Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Committee Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate Agriculture Committee reports SB 210 and SJR 318 favorably; bills explained and roll calls recorded
Summary
The Senate Committee on Agriculture reported SB 210 (animal cremation disclosures and penalties) and SJR 318 (ad valorem exemption for agricultural tangible personal property—"Save Our Florida Farms") favorably after brief explanations and no opposition; roll calls were taken and are recorded in the committee minutes.
The Florida Senate Committee on Agriculture reported two measures favorably after brief presentations and no recorded public opposition.
SB 210 — Animal cremation (Sen. Harrell). Sen. Harrell explained SB 210 as a consumer protection measure for pet cremations that would require crematory operators to disclose whether a cremation is individual or a group service, to provide written descriptions of services, and to prohibit false or misleading information in customer materials. The bill directs rulemaking and enforcement to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and establishes civil penalties for violations. Sen. Harrell described a Martin County case in which owners who paid for an individual cremation received cremains that included human remains and other contaminants; he said the bill would create disclosure requirements and penalties to provide recourse for consumers.
Under the bill as explained in committee, first‑offense civil penalties range from $1,000 to $1,500 and subsequent penalties range from $2,000 to $2,500, with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services charged with rulemaking and enforcement. The presentation mentioned that operators currently may obtain a DEP animal crematory air general permit and that registration and oversight vary across facilities.
Evan (committee clerk) called the roll on SB 210. Recorded votes in the transcript: Senator Bernard — Yes; Senator Boyd — Yes; Senator Burton — Yes; Senator Roussan — Yes; Chair Trudeau — Yes. The clerk announced: “By your vote, SB 210 is reported favorably.”
SJR 318 — Ad valorem exemption, "Save Our Florida Farms" (Sen. Trudeau). The resolution would appear on the ballot if enacted and, as described to the committee, would provide an ad valorem exemption on tangible personal property if three conditions are met: the property is on land classified as agricultural, the property is used in production of agricultural products or agritourism, and it is owned by the landowner or leaseholder of the agricultural land. Sen. Trudeau (explaining the measure) said it seeks to reduce burdens on working farms and keep agriculture viable.
Several organizations waived in support on the meeting sheet: Tripp Hunter (Florida Farm Bureau), Chad Cundy (Florida Chamber of Commerce), Nancy Stewart (Florida Poultry Federation), Jim Spratt (Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association), and Alex Haley (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) — all recorded as waving in support in committee materials.
The clerk called the roll on SJR 318. Recorded votes in the transcript: Senator Bernard — Yes; Senator Burton — Yes; Senator Hassan — Yes; Senator Tournelle — Yes; Chair Boyd — Yes. The clerk announced: “By your vote, SJR 3 18 will be reported favorably.”
No amendments, extended debate, or public testimony opposing either measure were recorded in the committee transcript; both were reported favorably to the next committee or the floor as applicable.
