Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 696
       
       
        
       By Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       33-00850-26                                            2026696__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to registration of trademarks;
    3         amending s. 495.111, F.S.; removing provisions
    4         relating to the classification of goods and services
    5         for trademark purposes; requiring the Department of
    6         State to adopt a federal system of classification each
    7         year; requiring publication of the classification as
    8         part of the trademark registration application;
    9         creating s. 495.0315, F.S.; requiring the department
   10         to establish and maintain a secure Internet website
   11         that allows submission of an online trademark
   12         registration application and renewal application;
   13         providing website requirements; requiring the
   14         department to make the online application system
   15         available by a specified date; amending s. 495.031,
   16         F.S.; providing online application requirements;
   17         providing an effective date.
   18          
   19  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   20  
   21         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 495.111, Florida
   22  Statutes, is amended to read:
   23         495.111 Classification.—
   24         (1) The department shall, no later than July 1 of each
   25  year, adopt as the state classification system the United States
   26  Patent and Trademark Office’s system of classification of goods
   27  and services in effect on June 1 of that year. The
   28  classification shall be published as part of the trademark
   29  registration application as set forth in ss. 495.031 and
   30  495.0315. The following general classes of goods and services,
   31  conforming to the classification adopted by the United States
   32  Patent and Trademark Office, are established for convenience of
   33  administration of this chapter:
   34         (a)Goods:
   35         1.Class 1Chemicals for use in industry, science and
   36  photography, as well as in agriculture, horticulture and
   37  forestry; unprocessed artificial resins, unprocessed plastics;
   38  fire extinguishing and fire prevention compositions; tempering
   39  and soldering preparations; substances for tanning animal skins
   40  and hides; adhesives for use in industry; putties and other
   41  paste fillers; compost, manures, fertilizers; biological
   42  preparations for use in industry and science.
   43         2.Class 2Paints, varnishes, lacquers; preservatives
   44  against rust and against deterioration of wood; colorants, dyes;
   45  inks for printing, marking and engraving; raw natural resins;
   46  metals in foil and powder form for use in painting, decorating,
   47  printing and art.
   48         3.Class 3Non-medicated cosmetics and toiletry
   49  preparations; non-medicated dentifrices; perfumery, essential
   50  oils; bleaching preparations and other substances for laundry
   51  use; cleaning, polishing, scouring and abrasive preparations.
   52         4.Class 4Industrial oils and greases, wax; lubricants;
   53  dust absorbing, wetting and binding compositions; fuels and
   54  illuminants; candles and wicks for lighting.
   55         5.Class 5Pharmaceuticals, medical and veterinary
   56  preparations; sanitary preparations for medical purposes;
   57  dietetic food and substances adapted for medical or veterinary
   58  use, food for babies; dietary supplements for humans and
   59  animals; plasters, materials for dressings; material for
   60  stopping teeth, dental wax; disinfectants; preparations for
   61  destroying vermin; fungicides, herbicides.
   62         6.Class 6Common metals and their alloys, ores; metal
   63  materials for building and construction; transportable buildings
   64  of metal; non-electric cables and wires of common metal; small
   65  items of metal hardware; metal containers for storage or
   66  transport; safes.
   67         7.Class 7Machines, machine tools, power-operated tools;
   68  motors and engines, except for land vehicles; machine coupling
   69  and transmission components, except for land vehicles;
   70  agricultural implements, other than hand-operated hand tools;
   71  incubators for eggs; automatic vending machines.
   72         8.Class 8Hand tools and implements, hand-operated;
   73  cutlery; side arms, except firearms; razors.
   74         9.Class 9Scientific, nautical, surveying, photographic,
   75  cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signaling,
   76  checking (supervision), life-saving and teaching apparatus and
   77  instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting,
   78  switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling
   79  electricity; apparatus for recording, transmission or
   80  reproduction of sound or images; magnetic data carriers,
   81  recording discs; compact discs, DVDs and other digital recording
   82  media; mechanisms for coin-operated apparatus; cash registers,
   83  calculating machines, data processing equipment, computers;
   84  computer software; fire-extinguishing apparatus.
