A.G. Gancarski
Tallahassee legislators may have a place at your dinner table soon, as the Senate unanimously approved a preemption bill giving the state control over food delivery apps.
SB 676, sponsored by 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 a number of influential groups, including the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Grubhub, the Associated Industries of Florida, Uber Technologies, the Florida Chamber, TechNet and the James Madison Institute. The Digital Restaurant Association opposes the bill, meanwhile.
The bill requires delivery platforms to obtain the written or electronic consent of restaurants before picking up orders.
Platforms 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.
New language added on the Senate floor appropriates $173,573 in recurring funds and $13,922 in nonrecurring funds from the Hotel and Restaurant Trust Fund and $113,749 in recurring funds and $8,461 in nonrecurring funds from the Administrative Trust Fund to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Another new amendment exempts search engines from this regulation.
The bill creates three jobs totaling $182,692 to implement this act as well.
A similar House bill is on the Second Reading calendar.
11 comments
Dont Say FLA
February 29, 2024 at 11:28 am
That is some fine law making right there, trying to force the hands of UberEats and GrubHub et al.
The only forcing will be Floridians forced to the browser based version to order their food since the apps won’t work in Florida anymore.
Florida’s G0Ps, too old and/or ingant to make laws, but they do it anyways
PeterH
February 29, 2024 at 12:39 pm
Another example of a Republican small government initiative in the FREEDUMB state of Florida!
Darnell Hobbs
February 29, 2024 at 1:38 pm
Remember when Republicans were for small government and minimal regulation?
Hung Wiil
February 29, 2024 at 6:22 pm
Yes, preempt stupidity. I vote yes on this.
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Expert Emeritas" American
February 29, 2024 at 6:58 pm
Good evening Florida,
This legislation did not include my, Earl Pitts American’s, sage amendments which would prohibit the delivery drivers from reaching in the restaurant’s food packageing to sample your dinner after picking their noses and/or scratching their genatilla, and/or itchy butt cracks, along with a total masturbation ban for all the drivers. In addition my admendment would ban feyntal use for the drivers.
As it remains I, Earl Pitts American, recomend all Floridians to pry your back-sides off the comfy couch or recliner and drive over to the restaurants yourselves and pick up your food.
Real Talk, Florida, y’all never worry about that?
GROSS.
Thank you Florida,
Earl Pitts American
*Y’all have gotten a bit to lazy for your own good*
JD
February 29, 2024 at 7:06 pm
Talk about lazy Shitts. Don’t you have something to do? Tsk tsk. Tick-tock.
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Expert Emeritas" American
February 29, 2024 at 7:13 pm
Thank you JD, for your cleaver and wacky “Dook 4 Brains Leftist Followup Comical Comentary” cleaverly designed to enhance my reputation as “The Go-To Political Guru” of America. Your the best at making me, Earl Pitts American, the best!
Keep up the good work JD,
Earl Pitts American
JD
February 29, 2024 at 7:20 pm
Oh, I guess you forgot you said you were going to put that gun in your mouth and *squeeze*. You were saying all that sage political wisdom was too much for one soul to handle and you needed to release it.
See, so much sageness you forgot. Get busy, Get Sane, Let those demon’s out.
rick whitaker
March 1, 2024 at 8:29 pm
CAUTION, ANTI WORKER TROLL COMMENT BY EARL SHITTS
JD
February 29, 2024 at 7:08 pm
I’m actually Ok with this bill in intent, but I doubt it will work out like they think it will.
These are techies. They will find a way around it.
Good luck, but don’t spend our tax dollars on zero returns chasing geese.
Earl Pitts "Sage Political Expert Emeritas" American
February 29, 2024 at 7:17 pm
Thanks again JD,
We would all feel a bit more at ease if my, Earl Pitts American’s, Sage Amendments had been incorperated into this legislation.
Thanks again JD,
Earl Pitts “Sage Food Delivery Expert” American
Comments are closed.