In a strange move, a Florida Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill that seeks to ban the government from “controlling” the weather and sunlight. Yes, this is real.
The bill, introduced last week by State Senator Ileana Garcia, specifically targets “weather modification activities,” which it defines as any attempt to alter the weather or sunlight through the release of chemicals, compounds, or other substances into the atmosphere. According to the proposed legislation, such actions would be illegal within the state of Florida.
The bill states that it would be a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, for anyone who tries to influence temperature, weather patterns, or the intensity of sunlight in any way, Newsweek reports. The bill also calls on Florida’s governor to consider steps to manage the “harmful consequences” of emergencies, although it’s unclear how banning weather control would help in such situations.
While it may sound like science fiction, this bill is part of a wider, increasingly popular belief among right-wing politicians that the government can control the weather. The bill’s language seems to echo conspiracy theories—specifically the debunked “chemtrails” conspiracy—that suggest the government is secretly using chemicals to manipulate weather patterns, such as storms or sunlight, through aircraft.
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The bill’s language includes references to “chemicals” and “chemical compounds,” terms commonly associated with the chemtrails theory. Proponents of this conspiracy believe that the white trails left behind by planes (known as contrails) are actually chemicals being sprayed by the government to control the weather or even trigger events like hurricanes.
Despite the lack of evidence to support these claims, the chemtrails conspiracy has gained some attention from right-wing politicians. Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, from pushing the idea that the government controls the weather. Just last month, Greene posted on social media saying, “Yes, they can control the weather.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has repeatedly debunked these claims, explaining that contrails are simply water vapor from jet engines freezing into ice crystals.
At its core, this bill is based on a conspiracy theory with no scientific backing. The idea that the government can control the weather, much less change sunlight or temperature on demand, is not only scientifically impossible—it’s downright ridiculous. There’s no evidence that any government, let alone Florida’s, has the technology to influence the weather in this way.
Instead of addressing actual issues, such as preparing for natural disasters or improving emergency management, lawmakers like Senator Garcia are focusing on a non-issue based on unfounded fears. The bill even proposes to remove existing regulations and licenses for weather modification activities, even though there is no evidence that anyone is secretly manipulating the weather in Florida or anywhere else.
Even fellow Republicans have dismissed these ideas. President Joe Biden publicly criticized the notion of weather control, calling it “ridiculous” and “so stupid.” Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez also chimed in, saying that “humans cannot create or control hurricanes” and that anyone who believes otherwise “needs to have their head examined.”
In reality, weather patterns, including hurricanes, are natural forces that humans cannot control. If the bill passes, it would do little to address actual weather-related concerns, and instead, it would serve as a distraction from real issues. Florida lawmakers should be focusing on improving disaster preparedness, protecting communities from the impacts of climate change, and addressing other pressing challenges, not wasting time on a bill that focuses on a fictional problem based on a conspiracy theory.