   85         10.Class 10Surgical, medical, dental and veterinary
   86  apparatus and instruments; artificial limbs, eyes and teeth;
   87  orthopaedic articles; suture materials; therapeutic and
   88  assistive devices adapted for the disabled; massage apparatus;
   89  apparatus, devices and articles for nursing infants; sexual
   90  activity apparatus, devices and articles.
   91         11.Class 11Apparatus for lighting, heating, steam
   92  generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water
   93  supply and sanitary purposes.
   94         12.Class 12Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land,
   95  air or water.
   96         13.Class 13Firearms; ammunition and projectiles;
   97  explosives; fireworks.
   98         14.Class 14Precious metals and their alloys; jewellery,
   99  precious and semi-precious stones; horological and chronometric
  100  instruments.
  101         15.Class 15Musical instruments.
  102         16.Class 16Paper and cardboard; printed matter;
  103  bookbinding material; photographs; stationery and office
  104  requisites, except furniture; adhesives for stationery or
  105  household purposes; drawing materials and materials for artists;
  106  paintbrushes; instructional and teaching materials; plastic
  107  sheets, films and bags for wrapping and packaging; printers’
  108  type, printing blocks.
  109         17.Class 17Unprocessed and semi-processed rubber, gutta
  110  percha, gum, asbestos, mica and substitutes for all these
  111  materials; plastics and resins in extruded form for use in
  112  manufacture; packing, stopping and insulating materials;
  113  flexible pipes, tubes and hoses, not of metal.
  114         18.Class 18Leather and imitations of leather; animal
  115  skins and hides; luggage and carrying bags; umbrellas and
  116  parasols; walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery; collars,
  117  leashes and clothing for animals.
  118         19.Class 19Building materials (non-metallic); non
  119  metallic rigid pipes for building; asphalt, pitch and bitumen;
  120  non-metallic transportable buildings; monuments, not of metal.
  121         20.Class 20Furniture, mirrors, picture frames;
  122  containers, not of metal, for storage or transport; unworked or
  123  semi-worked bone, horn, whalebone or mother-of-pearl; shells;
  124  meerschaum; yellow amber.
  125         21.Class 21Household or kitchen utensils and containers;
  126  cookware and tableware, except forks, knives and spoons; combs
  127  and sponges; brushes, except paintbrushes; brush-making
  128  materials; articles for cleaning purposes; unworked or semi
  129  worked glass, except building glass; glassware, porcelain and
  130  earthenware.
  131         22.Class 22Ropes and string; nets; tents and tarpaulins;
  132  awnings of textile or synthetic materials; sails; sacks for the
  133  transport and storage of materials in bulk; padding, cushioning
  134  and stuffing materials, except of paper, cardboard, rubber or
  135  plastics; raw fibrous textile materials and substitutes
  136  therefor.
  137         23.Class 23Yarns and threads, for textile use.
  138         24.Class 24Textiles and substitutes for textiles;
  139  household linen; curtains of textile or plastic.
  140         25.Class 25Clothing, footwear, headgear.
  141         26.Class 26Lace and embroidery, ribbons and braid;
  142  buttons, hooks and eyes, pins and needles; artificial flowers;
  143  hair decorations; false hair.
  144         27.Class 27Carpets, rugs, mats and matting, linoleum and
  145  other materials for covering existing floors; wall hangings
  146  (non-textile).
  147         28.Class 28Games, toys and playthings; video game
  148  apparatus; gymnastic and sporting articles; decorations for
  149  Christmas trees.
  150         29.Class 29Meat, fish, poultry and game; meat extracts;
  151  preserved, frozen, dried and cooked fruits and vegetables;
  152  jellies, jams, compotes; eggs; milk and milk products; oils and
  153  fats for food.
