Sen. Jenn Bradley is looking for changes to straw laws in 2026.

The Fleming Island Republican has filed new legislation (SB 958) ahead of next year’s Regular Session.

The bill would require local governments with straw regulations to “amend any such rule, regulation, or ordinance in effect as of the effective date of this act which does not permit the sale or use of drinking straws and stirrers that are renewable, home compostable certified, industrial compostable certified, or marine biodegradable to permit the sale or use of renewable, homecompostable certified, industrial compostable certified and marine biodegradable drinking straws and stirrers.”

Marine biodegradable straws would have to be proven to decompose in water within a year.

Renewable straws would have to meet requirements of “USDA BioPreferred Program with biobased content of at least 80 percent; or The TUV Austria OK biobased program with a 4-star rating.”

“The straw bill does not preempt local government straw ordinances. Instead, it requires that those ordinances also include certified compostable and degradable straws,” Bradley said, explaining her bill.

“This updates those ordinances to reflect the newer, and safer straws that are available today — a benefit for the environment and for everyone who is forced to drink out of awful paper straws.”

The bill would “combat the harmful impacts of paper drinking straws and stirrers and provide businesses and residents of this state with better alternatives to single-use plastic straws and stirrers.”

It would also drive “uniformity of drinking straw and stirrer regulations throughout this state, rather than forcing businesses to comply with a patchwork of local regulations.”

No one has filed a companion bill in the House so far. The 2026 Legislative Session begins Jan. 13.

NWF Health Network, with various community partners, is expanding its Christmas adoption ceremony program to two new counties, and adding family reunification in Leon County.

Five children will be adopted in Okaloosa County by three families in a ceremony Monday in Fort Walton Beach. Two children will also be officially adopted by their forever parents Monday in Santa Rosa County, in Milton. It’s the first time that Christmastime adoptions are being hosted by NWF Health Network in the two counties.

Additionally, Leon County’s ceremonies, held Friday, will include reunifications where children temporarily removed from a parent or guardian’s care are returned. Nine families will be reunited. Another two families will adopt a total of four children in ceremonies in Tallahassee.

Six children will be adopted on Christmas Eve in Pensacola in Escambia County by three families. Another five kids will be adopted by two families in Panama City in Bay County on Christmas Day.

Over the past eight years, more than 40 children have been adopted in Christmas ceremonies facilitated by NWF Health Foundation, with 22 more being added this year.

“Our annual Christmas adoption ceremony is one of the most meaningful days of the year,” NWF Health Network CEO Mike Watkins said. “Today, we celebrate families who have opened their hearts to give children the permanency and stability every child deserves.”

Each county has a local partner for the events, including Camelot Community Care in Escambia, Leon and Santa Rosa counties; Children’s Home Society in Okaloosa County; Safe Families for Children of North Florida, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and Florida’s Early Childhood Courts in Leon County; and Twin Oaks Juvenile Development in Bay County.

NWF Health Network is the only organization in the nation to conduct annual Christmas adoptions, ensuring families in its care have an even more special holiday each year. This is the ninth year NWF Health has conducted its annual Christmas adoption ceremonies.