Title: Online Sellers from Foreign Countries of Concern

Summary: Requires online marketplace to record certain information from online sellers to verify online sellers' location; requires online marketplace to disclose to consumers online seller's or online marketplace's location if online seller or online marketplace is in or conducts business or fulfills orders from foreign country of concern; requires online marketplace to hold in U.S.-based escrow account sales proceeds from transactions between Florida-based consumers & online sellers located in or conducting business or fulfilling orders from foreign country of concern; requires online marketplace to hold such sales proceeds for certain period; authorizes such sales proceeds to be transferred to online seller after certain period.

Full Text:
An act relating to online sellers from foreign countries of concern; creating s. 501.174, F.S.; providing definitions; requiring an online marketplace to record certain information from an online seller to verify an online seller's location; requiring an online marketplace to disclose to consumers an online seller's or online marketplace's location if the online seller or online marketplace is in or cond ucts business or fulfills orders from a foreign country of concern; requiring an online marketplace to hold in a United States-based escrow account the sales proceeds from transactions between Florida-based consumers and online sellers located in or conduc ting business or fulfilling orders from a foreign country of concern; requiring an online marketplace to hold such sales proceeds for a certain period; authorizing such sales proceeds to be transferred to the online seller after a certain period; providing for enforcement; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 501.174, Florida Statutes, is created to read: HB 1023 2025 501.174 Consumer protection against online sellers from foreign countries of concern; online marketplaces.-(1) DEFINITIONS.-As used in this section, the term: (a) "Foreign country of concern" means the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Kore a, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicol s Maduro, or the Syrian Arab Republic, including any agency of or any other entity under significant control of such foreign country of concern. (b) "Online marketplace" means any consumer-directed electronically based or accessed platform that: 1. Includes features that allow for, facilitate, or enable online sellers to engage in the sale, purchase, payment, storage, shipping, or delivery of a consumer product in the United States; 2. Is used by one or more online sellers for such purposes; and 3. Has a contractual or similar relationship with consumers governing their use of the platform to purchase consumer products. (c) "Online seller" means any seller, independent of an online marketplace,which sells, offers to sell, or contracts to sell a consumer product in the United States through an online marketplace. (2) DATA COLLECTION.-An online marketplace shall record HB 1023 2025 the Internet protocol address of an online seller to verify its location. (3) DISCLOSURE.-Before a sale transaction, an online marketplace shall disclose to a consumer in a clear and conspicuous manner the general location of the online seller or online platform if the online seller or online platform is located in or conducts business or fulfills orders from a foreign country of concern. (4) TRANSACTION PROCEEDS TO BE HELD BY ONLINE MARKETPLACE.-(a) An online marketplace shall hold in a United States based escrow account the proceeds of a transaction between a Florida-based consumer and an online seller if the online seller or the online marketplace is located in or conducts business or fulfills orders from a foreign country of concern. (b) The proceeds shall remain in the account for no less than days. (c) The proceeds may be transferred to the online seller after days have elapsed. (5) ENFORCEMENT.-A violation of this section constitutes a violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act under part II of this chapter. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.