A.G. Gancarski
The state of Florida may have some input into future DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub orders soon.
SB 676, filed by GOP Sen. Jennifer Bradley of Clay County, would preempt the regulation of “food delivery platforms” that corral orders from multiple restaurants to the government in Tallahassee.
The legislation is supported by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Grubhub, the Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Chamber, TechNet and the James Madison Institute.
Bradley uses these apps often while in Tallahassee, lauding the “great convenience” of them, while noting the need for “consistent standards for transparency, consent and communication between the platforms, restaurants and consumers.”
That’s what her bill attempts to present.
As advanced Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government, the bill requires delivery platforms to obtain the written or electronic consent of restaurants before picking up orders.
They are required to remove restaurants within 10 days of a request to do so as well.
Delivery platforms also couldn’t intentionally inflate or deflate restaurant pricing.
Delivery platforms would also be required to itemize costs for their customers starting in July 2025 if this bill becomes law. Customers also would have unlimited rights to appeal disputed orders and transactions under this legislation.
The Division of Hotels and Restaurants within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation would be tasked with enforcing this bill, which would expand its staff and its mission.
An analysis of the legislation anticipates it will need three additional staff and $309,705 for starters, but that money could be offset by the collection of fines for noncompliance. Those fines are capped at $1,000 in this legislation.
This measure has one stop ahead before full Senate consideration.
A similar House bill has already completed the committee process and is ready for the House floor.
