TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Senate lawmakers passed SB 56, which would bar geoengineering and weather modification activities in the state.

The legislation bans the release or injection of chemicals into the atmosphere for the purpose of modifying weather, temperature, or climate.

What it does: SB 56 prohibits any injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere intended to alter weather patterns or sunlight.

• These activities would be considered third-degree felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $100,000.
• The House version, HB 477, was amended Wednesday, cutting the bill down from 10 pages to a single page. Reps. Kevin Steele and Debbie Mayfield are sponsors of the bill.

What they are saying: Sen. Ileana Garcia, sponsor of the bill, said the legislation addresses environmental concerns by Floridians. The proposal also has the support of Senate President Ben Albritton.

• “Through this bill we are addressing modern environmental concerns brought forward by our constituents and eliminating any ambiguity regarding the legality of weather modification,” Garcia said in a statement. “Currently there is no system in place to track reports and concerns our residents have regarding geoengineering and weather modification.”
• “The bill creates a system to log, track, investigate and mitigate if necessary, so residents can separate fact from fiction and have a better understanding of what is happening in their communities,” she said.

“I have heard the conspiracy theories out there, but the fact is we should not be shutting down legitimate concerns. Healthy skepticism is important,” Albritton said. “People have a right to know what is happening. There’s a lot we don’t know in this field of science and people are rightfully concerned.”

• “This bill goes a long way to bring peace of mind to our citizens so they can report what they are seeing, and we can make sure it’s lawful activity, not geoengineering or weather modification,” he said.”

In closing: The bill creates a system through the Department of Environmental Protection where Florida residents can report suspected geoengineering activities via email.

• DEP will investigate any report that warrants further review and is authorized to refer reports of observed violations to the Department of Health or the Division of Emergency Management. In addition, publicly owned airports are mandated to report any aircraft equipped with devices to modify the weather starting Oct. 1.

Next steps: SB 56 passed on the full senate floor, while the house bill has one more committee stop before it heads to the full floor for consideration. Gov. Ron DeSantis has expressed support for the Senate’s version of the bill.

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https://flvoicenews.com/florida-senate-passes-bill-to-ban-weather-modification-and-geoengineering/