| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to local government accountability; |
| 3 | amending s. 11.40, F.S., relating to the Legislative |
| 4 | Auditing Committee; clarifying when the Department of |
| 5 | Community Affairs may institute procedures for declaring |
| 6 | that a special district is inactive; amending s. 30.49, |
| 7 | F.S.; specifying the level of detail required for each |
| 8 | fund in the sheriff's proposed budget; revising the |
| 9 | categories for expenditures; amending s. 112.63, F.S., |
| 10 | relating to the review of the actuarial reports and |
| 11 | statements of retirement plans of governmental entities by |
| 12 | the Department of Management Services; providing that the |
| 13 | failure of a special district to make appropriate |
| 14 | adjustments or provide additional information authorizes |
| 15 | the department to seek a writ of certiorari; amending s. |
| 16 | 129.01, F.S.; revising provisions relating to the |
| 17 | preparation of county budgets; specifying the level of |
| 18 | detail required for each fund in the budget; amending s. |
| 19 | 129.02, F.S.; revising provisions relating to the |
| 20 | preparation of special district budgets; specifying the |
| 21 | level of detail required for each fund in the budget; |
| 22 | amending s. 129.021, F.S.; conforming cross-references; |
| 23 | amending s. 129.03, F.S.; deleting a time restriction on |
| 24 | preparing and presenting a tentative county budget; |
| 25 | requiring tentative county budgets to be posted on the |
| 26 | county's website; amending s. 129.06, F.S.; revising |
| 27 | provisions relating to the execution and amendment of |
| 28 | county budgets; requiring revised budgets to be posted on |
| 29 | the county's website; amending s. 129.07, F.S.; revising |
| 30 | provisions relating to the prohibition against exceeding |
| 31 | the county budget; amending s. 129.201, F.S.; conforming |
| 32 | and revising provisions relating to the budget of the |
| 33 | supervisor of elections; specifying the level of detail |
| 34 | required for each fund in the proposed budget; revising |
| 35 | expenditure categories; amending s. 166.241, F.S.; |
| 36 | revising provisions relating to the preparation or |
| 37 | amendment of municipal budgets; specifying the level of |
| 38 | detail for each fund in the budget; requiring such budgets |
| 39 | and amendments to such budgets to be posted on the website |
| 40 | of the municipality or related county; amending s. |
| 41 | 189.4044, F.S.; adding failure to file a registered office |
| 42 | or agent with the department for 1 or more years as a |
| 43 | criteria for declaring a special district inactive; |
| 44 | amending s. 189.412, F.S.; adding the Legislative Auditing |
| 45 | Committee to the list of entities that obtain special |
| 46 | district noncompliance status reports; amending s. |
| 47 | 189.418, F.S.; revising provisions relating to the |
| 48 | preparation or amendment of special district budgets; |
| 49 | specifying the level of detail for each fund in the |
| 50 | budget; requiring such budgets to be posted on the website |
| 51 | of the special district or related local general-purpose |
| 52 | government or governing authority; specifying how the |
| 53 | budget may be amended under certain circumstances; |
| 54 | requiring special districts to comply with certain |
| 55 | reporting requirements; authorizing a local governing |
| 56 | authority to request certain financial information from |
| 57 | special districts located solely within the boundaries of |
| 58 | the authority; requiring special districts to cooperate |
| 59 | with such requests; amending s. 189.419, F.S.; revising |
| 60 | procedures relating to a special district's failure to |
| 61 | file certain reports or information; amending s. 189.421, |
| 62 | F.S.; revising procedures relating to the failure of a |
| 63 | special district to disclose financial reports; |
| 64 | authorizing the Department of Community Affairs to seek a |
| 65 | writ of certiorari; amending s. 195.087, F.S.; requiring |
| 66 | the final approved budget of the property appraiser and |
| 67 | tax collector to be posted on their respective website or, |
| 68 | if not available, the county's website; amending s. |
| 69 | 218.32, F.S.; revising the schedule for submitting a local |
| 70 | governmental entity's audit and annual financial reports |
| 71 | to the Department of Financial Services; requiring the |
| 72 | department to notify the Special District Information |
| 73 | Program if it does not receive a financial report from a |
| 74 | local governmental entity; requiring a local governmental |
| 75 | entity to provide a link to the entity's financial report |
| 76 | on the department's website; amending s. 218.35, F.S.; |
| 77 | requiring the budget for certain county-related duties to |
| 78 | be itemized in accordance with the uniform accounting |
| 79 | system of the Department of Financial Services; specifying |
| 80 | the level of detail for each fund in the clerk of the |
| 81 | court's budget; requiring the court clerk's approved |
| 82 | budget to be posted on the county's website; amending s. |
| 83 | 218.39, F.S.; revising the timeframe for completing a |
| 84 | local governmental entity's annual financial audit; |
| 85 | requiring that an auditor prepare an audit report; |
| 86 | requiring that such report be filed with the Auditor |
| 87 | General within a specified time; requiring that the |
| 88 | Auditor General notify the Legislative Auditing Committee |
| 89 | of any audit report indicating that an audited entity has |
| 90 | failed to take corrective action; requiring that the chair |
| 91 | of a local governmental entity appear before the committee |
| 92 | under certain circumstances; amending s. 218.503, F.S.; |
| 93 | revising provisions relating to oversight by the Governor |
| 94 | when an entity's financial statements show it cannot cover |
| 95 | a deficit of funds; amending s. 373.536, F.S.; requiring |
| 96 | that water management district budgets be posted on the |
| 97 | district website; amending s. 1011.03, F.S.; requiring the |
| 98 | summary of the tentative budget, the tentative budget, and |
| 99 | the budget of a district school board to be posted on the |
| 100 | district's official website; amending s. 1011.051, F.S.; |
| 101 | revising provisions relating to the guidelines for |
| 102 | district school boards to maintain an ending fund balance |
| 103 | for the general fund; amending s. 1011.64, F.S.; updating |
| 104 | obsolete accounting terminology for school districts; |
| 105 | providing an effective date. |
| 106 |
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| 107 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 108 |
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| 109 | Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section |
| 110 | 11.40, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 111 | 11.40 Legislative Auditing Committee.- |
| 112 | (5) Following notification by the Auditor General, the |
| 113 | Department of Financial Services, or the Division of Bond |
| 114 | Finance of the State Board of Administration of the failure of a |
| 115 | local governmental entity, district school board, charter |
| 116 | school, or charter technical career center to comply with the |
| 117 | applicable provisions within s. 11.45(5)-(7), s. 218.32(1), or |
| 118 | s. 218.38, the Legislative Auditing Committee may schedule a |
| 119 | hearing. If a hearing is scheduled, the committee shall |
| 120 | determine if the entity should be subject to further state |
| 121 | action. If the committee determines that the entity should be |
| 122 | subject to further state action, the committee shall: |
| 123 | (b) In the case of a special district, notify the |
| 124 | Department of Community Affairs that the special district has |
| 125 | failed to comply with the law. Upon receipt of notification, the |
| 126 | Department of Community Affairs shall proceed pursuant to s. |
| 127 | 189.4044 or the provisions specified in s. 189.421. |
| 128 | Section 2. Subsections (1) through (4) of section 30.49, |
| 129 | Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 130 | 30.49 Budgets.- |
| 131 | (1) Pursuant to s. 129.03(2), each sheriff shall annually |
| 132 | prepare and submit certify to the board of county commissioners |
| 133 | a proposed budget of expenditures for the carrying out of the |
| 134 | powers, duties, and operations of the office for the next |
| 135 | ensuing fiscal year of the county. The fiscal year of the |
| 136 | sheriff commences shall henceforth commence on October 1 and |
| 137 | ends end on September 30 of each year. |
| 138 | (2)(a) The sheriff shall submit with the proposed budget |
| 139 | his or her sworn certificate, stating that the proposed |
| 140 | expenditures are reasonable and necessary for the proper and |
| 141 | efficient operation of the office for the ensuing year. The |
| 142 | proposed budget must shall show the estimated amounts of all |
| 143 | proposed expenditures for operating and equipping the sheriff's |
| 144 | office and jail, excluding the cost of construction, repair, or |
| 145 | capital improvement of county buildings during the such fiscal |
| 146 | year. The expenditures must shall be categorized at the |
| 147 | appropriate fund level in accordance with the following |
| 148 | functional categories: |
| 149 | 1. General law enforcement. |
| 150 | 2. Corrections and detention alternative facilities. |
| 151 | 3. Court services, excluding service of process. |
| 152 | (b) The sheriff shall submit a sworn certificate along |
| 153 | with the proposed budget stating that the proposed expenditures |
| 154 | are reasonable and necessary for the proper and efficient |
| 155 | operation of the office for the next fiscal year. |
| 156 | (c) Within the appropriate fund and functional category, |
| 157 | expenditures must shall be itemized in accordance with the |
| 158 | uniform accounting system chart of accounts prescribed by the |
| 159 | Department of Financial Services, as follows: |
| 160 | 1. Personnel Personal services. |
| 161 | 2. Operating expenses. |
| 162 | 3. Capital outlay. |
| 163 | 4. Debt service. |
| 164 | 5. Grants and aids Nonoperating disbursements and |
| 165 | contingency reserves. |
| 166 | 6. Other uses. |
| 167 | (d)(c) The sheriff shall submit to the board of county |
| 168 | commissioners for consideration and inclusion in the county |
| 169 | budget, as deemed appropriate by the county, requests for |
| 170 | construction, repair, or capital improvement of county buildings |
| 171 | operated or occupied by the sheriff. |
| 172 | (3) The sheriff shall furnish to the board of county |
| 173 | commissioners or the budget commission, if there is a budget |
| 174 | commission in the county, all relevant and pertinent information |
| 175 | concerning expenditures made in previous fiscal years and to the |
| 176 | proposed expenditures which the such board or commission deems |
| 177 | necessary, including expenditures at the subobject code level in |
| 178 | accordance with the uniform accounting system prescribed by the |
| 179 | Department of Financial Services. The board or commission may |
| 180 | not amend, modify, increase, or reduce any expenditure at the |
| 181 | subobject code level. except that The board or commission may |
| 182 | not require confidential information concerning details of |
| 183 | investigations which. Confidential information concerning |
| 184 | details of investigations is exempt from the provisions of s. |
| 185 | 119.07(1). |
| 186 | (4) The board of county commissioners or the budget |
| 187 | commission, as appropriate the case may be, may require the |
| 188 | sheriff to correct mathematical, mechanical, factual, and |
| 189 | clerical errors and errors as to form in the proposed budget. At |
| 190 | the hearings held pursuant to s. 200.065, the board or |
| 191 | commission, as the case may be, may amend, modify, increase, or |
| 192 | reduce any or all items of expenditure in the proposed budget, |
| 193 | as certified by the sheriff pursuant to paragraphs (2)(a)-(c), |
| 194 | and shall approve such budget, as amended, modified, increased, |
| 195 | or reduced. The board or commission It must give written notice |
| 196 | of its action to the sheriff and specify in such notice the |
| 197 | specific items amended, modified, increased, or reduced. The |
| 198 | budget must shall include the salaries and expenses of the |
| 199 | sheriff's office, cost of operation of the county jail, |
| 200 | purchase, maintenance and operation of equipment, including |
| 201 | patrol cars, radio systems, transporting prisoners, court |
| 202 | duties, and all other salaries, expenses, equipment, and |
| 203 | investigation expenditures of the entire sheriff's office for |
| 204 | the previous year. |
| 205 | (a) The sheriff, within 30 days after receiving written |
| 206 | notice of such action by the board or commission, either in |
| 207 | person or in his or her office, may file an appeal by petition |
| 208 | to the Administration Commission. Such appeal shall be by |
| 209 | petition to the Administration commission. The petition must |
| 210 | shall set forth the budget proposed by the sheriff, in the form |
| 211 | and manner prescribed by the Executive Office of the Governor |
| 212 | and approved by the Administration Commission, and the budget as |
| 213 | approved by the board of county commissioners or the budget |
| 214 | commission, as the case may be, and shall contain the reasons or |
| 215 | grounds for the appeal. Such petition shall be filed with the |
| 216 | Executive Office of the Governor, and a copy of the petition |
| 217 | shall be served upon the board or commission from the decision |
| 218 | of which appeal is taken by delivering the same to the chair or |
| 219 | president thereof or to the clerk of the circuit court. |
| 220 | (b) The board of county commissioners or the budget |
| 221 | commission, as the case may be, shall have 5 days following from |
| 222 | delivery of a copy of any such petition to file a reply with the |
| 223 | Executive Office of the Governor a reply thereto, and it shall |
| 224 | deliver a copy of such reply to the sheriff. |
| 225 | Section 3. Subsection (4) of section 112.63, Florida |
| 226 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 227 | 112.63 Actuarial reports and statements of actuarial |
| 228 | impact; review.- |
| 229 | (4) Upon receipt, pursuant to subsection (2), of an |
| 230 | actuarial report, or upon receipt, pursuant to subsection (3), |
| 231 | of a statement of actuarial impact, the Department of Management |
| 232 | Services shall acknowledge such receipt, but shall only review |
| 233 | and comment on each retirement system's or plan's actuarial |
| 234 | valuations at least on a triennial basis. |
| 235 | (a) If the department finds that the actuarial valuation |
| 236 | is not complete, accurate, or based on reasonable assumptions or |
| 237 | otherwise materially fails to satisfy the requirements of this |
| 238 | part;, if the department requires additional material |
| 239 | information necessary to complete its review of the actuarial |
| 240 | valuation of a system or plan or material information necessary |
| 241 | to satisfy the duties of the department pursuant to s. |
| 242 | 112.665(1);, or if the department does not receive the actuarial |
| 243 | report or statement of actuarial impact, the department shall |
| 244 | notify the administrator of the affected retirement system or |
| 245 | plan and the affected governmental entity and request |
| 246 | appropriate adjustment, the additional material information, or |
| 247 | the required report or statement. The notification must inform |
| 248 | the administrator of the affected retirement system or plan and |
| 249 | the affected governmental entity of the consequences for failing |
| 250 | failure to comply with the requirements of this subsection. |
| 251 | (b) If, after a reasonable period of time, a satisfactory |
| 252 | adjustment is not made or the report, statement, or additional |
| 253 | material information is not provided, the department may notify |
| 254 | the Department of Revenue and the Department of Financial |
| 255 | Services of the such noncompliance, and in which case the |
| 256 | Department of Revenue and the Department of Financial Services |
| 257 | shall withhold any funds not pledged for satisfaction of bond |
| 258 | debt service which are payable to the affected governmental |
| 259 | entity until the adjustment is made or the report, statement, or |
| 260 | additional material information is provided to the department. |
| 261 | The Department of Management Services shall specify the date |
| 262 | such action is to begin and notify, and notification by the |
| 263 | department must be received by the Department of Revenue, the |
| 264 | Department of Financial Services, and the affected governmental |
| 265 | entity 30 days before the specified date the action begins. |
| 266 | (c)(a) Within 21 days after receipt of the notice, the |
| 267 | affected governmental entity may petition the Department of |
| 268 | Management Services for a hearing under ss. 120.569 and 120.57 |
| 269 | with the Department of Management Services. The Department of |
| 270 | Revenue and the Department of Financial Services may not be |
| 271 | parties to the any such hearing, but may request to intervene if |
| 272 | requested by the Department of Management Services or if the |
| 273 | Department of Revenue or the Department of Financial Services |
| 274 | determines its interests may be adversely affected by the |
| 275 | hearing. |
| 276 | 1. If the administrative law judge recommends in favor of |
| 277 | the department, the department shall perform an actuarial |
| 278 | review, prepare the statement of actuarial impact, or collect |
| 279 | the requested material information. The cost to the department |
| 280 | of performing the such actuarial review, preparing the |
| 281 | statement, or collecting the requested material information |
| 282 | shall be charged to the affected governmental entity whose of |
| 283 | which the employees are covered by the retirement system or |
| 284 | plan. If payment of such costs is not received by the department |
| 285 | within 60 days after receipt by the affected governmental entity |
| 286 | receives of the request for payment, the department shall |
| 287 | certify to the Department of Revenue and the Department of |
| 288 | Financial Services the amount due, and the Department of Revenue |
| 289 | and the Department of Financial Services shall pay such amount |
| 290 | to the Department of Management Services from any funds not |
| 291 | pledged for satisfaction of bond debt service which are payable |
| 292 | to the affected governmental entity of which the employees are |
| 293 | covered by the retirement system or plan. |
| 294 | 2. If the administrative law judge recommends in favor of |
| 295 | the affected governmental entity and the department performs an |
| 296 | actuarial review, prepares the statement of actuarial impact, or |
| 297 | collects the requested material information, the cost to the |
| 298 | department of performing the actuarial review, preparing the |
| 299 | statement, or collecting the requested material information |
| 300 | shall be paid by the Department of Management Services. |
| 301 | (d)(b) In the case of an affected special district, the |
| 302 | Department of Management Services shall also notify the |
| 303 | Department of Community Affairs. Upon receipt of notification, |
| 304 | the Department of Community Affairs shall proceed pursuant to |
| 305 | the provisions of s. 189.421 with regard to the special |
| 306 | district. |
| 307 | 1. Failure of a special district to provide a required |
| 308 | report or statement, to make appropriate adjustments, or to |
| 309 | provide additional material information after the procedures |
| 310 | specified in s. 189.421(1) are exhausted shall be deemed final |
| 311 | action by the special district. |
| 312 | 2. The Department of Management Services may notify the |
| 313 | Department of Community Affairs of those special districts that |
| 314 | failed to come into compliance. Upon receipt of notification, |
| 315 | the Department of Community Affairs shall proceed pursuant to s. |
| 316 | 189.421(4). |
| 317 | Section 4. Section 129.01, Florida Statutes, is amended to |
| 318 | read: |
| 319 | 129.01 Budget system established.-There is hereby |
| 320 | established A budget system for the control of the finances of |
| 321 | the boards of county commissioners of the several counties of |
| 322 | the state is established, as follows: |
| 323 | (1) A budget There shall be prepared, approved, adopted, |
| 324 | and executed, as prescribed in this chapter, for the fiscal year |
| 325 | ending September 30, 1952, and for each fiscal year. At a |
| 326 | minimum, the budget must show for each fund, as thereafter, an |
| 327 | annual budget for such funds as may be required by law and or by |
| 328 | sound financial practices, budgeted revenues and expenditures by |
| 329 | organizational unit which are at least at the level of detail |
| 330 | required for the annual financial report under s. 218.32(1) and |
| 331 | generally accepted accounting principles. The budget shall |
| 332 | control the levy of taxes and the expenditure of money for all |
| 333 | county purposes during the ensuing fiscal year. |
| 334 | (2) The Each budget must shall conform to the following |
| 335 | general directions and requirements: |
| 336 | (a) The budget must shall be prepared, summarized, and |
| 337 | approved by the board of county commissioners of each county. |
| 338 | (b) The budget must shall be balanced, so that; that is, |
| 339 | the total of the estimated receipts available from taxation and |
| 340 | other sources, including balances brought forward from prior |
| 341 | fiscal years, equals shall equal the total of the appropriations |
| 342 | for expenditures and reserves. It shall conform to the uniform |
| 343 | classification of accounts prescribed by the appropriate state |
| 344 | agency. The budgeted receipts must division of the budget shall |
| 345 | include 95 percent of all receipts reasonably to be anticipated |
| 346 | from all sources, including taxes to be levied, provided the |