  154         30.Class 30Coffee, tea, cocoa and artificial coffee;
  155  rice; tapioca and sago; flour and preparations made from
  156  cereals; bread, pastries and confectionery; edible ices; sugar,
  157  honey, treacle; yeast, baking-powder; salt; mustard; vinegar,
  158  sauces (condiments); spices; ice (frozen water).
  159         31.Class 31Raw and unprocessed agricultural,
  160  aquacultural, horticultural and forestry products; raw and
  161  unprocessed grains and seeds; fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh
  162  herbs; natural plants and flowers; bulbs, seedlings and seeds
  163  for planting; live animals; foodstuffs and beverages for
  164  animals; malt.
  165         32.Class 32Beers; mineral and aerated waters and other
  166  non-alcoholic beverages; fruit beverages and fruit juices;
  167  syrups and other preparations for making beverages.
  168         33.Class 33Alcoholic beverages (except beers).
  169         34.Class 34Tobacco; smokers’ articles; matches.
  170         (b)Services:
  171         1.Class 35Advertising; business management; business
  172  administration; office functions.
  173         2.Class 36Insurance; financial affairs; monetary
  174  affairs; real estate affairs.
  175         3.Class 37Building construction; repair; installation
  176  services.
  177         4.Class 38Telecommunications.
  178         5.Class 39Transport; packaging and storage of goods;
  179  travel arrangement.
  180         6.Class 40Treatment of materials.
  181         7.Class 41Education; providing of training;
  182  entertainment; sporting and cultural activities.
  183         8.Class 42Scientific and technological services and
  184  research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and
  185  research services; design and development of computer hardware
  186  and software.
  187         9.Class 43Services for providing food and drink;
  188  temporary accommodation.
  189         10.Class 44Medical services; veterinary services;
  190  hygienic and beauty care for human beings or animals;
  191  agriculture, horticulture and forestry services.
  192         11.Class 45Legal services; security services for the
  193  physical protection of tangible property and individuals;
  194  personal and social services rendered by others to meet the
  195  needs of individuals.
  196         (c)Certification and collective membership marks:
  197         1.Class 200Collective membership marks.
  198         2.Class ACertification marks for goods.
  199         3.Class BCertification marks for services.
  200         (d)The goods and services recited in collective trademark
  201  and collective service mark applications are assigned to the
  202  same classes that are appropriate for those goods and services
  203  in general.
  204         Section 2. Section 495.0315, Florida Statutes, is created
  205  to read:
  206         495.0315Online application for registration.—
  207         (1)The department shall establish and maintain a secure
  208  Internet website that allows an applicant to submit an online
  209  trademark registration application in accordance with ss.
  210  495.031 and 495.035 and a renewal application in accordance with
  211  s. 495.071. The website must safeguard the applicant’s
  212  information to ensure data integrity and allow the applicant to:
  213         (a)Provide an electronic version of a required specimen of
  214  use.
  215         (b)Provide an electronic version of a drawing of the mark.
  216         (c)Pay the fee required by s. 495.191.
  217         (d)Complete the verification required by s. 495.031(5).
  218         (2)The department shall make the online application system
  219  required by this section available no later than July 1, 2027.
  220         Section 3. Subsections (5) and (6) of section 495.031,
  221  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  222         495.031 Application for registration.—
  223         (5) Every application under this section shall be signed
  224  and verified by the applicant or by a member of the firm or an
  225  officer or other authorized representative of the business
  226  entity applying. Verification must be made in accordance with s.
  227  92.525.
  228         (6) Every paper application under this section shall be
  229  accompanied by three specimens or facsimiles showing the mark as
  230  actually used. Every online application under this section must
  231  be accompanied by an electronic copy of a specimen, complying
  232  with the requirements of the department, showing the mark as
  233  actually used.
  234         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.