Florida Senate passes strawberry shortcake bill

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – People who want to pay tribute to Florida while finishing up a meal might have to order two desserts.

Florida already has a state pie — key lime — and the Senate on Thursday unanimously voted to make strawberry shortcake the official state dessert.

Republican Sen. Danny Burgess called his bill a “berry important piece of legislation.” Burgess represents Plant City, which is the heart of Florida’s strawberry industry.

The region has 10,000 acres of strawberry fields. In order to make the bill sweeter for the state's dairy farmers, strawberry shortcake would have to be topped with Florida made whipped cream in order to qualify as the official dessert.

A House version of the bill has one more committee stop before being heard by the full chamber.