| 347 | percent anticipated from ad valorem levies is shall be as |
| 348 | specified in s. 200.065(2)(a), and is 100 percent of the amount |
| 349 | of the balances of both cash and liquid securities estimated to |
| 350 | be brought forward at the beginning of the fiscal year. The |
| 351 | appropriations must appropriation division of the budget shall |
| 352 | include itemized appropriations for all expenditures authorized |
| 353 | by law, contemplated to be made, or incurred for the benefit of |
| 354 | the county during the said year and the provision for the |
| 355 | reserves authorized by this chapter. Both the receipts and |
| 356 | appropriations must appropriation divisions shall reflect the |
| 357 | approximate division of expenditures between countywide |
| 358 | expenditures and noncountywide expenditures and the division of |
| 359 | county revenues derived from or on behalf of the county as a |
| 360 | whole and county revenues derived from or on behalf of a |
| 361 | municipal service taxing unit, special district included within |
| 362 | the county budget, unincorporated area, service area, or program |
| 363 | area, or otherwise not received for or on behalf of the county |
| 364 | as a whole. |
| 365 | (c) Provision may be made for the following reserves: |
| 366 | 1. A reserve for contingencies may be provided which does |
| 367 | in a sum not to exceed 10 percent of the total appropriations of |
| 368 | the budget. |
| 369 | 2. A reserve for cash balance to be carried over may be |
| 370 | provided for the purpose of paying expenses from October 1 of |
| 371 | the next ensuing fiscal year until the time when the revenues |
| 372 | for that year are expected to be available. This reserve may be |
| 373 | not be more than 20 percent of the total appropriations. |
| 374 | However, receipts and balances of the budget; provided that for |
| 375 | the bond interest and sinking fund budget, this reserve may not |
| 376 | exceed be not more than the total maturities of debt, (both |
| 377 | principal and interest), which that will occur during the next |
| 378 | ensuing fiscal year, plus the sinking fund requirements, |
| 379 | computed on a straight-line basis, for any outstanding |
| 380 | obligations to be paid from the fund. |
| 381 | (d) An appropriation for "outstanding indebtedness" shall |
| 382 | be made to provide for the payment of vouchers that which have |
| 383 | been incurred in and charged against the budget for the current |
| 384 | year or a prior year, but that which are expected to be unpaid |
| 385 | at the beginning of the next fiscal ensuing year for which the |
| 386 | budget is being prepared. The appropriation for the payment of |
| 387 | such vouchers shall be to made in the same fund in which for |
| 388 | which the expenses were originally incurred. |
| 389 | (e) Any surplus arising from an excess of the estimated |
| 390 | cash balance over the estimated amount of unpaid obligations to |
| 391 | be carried over in a fund at the end of the current fiscal year |
| 392 | may be transferred to any of the other funds of the county, and |
| 393 | the amount so transferred shall be budgeted as a receipt to such |
| 394 | other funds. However, a; provided, that no such surplus: |
| 395 | 1. In a fund raised for debt service may not shall be |
| 396 | transferred to another fund until, except to a fund raised for |
| 397 | the same purposes in the same territory, unless the debt for |
| 398 | which the fund was established of such territory has been |
| 399 | extinguished., in which case it may be transferred to any other |
| 400 | fund raised for that territory; provided, further, that no such |
| 401 | surplus |
| 402 | 2. In a capital outlay reserve fund may not be transferred |
| 403 | to another fund until such time as the projects for which the |
| 404 | such capital outlay reserve fund was raised have been completed |
| 405 | and all obligations paid. |
| 406 | Section 5. Subsection (6) of section 129.02, Florida |
| 407 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 408 | 129.02 Requisites of budgets.-Each budget shall conform to |
| 409 | the following specific directions and requirements: |
| 410 | (6) For each special district included within the county |
| 411 | budget, the operating fund budget must show budgeted revenues |
| 412 | and expenditures by organizational unit which are at least at |
| 413 | the level of detail required for the annual financial report |
| 414 | under s. 218.32(1). The amount available from taxation and other |
| 415 | sources, including balances brought forward from prior fiscal |
| 416 | years, must equal the total appropriations for expenditures and |
| 417 | reserves. The budget must include shall contain an estimate of |
| 418 | receipts by source and balances as provided herein, and an |
| 419 | itemized estimate of expenditures necessary that will need to be |
| 420 | incurred to carry on all functions and activities of the special |
| 421 | district as now or hereafter provided by law, including and of |
| 422 | the indebtedness of the special district and the provision for |
| 423 | required reserves; also of the reserves for contingencies and |
| 424 | the balances, as hereinbefore provided, which should be carried |
| 425 | forward at the end of the year. |
| 426 | Section 6. Section 129.021, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 427 | to read: |
| 428 | 129.021 County officer budget information.-Notwithstanding |
| 429 | other provisions of law, the budgets of all county officers, as |
| 430 | submitted to the board of county commissioners, must shall be in |
| 431 | sufficient detail and contain such information as the board of |
| 432 | county commissioners may require in furtherance of their powers |
| 433 | and responsibilities provided in ss. 125.01(1)(q), and (r), and |
| 434 | (v), and (6) and 129.01(2)(b). |
| 435 | Section 7. Subsection (3) of section 129.03, Florida |
| 436 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 437 | 129.03 Preparation and adoption of budget.- |
| 438 | (3) No later than 15 days after certification of value by |
| 439 | the property appraiser pursuant to s. 200.065(1), The county |
| 440 | budget officer, after tentatively ascertaining the proposed |
| 441 | fiscal policies of the board for the next ensuing fiscal year, |
| 442 | shall prepare and present to the board a tentative budget for |
| 443 | the next ensuing fiscal year for each of the funds provided in |
| 444 | this chapter, including all estimated receipts, taxes to be |
| 445 | levied, and balances expected to be brought forward and all |
| 446 | estimated expenditures, reserves, and balances to be carried |
| 447 | over at the end of the year. |
| 448 | (a) The board of county commissioners shall receive and |
| 449 | examine the tentative budget for each fund and, subject to the |
| 450 | notice and hearing requirements of s. 200.065, shall require |
| 451 | such changes to be made as it deems shall deem necessary,; |
| 452 | provided the budget remains shall remain in balance. The county |
| 453 | budget officer's estimates of receipts other than taxes, and of |
| 454 | balances to be brought forward, may shall not be revised except |
| 455 | by a resolution of the board, duly passed and spread on the |
| 456 | minutes of the board. However, the board may allocate to any of |
| 457 | the funds of the county any anticipated receipts, other than |
| 458 | taxes levied for a particular fund, except receipts designated |
| 459 | or received to be expended for a particular purpose. |
| 460 | (b) Upon receipt of the tentative budgets and completion |
| 461 | of any revisions made by the board, the board shall prepare a |
| 462 | statement summarizing all of the adopted tentative budgets. The |
| 463 | This summary statement must shall show, for each budget and the |
| 464 | total of all budgets, the proposed tax millages, the balances, |
| 465 | the reserves, and the total of each major classification of |
| 466 | receipts and expenditures, classified according to the uniform |
| 467 | classification of accounts adopted prescribed by the appropriate |
| 468 | state agency. The board shall cause this summary statement to be |
| 469 | advertised one time in a newspaper of general circulation |
| 470 | published in the county, or by posting at the courthouse door if |
| 471 | there is no such newspaper, and the advertisement must shall |
| 472 | appear adjacent to the advertisement required pursuant to s. |
| 473 | 200.065. |
| 474 | (c) The board shall hold public hearings to adopt |
| 475 | tentative and final budgets pursuant to s. 200.065. The hearings |
| 476 | shall be primarily for the purpose of hearing requests and |
| 477 | complaints from the public regarding the budgets and the |
| 478 | proposed tax levies and for explaining the budget and any |
| 479 | proposed or adopted amendments thereto, if any. The tentative |
| 480 | budget must be posted on the county's official website at least |
| 481 | 2 days before the public hearing to consider such budget. The |
| 482 | final budget must be posted on the website within 30 days after |
| 483 | adoption. The tentative budgets, adopted tentative budgets, and |
| 484 | final budgets shall be filed in the office of the county auditor |
| 485 | as a public record. Sufficient reference in words and figures to |
| 486 | identify the particular transactions shall be made in the |
| 487 | minutes of the board to record its actions with reference to the |
| 488 | budgets. |
| 489 | Section 8. Subsection (1) and paragraphs (a) and (f) of |
| 490 | subsection (2) of section 129.06, Florida Statutes, are amended |
| 491 | to read: |
| 492 | 129.06 Execution and amendment of budget.- |
| 493 | (1) Upon the final adoption of the budgets as provided in |
| 494 | this chapter, the budgets so adopted must shall regulate the |
| 495 | expenditures of the county and each special district included |
| 496 | within the county budget, and the itemized estimates of |
| 497 | expenditures must shall have the effect of fixed appropriations |
| 498 | and may shall not be amended, altered, or exceeded except as |
| 499 | provided in this chapter. |
| 500 | (a) The modified-accrual basis or accrual basis of |
| 501 | accounting must be followed for all funds in accordance with |
| 502 | generally accepted accounting principles. |
| 503 | (b) The cost of the investments provided in this chapter, |
| 504 | or the receipts from their sale or redemption, may must not be |
| 505 | treated as expense or income, and but the investments on hand at |
| 506 | the beginning or end of each fiscal year must be carried as |
| 507 | separate items at cost in the fund balances; however, the |
| 508 | amounts of profit or loss received on their sale must be treated |
| 509 | as income or expense, as applicable the case may be. |
| 510 | (2) The board at any time within a fiscal year may amend a |
| 511 | budget for that year, and may within the first 60 days of a |
| 512 | fiscal year amend the budget for the prior fiscal year, as |
| 513 | follows: |
| 514 | (a) Appropriations for expenditures within in any fund may |
| 515 | be decreased or and other appropriations in the same fund |
| 516 | correspondingly increased by motion recorded in the minutes if, |
