Florida Senate - 2026                              CS for SB 696
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Rules; and Senator Martin
       
       
       
       
       
       595-02946-26                                           2026696c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to registration of trademarks;
    3         amending s. 495.111, F.S.; requiring the Department of
    4         State to use the international schedule of classes of
    5         goods and services for trademarks; deleting provisions
    6         relating to the classification of goods and services
    7         for trademark purposes; amending s. 495.031, F.S.;
    8         providing online application requirements; creating s.
    9         495.0315, F.S.; requiring the department to establish
   10         and maintain a secure Internet website that allows
   11         submission of an online trademark registration
   12         application and renewal application; providing website
   13         requirements; requiring the department to make the
   14         online application system available by a specified
   15         date; providing an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 495.111, Florida
   20  Statutes, is amended to read:
   21         495.111 Classification.—
   22         (1) The department shall use the international schedule of
   23  classes of goods and services as set forth in 37 C.F.R. s. 6.1,
   24  as amended, as the state classification system for trademarks
   25  The following general classes of goods and services, conforming
   26  to the classification adopted by the United States Patent and
   27  Trademark Office, are established for convenience of
   28  administration of this chapter:
   29         (a)Goods:
   30         1.Class 1Chemicals for use in industry, science and
   31  photography, as well as in agriculture, horticulture and
   32  forestry; unprocessed artificial resins, unprocessed plastics;
   33  fire extinguishing and fire prevention compositions; tempering
   34  and soldering preparations; substances for tanning animal skins
   35  and hides; adhesives for use in industry; putties and other
   36  paste fillers; compost, manures, fertilizers; biological
   37  preparations for use in industry and science.
   38         2.Class 2Paints, varnishes, lacquers; preservatives
   39  against rust and against deterioration of wood; colorants, dyes;
   40  inks for printing, marking and engraving; raw natural resins;
   41  metals in foil and powder form for use in painting, decorating,
   42  printing and art.
   43         3.Class 3Non-medicated cosmetics and toiletry
   44  preparations; non-medicated dentifrices; perfumery, essential
   45  oils; bleaching preparations and other substances for laundry
   46  use; cleaning, polishing, scouring and abrasive preparations.
   47         4.Class 4Industrial oils and greases, wax; lubricants;
   48  dust absorbing, wetting and binding compositions; fuels and
   49  illuminants; candles and wicks for lighting.
   50         5.Class 5Pharmaceuticals, medical and veterinary
   51  preparations; sanitary preparations for medical purposes;
   52  dietetic food and substances adapted for medical or veterinary
   53  use, food for babies; dietary supplements for humans and
   54  animals; plasters, materials for dressings; material for
   55  stopping teeth, dental wax; disinfectants; preparations for
   56  destroying vermin; fungicides, herbicides.
   57         6.Class 6Common metals and their alloys, ores; metal
   58  materials for building and construction; transportable buildings
   59  of metal; non-electric cables and wires of common metal; small
   60  items of metal hardware; metal containers for storage or
   61  transport; safes.
   62         7.Class 7Machines, machine tools, power-operated tools;
   63  motors and engines, except for land vehicles; machine coupling
   64  and transmission components, except for land vehicles;
   65  agricultural implements, other than hand-operated hand tools;
   66  incubators for eggs; automatic vending machines.
   67         8.Class 8Hand tools and implements, hand-operated;
   68  cutlery; side arms, except firearms; razors.
   69         9.Class 9Scientific, nautical, surveying, photographic,
   70  cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signaling,
   71  checking (supervision), life-saving and teaching apparatus and
   72  instruments; apparatus and instruments for conducting,
   73  switching, transforming, accumulating, regulating or controlling
   74  electricity; apparatus for recording, transmission or
   75  reproduction of sound or images; magnetic data carriers,
   76  recording discs; compact discs, DVDs and other digital recording
   77  media; mechanisms for coin-operated apparatus; cash registers,
   78  calculating machines, data processing equipment, computers;
   79  computer software; fire-extinguishing apparatus.
