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Do not use the Florida farm bill to restrict the constitutional right to free speech.
The hearing for SB 290 will be held at 9am on February 10th in the Florida Senate Rules Committee.ACTION TO TAKE
Call and email Senate Rules Committee members and ask that they remove Section 48 of SB 290. Include where you live in Florida when making calls or emails. The talking points below can be used in your messages.
Senator Kathleen Passidomo 850-487-5028 passidomo.kathleen.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Shevrin D. “Shev” Jones 850-487-5034 jones.shevrin.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Bryan Avila 850-487-5039 avila.bryan.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Lori Berman 850-487-5026 berman.lori.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Jim Boyd 850-487-5020 boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Jennifer Bradley 850-487-5006 bradley.jennifer.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Jason Brodeur 850-487-5010 brodeur.jason.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Danny Burgess 850-487-5023 burgess.danny.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Colleen Burton 850-487-5012 burton.colleen.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Tracie Davis 850-487-5005 davis.tracie.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Nick DiCeglie 850-487-5018 diceglie.nick.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Don Gaetz 850-487-5001 gaetz.don.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Ileana Garcia 850-487-5036 garcia.ileana.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Erin Grall 850-487-5029 grall.erin.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Gayle Harrell 850-487-5031 harrell.gayle.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Ed Hooper 850-487-5021 hooper.ed.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Jonathan Martin 850-487-5033 martin.jonathan.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Rosalind Osgood 850-487-5032 osgood.rosalind.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Jason Pizzo 850-487-5037 pizzo.jason.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez 850-487-5040 rodriguez.anamaria.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Darryl Ervin Rouson 850-487-5016 rouson.darryl.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Corey Simon 850-487-5003 simon.corey.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Jay Trumbull 850-487-5002 trumbull.jay.web@flsenate.gov
Senator Tom A. Wright 850-487-5008 wright.tom.web@flsenate.gov
You may copy/paste the entire block to email the full committee:
passidomo.kathleen.web@flsenate.gov, jones.shevrin.web@flsenate.gov, avila.bryan.web@flsenate.gov, berman.lori.web@flsenate.gov, boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov, bradley.jennifer.web@flsenate.gov, brodeur.jason.web@flsenate.gov, burgess.danny.web@flsenate.gov, burton.colleen.web@flsenate.gov, davis.tracie.web@flsenate.gov, diceglie.nick.web@flsenate.gov, gaetz.don.web@flsenate.gov, garcia.ileana.web@flsenate.gov, grall.erin.web@flsenate.gov, harrell.gayle.web@flsenate.gov, hooper.ed.web@flsenate.gov, martin.jonathan.web@flsenate.gov, osgood.rosalind.web@flsenate.gov, pizzo.jason.web@flsenate.gov, rodriguez.anamaria.web@flsenate.gov, rouson.darryl.web@flsenate.gov, simon.corey.web@flsenate.gov, trumbull.jay.web@flsenate.gov, wright.tom.web@flsenate.gov
TALKING POINTS:
1. Section 48 of SB 290 creates an industry-specific speech standard that no other sector receives.
The bill establishes a special cause of action tied specifically to speech about agricultural products and practices, including pesticides and fertilizers. Florida does not apply heightened speech liability to other industries, and singling out one sector raises serious constitutional concerns.
2. Section 48 of SB 290 expands food disparagement law far beyond its original purpose and scope.
By removing the limitation to “perishable” foods and redefining agricultural products to include production practices, the bill extends liability to speech about non-perishable foods, ultra-processed products, and how food is grown. This represents a substantial expansion of existing law rather than a targeted clarification.
3. Florida law already provides remedies for false or malicious speech.
Florida has long-standing defamation and libel laws that allow individuals and companies to seek redress for false or malicious statements. No evidence has been presented showing that these existing laws are inadequate or failing.
4. There is no crisis justifying new speech restrictions in the farm bill.
There is no breakdown in Florida’s current defamation framework. Expanding food disparagement statutes or creating new speech-specific liability through the farm bill is unnecessary, unrelated to agricultural production, and raises serious constitutional concerns.
WAPF will send out future alerts on SB 290 as events warrant.
LINKS
SB 290 https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/290
Senate Rules Committee https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/RC
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