| 517 | provided that the total of the appropriations of the fund does |
| 518 | not change may not be changed. The board of county |
| 519 | commissioners, however, may establish procedures by which the |
| 520 | designated budget officer may authorize certain |
| 521 | intradepartmental budget amendments if, provided that the total |
| 522 | appropriations appropriation of the fund does not change |
| 523 | department may not be changed. |
| 524 | (f) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, if an amendment to |
| 525 | a budget is required for a purpose not specifically authorized |
| 526 | in paragraphs (a)-(e), unless otherwise prohibited by law, the |
| 527 | amendment may be authorized by resolution or ordinance of the |
| 528 | board of county commissioners adopted following a public |
| 529 | hearing. |
| 530 | 1. The public hearing must be advertised at least 2 days, |
| 531 | but not more than 5 days, before the date of the hearing. The |
| 532 | advertisement must appear in a newspaper of paid general |
| 533 | circulation and must identify the name of the taxing authority, |
| 534 | the date, place, and time of the hearing, and the purpose of the |
| 535 | hearing. The advertisement must also identify each budgetary |
| 536 | fund to be amended, the source of the funds, the use of the |
| 537 | funds, and the total amount of each fund's appropriations |
| 538 | budget. |
| 539 | 2. If the board amends the budget pursuant to this |
| 540 | paragraph, the adopted amendment must be posted on the county's |
| 541 | official website within 5 days after adoption. |
| 542 | Section 9. Section 129.07, Florida Statutes, is amended to |
| 543 | read: |
| 544 | 129.07 Unlawful to exceed the budget; certain contracts |
| 545 | void; commissioners contracting excess indebtedness personally |
| 546 | liable.-It is unlawful for The board of county commissioners may |
| 547 | not to expend or enter into a contract requiring expenditures |
| 548 | for the expenditure in any fiscal year for more than the amount |
| 549 | of appropriations budgeted in each fund's budget, except as |
| 550 | provided herein, and in no case shall the total appropriations |
| 551 | of any budget may not be exceeded, except as provided in s. |
| 552 | 129.06., and Any indebtedness contracted for any purpose against |
| 553 | either of the funds enumerated in this chapter or for any |
| 554 | purpose, the expenditure for which is chargeable to either of |
| 555 | the said funds, is shall be null and void, and no suit may or |
| 556 | suits shall be prosecuted in any court in this state for the |
| 557 | collection of such indebtedness. same, and The members of the |
| 558 | board of county commissioners voting for and contracting for |
| 559 | such indebtedness are amounts and the bonds of such members of |
| 560 | said boards also shall be liable for any the excess indebtedness |
| 561 | so contracted for. |
| 562 | Section 10. Section 129.201, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 563 | to read: |
| 564 | 129.201 Budget of supervisor of elections; manner and time |
| 565 | of preparation and presentation.- |
| 566 | (1) Pursuant to ss. 129.01 and s. 129.03(2), each |
| 567 | supervisor of elections shall annually prepare and submit |
| 568 | certify to the board of county commissioners, or county budget |
| 569 | commission if there is one in the county, a proposed budget for |
| 570 | carrying out the powers, duties, and operations of income and |
| 571 | expenditures to fulfill the duties, responsibilities, and |
| 572 | operation of the office of the supervisor of elections for the |
| 573 | next ensuing fiscal year of the county. The fiscal year of the |
| 574 | supervisor of elections commences shall commence on October 1 of |
| 575 | each year and ends shall end on September 30 of the following |
| 576 | year. |
| 577 | (2)(a) Expenditures must be itemized in accordance with |
| 578 | the uniform accounting system prescribed by the Department of |
| 579 | Financial Services Each expenditure item in the budget for the |
| 580 | supervisor of elections shall be itemized generally as follows: |
| 581 | (a)1. Personnel services. Compensation for the supervisor |
| 582 | of elections and all other personnel of the office. |
| 583 | (b)2. Operating expenses. |
| 584 | (c)3. Capital outlay. |
| 585 | (d) Debt service. |
| 586 | (e)4. Grants and aids. Contingencies and transfers. |
| 587 | (f) Other uses. |
| 588 | (b) To the extent appropriate, the budget shall be further |
| 589 | itemized in conformance with the Uniform Accounting System for |
| 590 | Local Units of Government in Florida adopted by rule of the |
| 591 | Chief Financial Officer. |
| 592 | (3) The supervisor of elections shall furnish to the board |
| 593 | of county commissioners or the county budget commission all |
| 594 | relevant and pertinent information that the which such board or |
| 595 | commission deems shall deem necessary, including expenditures at |
| 596 | the subobject code level in accordance with the uniform |
| 597 | accounting system prescribed by the Department of Financial |
| 598 | Services. The board or commission may not amend, modify, |
| 599 | increase, or reduce any expenditure at the subobject code level. |
| 600 | (4) The board or commission, as appropriate the case may |
| 601 | be, may require the supervisor of elections to correct |
| 602 | mathematical, mechanical, factual, and clerical errors and |
| 603 | errors of form in the proposed budget. At the hearings held |
| 604 | pursuant to s. 200.065, the board or commission may amend, |
| 605 | modify, increase, or reduce any or all items of expenditure in |
| 606 | the proposed budget as submitted under subsections (1) and (2); |
| 607 | and, as amended, modified, increased, or reduced, such budget |
| 608 | shall be approved by the board or commission, which must provide |
| 609 | giving written notice of its action to specific items amended, |
| 610 | modified, increased, or reduced. |
| 611 | (5) The board or commission shall include in the county |
| 612 | budget the items of proposed expenditures as set forth in the |
| 613 | budget which are required by this section to be submitted, after |
| 614 | the budget has been reviewed and approved. The board or |
| 615 | commission shall include the supervisor of elections' reserve |
| 616 | for contingencies provided herein in the general county budget's |
| 617 | reserve for contingencies account in the general county budget. |
| 618 | (6) The supervisor of elections' reserve for contingencies |
| 619 | is in the budget of a supervisor of elections shall be governed |
| 620 | by the same provisions governing the amount and use of the |
| 621 | reserve for contingencies appropriated in the county budget. |
| 622 | (7) The proposed budget shall be submitted to the board of |
| 623 | county commissioners or county budget commission pursuant to s. |
| 624 | 129.03(2), and the budget shall be included by the board or |
| 625 | commission in the general county budget. |
| 626 | (8) The items placed in the budget of the board are |
| 627 | pursuant to this act shall be subject to the same provisions of |
| 628 | law as the county annual budget; however, an no amendment may be |
| 629 | made to the appropriations of the office of the supervisor of |
| 630 | elections may not be made without due notice of the change to |
| 631 | the supervisor of elections. |
| 632 | (9) The budget of the supervisor of elections may be |
| 633 | increased by the board of county commissioners to cover such |
| 634 | expenses for emergencies and unanticipated expenses as are |
| 635 | recommended and justified by the supervisor of elections. |
| 636 | Section 11. Section 166.241, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 637 | to read: |
| 638 | 166.241 Fiscal years, appropriations, budgets, and budget |
| 639 | amendments.- |
| 640 | (1) Each municipality shall establish make provision for |
| 641 | establishing a fiscal year beginning October 1 of each year and |
| 642 | ending September 30 of the following year. |
| 643 | (2) The governing body of each municipality shall adopt a |
| 644 | budget each fiscal year. The budget must be adopted by ordinance |
| 645 | or resolution unless otherwise specified in the respective |
| 646 | municipality's charter. The amount available from taxation and |
| 647 | other sources, including balances brought forward amounts |
| 648 | carried over from prior fiscal years, must equal the total |
| 649 | appropriations for expenditures and reserves. At a minimum, the |
| 650 | adopted budget must show for each fund, as required by law and |
| 651 | sound financial practices, budgeted revenues and expenditures by |
| 652 | organizational unit which are at least at the level of detail |
| 653 | required for the annual financial report under s. 218.32(1). The |
| 654 | adopted budget must regulate expenditures of the municipality, |
| 655 | and an it is unlawful for any officer of a municipal government |
| 656 | may not to expend or contract for expenditures in any fiscal |
| 657 | year except pursuant to the adopted budget in pursuance of |
| 658 | budgeted appropriations. |
| 659 | (3) The tentative budget must be posted on the |
| 660 | municipality's official website at least 2 days before the |
| 661 | budget hearing, held pursuant to s. 200.065 or other law, to |
| 662 | consider such budget. The final adopted budget must be posted on |
| 663 | the municipality's official website within 30 days after |
| 664 | adoption. If the municipality does not operate an official |
| 665 | website, the municipality must, within a reasonable period of |
| 666 | time as established by the county or counties in which the |
| 667 | municipality is located, transmit the tentative budget and final |
| 668 | budget to the manager or administrator of such county or |
| 669 | counties who shall post the budgets on the county's website. |
| 670 | (4)(3) The governing body of each municipality at any time |
| 671 | within a fiscal year or within up to 60 days following the end |
| 672 | of the fiscal year may amend a budget for that year as follows: |
| 673 | (a) Appropriations for expenditures within a fund may be |
| 674 | decreased or increased by motion recorded in the minutes if, |
| 675 | provided that the total of the appropriations of the fund is not |
| 676 | changed. |
| 677 | (b) The governing body may establish procedures by which |
| 678 | the designated budget officer may authorize certain budget |
| 679 | amendments if within a department, provided that the total of |
| 680 | the appropriations of the fund department is not changed. |
| 681 | (c) If a budget amendment is required for a purpose not |
| 682 | specifically authorized in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b), the |
| 683 | budget amendment must be adopted in the same manner as the |
| 684 | original budget unless otherwise specified in the municipality's |
| 685 | charter of the respective municipality. |
| 686 | (5) If the governing body of a municipality amends the |
| 687 | budget pursuant to paragraph (4)(c), the adopted amendment must |
| 688 | be posted on the official website of the municipality within 5 |
| 689 | days after adoption. If the municipality does not operate an |
| 690 | official website, the municipality must, within a reasonable |
| 691 | period of time as established by the county or counties in which |
| 692 | the municipality is located, transmit the adopted amendment to |
| 693 | the manager or administrator of such county or counties who |
| 694 | shall post the adopted amendment on the county's website. |
| 695 | Section 12. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section |
| 696 | 189.4044, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 697 | 189.4044 Special procedures for inactive districts.- |
| 698 | (1) The department shall declare inactive any special |
| 699 | district in this state by documenting that: |
| 700 | (a) The special district meets one of the following |
| 701 | criteria: |
| 702 | 1. The registered agent of the district, the chair of the |
| 703 | governing body of the district, or the governing body of the |
| 704 | appropriate local general-purpose government notifies the |
| 705 | department in writing that the district has taken no action for |
| 706 | 2 or more years; |
| 707 | 2. Following an inquiry from the department, the |
| 708 | registered agent of the district, the chair of the governing |
| 709 | body of the district, or the governing body of the appropriate |
| 710 | local general-purpose government notifies the department in |
| 711 | writing that the district has not had a governing board or a |
| 712 | sufficient number of governing board members to constitute a |
| 713 | quorum for 2 or more years or the registered agent of the |
| 714 | district, the chair of the governing body of the district, or |
| 715 | the governing body of the appropriate local general-purpose |
| 716 | government fails to respond to the department's inquiry within |
| 717 | 21 days; or |
| 718 | 3. The department determines, pursuant to s. 189.421, that |
| 719 | the district has failed to file any of the reports listed in s. |
| 720 | 189.419; or. |
| 721 | 4. The district has not had a registered office and agent |
| 722 | on file with the department for 1 or more years. |
| 723 | Section 13. Subsection (1) of section 189.412, Florida |
| 724 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 725 | 189.412 Special District Information Program; duties and |
| 726 | responsibilities.-The Special District Information Program of |
| 727 | the Department of Community Affairs is created and has the |
| 728 | following special duties: |
| 729 | (1) The collection and maintenance of special district |
| 730 | noncompliance status reports from the Department of Management |
| 731 | Services, the Department of Financial Services, the Division of |
| 732 | Bond Finance of the State Board of Administration, and the |
| 733 | Auditor General, and the Legislative Auditing Committee, for the |
| 734 | reporting required in ss. 112.63, 218.32, 218.38, and 218.39. |
| 735 | The noncompliance reports must list those special districts that |
| 736 | did not comply with the statutory reporting requirements. |
| 737 | Section 14. Subsections (3) through (7) of section |
| 738 | 189.418, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 739 | 189.418 Reports; budgets; audits.- |
| 740 | (3) The governing body of each special district shall |
| 741 | adopt a budget by resolution each fiscal year. The total amount |
| 742 | available from taxation and other sources, including balances |
| 743 | brought forward amounts carried over from prior fiscal years, |
| 744 | must equal the total of appropriations for expenditures and |
| 745 | reserves. At a minimum, the adopted budget must show for each |
| 746 | fund, as required by law and sound financial practices, budgeted |
| 747 | revenues and expenditures by organizational unit which are at |
| 748 | least at the level of detail required for the annual financial |
| 749 | report under s. 218.32(1). The adopted budget must regulate |
| 750 | expenditures of the special district, and an it is unlawful for |
| 751 | any officer of a special district may not to expend or contract |
| 752 | for expenditures in any fiscal year except pursuant to the |
| 753 | adopted budget in pursuance of budgeted appropriations. |
| 754 | (4) The tentative budget must be posted on the special |
| 755 | district's official website at least 2 days before the budget |
| 756 | hearing, held pursuant to s. 200.065 or other law, to consider |
| 757 | such budget. The final adopted budget must be posted on the |
| 758 | special district's official website within 30 days after |
| 759 | adoption. If the special district does not operate an official |
| 760 | website, the special district must, within a reasonable period |
| 761 | of time as established by the local general-purpose government |
| 762 | or governments in which the special district is located or the |
| 763 | local governing authority to which the district is dependent, |
| 764 | transmit the tentative budget or final budget to the manager or |
| 765 | administrator of the local general-purpose government or the |
| 766 | local governing authority. The manager or administrator shall |
| 767 | post the tentative budget or final budget on the website of the |
| 768 | local general-purpose government or governing authority. This |
| 769 | subsection and subsection (3) do not apply to water management |
| 770 | districts as defined in s. 373.019. |
| 771 | (5)(4) The proposed budget of a dependent special district |
| 772 | must shall be presented in accordance with generally accepted |
| 773 | accounting principles, contained within the general budget of |
| 774 | the local governing authority to which it is dependent, and be |
| 775 | clearly stated as the budget of the dependent district. However, |
| 776 | with the concurrence of the local governing authority, a |
| 777 | dependent district may be budgeted separately. The dependent |
| 778 | district must provide any budget information requested by the |
| 779 | local governing authority at the time and place designated by |
| 780 | the local governing authority. |
| 781 | (6)(5) The governing body of each special district at any |
| 782 | time within a fiscal year or within up to 60 days following the |
| 783 | end of the fiscal year may amend a budget for that year as |
| 784 | follows:. |
| 785 | (a) Appropriations for expenditures within a fund may be |
| 786 | decreased or increased by motion recorded in the minutes if the |
| 787 | total appropriations of the fund do not change. |
| 788 | (b) The governing body may establish procedures by which |
| 789 | the designated budget officer may authorize certain budget |
| 790 | amendments if the total appropriations of the fund is not |
| 791 | changed. |
| 792 | (c) If a budget amendment is required for a purpose not |
| 793 | specifically authorized in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b), the |
| 794 | budget amendment must be adopted by resolution. |
| 795 | (7) If the governing body of a special district amends the |
| 796 | budget pursuant to paragraph (6)(c), the adopted amendment must |
| 797 | be posted on the official website of the special district within |
| 798 | 5 days after adoption. If the special district does not operate |
| 799 | an official website, the special district must, within a |
| 800 | reasonable period of time as established by the local general- |
| 801 | purpose government or governments in which the special district |
| 802 | is located or the local governing authority to which the |
| 803 | district is dependent, transmit the adopted amendment to the |
| 804 | manager or administrator of the local general-purpose government |
| 805 | or governing authority. The manager or administrator shall post |
| 806 | the adopted amendment on the website of the local general- |
| 807 | purpose government or governing authority. |
| 808 | (8)(6) A local general-purpose government governing |
| 809 | authority may, in its discretion, review the budget or tax levy |
| 810 | of any special district located solely within its boundaries. |
| 811 | (9) All special districts must comply with the financial |
| 812 | reporting requirements of ss. 218.32 and 218.39. A local |
| 813 | general-purpose government or governing authority may request, |
| 814 | from any special district located solely within its boundaries, |
| 815 | financial information in order to comply with its reporting |
| 816 | requirements under ss. 218.32 and 218.39. The special district |
| 817 | must cooperate with such request and provide the financial |
| 818 | information at the time and place designated by the local |
| 819 | general-purpose government or governing authority. |
| 820 | (10)(7) All reports or information required to be filed |
| 821 | with a local general-purpose government or governing authority |
| 822 | under ss. 189.415, 189.416, and 189.417 and subsection (8) must |
| 823 | this section shall: |
| 824 | (a) If When the local general-purpose government or |
| 825 | governing authority is a county, be filed with the clerk of the |
| 826 | board of county commissioners. |
| 827 | (b) If When the district is a multicounty district, be |
| 828 | filed with the clerk of the county commission in each county. |
| 829 | (c) If When the local general-purpose government or |
| 830 | governing authority is a municipality, be filed at the place |
| 831 | designated by the municipal governing body. |
| 832 | Section 15. Section 189.419, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 833 | to read: |
| 834 | 189.419 Effect of failure to file certain reports or |
| 835 | information.- |
| 836 | (1) If an independent a special district fails to file the |
| 837 | reports or information required under s. 189.415, s. 189.416, or |
| 838 | s. 189.417, or s. 189.418(9) with the local general-purpose |
| 839 | government or governments in which it is located governing |
| 840 | authority, the person authorized to receive and read the reports |
| 841 | or information or the local general-purpose government shall |
| 842 | notify the district's registered agent and the appropriate local |
| 843 | governing authority or authorities. If requested by the |
| 844 | district, the local general-purpose government governing |
| 845 | authority shall grant an extension of time of up to 30 days for |
| 846 | filing the required reports or information. |
| 847 | (2) If the governing body of at any time the local |
| 848 | general-purpose government or governments governing authority or |
| 849 | authorities or the board of county commissioners determines that |
| 850 | there has been an unjustified failure to file these the reports |
| 851 | or information described in subsection (1), it may notify the |
| 852 | department, and the department may proceed pursuant to s. |
| 853 | 189.421(1). |
| 854 | (2) If a dependent special district fails to file the |
| 855 | reports or information required under s. 189.416, s. 189.417, or |
| 856 | s. 189.418(9) with the local governing authority to which it is |
| 857 | dependent, the local governing authority shall take whatever |
| 858 | steps it deems necessary to enforce the special district's |
| 859 | accountability. Such steps may include, as authorized, |
