THE BILL ITSELF
CS/HB 999
Refrigerant Safety and Agricultural Continuity
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to refrigerant safety and agricultural
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continuity; creating s. 604.74, F.S.; providing a
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short title; providing legislative findings; defining
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the terms "A2L refrigerant" and "department";
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requiring the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
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Services to provide an annual report to the
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Legislature by a specified date; providing
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requirements for the annual report; authorizing the
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department to coordinate with certain entities for a
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specified purpose; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 604.74, Florida Statutes, is created to
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read:
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604.74 Refrigerant safety and agricultural continuity.—
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(1) This section may be cited as the "Refrigerant Safety
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and Agricultural Continuity Act."
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(2) The Legislature finds that this state's agricultural
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food processing and cold chain industries rely upon refrigerant
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systems that ensure product safety, temperature stability, and
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export reliability. The United States Environmental Protection
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Agency's Technology Transition Rule requires replacement of R-
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410A refrigerants with A2L refrigerants, including R-454B
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refrigerants, beginning in calendar years 2025 and 2026. R-454B
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refrigerant is classified as a mildly flammable refrigerant and
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has not been fully tested or certified for all commercial
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agricultural refrigerant applications, creating potential risk
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of fire, equipment failure, and insurance exclusion. A rapid
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transition to A2L refrigerants may impose substantial costs on
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this state's agricultural food processing and cold chain
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industries with statewide economic impacts estimated in the
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billions of dollars.
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(3) As used in this section, the term:
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(a) "A2L refrigerant" means any refrigerant classified as
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lower toxicity and mildly flammable under American Society of
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Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standard
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34.
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(b) "Department" means the Department of Agriculture and
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Consumer Services.
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(4) By January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the
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department, in consultation with the Department of Environmental
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Protection and the State Fire Marshal, shall provide a report to
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the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives on:
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(a) Safety performance data for A2L refrigerants,
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including R-454B refrigerants.
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(b) Availability of compliant equipment and certified
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technicians for statewide transition to A2L refrigerants.
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(c) Insurance and liability standards applicable to A2L
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refrigerant systems.
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(d) Recommendations regarding readiness for statewide
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transition to A2L refrigerants.
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(e) The status of and any updates to the United States
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Environmental Protection Agency's Technology Transition Rule as
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set forth in 40 C.F.R. part 84.
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(5) The department may coordinate with Florida College
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System institutions, career centers, and industry trade
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associations to expand training and certification programs for
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the safe handling, installation, and servicing of A2L
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refrigerants.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.