Florida HB 1523: Utility Services

Bill Text

HB 1523 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1523-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to food waste reduction; creating s. 2
1013.121, F.S.; requiring the Department of Education 3
to develop a specified policy; requiring school 4
districts to adopt the policy within a specified 5
timeframe; providing requirements for the policy; 6
requiring each participating school district to submit 7
a report to the department by a specified date; 8
providing requirements for the report; providing an 9
effective date. 10
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
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Section 1. Section 1013.121, Florida Statutes, is created 14
to read: 15
1013.121 School food and plastic waste reduction.— 16
(1) The Department of Education shall develop a policy to 17
be adopted by 25 percent of school districts in this state by 18
the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year and to be adopted by 19
100 percent of school districts in this state by the beginning 20
of the 2029-2030 school year, which requires all of the 21
following: 22
(a) A partnership with a local nonprofit organization or 23
food bank to redistribute edible cafeteria food and divert 24
organic food waste to a composting program. 25

HB 1523 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1523-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(b) Installation of a sorting system for cafeteria waste, 26
subject to legislative appropriation. 27
(c) Gradual elimination of single-use plastics by 28
replacing them with reusable or compostable alternatives, 29
subject to legislative appropriation. 30
(2) Each participating school district shall submit an 31
annual report to the department by the end of each school year 32
which includes all of the following: 33
(a) Total quantity by weight of cafeteria food donated. 34
(b) Total quantity by weight of organic food waste 35
diverted to a composting program. 36
(c) Total quantity of single-use plastic items eliminated. 37
(d) Cost savings realized by the school district. 38
(e) Any barriers encountered and recommendations for the 39
policy. 40
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 41