| 860 | withholding funds, removing governing board members at will, |
| 861 | vetoing the special district's budget, conducting the oversight |
| 862 | review process set forth in s. 189.428, or amending, merging, or |
| 863 | dissolving the special district in accordance with the |
| 864 | provisions contained in the ordinance that created the dependent |
| 865 | special district. |
| 866 | (3) If a special district fails to file the reports or |
| 867 | information required under s. 112.63, s. 218.32, s. 218.38, or |
| 868 | s. 218.39 with the appropriate state agency, the agency shall |
| 869 | notify the department, and the department shall send a certified |
| 870 | technical assistance letter to the special district which |
| 871 | summarizes the requirements and encourages the special district |
| 872 | to take steps to prevent the noncompliance from reoccurring |
| 873 | proceed pursuant to s. 189.421. |
| 874 | (4) If a special district fails to file the reports or |
| 875 | information required under s. 112.63 with the appropriate state |
| 876 | agency, the agency shall notify the department and the |
| 877 | department shall proceed pursuant to s. 189.421(1). |
| 878 | (5) If a special district fails to file the reports or |
| 879 | information required under s. 218.32 or s. 218.39 with the |
| 880 | appropriate state agency or office, the state agency or office |
| 881 | shall, and the Legislative Auditing Committee may, notify the |
| 882 | department and the department shall proceed pursuant to s. |
| 883 | 189.421. |
| 884 | Section 16. Section 189.421, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 885 | to read: |
| 886 | 189.421 Failure of district to disclose financial |
| 887 | reports.- |
| 888 | (1)(a) If When notified pursuant to s. 189.419(1), (4), or |
| 889 | (5) 189.419, the department shall attempt to assist a special |
| 890 | district in complying to comply with its financial reporting |
| 891 | requirements by sending a certified letter to the special |
| 892 | district, and, if the special district is dependent, sending a |
| 893 | copy of that the letter to the chair of the governing body of |
| 894 | the local governing authority. The letter must include general- |
| 895 | purpose government, which includes the following: a description |
| 896 | of the required report, including statutory submission |
| 897 | deadlines, a contact telephone number for technical assistance |
| 898 | to help the special district comply, a 60-day deadline extension |
| 899 | of time for filing the required report with the appropriate |
| 900 | entity, the address where the report must be filed, and an |
| 901 | explanation of the penalties for noncompliance. |
| 902 | (b) A special district that is unable to meet the 60-day |
| 903 | reporting deadline must provide written notice to the department |
| 904 | before the expiration of the deadline stating the reason the |
| 905 | special district is unable to comply with the deadline, the |
| 906 | steps the special district is taking to prevent the |
| 907 | noncompliance from reoccurring, and the estimated date that the |
| 908 | special district will file the report with the appropriate |
| 909 | agency. The district's written response does not constitute an |
| 910 | extension by the department; however, the department shall |
| 911 | forward the written response to: |
| 912 | 1. If the written response refers to the reports required |
| 913 | under s. 218.32 or s. 218.39, the Legislative Auditing Committee |
| 914 | for its consideration in determining whether the special |
| 915 | district should be subject to further state action in accordance |
| 916 | with s. 11.40(5)(b). |
| 917 | 2. If the written response refers to the reports or |
| 918 | information requirements listed in s. 189.419(1), the local |
| 919 | general-purpose government or governments for its consideration |
| 920 | in determining whether the oversight review process set forth in |
| 921 | s. 189.428 should be undertaken. |
| 922 | 3. If the written response refers to the reports or |
| 923 | information required under s. 112.63, the Department of |
| 924 | Management Services for its consideration in determining whether |
| 925 | the special district should be subject to further state action |
| 926 | in accordance with s. 112.63(4)(d)2. The department may grant an |
| 927 | additional 30-day extension of time if requested to do so in |
| 928 | writing by the special district. The department shall notify the |
| 929 | appropriate entity of the new extension of time. In the case of |
| 930 | a special district that did not timely file the reports or |
| 931 | information required by s. 218.38, the department shall send a |
| 932 | certified technical assistance letter to the special district |
| 933 | which summarizes the requirements and encourages the special |
| 934 | district to take steps to prevent the noncompliance from |
| 935 | reoccurring. |
| 936 | (2) Failure of a special district to comply with the |
| 937 | actuarial and financial reporting requirements under s. 112.63, |
| 938 | s. 218.32, or s. 218.39 after the procedures of subsection (1) |
| 939 | are exhausted shall be deemed final action of the special |
| 940 | district. The actuarial and financial reporting requirements are |
| 941 | declared to be essential requirements of law. Remedy for |
| 942 | noncompliance shall be by writ of certiorari as set forth in |
| 943 | subsection (4) (3). |
| 944 | (3) Pursuant to s. 11.40(5)(b), the Legislative Auditing |
| 945 | Committee shall notify the department of those districts that |
| 946 | fail failed to file the required reports report. If the |
| 947 | procedures described in subsection (1) have not yet been |
| 948 | initiated, the department shall initiate such procedures upon |
| 949 | receiving the notice from the Legislative Auditing Committee. |
| 950 | Otherwise, within 60 30 days after receiving such this notice, |
| 951 | or within 60 30 days after the expiration of the 60-day deadline |
| 952 | extension date provided in subsection (1), whichever occurs |
| 953 | later, the department, shall proceed as follows: notwithstanding |
| 954 | the provisions of chapter 120, the department shall file a |
| 955 | petition for writ of certiorari with the circuit court. Venue |
| 956 | for all actions pursuant to this subsection is shall be in Leon |
| 957 | County. The court shall award the prevailing party attorney's |
| 958 | fees and costs in all cases filed pursuant to this section |
| 959 | unless affirmatively waived by all parties. A writ of certiorari |
| 960 | shall be issued unless a respondent establishes that the |
| 961 | notification of the Legislative Auditing Committee was issued as |
| 962 | a result of material error. Proceedings under this subsection |
| 963 | are shall otherwise be governed by the Rules of Appellate |
| 964 | Procedure. |
| 965 | (4) Pursuant to s. 112.63(4)(d)2., the Department of |
| 966 | Management Services may notify the department of those special |
| 967 | districts that have failed to file the required adjustments, |
| 968 | additional information, or report or statement after the |
| 969 | procedures of subsection (1) have been exhausted. Within 60 days |
| 970 | after receiving such notice or within 60 days after the 60-day |
| 971 | deadline provided in subsection (1), whichever occurs later, the |
| 972 | department, notwithstanding chapter 120, shall file a petition |
| 973 | for writ of certiorari with the circuit court. Venue for all |
| 974 | actions pursuant to this subsection is in Leon County. The court |
| 975 | shall award the prevailing party attorney's fees and costs |
| 976 | unless affirmatively waived by all parties. A writ of certiorari |
| 977 | shall be issued unless a respondent establishes that the |
| 978 | notification of the Department of Management Services was issued |
| 979 | as a result of material error. Proceedings under this subsection |
| 980 | are otherwise governed by the Rules of Appellate Procedure. |
| 981 | Section 17. Subsection (6) is added to section 195.087, |
| 982 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 983 | 195.087 Property appraisers and tax collectors to submit |
| 984 | budgets to Department of Revenue.- |
| 985 | (6) Each property appraiser and tax collector must post |
| 986 | their final approved budget on their official website within 30 |
| 987 | days after adoption. Each county's official website must have a |
| 988 | link to the websites of the property appraiser or tax collector |
| 989 | where the final approved budget is posted. If the property |
| 990 | appraiser or tax collector does not have an official website, |
| 991 | the final approved budget must be posted on the county's |
| 992 | official website. |
| 993 | Section 18. Paragraphs (d), (e), and (f) of subsection (1) |
| 994 | of section 218.32, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph |
| 995 | (g) is added to that subsection, to read: |
| 996 | 218.32 Annual financial reports; local governmental |
| 997 | entities.- |
| 998 | (1) |
| 999 | (d) Each local governmental entity that is required to |
| 1000 | provide for an audit under in accordance with s. 218.39(1) must |
| 1001 | submit the annual financial report with the audit report. a copy |
| 1002 | of the audit report and annual financial report must be |
| 1003 | submitted to the department within 45 days after the completion |
| 1004 | of the audit report but no later than 9 12 months after the end |
| 1005 | of the fiscal year. |
| 1006 | (e) Each local governmental entity that is not required to |
| 1007 | provide for an audit under report in accordance with s. 218.39 |
| 1008 | must submit the annual financial report to the department no |
| 1009 | later than 9 months after the end of the fiscal April 30 of each |
| 1010 | year. The department shall consult with the Auditor General in |
| 1011 | the development of the format of annual financial reports |
| 1012 | submitted pursuant to this paragraph. The format must shall |
| 1013 | include balance sheet information used to be utilized by the |
| 1014 | Auditor General pursuant to s. 11.45(7)(f). The department must |
| 1015 | forward the financial information contained within the these |
| 1016 | entities' annual financial reports to the Auditor General in |
| 1017 | electronic form. This paragraph does not apply to housing |
| 1018 | authorities created under chapter 421. |
| 1019 | (f) If the department does not receive a completed annual |
| 1020 | financial report from a local governmental entity within the |
| 1021 | required period, it shall notify the Legislative Auditing |
| 1022 | Committee and the Special District Information Program of the |
| 1023 | Department of Community Affairs of the local governmental |
| 1024 | entity's failure to comply with the reporting requirements. The |
| 1025 | committee shall proceed in accordance with s. 11.40(5). |
| 1026 | (g) Each local governmental entity's website must provide |
| 1027 | a link to the department's website to view the entity's annual |
| 1028 | financial report submitted to the department pursuant to this |
| 1029 | section. If the local governmental entity does not have an |
| 1030 | official website, the county government's website must provide |
| 1031 | the required link for the local governmental entity. |
| 1032 | Section 19. Section 218.35, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1033 | to read: |
| 1034 | 218.35 County fee officers; financial matters.- |
| 1035 | (1) Each county fee officer shall establish an annual |
| 1036 | budget for carrying out the powers, duties, and operations of |
| 1037 | his or her office for the next county fiscal year which shall |
| 1038 | clearly reflect the revenues available to said office and the |
| 1039 | functions for which money is to be expended. The budget must |
| 1040 | shall be balanced so that; that is, the total of estimated |
| 1041 | receipts, including balances brought forward, equals shall equal |
| 1042 | the total of estimated expenditures and reserves. The budgeting |
| 1043 | of segregated funds must shall be made in a such manner that |
| 1044 | retains the relation between program and revenue source, as |
| 1045 | provided by law is retained. |
| 1046 | (2) The clerk of the circuit court, functioning in his or |
| 1047 | her capacity as clerk of the circuit and county courts and as |
| 1048 | clerk of the board of county commissioners, shall prepare his or |
| 1049 | her budget in two parts: |
| 1050 | (a) The budget for funds necessary to perform court- |
| 1051 | related functions as provided for in s. 28.36, which shall |
| 1052 | detail the methodologies used to apportion costs between court- |
| 1053 | related and non-court-related functions performed by the clerk. |
| 1054 | (b) The budget relating to the requirements of the clerk |
| 1055 | as clerk of the board of county commissioners, county auditor, |
| 1056 | and custodian or treasurer of all county funds and other county- |
| 1057 | related duties, which shall be annually prepared and submitted |
| 1058 | to the board of county commissioners pursuant to s. 129.03(2), |
| 1059 | for each fiscal year. Expenditures must be itemized in |
| 1060 | accordance with the uniform accounting system prescribed by the |
| 1061 | Department of Financial Services as follows: |
| 1062 | 1. Personnel services. |
| 1063 | 2. Operating expenses. |
| 1064 | 3. Capital outlay. |
| 1065 | 4. Debt service. |
| 1066 | 5. Grants and aids. |
| 1067 | 6. Other uses. |
| 1068 | (3) The clerk of the circuit court shall furnish to the |
| 1069 | board of county commissioners or the county budget commission |
| 1070 | all relevant and pertinent information that the board or |
| 1071 | commission deems necessary, including expenditures at the |
| 1072 | subobject code level in accordance with the uniform accounting |
| 1073 | system prescribed by the Department of Financial Services. |
| 1074 | (4) The final approved budget of the clerk of the circuit |
| 1075 | court must be posted on the county's official website within 30 |
| 1076 | days after adoption. The final approved budget of the clerk of |
| 1077 | the circuit court may be included in the county's budget. |
| 1078 | (5)(3) Each county fee officer shall establish make |
| 1079 | provision for establishing a fiscal year beginning October 1 and |
| 1080 | ending September 30 of the following year, and shall report his |
| 1081 | or her finances annually upon the close of each fiscal year to |
| 1082 | the county fiscal officer for inclusion in the annual financial |
| 1083 | report by the county. |
| 1084 | (6)(4) The proposed budget of a county fee officer shall |
| 1085 | be filed with the clerk of the county governing authority by |
| 1086 | September 1 preceding the fiscal year for the budget, except for |
| 1087 | the budget prepared by the clerk of the circuit court for court- |
| 1088 | related functions as provided in s. 28.36. |
| 1089 | Section 20. Section 218.39, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1090 | to read: |
| 1091 | 218.39 Annual financial audit reports.- |
| 1092 | (1) If, by the first day in any fiscal year, a local |
| 1093 | governmental entity, district school board, charter school, or |
| 1094 | charter technical career center has not been notified that a |
| 1095 | financial audit for that fiscal year will be performed by the |
| 1096 | Auditor General, each of the following entities shall have an |
| 1097 | annual financial audit of its accounts and records completed |
| 1098 | within 9 12 months after the end of its fiscal year by an |
| 1099 | independent certified public accountant retained by it and paid |
| 1100 | from its public funds: |
| 1101 | (a) Each county. |
| 1102 | (b) Any municipality with revenues or the total of |
| 1103 | expenditures and expenses in excess of $250,000, as reported on |
| 1104 | the fund financial statements. |
| 1105 | (c) Any special district with revenues or the total of |
| 1106 | expenditures and expenses in excess of $100,000, as reported on |
| 1107 | the fund financial statements. |
| 1108 | (d) Each district school board. |
| 1109 | (e) Each charter school established under s. 1002.33. |
| 1110 | (f) Each charter technical center established under s. |
| 1111 | 1002.34. |
| 1112 | (g) Each municipality with revenues or the total of |
| 1113 | expenditures and expenses between $100,000 and $250,000, as |
| 1114 | reported on the fund financial statements, which that has not |
| 1115 | been subject to a financial audit pursuant to this subsection |
| 1116 | for the 2 preceding fiscal years. |
| 1117 | (h) Each special district with revenues or the total of |
| 1118 | expenditures and expenses between $50,000 and $100,000, as |
| 1119 | reported on the fund financial statement, which that has not |
| 1120 | been subject to a financial audit pursuant to this subsection |
| 1121 | for the 2 preceding fiscal years. |
| 1122 | (2) The county audit report must shall be a single |
| 1123 | document that includes a financial audit of the county as a |
| 1124 | whole and, for each county agency other than a board of county |
| 1125 | commissioners, an audit of its financial accounts and records, |
| 1126 | including reports on compliance and internal control, management |
| 1127 | letters, and financial statements as required by rules adopted |
| 1128 | by the Auditor General. In addition to such requirements, if a |
| 1129 | board of county commissioners elects to have a separate audit of |
| 1130 | its financial accounts and records in the manner required by |
| 1131 | rules adopted by the Auditor General for other county agencies, |
| 1132 | the such separate audit must shall be included in the county |
| 1133 | audit report. |
| 1134 | (3)(a) A dependent special district may provide make |
| 1135 | provision for an annual financial audit by being included in |
| 1136 | within the audit of the another local governmental entity upon |
| 1137 | which it is dependent. An independent special district may not |
| 1138 | make provision for an annual financial audit by being included |
| 1139 | in within the audit of another local governmental entity. |
| 1140 | (b) A special district that is a component unit, as |
| 1141 | defined by generally accepted accounting principles, of a local |
| 1142 | governmental entity shall provide the local governmental entity, |
| 1143 | within a reasonable time period as established by the local |
| 1144 | governmental entity, with financial information necessary to |
| 1145 | comply with this section. The failure of a component unit to |
| 1146 | provide this financial information must be noted in the annual |
| 1147 | financial audit report of the local governmental entity. |
| 1148 | (4) A management letter shall be prepared and included as |
| 1149 | a part of each financial audit report. |
| 1150 | (5) At the conclusion of the audit, the auditor shall |
| 1151 | discuss with the chair of the governing body of the each local |
| 1152 | governmental entity or the chair's designee, or with the elected |
| 1153 | official of each county agency or with the elected official's |
| 1154 | designee, or with the chair of the district school board or the |
| 1155 | chair's designee, or with the chair of the board of the charter |
| 1156 | school or the chair's designee, or with the chair of the board |
| 1157 | of the charter technical career center or the chair's designee, |
| 1158 | as appropriate, all of the auditor's comments that will be |
| 1159 | included in the audit report. If the officer is not available to |
| 1160 | discuss the auditor's comments, their discussion is presumed |
| 1161 | when the comments are delivered in writing to his or her office. |
| 1162 | The auditor shall notify each member of the governing body of a |
| 1163 | local governmental entity, district school board, charter |
| 1164 | school, or charter technical career center for which |
| 1165 | deteriorating financial conditions exist that may cause a |
| 1166 | condition described in s. 218.503(1) to occur if actions are not |
| 1167 | taken to address such conditions. |
| 1168 | (6) The officer's written statement of explanation or |
| 1169 | rebuttal concerning the auditor's findings, including corrective |
| 1170 | action to be taken, must be filed with the governing body of the |
| 1171 | local governmental entity, district school board, charter |
| 1172 | school, or charter technical career center within 30 days after |
| 1173 | the delivery of the auditor's findings. |
| 1174 | (7) All audits conducted pursuant to this section must be |
| 1175 | conducted in accordance with the rules of the Auditor General |
| 1176 | adopted pursuant to s. 11.45. Upon completion of the audit, the |
| 1177 | auditor shall prepare an audit report in accordance with the |
| 1178 | rules of the Auditor General. The audit report shall be filed |
| 1179 | with the Auditor General within 45 days after delivery of the |
| 1180 | audit report to the governing body of the audited entity, but no |
| 1181 | later than 9 months after the end of the audited entity's fiscal |
| 1182 | year. The audit report must include a written statement |
| 1183 | describing corrective actions to be taken in response to each of |
| 1184 | the auditor's recommendations included in the audit report. |
| 1185 | (8) The Auditor General shall notify the Legislative |
| 1186 | Auditing Committee of any audit report prepared pursuant to this |
| 1187 | section which indicates that an audited entity has failed to |
| 1188 | take full corrective action in response to a recommendation that |
| 1189 | was included in the two preceding financial audit reports. |
| 1190 | (a) The committee may direct the governing body of the |
| 1191 | audited entity to provide a written statement to the committee |
| 1192 | explaining why full corrective action has not been taken or, if |
| 1193 | the governing body intends to take full corrective action, |
| 1194 | describing the corrective action to be taken and when it will |
| 1195 | occur. |
| 1196 | (b) If the committee determines that the written statement |
| 1197 | is not sufficient, it may require the chair of the governing |
| 1198 | body of the local governmental entity or the chair's designee, |
| 1199 | the elected official of each county agency or the elected |
| 1200 | official's designee, the chair of the district school board or |
| 1201 | the chair's designee, the chair of the board of the charter |