   80         10.Class 10Surgical, medical, dental and veterinary
   81  apparatus and instruments; artificial limbs, eyes and teeth;
   82  orthopaedic articles; suture materials; therapeutic and
   83  assistive devices adapted for the disabled; massage apparatus;
   84  apparatus, devices and articles for nursing infants; sexual
   85  activity apparatus, devices and articles.
   86         11.Class 11Apparatus for lighting, heating, steam
   87  generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water
   88  supply and sanitary purposes.
   89         12.Class 12Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land,
   90  air or water.
   91         13.Class 13Firearms; ammunition and projectiles;
   92  explosives; fireworks.
   93         14.Class 14Precious metals and their alloys; jewellery,
   94  precious and semi-precious stones; horological and chronometric
   95  instruments.
   96         15.Class 15Musical instruments.
   97         16.Class 16Paper and cardboard; printed matter;
   98  bookbinding material; photographs; stationery and office
   99  requisites, except furniture; adhesives for stationery or
  100  household purposes; drawing materials and materials for artists;
  101  paintbrushes; instructional and teaching materials; plastic
  102  sheets, films and bags for wrapping and packaging; printers’
  103  type, printing blocks.
  104         17.Class 17Unprocessed and semi-processed rubber, gutta
  105  percha, gum, asbestos, mica and substitutes for all these
  106  materials; plastics and resins in extruded form for use in
  107  manufacture; packing, stopping and insulating materials;
  108  flexible pipes, tubes and hoses, not of metal.
  109         18.Class 18Leather and imitations of leather; animal
  110  skins and hides; luggage and carrying bags; umbrellas and
  111  parasols; walking sticks; whips, harness and saddlery; collars,
  112  leashes and clothing for animals.
  113         19.Class 19Building materials (non-metallic); non
  114  metallic rigid pipes for building; asphalt, pitch and bitumen;
  115  non-metallic transportable buildings; monuments, not of metal.
  116         20.Class 20Furniture, mirrors, picture frames;
  117  containers, not of metal, for storage or transport; unworked or
  118  semi-worked bone, horn, whalebone or mother-of-pearl; shells;
  119  meerschaum; yellow amber.
  120         21.Class 21Household or kitchen utensils and containers;
  121  cookware and tableware, except forks, knives and spoons; combs
  122  and sponges; brushes, except paintbrushes; brush-making
  123  materials; articles for cleaning purposes; unworked or semi
  124  worked glass, except building glass; glassware, porcelain and
  125  earthenware.
  126         22.Class 22Ropes and string; nets; tents and tarpaulins;
  127  awnings of textile or synthetic materials; sails; sacks for the
  128  transport and storage of materials in bulk; padding, cushioning
  129  and stuffing materials, except of paper, cardboard, rubber or
  130  plastics; raw fibrous textile materials and substitutes
  131  therefor.
  132         23.Class 23Yarns and threads, for textile use.
  133         24.Class 24Textiles and substitutes for textiles;
  134  household linen; curtains of textile or plastic.
  135         25.Class 25Clothing, footwear, headgear.
  136         26.Class 26Lace and embroidery, ribbons and braid;
  137  buttons, hooks and eyes, pins and needles; artificial flowers;
  138  hair decorations; false hair.
  139         27.Class 27Carpets, rugs, mats and matting, linoleum and
  140  other materials for covering existing floors; wall hangings
  141  (non-textile).
  142         28.Class 28Games, toys and playthings; video game
  143  apparatus; gymnastic and sporting articles; decorations for
  144  Christmas trees.
  145         29.Class 29Meat, fish, poultry and game; meat extracts;
  146  preserved, frozen, dried and cooked fruits and vegetables;
  147  jellies, jams, compotes; eggs; milk and milk products; oils and
  148  fats for food.
