Florida SB 850: Prosecuting Children as Adults

Bill Text

850 
Fortification of Enriched Grain Products with Folic Acid 
2025-12-10T05:48:39Z 
Requiring that enriched grain products offered for human consumption in this state contain folic acid; providing labeling requirements for such products; providing penalties; requiring the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in coordination with the Department of Health, to enforce certain provisions, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 850 

 By Senator Arrington 

 25-00740A-26 2026850__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to fortification of enriched grain 
 3 products with folic acid; creating s. 500.072, F.S.; 
 4 providing legislative findings and intent; defining 
 5 terms; requiring that enriched grain products offered 
 6 for human consumption in this state contain folic 
 7 acid; providing labeling requirements for such 
 8 products; providing applicability; providing 
 9 penalties; requiring the Department of Agriculture and 
 10 Consumer Services, in coordination with the Department 
 11 of Health, to enforce certain provisions; authorizing 
 12 the departments to adopt rules; requiring the 
 13 Department of Health to submit specified reports to 
 14 the Legislature; providing an appropriation; providing 
 15 effective dates. 
 16 
 17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 18 
 19 Section 1. Effective January 1, 2027, section 500.072, 
 20 Florida Statutes, is created to read: 
 21 500.072 Fortification of enriched grain products.— 
 22 (1)(a) The Legislature finds that: 
 23 1. Neural tube defects, including spina bifida and 
 24 anencephaly, are serious birth defects of the brain and spine 
 25 which occur early in pregnancy and cause lifelong disability and 
 26 substantial health care costs. 
 27 2. The United States Food and Drug Administration mandated 
 28 folic acid fortification of wheat flour and other grain products 
 29 in 1996, leading to a significant reduction in rates of neural 
 30 tube defects nationally. 
 31 3. Minority populations in this state disproportionately 
 32 consume corn masa and white rice, which are not consistently 
 33 fortified with folic acid, contributing to persistently higher 
 34 rates of neural tube defects among these populations. 
 35 4. In this state, an average of 2.5 cases of spina bifida 
 36 per 10,000 live births were reported from 2016 to 2021, with 
 37 Hernando, Escambia, and Marion Counties exceeding state averages 
 38 with 8.9 cases, 6.3 cases, and 5.8 cases per 10,000 live births, 
 39 respectively. 
 40 5. Each case of spina bifida carries an estimated lifetime 
 41 medical and social cost of $800,000 to $1.4 million, much of 
 42 which is borne by Florida Medicaid and other public programs. 
 43 6. Fortifying grain products with folic acid is a proven, 
 44 cost-effective preventive measure that can avert cases of neural 
 45 tube defects, reduce long-term public expenditures related to 
 46 such defects, and promote health across communities in this 
 47 state. 
 48 7. Early folic acid intake has been associated with reduced 
 49 risk for certain neurodevelopmental conditions, adding further 
 50 potential public health benefit. 
 51 (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce the 
 52 incidence of neural tube defects and increase vitamin intake 
 53 across this state in order to decrease the public health and 
 54 fiscal burden associated with preventable birth defects and 
 55 other associated negative health outcomes. 
 56 (2) As used in this section, the term: 
 57 (a) “Corn masa” means a doughlike food product made from 
 58 corn that has undergone nixtamalization. 
 59 (b) “Corn masa product” means a food product primarily made 
 60 from corn masa or corn masa flour. 
 61 (c) “White rice product” means a white rice or white rice 
 62 derived food product. 
 63 (3)(a) All enriched grain products, including wheat flour, 
 64 corn flour, breads, cereals, corn masa, corn masa flour, corn 
 65 masa products, and white rice products, offered for human 
 66 consumption in this state must contain folic acid. 
 67 1. Corn masa flour must be enriched in an amount not less 
 68 than 0.7 milligrams of folic acid, within an acceptable industry 
 69 standard deviation of error, per pound of corn masa flour. 
 70 2. A corn masa product or white rice product must be 
 71 enriched in an amount not less than 0.4 milligrams of folic 
 72 acid, within an acceptable industry standard deviation of error, 
 73 per pound of corn masa product or white rice product. 
 74 (b) Products under this subsection must be clearly labeled 
 75 as containing folic acid in accordance with United States Food 
 76 and Drug Administration guidelines. 
 77 (4) This section does not apply to products that are: 
 78 (a) Produced by cottage food operations as defined in s. 
 79 500.03(1); or 
 80 (b) Certified organic. 
 81 (5) A violation of subsection (3) is grounds for 
 82 disciplinary