeding Florida through such
398 program from reentering the wholesale, retail, or
399 secondary market; prohibiting Feeding Florida from
400 allowing a candidate for elective office to host a
401 food distribution event during a specified timeframe;
402 providing applicability; amending s. 597.004, F.S.;
403 making a technical change; prohibiting the Department
404 of Agriculture and Consumer Services from renewing a
405 certificate of registration for a noncompliant
406 facility unless certain documentation is provided with
407 the renewal application; prohibiting entities whose
408 certificate of registration has been revoked from
409 reapplying for a specified period of time; amending s.
410 597.010, F.S.; authorizing, rather than requiring, the
411 periodic adjustment of the annual rental fee charged
412 for certain leases; amending s. 599.012, F.S.; making
413 technical changes; amending s. 601.13, F.S.; renaming
414 the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, Inc.,
415 as the Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation,
416 Inc.; providing for the merger and transfer of the
417 Citrus Research and Development Foundation, Inc., to
418 the Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation, Inc.;
419 requiring the completion of the merger by a specified
420 date; providing that the merger is subject to
421 specified provisions; providing for the transfer of
422 funds; providing for the transfer of any program,
423 activity, duty, or function; establishing the Citrus
424 Research and Field Trial Foundation, Inc., as the
425 custodian of any property of the Citrus Research and
426 Development Foundation, Inc.; amending s. 616.001,
427 F.S.; revising