TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed his support for a bill banning what he called weather modification "nonsense" before it hits the Senate floor on Thursday.
SB-56, dubbed the so-called "chemtrails bill" after its sponsor pointed to the conspiracy theory while defending the bill in committee, prohibits "the injection, release, or dispersion, by any means, of a chemical, a chemical compound, a substance, or an apparatus into the atmosphere within the borders of this state for the express purpose of affecting the temperature, weather, climate, or intensity of sunlight."
“Many of us senators receive concerns, complaints on a regular basis regarding these condensation trails, aka chemtrails,” bill sponsor Ileana Garcia said in a committee hearing last month. “There’s a lot of skepticism.”
The bill would also require the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to set up a system allowing residents to report “suspected geoengineering activities" and directing the FDEP to investigate those claims.
DeSantis said that while he supports the bill, it was "gutted" by the House lawmakers who made changes to their version on Wednesday, cutting down the bill from 10 pages to a single page.
"I support the legislation, however, the Florida House of Representatives has gutted Sen. Garcia's legislation, and they would actually codify the practice of geoengineering and weather modification," DeSantis said in a video posted to X.
The House version of the bill does not forbid the practice of weather modification outright, just without a license. It also comes with a less steep penalty.
The Senate version, which would impose a sweeping ban, calls for violators to be charged with a third-degree felony and face a fine up to $100,000. The House version would charge those without a license, or who lie on their application, with a second-degree misdemeanor and up to a $10,000 fine.
"People have a lot of kooky ideas that they can get in and put things in the atmosphere to block the sun and save us from climate change," DeSantis said. "We're not playing that game in Florida."
If passed, the law would take effect on July 1.