| 1202 | school or the chair's designee, or the chair of the board of the |
| 1203 | charter technical career center or the chair's designee, as |
| 1204 | appropriate, to appear before the committee. |
| 1205 | (c) If the committee determines that an audited entity has |
| 1206 | failed to take full corrective action for which there is no |
| 1207 | justifiable reason for not taking such action, or has failed to |
| 1208 | comply with committee requests made pursuant to this section, |
| 1209 | the committee may proceed in accordance with s. 11.40(5). |
| 1210 | (9)(7) The predecessor auditor of a district school board |
| 1211 | shall provide the Auditor General access to the prior year's |
| 1212 | working papers in accordance with the Statements on Auditing |
| 1213 | Standards, including documentation of planning, internal |
| 1214 | control, audit results, and other matters of continuing |
| 1215 | accounting and auditing significance, such as the working paper |
| 1216 | analysis of balance sheet accounts and those relating to |
| 1217 | contingencies. |
| 1218 | (8) All audits conducted in accordance with this section |
| 1219 | must be conducted in accordance with the rules of the Auditor |
| 1220 | General promulgated pursuant to s. 11.45. All audit reports and |
| 1221 | the officer's written statement of explanation or rebuttal must |
| 1222 | be submitted to the Auditor General within 45 days after |
| 1223 | delivery of the audit report to the entity's governing body, but |
| 1224 | no later than 12 months after the end of the fiscal year. |
| 1225 | (10)(9) Each charter school and charter technical career |
| 1226 | center must file a copy of its audit report with the sponsoring |
| 1227 | entity; the local district school board, if not the sponsoring |
| 1228 | entity; the Auditor General; and with the Department of |
| 1229 | Education. |
| 1230 | (11)(10) This section does not apply to housing |
| 1231 | authorities created under chapter 421. |
| 1232 | (12)(11) Notwithstanding the provisions of any local law, |
| 1233 | the provisions of this section shall govern. |
| 1234 | Section 21. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section |
| 1235 | 218.503, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 1236 | 218.503 Determination of financial emergency.- |
| 1237 | (1) Local governmental entities, charter schools, charter |
| 1238 | technical career centers, and district school boards shall be |
| 1239 | subject to review and oversight by the Governor, the charter |
| 1240 | school sponsor, the charter technical career center sponsor, or |
| 1241 | the Commissioner of Education, as appropriate, when any one of |
| 1242 | the following conditions occurs: |
| 1243 | (e) A An unreserved or total fund balance or retained |
| 1244 | earnings deficit in total or for that portion of a fund balance |
| 1245 | not classified as restricted, committed, or nonspendable, or a |
| 1246 | unrestricted or total or unrestricted net assets deficit, as |
| 1247 | reported on the balance sheet or statement of net assets on the |
| 1248 | general purpose or fund financial statements of entities |
| 1249 | required to report under governmental financial reporting |
| 1250 | standards or on the basic financial statements of entities |
| 1251 | required to report under not-for-profit financial reporting |
| 1252 | standards, for which sufficient resources of the local |
| 1253 | governmental entity, charter school, charter technical career |
| 1254 | center, or district school board, as reported on the balance |
| 1255 | sheet or statement of net assets on the general purpose or fund |
| 1256 | financial statements, are not available to cover the deficit. |
| 1257 | Resources available to cover reported deficits include fund |
| 1258 | balance or net assets that are not otherwise restricted by |
| 1259 | federal, state, or local laws, bond covenants, contractual |
| 1260 | agreements, or other legal constraints. Property, plant, and |
| 1261 | equipment Fixed or capital assets, the disposal of which would |
| 1262 | impair the ability of a local governmental entity, charter |
| 1263 | school, charter technical career center, or district school |
| 1264 | board to carry out its functions, are not considered resources |
| 1265 | available to cover reported deficits. |
| 1266 | Section 22. Paragraph (c) of subsection (5) of section |
| 1267 | 373.536, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (c) is |
| 1268 | added to subsection (6) of that section, to read: |
| 1269 | 373.536 District budget and hearing thereon.- |
| 1270 | (5) TENTATIVE BUDGET CONTENTS AND SUBMISSION; REVIEW AND |
| 1271 | APPROVAL.- |
| 1272 | (c) Each water management district shall, by August 1 of |
| 1273 | each year, submit for review a tentative budget to the Governor, |
| 1274 | the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of |
| 1275 | Representatives, the chairs of all legislative committees and |
| 1276 | subcommittees with substantive or fiscal jurisdiction over water |
| 1277 | management districts, as determined by the President of the |
| 1278 | Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives as |
| 1279 | applicable, the secretary of the department, and the governing |
| 1280 | body of each county in which the district has jurisdiction or |
| 1281 | derives any funds for the operations of the district. The |
| 1282 | tentative budget must be posted on the water management |
| 1283 | district's official website at least 2 days before budget |
| 1284 | hearings held pursuant to s. 200.065 or other law. |
| 1285 | (6) FINAL BUDGET; ANNUAL AUDIT; CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN; |
| 1286 | WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT WORK PROGRAM.- |
| 1287 | (c) The final adopted budget must be posted on the water |
| 1288 | management district's official website within 30 days after |
| 1289 | adoption. |
| 1290 | Section 23. Subsections (1) and (4) of section 1011.03, |
| 1291 | Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (5) is added to |
| 1292 | that section, to read: |
| 1293 | 1011.03 Public hearings; budget to be submitted to |
| 1294 | Department of Education.- |
| 1295 | (1) Each district school board shall must cause a summary |
| 1296 | of its tentative budget, including the proposed millage levies |
| 1297 | as provided for by law, to be posted on the district's official |
| 1298 | website online and advertised once one time in a newspaper of |
| 1299 | general circulation published in the district or to be posted at |
| 1300 | the courthouse if there be no such newspaper. |
| 1301 | (4) The board shall hold public hearings to adopt |
| 1302 | tentative and final budgets pursuant to s. 200.065. The hearings |
| 1303 | shall be primarily for the purpose of hearing requests and |
| 1304 | complaints from the public regarding the budgets and the |
| 1305 | proposed tax levies and for explaining the budget and proposed |
| 1306 | or adopted amendments thereto, if any. The tentative budget must |
| 1307 | be posted on the district's official website at least 2 days |
| 1308 | before the budget hearing held pursuant to s. 200.065 or other |
| 1309 | law. The final adopted budget must be posted on the district's |
| 1310 | official website within 30 days after adoption. The district |
| 1311 | school board shall then require the superintendent to transmit |
| 1312 | forthwith two copies of the adopted budget to the Department of |
| 1313 | Education for approval as prescribed by law and rules of the |
| 1314 | State Board of Education. |
| 1315 | (5) If the governing body of a district amends the budget, |
| 1316 | the adopted amendment must be posted on the official website of |
| 1317 | the district within 5 days after adoption. |
| 1318 | Section 24. Section 1011.051, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 1319 | to read: |
| 1320 | 1011.051 Guidelines for general funds.-The district school |
| 1321 | board shall maintain a an unreserved general fund ending fund |
| 1322 | balance that is sufficient to address normal contingencies. |
| 1323 | (1) If at any time the portion of the unreserved general |
| 1324 | fund's ending fund balance not classified as restricted, |
| 1325 | committed, or nonspendable in the district's approved operating |
| 1326 | budget is projected to fall during the current fiscal year below |
| 1327 | 3 percent of projected general fund revenues during the current |
| 1328 | fiscal year, the superintendent shall provide written |
| 1329 | notification to the district school board and the Commissioner |
| 1330 | of Education. |
| 1331 | (2) If at any time the portion of the unreserved general |
| 1332 | fund's ending fund balance not classified as restricted, |
| 1333 | committed, or nonspendable in the district's approved operating |
| 1334 | budget is projected to fall during the current fiscal year below |
| 1335 | 2 percent of projected general fund revenues during the current |
| 1336 | fiscal year, the superintendent shall provide written |
| 1337 | notification to the district school board and the Commissioner |
| 1338 | of Education. Within 14 days after receiving such notification, |
| 1339 | if the commissioner determines that the district does not have a |
| 1340 | plan that is reasonably anticipated to avoid a financial |
| 1341 | emergency as determined pursuant to s. 218.503, the commissioner |
| 1342 | shall appoint a financial emergency board that shall operate |
| 1343 | under consistent with the requirements, powers, and duties |
| 1344 | specified in s. 218.503(3)(g). |
| 1345 | Section 25. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section |
| 1346 | 1011.64, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 1347 | 1011.64 School district minimum classroom expenditure |
| 1348 | requirements.- |
| 1349 | (3)(a) Annually the Department of Education shall |
| 1350 | calculate for each school district: |
| 1351 | 1. Total K-12 operating expenditures, which are defined as |
| 1352 | the amount of total general fund expenditures for K-12 programs |
| 1353 | as reported in accordance with the accounts and codes prescribed |
| 1354 | in the most recent issuance of the Department of Education |
| 1355 | publication entitled "Financial and Program Cost Accounting and |
| 1356 | Reporting for Florida Schools" and as included in the most |
| 1357 | recent annual financial report submitted to the Commissioner of |
| 1358 | Education, less the student transportation revenue allocation |
| 1359 | from the state appropriation for that purpose, amounts |
| 1360 | transferred to other funds, and increases to the amount of the |
| 1361 | general fund's fund unreserved ending fund balance not |
| 1362 | classified as restricted, committed, or nonspendable if when the |
| 1363 | total unreserved ending fund balance not classified as |
| 1364 | restricted, committed, or nonspendable is in excess of 5 percent |
| 1365 | of the total general fund revenues. |
| 1366 | 2. Expenditures for classroom instruction, which equal |
| 1367 | shall be the sum of the general fund expenditures for K-12 |
| 1368 | instruction and instructional staff training. |
| 1369 | Section 26. This act shall take effect October 1, 2011. |