  149         30.Class 30Coffee, tea, cocoa and artificial coffee;
  150  rice; tapioca and sago; flour and preparations made from
  151  cereals; bread, pastries and confectionery; edible ices; sugar,
  152  honey, treacle; yeast, baking-powder; salt; mustard; vinegar,
  153  sauces (condiments); spices; ice (frozen water).
  154         31.Class 31Raw and unprocessed agricultural,
  155  aquacultural, horticultural and forestry products; raw and
  156  unprocessed grains and seeds; fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh
  157  herbs; natural plants and flowers; bulbs, seedlings and seeds
  158  for planting; live animals; foodstuffs and beverages for
  159  animals; malt.
  160         32.Class 32Beers; mineral and aerated waters and other
  161  non-alcoholic beverages; fruit beverages and fruit juices;
  162  syrups and other preparations for making beverages.
  163         33.Class 33Alcoholic beverages (except beers).
  164         34.Class 34Tobacco; smokers’ articles; matches.
  165         (b)Services:
  166         1.Class 35Advertising; business management; business
  167  administration; office functions.
  168         2.Class 36Insurance; financial affairs; monetary
  169  affairs; real estate affairs.
  170         3.Class 37Building construction; repair; installation
  171  services.
  172         4.Class 38Telecommunications.
  173         5.Class 39Transport; packaging and storage of goods;
  174  travel arrangement.
  175         6.Class 40Treatment of materials.
  176         7.Class 41Education; providing of training;
  177  entertainment; sporting and cultural activities.
  178         8.Class 42Scientific and technological services and
  179  research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and
  180  research services; design and development of computer hardware
  181  and software.
  182         9.Class 43Services for providing food and drink;
  183  temporary accommodation.
  184         10.Class 44Medical services; veterinary services;
  185  hygienic and beauty care for human beings or animals;
  186  agriculture, horticulture and forestry services.
  187         11.Class 45Legal services; security services for the
  188  physical protection of tangible property and individuals;
  189  personal and social services rendered by others to meet the
  190  needs of individuals.
  191         (c)Certification and collective membership marks:
  192         1.Class 200Collective membership marks.
  193         2.Class ACertification marks for goods.
  194         3.Class BCertification marks for services.
  195         (d)The goods and services recited in collective trademark
  196  and collective service mark applications are assigned to the
  197  same classes that are appropriate for those goods and services
  198  in general.
  199         Section 2. Subsections (5) and (6) of section 495.031,
  200  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  201         495.031 Application for registration.—
  202         (5) Every application under this section shall be signed
  203  and verified by the applicant or by a member of the firm or an
  204  officer or other authorized representative of the business
  205  entity applying. Verification must be made in accordance with s.
  206  92.525 and may be accomplished electronically in compliance with
  207  ss. 668.001-668.006.
  208         (6) Every paper application under this section shall be
  209  accompanied by three specimens or facsimiles showing the mark as
  210  actually used. Every online application submission under s.
  211  495.0315 must be accompanied by an electronic copy of a
  212  specimen, complying with the requirements of the department,
  213  showing the mark as actually used.
  214         Section 3. Section 495.0315, Florida Statutes, is created
  215  to read:
  216         495.0315Online application for registration.—
  217         (1)The department shall establish and maintain a secure
  218  Internet website that allows an applicant to submit an online
  219  trademark registration application in accordance with ss.
  220  495.031 and 495.035 and a renewal application in accordance with
  221  s. 495.071. The website must safeguard the applicant’s
  222  information to ensure data integrity and allow the applicant to
  223  do all of the following:
  224         (a)Provide an electronic version of a required specimen of
  225  use.
  226         (b)Provide an electronic version of a drawing of the mark.
  227         (c)Pay the fee required by s. 495.191.
  228         (d)Complete the verification required by s. 495.031(5).
  229         (2)The department shall make the online application system
  230  required by this section available no later than December 31,
  231  2027.
  232         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.