SB 696 Florida Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Registration of Trademarks

Summary

Registration of Trademarks; Requiring the Department of State to use the international schedule of classes of goods and services for trademarks; deleting provisions relating to the classification of goods and services for trademark purposes; providing online application requirements; requiring the department to establish and maintain a secure Internet website that allows submission of an online trademark registration application and renewal application, etc.

Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Mar 11, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

S 696 Filed → S 696 c1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to align Florida's trademark classification system with the international standard used by the USPTO, replacing the previous requirement to adopt the USPTO system annually. Additionally, the effective date for the new online application system was extended from 2026 to December 31, 2027, providing more time for implementation.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding trademark classification was broadened to explicitly include the international schedule of classes for goods and services, moving away from a strict annual adoption of the USPTO system.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the requirement for the Department of State to adopt the USPTO classification system annually to instead use the international schedule of classes as set forth in 37 C.F.R. s. 6.1.

Added specific requirements for the online application system to allow electronic submission of specimens, drawings, fees, and verification.

TIMELINE

Extended the deadline for the department to make the online trademark application system available from an unspecified 2026 date to December 31, 2027.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 17, 2026

How they voted

23–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 24

Feb 17, 2026

D Democratic5

5 Yea

100% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican18

17 Yea 1

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (23-0-1)

senate

Feb 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/17/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development; YEAS 14 NAYS 0

upper

Jan 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development, 01/28/26, 1:00 pm, 110 Senate Building

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development

upper

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

upper

Jan 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable by Commerce and Tourism; YEAS 10 NAYS 0

upper

Jan 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Commerce and Tourism, 01/13/26, 4:00 pm, 110 Senate Building

upper

Dec 16, 2025

Committee

Referred to Commerce and Tourism; Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development; Rules

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors