SB1464 • 2026

Food and Plastic Waste Reduction

Agriculture Budget Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Rodriguez
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: Senate - Died in Education Pre-K - 12
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify the exact percentage of schools that will participate in the pilot program beyond 'up to 10%'.

Food and Plastic Waste Reduction Act

This bill requires the Department of Education to create a pilot program with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Farm to School program to reduce food and plastic waste in up to 10% of Florida's schools starting in the 2027-2028 school year.

What This Bill Does

Creates a three-year pilot program for up to 10% of Florida's schools beginning in the 2027-2028 school year.
Requires participating schools to partner with local nonprofits or food banks to redistribute edible cafeteria food and compost organic waste.
Installs sorting systems and dishwashing systems in cafeterias, subject to legislative appropriation.
Eliminates single-use plastics by replacing them with reusable stainless steel serving ware.

Who It Names or Affects

School districts that participate in the pilot program
Local nonprofits or food banks working with schools to reduce waste

Terms To Know

Pilot Program: A small-scale test of a new idea before full implementation.
Farm to School program: A program that connects schools with local farms to serve healthy meals in school cafeterias and provide education opportunities.

Limits and Unknowns

The pilot program will only be offered in up to 10% of Florida's schools.
School districts must submit annual reports detailing waste reduction efforts, but the bill does not specify what happens if they do not comply.
The program expires and is repealed on July 1, 2030.

Bill History

2026-03-13 Senate
• Died in Education Pre-K - 12
2026-01-22 Senate
• Introduced
2026-01-16 Senate
• Referred to Education Pre-K - 12; Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education; Fiscal Policy
2026-01-08 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Food and Plastic Waste Reduction; Requiring the Department of Education to develop a specified pilot program in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; requiring that the pilot program be offered in a certain percentage of schools, beginning in a specified school year; requiring each participating school district to submit a report to the Department of Education by a specified date, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 1464

By
Senator Rodriguez

40-01445A-26 20261464__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to food and plastic waste reduction;
3 creating s. 1013.121, F.S.; requiring the Department
4 of Education to develop a specified pilot program in
5 cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and
6 Consumer Services; requiring that the pilot program be
7 offered in a certain percentage of schools, beginning
8 in a specified school year; specifying requirements
9 for the pilot program; requiring each participating
10 school district to submit a report to the Department
11 of Education by a specified date; specifying
12 requirements for the report; providing for the
13 expiration of the pilot program; providing an
14 effective date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Section 1013.121, Florida Statutes, is created
19 to read:
20
1013.121
School
f
ood and
p
lastic
w
aste
r
eduction
.—

21
(1)
The Department of Education shall develop a 3
-
year

22
pilot program in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture

23
and Consumer Service
’s Farm to School program to be offered in

24
up to 10
percent
of schools in any school district in this state

25
by the beginning of the 2027
-
2028 school year
. The program must

26
include
all of the following
:

27
(a) A partnership with a local nonprofit organization or

28
food bank to redistribute edible cafeteria food and divert

29
organic food waste to a composting program.

30
(b) Installation of a sorting system for cafeteria waste,

31
subject to legislative appropriation.

32
(c)
Installation of a dishwashing system, with priority

33
given
to schools
that
previously operated a dishwashing system,

34
subject to legislative appropriation.

35
(d)

Elimination of single-use plastics by replacing them

36
with stainless steel
reusable
serving ware.

37
(2) Each participating school district shall submit an

38
annual report to the Department of Education by the end of each

39
school year which includes all of the following:

40
(a)
Total quantity of cafeteria waste diverted to landfill

41
or incineration.

42
(b) Total quantity by weight of cafeteria food donated.

43
(c) Total quantity by weight of organic food waste diverted

44
as animal feed or compost.

45
(d) Total quantity of single-use plastic items eliminated.

46
(e) Cost savings realized by the school district.

47
(f) Any barriers encountered and recommendations for the

48
pilot program.

49
(3)
The pilot program expires
and this section is repealed

50
July 1
, 20
30
.

51 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.