Florida Senate - 2026                                    SB 1464
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       
       
       
       
       40-01445A-26                                          20261464__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to food and plastic waste reduction;
    3         creating s. 1013.121, F.S.; requiring the Department
    4         of Education to develop a specified pilot program in
    5         cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and
    6         Consumer Services; requiring that the pilot program be
    7         offered in a certain percentage of schools, beginning
    8         in a specified school year; specifying requirements
    9         for the pilot program; requiring each participating
   10         school district to submit a report to the Department
   11         of Education by a specified date; specifying
   12         requirements for the report; providing for the
   13         expiration of the pilot program; providing an
   14         effective date.
   15          
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Section 1013.121, Florida Statutes, is created
   19  to read:
   20         1013.121 School food and plastic waste reduction.—
   21         (1) The Department of Education shall develop a 3-year
   22  pilot program in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture
   23  and Consumer Service’s Farm to School program to be offered in
   24  up to 10 percent of schools in any school district in this state
   25  by the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year. The program must
   26  include all of the following:
   27         (a) A partnership with a local nonprofit organization or
   28  food bank to redistribute edible cafeteria food and divert
   29  organic food waste to a composting program.
   30         (b) Installation of a sorting system for cafeteria waste,
   31  subject to legislative appropriation.
   32         (c) Installation of a dishwashing system, with priority
   33  given to schools that previously operated a dishwashing system,
   34  subject to legislative appropriation.
   35         (d) Elimination of single-use plastics by replacing them
   36  with stainless steel reusable serving ware.
   37         (2) Each participating school district shall submit an
   38  annual report to the Department of Education by the end of each
   39  school year which includes all of the following:
   40         (a) Total quantity of cafeteria waste diverted to landfill
   41  or incineration.
   42         (b) Total quantity by weight of cafeteria food donated.
   43         (c) Total quantity by weight of organic food waste diverted
   44  as animal feed or compost.
   45         (d) Total quantity of single-use plastic items eliminated.
   46         (e) Cost savings realized by the school district.
   47         (f) Any barriers encountered and recommendations for the
   48  pilot program.
   49         (3) The pilot program expires and this section is repealed
   50  July 1, 2030.
   51         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.