| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to campaign financing; creating s. |
| 3 | 106.113, F.S.; defining the terms "local government" and |
| 4 | "public funds"; prohibiting a local government from |
| 5 | expending, and a person or group from accepting, public |
| 6 | funds for a political advertisement or electioneering |
| 7 | communication concerning an issue, referendum, or |
| 8 | amendment that is subject to the vote of the electors; |
| 9 | providing an exception for certain electioneering |
| 10 | communications; clarifying restrictions with respect to |
| 11 | local officials; providing an effective date. |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 14 |
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| 15 | Section 1. Section 106.113, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 16 | to read: |
| 17 | 106.113 Expenditures by local governments.-- |
| 18 | (1) As used in this section, the term: |
| 19 | (a) "Local government" means: |
| 20 | 1. A county, municipality, school district, or other |
| 21 | political subdivision in this state; and |
| 22 | 2. Any department, agency, board, bureau, district, |
| 23 | commission, authority, or similar body of a county, |
| 24 | municipality, school district, or other political subdivision of |
| 25 | this state. |
| 26 | (b) "Public funds" means all moneys under the jurisdiction |
| 27 | or control of the local government. |
| 28 | (2) A local government or a person acting on behalf of |
| 29 | local government may not expend or authorize the expenditure of, |
| 30 | and a person or group may not accept, public funds for a |
| 31 | political advertisement or electioneering communication |
| 32 | concerning an issue, referendum, or amendment that is subject to |
| 33 | a vote of the electors. This subsection does not apply to an |
| 34 | electioneering communication from a local government or a person |
| 35 | acting on behalf of a local government which is limited to |
| 36 | factual information. |
| 37 | (3) With the exception of the prohibitions specified in |
| 38 | subsection (2), this section does not preclude an elected |
| 39 | official of the local government from expressing an opinion on |
| 40 | any issue at any time. |
| 41 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |