The bill addresses geoengineering and weather modification activities in Florida by repealing existing statutes related to the licensing and regulation of these activities, specifically sections 403.281 through 403.401. It amends section 403.411 to prohibit the injection or release of substances into the atmosphere for altering temperature, weather, or sunlight intensity, while also increasing civil penalties for violations and mandating that collected fines be deposited into the Air Pollution Control Trust Fund. New provisions include the creation of section 403.4115, which requires operators of public infrastructure to report monthly on aircraft involved in geoengineering activities and establishes a public reporting mechanism for violations, with the Department of Environmental Protection responsible for investigating these reports.

Additionally, the bill amends Florida Statutes Section 373.470 concerning Everglades restoration, focusing on the distribution of funds from the Save Our Everglades Trust Fund. It requires the department to distribute these funds to the district based on legislative appropriations, introduces a new provision aligning the distribution process with statute 373.026(7)(b), and deletes the reference to 373.026(8)(b). The bill mandates that funds distributed to the district must be matched by cumulative contributions from the district by the fiscal year 2019-2020, allowing for various forms of contributions, including in-kind project design and construction work. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 56 Filed: 403.411, 252.44, 253.002, 373.026, 373.4598, 373.470
S 56 c1: 403.411, 253.002, 373.026, 373.4598, 373.470
S 56 c2: 403.411, 253.002, 373.026, 373.4598
S 56 er: 403.411, 253.002, 373.026, 373.4598