SB 56 Florida Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Geoengineering and Weather Modification Activities

Summary

Geoengineering and Weather Modification Activities; Repealing provisions relating to the definitions, purpose, licensing requirements, applications, proof of financial responsibility requirements, license issuance and discipline provisions, publication of notice of intention to operate requirements, required contents of the notice of intention, publication of the notice of intention requirements, proof of publication requirements, record and reports of operations requirements, provision of emergency licenses, and suspension or revocation of licenses, respectively, of the weather modification law; prohibiting certain acts intended to affect the temperature, the weather, or the intensity of sunlight within the atmosphere of this state; requiring an operator of public infrastructure to report certain information monthly to the Department of Transportation, etc.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Signed Jun 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

S 56 c2 → S 56 er · 11 edits

MAJOR

The bill was finalized and enrolled after being in committee review, with substantive additions to reporting requirements and enforcement mechanisms for geoengineering activities. The enrolled version adds specific reporting methods (online, email, phone, mail), clarifies the department's duties to investigate and refer violations, and creates new reporting obligations for public infrastructure operators.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include specific reporting requirements for public infrastructure operators and clarified the Department of Environmental Protection's responsibilities for handling reported violations.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific reporting methods (online, email, phone, mail) for persons observing geoengineering activities

Added requirement for the Department of Environmental Protection to establish an email address and online form for reporting violations

Added requirement for the department to investigate reports that warrant further review

Added requirement for the department to refer violation reports to Department of Health or Division of Emergency Management when appropriate

Added requirement for the department to adopt rules necessary to implement the reporting subsection

Created new Section 403.4115 requiring public infrastructure operators to report monthly on aircraft equipped for geoengineering activities

Added prohibition on using state funds to support public infrastructure projects not compliant with the new reporting requirements

Added requirement for the department to submit aggregated reports to Department of Environmental Protection and law enforcement agencies

Added requirement to incorporate reporting guidelines in grant agreements for public use airports receiving state funds

TECHNICAL

Changed effective date from unspecified to July 1, 2025

Added metadata headers and formatting consistent with enrolled legislation

Floor votes · Senate Apr 3, 2025 · House Apr 30, 2025

How they voted

28–9

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 38

Apr 3, 2025

D Democratic10

1 Yea 9 Nay

90% Nay

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican27

26 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 20, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by Governor

legislature

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

CS passed; YEAS 82, NAYS 28

lower

Apr 29, 2025

Committee

Bill referred to House Calendar

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

CS passed; YEAS 28 NAYS 9

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Rules, 03/26/25, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; YEAS 10 NAYS 2

upper

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, 03/18/25, 1:00 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, 03/05/25, 11:00 am, 412 Knott Building --Temporarily Postponed

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Remaining references corrected to Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; Rules

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Environment and Natural Resources, 02/11/25, 11:00 am, 110 Senate Building

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Committee

Referred to Environment and Natural Resources; Criminal Justice; Rules

upper

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors