Florida Senate - 2026 (PROPOSED BILL) SPB 2502
FOR CONSIDERATION By the Committee on Appropriations
576-02340-26 20262502pb
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act implementing the 2026-2027 General
3 Appropriations Act; providing legislative intent;
4 incorporating by reference certain calculations;
5 amending s. 1001.451, F.S.; revising the services
6 required to be provided by regional consortium service
7 organizations under certain circumstances; revising
8 the allocation that certain regional consortium
9 service organizations are eligible to receive from the
10 General Appropriations Act; requiring regional
11 consortium service organizations to submit certain
12 annual reports to the Department of Education;
13 requiring the carry forward of certain unexpended
14 funds; requiring each regional consortium service
15 organization to provide quarterly financial reports to
16 member districts; requiring member districts to
17 designate fiscal agent districts for certain purposes;
18 providing for compensation of fiscal agent districts;
19 providing for certain personnel recommendations,
20 policies, salary schedules, and job descriptions;
21 authorizing the purchase or lease of property and
22 facilities; providing for the distribution of certain
23 revenues upon dissolution of a regional consortium
24 service organization; revising authorized means of
25 revenue generation; requiring the establishment of a
26 fund balance for certain purposes; providing for the
27 future expiration and reversion of specified statutory
28 text; creating s. 1001.4511, F.S.; creating the
29 Regional Consortia Service Organization Supplemental
30 Services Program; authorizing the use of program funds
31 for specified purposes; requiring each regional
32 consortium service organization to annually report
33 certain information to the Legislature; authorizing
34 the carryforward of certain funds; creating s.
35 1009.635, F.S.; establishing the Rural Incentive for
36 Professional Educators (RIPE) Program within the
37 Department of Education for a specified purpose;
38 providing eligibility requirements for the program;
39 providing for student loan repayment assistance, up to
40 a specified amount; requiring the department to verify
41 certain participant information before disbursement of
42 an award; specifying that the program is administered
43 by the Office of Student Financial Assistance within
44 the department; requiring the State Board of Education
45 to adopt rules by a specified date; authorizing
46 certain state university boards of trustees to accept
47 a health care provider’s procurement methods and
48 construction contracts under certain circumstances;
49 authorizing the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical
50 University board of trustees to expend available
51 reserves or carryforward certain balances for a
52 specified purpose; authorizing the Agency for Health
53 Care Administration to submit a budget amendment to
54 realign Medicaid funding for specified purposes,
55 subject to certain limitations; authorizing the Agency
56 for Health Care Administration to submit a budget
57 amendment to realign funding within the Florida
58 Kidcare program appropriation categories or to
59 increase budget authority for certain purposes;
60 specifying the time period within which such budget
61 amendment must be submitted; amending s. 381.986,
62 F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year the exemption of
63 certain rules pertaining to the medical use of
64 marijuana from certain rulemaking requirements;
65 authorizing the Agency for Health Care Administration
66 to submit a budget amendment requesting additional
67 spending authority to implement specified programs and
68 payments; requiring institutions participating in a
69 specified workforce expansion and education program to
70 provide quarterly reports to the agency; authorizing
71 the Agency for Health Care Administration to submit a
72 budget amendment for a specified purpose; authorizing
73 the Agency for Health Care Administration to submit a
74 budget amendment requesting additional spending
75 authority to implement the Low Income Pool component
76 of the Florida Managed Medical Assistance
77 Demonstration up to a certain amount; requiring that
78 the amendment include a signed attestation and
79 acknowledgment for entities relating to the Low Income
80 Pool; authorizing the Agency for Health Care
81 Administration to submit a budget amendment requesting
82 additional spending authority to implement certain
83 payments and specified programs; authorizing the
84 Agency for Health Care Administration to submit a
85 budget amendment requesting additional spending
86 authority to implement a certified expenditure program
87 for emergency medical transportation services;
88 authorizing the Agency for Health Care Administration
89 to submit a budget amendment requesting additional
90 spending authority to implement the Disproportionate
91 Share Hospital Program; requiring such amendment to
92 include specified information; authorizing the Agency
93 for Health Care Administration to submit a budget
94 amendment requesting additional spending authority to
95 implement fee-for-service inpatient and outpatient
96 supplemental payments for specialty hospitals;
97 authorizing the Agency for Health Care Administration
98 to submit budget amendments to increase budget
99 authority to support the Florida School-Based Services
100 program; requiring the Agency for Health Care
101 Administration to create the Applied Behavior Analysis
102 (ABA) Task Force for a certain purpose; requiring the
103 task force to evaluate certain information and develop
104 recommendations; providing for membership of the task
105 force; requiring the Agency for Health Care
106 Administration to provide staff support; authorizing
107 staff from specified agencies to provide additional
108 expertise; providing for meetings of the task force;
109 providing that members of the task force serve without
110 compensation but are entitled to reimbursement of
111 travel expenses; requiring the task force to provide a
112 report to the Governor and the Legislature by a
113 specified date; authorizing the Department of Children
114 and Families to submit a budget amendment to realign
115 funding within specified areas of the department based
116 on implementation of the Guardianship Assistance
117 Program; authorizing the Department of Children and
118 Families, the Department of Health, and the Agency for
119 Health Care Administration to submit budget amendments
120 to increase budget authority to support certain
121 refugee programs; requiring the Department of Children
122 and Families to submit quarterly reports to the
123 Executive Office of the Governor and the Legislature;
124 authorizing the Department of Children and Families to
125 submit budget amendments to increase budget authority
126 to support specified federal grant programs;
127 reenacting s. 393.066(2), F.S., relating to community
128 services and treatment; providing for the future
129 expiration and reversion of specified statutory text;
130 amending s. 394.9082, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal
131 year the authority of a managing entity to carry
132 forward certain unexpended funds; specifying that
133 nonqualified funds carried forward are not included in
134 a cumulative cap on the percentage that may be carried
135 forward; amending s. 409.9913, F.S.; requiring that
136 core services funding be allocated as provided in the
137 General Appropriations Act; requiring the Department
138 of Children and Families to continue to collect
139 certain data from community-based care lead agencies
140 and to use a certain Tiered Funding Model; requiring
141 community-based care lead agencies to submit certain
142 data to the department; requiring the department to
143 conduct certain ongoing performance monitoring;
144 requiring the department to provide monthly status
145 reports to the Governor and the Legislature; requiring
146 the department to submit a final report to the
147 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date;
148 amending s. 409.990, F.S.; requiring that certain
149 funds held by a community-based care lead agency and
150 carried forward be returned to the Department of
151 Children and Families; requiring the department to
152 hold such funds in a separate account and report
153 certain information to specified entities; providing
154 for the reversion of such funds to the General Revenue
155 Fund; authorizing the Department of Health to submit a
156 budget amendment to increase budget authority for the
157 Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
158 Children (WIC) and the Child Care Food Program if a
159 certain condition is met; authorizing the Department
160 of Health to submit a budget amendment to increase
161 budget authority for the HIV/AIDS Prevention and
162 Treatment Program if a certain condition is met;
163 authorizing the Department of Health to submit a
164 budget amendment to increase budget authority for the
165 department if additional federal revenues specific to
166 COVID-19 relief funds become available; requiring the
167 Agency for Health Care Administration to replace the
168 Florida Medicaid Management Information System (FMMIS)
169 and fiscal agent operations with a specified new
170 system; specifying items that may not be included in
171 the new system; providing directives to the Agency for
172 Health Care Administration related to the new Florida
173 Health Care Connection (FX) system; requiring the
174 Agency for Health Care Administration to meet certain
175 requirements in replacing FMMIS and the current
176 Medicaid fiscal agent; requiring the Agency for Health
177 Care Administration to implement a specified program
178 governance structure that includes an executive
179 steering committee composed of specified members;
180 providing the duties of the executive steering
181 committee; requiring the establishment of specified
182 working groups; providing the composition of such
183 groups; providing requirements for such groups;
184 requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration to
185 contract for a certain assessment of the agency’s
186 Medicaid management information system (MMIS);
187 providing requirements for the assessment; requiring
188 submission of the assessment to specified entities by
189 a certain date; requiring the agency to develop a new
190 time-phased implementation roadmap for the MMIS
191 replacement based on the assessment; requiring the
192 agency to submit the roadmap to specified entities by
193 a certain date; requiring the Agency for Health Care
194 Administration, in consultation with the Department of
195 Health, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the
196 Department of Children and Families, and the
197 Department of Corrections, to competitively procure a
198 contract with a vendor to negotiate prices for certain
199 prescribed drugs and biological products; providing
200 specifications for such contract; authorizing the
201 issuance or renewal of certain inactive or partially
202 inactive licenses to skilled nursing providers and
203 requiring the extension of certificate-of-need
204 validity periods under certain circumstances;
205 providing for subsequent renewal periods of such
206 inactive licenses and validity periods under certain
207 circumstances; authorizing the Agency for Persons with
208 Disabilities to submit budget amendments to transfer
209 funding from the Salaries and Benefits appropriation
210 categories for a specified purpose; authorizing the
211 Agency for Persons with Disabilities to submit budget
212 amendments to request funds from the Lump Sum-Home and
213 Community-Based Waiver category for a specified
214 purpose; authorizing the Agency for Health Care
215 Administration and the Agency for Persons with
216 Disabilities to submit budget amendments within a
217 specified timeframe for a specified purpose;
218 authorizing the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to
219 submit a budget amendment, subject to Legislative
220 Budget Commission approval, requesting certain
221 authority for certain purposes relating to veterans’
222 nursing homes; amending s. 409.915, F.S.; extending
223 for 1 year the expiration of an exception for certain
224 funds used for the hospital directed payment program;
225 authorizing the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to
226 expend certain funds and submit budget amendments,
227 subject to certain approval, for the planning and
228 construction of a new State Veterans’ Nursing Home and
229 Adult Day Health Center in a specified county;
230 authorizing the department to apply for a specified
231 federal grant for the Collier County State Veterans’
232 Nursing Home; authorizing the Department of Elderly
233 Affairs to submit a budget amendment requesting
234 certain authority for an Adult Care Food Program or
235 the Older Americans Act under certain circumstances;
236 amending s. 216.262, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year
237 the authority of the Department of Corrections to
238 submit a budget amendment for additional positions and
239 appropriations under certain circumstances; amending
240 s. 215.18, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year the
241 authority and related repayment requirements for
242 temporary trust fund loans to the state court system
243 which are sufficient to meet the system’s
244 appropriation; requiring the Department of Juvenile
245 Justice to review county juvenile detention payments
246 to determine whether a county has met specified
247 financial responsibilities; requiring that amounts
248 owed by a certain county for such financial
249 responsibilities be deducted from certain county
250 funds; requiring the Department of Revenue to transfer
251 withheld funds to a specified trust fund; requiring
252 the Department of Revenue to ensure that such
253 reductions in amounts distributed do not reduce
254 distributions below amounts necessary for certain
255 payments due on bonds and to comply with bond
256 covenants; requiring the Department of Revenue to
257 notify the Department of Juvenile Justice if bond
258 payment requirements mandate a reduction in deductions
259 for amounts owed by a county; requiring the Department
260 of Juvenile Justice to take certain actions;
261 reenacting s. 27.40(1), (2)(a), (3)(a), (5), (6), and
262 (7), F.S., relating to court-appointed counsel;
263 providing for the future expiration and reversion of
264 specified statutory text; reenacting and amending s.
265 27.5304, F.S., relating to the extension for 1 fiscal
266 year of limitations on compensation for representation
267 in criminal proceedings; providing for the future
268 expiration and reversion of specified statutory text;
269 amending s. 908.1033, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal
270 year provisions authorizing local law enforcement
271 agencies to apply to the State Board of Immigration
272 Enforcement to provide bonus payments for certain
273 certified correctional officers; amending s. 934.50,
274 F.S.; creating the Drone as First Responder Grant
275 Program within the Department of Law Enforcement;
276 providing the purpose of the program; providing
277 eligibility requirements; requiring the department to
278 develop an application process and allocate funds on a
279 first-come, first-served basis; requiring that grants
280 be matched by local funds in a specified percentage;
281 authorizing the department to waive the matching funds
282 requirement for certain agencies; defining the term
283 “first responder agency”; authorizing the department
284 to adopt rules; authorizing emergency rulemaking;
285 requiring the Department of Management Services, with
286 the cooperation of certain agencies, to use tenant
287 broker services to renegotiate or reprocure certain
288 private lease agreements for office or storage space;
289 requiring the Department of Management Services to
290 provide a report to the Governor and the Legislature
291 by a specified date; prohibiting an agency from
292 transferring funds from a data processing category to
293 another category other than another data processing
294 category; authorizing the Executive Office of the
295 Governor to transfer funds appropriated in certain
296 categories between departments for purposes of
297 aligning amounts paid for risk management insurance
298 and for human resources services purchased per
299 statewide contract; authorizing the Department of
300 Management Services to use certain facility
301 disposition funds from the Architects Incidental Trust
302 Fund to pay for certain relocation expenses;
303 authorizing the Department of Management Services to
304 submit budget amendments for an increase in
305 appropriation under certain circumstances; requiring
306 that such amendments include specified information;
307 requiring the Department of Financial Services to
308 replace specified components of the Florida Accounting
309 Information Resource Subsystem (FLAIR) and the Cash
310 Management Subsystem (CMS) with a specified integrated
311 enterprise system; prohibiting the Department of
312 Financial Services from including certain components
313 in the replacement of FLAIR and CMS; providing
314 requirements for the Department of Financial Services
315 related to replacing FLAIR and CMS; providing for the
316 composition of an executive steering committee to
317 oversee FLAIR and CMS replacement; providing
318 requirements for the executive steering committee
319 chair; providing duties and responsibilities of the
320 executive steering committee; reenacting s.
321 282.709(3), F.S., relating to the state agency law
322 enforcement radio system and interoperability network;
323 providing for future expiration and reversion of
324 specified statutory text; authorizing state agencies
325 and other eligible users of the Statewide Law
326 Enforcement Radio System to use the Department of
327 Management Services contract to purchase equipment and
328 services; requiring that a specified transaction fee
329 percentage for use of the online procurement system be
330 collected for a specified fiscal year; amending s.
331 24.105, F.S.; specifying requirements for the adoption
332 of rules of the Department of the Lottery, excluding
333 certain rules for 1 fiscal year regarding the
334 commission for lottery ticket sales; limiting
335 additional retailer compensation in a specified
336 manner; providing for the future expiration and
337 reversion of specified statutory text; amending s.
338 627.351, F.S.; extending for 1 year the specified
339 authority of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation;
340 amending s. 215.5586, F.S.; extending for 1 year the
341 homeowner eligibility criteria for a hurricane
342 mitigation grant from the My Safe Florida Home
343 Program; providing that certain funds appropriated to
344 the Department of Financial Services may be carried
345 forward through a specified fiscal year; authorizing
346 the Executive Office of the Governor to transfer funds
347 between departments to align the budget authority
348 granted based on the estimated costs for data
349 processing services for a specified fiscal year;
350 limiting the auxiliary assessments that may be charged
351 to state agencies related to contract management
352 services provided to the Northwest Regional Data
353 Center; reenacting and amending s. 284.51, F.S.,
354 relating to the electroencephalogram combined
355 transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment (eTMS)
356 pilot program; extending for 1 year the expiration of
357 the program; requiring the Department of Financial
358 Services to continue its existing contract for the
359 establishment of the eTMS pilot program for veterans
360 and first responders; amending s. 717.123, F.S.;
361 authorizing the Department of Financial Services to
362 retain specified funds, not to exceed a certain
363 amount; requiring that the funds be held in a separate
364 account; requiring the department to make prompt
365 payment of certain claims from the separate account;
366 amending s. 215.18, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year
367 certain authority to transfer funds from certain trust
368 funds in the State Treasury to other trust funds in
369 certain circumstances; requiring the Department of
370 Environmental Protection to transfer designated
371 proportions of the revenues deposited in the Land
372 Acquisition Trust Fund within the department to land
373 acquisition trust funds in the Department of
374 Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of
375 State, and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
376 Commission according to specified parameters and
377 calculations; defining the term “department”;
378 requiring the Department of Environmental Protection
379 to make transfers to land acquisition trust funds
380 monthly; specifying the method of determining transfer
381 amounts; authorizing the Department of Environmental
382 Protection to advance funds from its land acquisition
383 trust fund to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
384 Commission’s land acquisition trust fund for specified
385 purposes; amending s. 259.105, F.S.; requiring that
386 proceeds from a specified trust fund be distributed as
387 provided in the General Appropriations Act for a
388 specified fiscal year; amending s. 376.91, F.S.;
389 extending for 1 year the date by which the Department
390 of Environmental Protection shall adopt statewide
391 cleanup target levels for PFAS under certain
392 circumstances; providing for future expiration and
393 reversion of specified statutory text; reenacting s.
394 376.3071(15)(g), F.S., relating to the Inland
395 Protection Trust Fund; providing for the future
396 expiration and reversion of specified statutory text;
397 requiring the Department of Citrus to enter into
398 agreements for specified purposes by a certain date;
399 requiring the Department of Citrus to file certain
400 information with the department’s Inspector General;
401 reenacting s. 380.5105, F.S., relating to the Stan
402 Mayfield Working Waterfronts; providing for the future
403 expiration and reversion of specified statutory text;
404 authorizing the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
405 Commission to use specified funds to provide grants
406 for a specified purpose; amending s. 403.890, F.S.;
407 authorizing the use of revenues deposited into or
408 appropriated to the Water Protection and
409 Sustainability Program Trust Fund as provided in the
410 General Appropriations Act; amending s. 375.041, F.S.;
411 extending for 1 fiscal year the requirement that funds
412 for the Land Acquisition Trust Fund be appropriated in
413 a specified manner; authorizing the Department of
414 Agriculture and Consumer Services to lease an existing
415 facility and administer a specified program;
416 authorizing the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
417 Services to submit budget amendments to increase
418 budget authority for the National School Lunch
419 Program; amending s. 288.80125, F.S.; extending for 1
420 fiscal year a requirement that the use of funds in the
421 Triumph Gulf Coast Trust Fund be related to Hurricane
422 Michael recovery; amending s. 339.135, F.S.; extending
423 for 1 year the authority for the chair and vice chair
424 of the Legislative Budget Commission to approve
425 certain work program amendments under specified
426 circumstances; authorizing the Department of
427 Transportation to request a specified amount of budget
428 authority to the extent necessary to advance or defer
429 certain projects in the Work Program and align
430 resources for a specified purpose; amending s.
431 288.0655, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year a
432 requirement that certain appropriated funds relating
433 to the Rural Infrastructure Fund be distributed in a
434 specified manner; creating s. 288.013, F.S.; providing
435 legislative findings; creating the Office of Rural
436 Prosperity within the Department of Commerce;
437 requiring the Governor to appoint a director, subject
438 to Senate confirmation; providing that the director
439 reports to and serves at the pleasure of the secretary
440 of the department; providing duties of the office;
441 requiring the office to establish and staff a certain
442 number of regional rural community liaison centers for
443 a specified purpose; providing the powers and duties
444 of the liaison centers; requiring coordination between
445 certain entities; requiring the liaison centers to
446 engage with the Rural Economic Development Initiative
447 (REDI); requiring at least one staff member of a
448 liaison center to attend the monthly REDI meetings in
449 person or by means of electronic communication;
450 requiring the director of the office to submit a
451 report to the Administration Commission within the
452 Executive Office of the Governor; specifying
453 requirements for the report; requiring that the report
454 also be submitted to the Legislature by a specified
455 date and published on the office’s website; requiring
456 the director of the office to attend the next
457 Administration Commission meeting to present detailed
458 information from the annual report; amending s.
459 288.001, F.S.; requiring the Florida Small Business
460 Development Center Network to use certain funds
461 appropriated for a specified purpose; authorizing the
462 network to dedicate funds to facilitate certain
463 events; creating s. 288.014, F.S.; providing
464 legislative findings; requiring the Office of Rural
465 Prosperity to administer the Renaissance Grants
466 Program to provide block grants to eligible
467 communities; requiring the Office of Economic and
468 Demographic Research to certify to the Office of Rural
469 Prosperity certain information by a specified date;
470 defining the term “growth-impeded”; requiring the
471 Office of Economic and Demographic Research to certify
472 annually that a county remains growth-impeded until
473 certain conditions are met; providing that a county is
474 eligible to participate in the program for 1
475 additional year under certain circumstances; requiring
476 participating counties to enter into an agreement with
477 the Office of Rural Prosperity to receive a block
478 grant; giving such counties certain authority;
479 prohibiting the Office of Rural Prosperity from
480 determining how such counties implement the block
481 grant; requiring regional rural community liaison
482 center staff to provide certain assistance; requiring
483 participating counties to report certain information
484 to the Office of Rural Prosperity; providing that a
485 participating county receives a specified amount from
486 funds appropriated to the program, or an equal share
487 of the funds appropriated under certain circumstances;
488 requiring participating counties to limit certain
489 expenses; authorizing participating counties to
490 supplement the block grant with other funding sources;
491 requiring participating counties to hire and retain a
492 renaissance coordinator; providing the
493 responsibilities of the renaissance coordinator;
494 requiring the regional rural community liaison center
495 staff to provide assistance and training to the
496 renaissance coordinator, upon request; requiring
497 participating counties to design a certain plan;
498 specifying requirements for such plan; requiring
499 participating counties to develop intergovernmental
500 agreements with certain entities to implement the
501 plan; requiring the Auditor General to conduct an
502 operational audit of each county’s grant activities;
503 requiring the Office of Economic and Demographic
504 Research to submit a certain report to the
505 Legislature; specifying requirements for the report;
506 providing that funds appropriated from the program are
507 not subject to reversion; creating s. 288.0175, F.S.;
508 creating the Public Infrastructure Smart Technology
509 Grant Program within the Office of Rural Prosperity;
510 defining terms; requiring the office to contract with
511 one or more smart technology lead organizations to
512 administer the grant program for a specified purpose;
513 providing the criteria for such contracts; requiring
514 that a summary of projects funded by the grant program
515 be included in the office’s annual report; amending s.
516 288.065, F.S.; establishing the Rural Community
517 Development Revolving Loan Fund within the Office of
518 Rural Prosperity, rather than the Department of
519 Commerce; defining the term “unit of local
520 government”; requiring the office to include in its
521 annual report certain information about the Rural
522 Community Development Revolving Loan Fund; providing
523 for future expiration and reversion of specified
524 statutory text; authorizing the Division of Emergency
525 Management to submit budget amendments to increase
526 budget authority for certain expenditures under
527 certain circumstances; amending s. 282.201, F.S.;
528 extending for 1 year the Division of Emergency
529 Management’s exemption from the use of the state data
530 center; amending s. 443.1113, F.S.; providing that
531 certain improvements to the Reemployment Assistance
532 Claims and Benefits Information System are subject to
533 appropriation; revising the date a certain report from
534 the Department of Commerce is required to be
535 submitted; revising the report requirements; providing
536 for the future expiration and reversion of specified
537 statutory text; reenacting and amending s. 445.08,
538 F.S., relating to the Florida Law Enforcement
539 Recruitment Bonus Payment Program; extending the
540 program for 1 year; authorizing the Department of
541 Commerce to submit budget amendments to increase
542 budget authority to support specified federal grant
543 programs; requiring the Department of Management
544 Services to assess an administrative health insurance
545 assessment on each state agency; providing the rate of
546 such assessment; defining the term “state agency”;
547 requiring the Department of Management Services to
548 take certain actions in case of delinquencies;
549 requiring the Chief Financial Officer to transfer
550 funds under specified circumstances; requiring state
551 agencies to provide a list of positions that qualify
552 for a certain exception by a specified date and to
553 update the list monthly thereafter; requiring state
554 agencies to include the administrative health
555 insurance assessment in their indirect cost plan
556 beginning for a specified fiscal year and annually
557 thereafter; requiring agencies to notify the
558 Department of Management Services, the Executive
559 Office of the Governor, and the Legislature regarding
560 the approval of their updated indirect cost plans;
561 authorizing the Executive Office of the Governor to
562 transfer budget authority between agencies in
563 specified circumstances; providing that the annual
564 salaries of the members of the Legislature be
565 maintained at a specified level for a specified fiscal
566 year; reenacting s. 215.32(2)(b), F.S., relating to
567 the authorization for transferring unappropriated cash
568 balances from selected trust funds to the Budget
569 Stabilization Fund and General Revenue Fund; providing
570 for the future expiration and reversion of specified
571 statutory text; specifying the type of travel which
572 may be used with state employee travel funds for a
573 specified fiscal year; providing exceptions; providing
574 applicability; providing a monetary cap on lodging
575 costs for state employee travel to certain meetings
576 organized or sponsored by a state agency or the
577 judicial branch; authorizing employees to expend their
578 own funds for lodging expenses that exceed the
579 monetary caps; providing construction; amending s.
580 216.181, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year the
581 authority of the Legislative Budget Commission to
582 approve budget amendments for certain fixed capital
583 outlay projects; amending s. 216.292, F.S.; extending
584 for 1 fiscal year the requirements for certain
585 transfers; authorizing state agencies to purchase
586 vehicles from nonstate term contract vendors without
587 prior approval from the Department of Management
588 Services under certain circumstances; amending s.
589 11.52, F.S.; extending for 1 year certain state agency
590 reporting requirements regarding implementation of
591 legislation; amending s. 216.013, F.S.; extending for
592 1 fiscal year an exception from certain planning
593 requirements; amending s. 216.023, F.S.; extending for
594 1 year a requirement that certain entities include a
595 specified inventory in their legislative budget
596 requests; requiring that a specified percentage of
597 funds appropriated for information technology projects
598 be held in reserve and that general revenue funds not
599 held in reserve be released; authorizing the Agency
600 for Health Care Administration, Department of Children
601 and Families, Department of Corrections, Department of
602 Financial Services, Florida Gaming Control Commission,
603 Department of Health, and Department of Revenue to
604 submit a budget amendment to request release of funds;
605 limiting the amount that may be requested; providing
606 that release is contingent upon certain submissions;
607 requiring entities receiving such funds to submit
608 monthly project status reports to certain entities;
609 providing requirements for such status reports;
610 providing conditions under which the veto of certain
611 appropriations or proviso language in the General
612 Appropriations Act voids language that implements such
613 appropriation; providing for the continued operation
614 of certain provisions notwithstanding a future repeal
615 or expiration provided by the act; providing for
616 severability; providing for contingent retroactivity;
617 providing effective dates.
618
619 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
620
621 Section 1. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
622 implementing and administering provisions of this act apply to
623 the General Appropriations Act for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
624 Section 2. In order to implement Specific Appropriations 5,
625 6, 88, and 89 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, the
626 calculations of the Florida Education Finance Program for the
627 2026-2027 fiscal year included in the document titled “Public
628 School Funding: The Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP)
629 Fiscal Year 2026-2027,” dated February 13, 2026, and filed with
630 the Secretary of the Senate, are incorporated by reference for
631 the purpose of displaying the calculations used by the
632 Legislature, consistent with the requirements of state law, in
633 making appropriations for the Florida Education Finance Program.
634 This section expires July 1, 2027.
635 Section 3. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 80
636 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, the school
637 readiness reimbursement rates for the 2026-2027 fiscal year
638 included in the document titled “School Readiness Program
639 Reimbursement Rates Fiscal Year 2026-2027,” dated February 13,
640 2026, and filed with the Secretary of the Senate, are
641 incorporated by reference, consistent with the requirements of
642 state law, in making appropriations for the school readiness
643 program allocation. This section expires July 1, 2027.
644 Section 4. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 102
645 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, subsections (1),
646 (2), and (5) of section 1001.451, Florida Statutes, are amended
647 to read:
648 1001.451 Regional consortium service organizations.—In
649 order to provide a full range of programs to larger numbers of
650 students, minimize duplication of services, and encourage the
651 development of new programs and services:
652 (1) School districts with 20,000 or fewer unweighted full
653 time equivalent students, developmental research (laboratory)
654 schools established pursuant to s. 1002.32, and the Florida
655 School for the Deaf and the Blind may enter into cooperative
656 agreements to form a regional consortium service organization.
657 Each regional consortium service organization shall provide any,
658 at a minimum, three of the following services determined
659 necessary and appropriate by the board of directors:
660 (a) Exceptional student education;
661 (b) Safe schools support teacher education centers;
662 environmental education;
663 (c) State and federal grant procurement and coordination;
664 (d) Data services processing; health
665 (e) Insurance services;
666 (f) Risk management insurance;
667 (g) Professional learning;
668 (h) College, career, and workforce development;
669 (i) Business and operational services staff development;
670 (j) Purchasing; or
671 (k) Planning and accountability.
672 (2)(a) Each regional consortium service organization
673 composed that consists of four or more school districts is
674 eligible to receive, through the Department of Education,
675 subject to the funds provided in the General Appropriations Act,
676 an allocation incentive grant of $150,000 $50,000 per school
677 district and eligible member to be used for the delivery of
678 services within the participating school districts. The
679 determination of services and use of such funds must shall be
680 established by the board of directors of the regional consortium
681 service organization. The funds must shall be distributed to
682 each regional consortium service organization no later than 30
683 days following the release of the funds to the department. Each
684 regional consortium service organization shall submit an annual
685 report to the department regarding the use of funds for
686 consortia services. Unexpended amounts in any fund in a
687 consortium’s current year operating budget must be carried
688 forward and included as the balance forward for that fund in the
689 approved operating budget for the following year. Each regional
690 consortium service organization shall provide quarterly
691 financial reports to member districts.
692 (b) Member districts shall designate a district to serve as
693 a fiscal agent for contractual and reporting purposes. Such
694 fiscal agent district is entitled to reasonable compensation for
695 accounting and other services performed. The regional consortium
696 service organization shall retain all funds received from grants
697 or contracted services to cover indirect or administrative costs
698 associated with the provision of such services. The regional
699 consortium service organization board of directors shall
700 determine the products and services to be provided by the
701 consortium; however, in all contractual matters, the school
702 board of the fiscal agent district shall act on proposed actions
703 of the regional consortium service organization.
704 (c) The regional consortium service organization board of
705 directors shall recommend establishment of positions and
706 individuals for appointment to the fiscal agent district.
707 Personnel must be employed under the personnel policies of the
708 fiscal agent district and are deemed to be public employees of
709 the fiscal agent district. The regional consortium service
710 organization board of directors may recommend a salary schedule
711 and job descriptions specific to its personnel.
712 (d) The regional consortium service organization may
713 purchase or lease property and facilities essential for its
714 operations and is responsible for their maintenance and
715 associated overhead costs.
716 (e) If a regional consortium service organization is
717 dissolved, any revenue from the sale of assets must be
718 distributed among the member districts as determined by the
719 board of directors Application for incentive grants shall be
720 made to the Commissioner of Education by July 30 of each year
721 for distribution to qualifying regional consortium service
722 organizations by January 1 of the fiscal year.
723 (5) The board of directors of a regional consortium service
724 organization may use various means to generate revenue in
725 support of its activities, including, but not limited to,
726 contracting for services to nonmember districts. The board of
727 directors may acquire, enjoy, use, and dispose of patents,
728 copyrights, and trademarks and any licenses and associated other
729 rights or interests thereunder or therein. Ownership of all such
730 patents, copyrights, trademarks, licenses, and associated rights
731 or interests thereunder or therein shall vest in the state, with
732 the board of directors having full right of use and full right
733 to retain associated the revenues derived therefrom. Any funds
734 realized from contracted services, patents, copyrights,
735 trademarks, or licenses are shall be considered internal funds
736 as provided in s. 1011.07. A fund balance must be established
737 for maintaining or expanding services, facilities maintenance,
738 terminal pay, and other liabilities Such funds shall be used to
739 support the organization’s marketing and research and
740 development activities in order to improve and increase services
741 to its member districts.
742 Section 5. The amendments to s. 1001.451, Florida Statutes,
743 made by this act expire July 1, 2027, and the text of that
744 section shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2026,
745 except that any amendments to such text enacted other than by
746 this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
747 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
748 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
749 Section 6. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 102
750 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, section 1001.4511,
751 Florida Statutes, is created to read:
752 1001.4511 Regional Consortia Service Organization
753 Supplemental Services Program.—
754 (1) There is created the Regional Consortia Service
755 Organization Supplemental Services Program to increase the
756 ability of regional consortium service organizations under s.
757 1001.451 to provide programs and services to consortia members
758 through cooperative agreements. Program funds may be used to
759 supplement member needs related to transportation; district
760 finance personnel services; property insurance, including
761 property insurance obtained from any source; cybersecurity
762 support; school safety; college, career, and workforce
763 development; academic support; and behavior support within
764 exceptional student education services.
765 (2) Each regional consortium service organization shall
766 annually report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker
767 of the House of Representatives the distribution of funds,
768 including members awarded and services provided.
769 (3) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351,
770 funds allocated for this purpose which are not disbursed by June
771 30 of the fiscal year in which the funds are allocated may be
772 carried forward for up to 5 years after the effective date of
773 the original appropriation.
774 (4) This section expires July 1, 2027.
775 Section 7. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 64A
776 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, section 1009.635,
777 Florida Statutes, is created to read:
778 1009.635 Rural Incentive for Professional Educators
779 Program.—
780 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Rural Incentive for Professional
781 Educators (RIPE) Program is established within the Department of
782 Education to support the recruitment and retention of qualified
783 instructional personnel in rural communities. The program shall
784 provide financial assistance for the repayment of student loans
785 for eligible participants who establish permanent residency and
786 employment in rural areas of opportunity.
787 (2) ELIGIBILITY.—An individual is eligible to participate
788 in the RIPE Program if he or she does all of the following:
789 (a) Establishes permanent residency on or after July 1,
790 2026, in a rural area of opportunity as designated pursuant to
791 s. 288.0656. The address on an individual’s state-issued
792 identification card or driver license is evidence of residence.
793 (b) Secures full-time employment as a teacher or
794 administrator in a private school as defined in s. 1002.01, or
795 as instructional or administrative personnel as those terms are
796 defined in s. 1012.01(2) and (3), respectively, in the public
797 school district located within the same rural area of
798 opportunity as he or she resides.
799 (c) Holds an associate degree, bachelor’s degree,
800 postgraduate degree, or certificate from an accredited
801 institution earned before establishing residency.
802 (d) Has an active student loan balance incurred for the
803 completion of the qualifying degree or certificate.
804 (3) LOAN REPAYMENT.—Eligible participants may receive up to
805 $15,000 in total student loan repayment assistance over 5 years,
806 disbursed in annual payments not to exceed $3,000 per year.
807 Payments must be made directly to the lender servicing the
808 participant’s student loan.
809 (4) AWARD DISTRIBUTION.—Before disbursement of an award,
810 the department shall verify that the participant:
811 (a) Has maintained continuous employment with the school
812 district in an instructional or administrative position;
813 (b) Has received a rating of effective or highly effective
814 pursuant to s. 1012.34; and
815 (c) Has not been placed on probation, had his or her
816 certificate suspended or revoked, or been placed on the
817 disqualification list, pursuant to s. 1012.796.
818 (5) ADMINISTRATION.—The program shall be administered by
819 the Office of Student Financial Assistance within the Department
820 of Education, which shall:
821 (a) Develop application procedures requiring documentation,
822 including proof of residency, verification of employment,
823 official academic transcripts, and details of outstanding
824 student loans; and
825 (b) Monitor compliance with program requirements.
826 (6) RULEMAKING.—The State Board of Education shall adopt
827 rules no later than January 31, 2027, to administer this
828 section.
829 (7) EXPIRATION.—This section expires July 1, 2027.
830 Section 8. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 17
831 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, a state university
832 board of trustees that is beginning an approved capital outlay
833 project with a health care provider may accept the health care
834 provider’s procurement methods and construction contracts
835 entered thereunder and may reimburse the health care provider
836 for its expenses using the proceeds from a bond issuance
837 approved by the Board of Governors. This section expires July 1,
838 2027.
839 Section 9. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 152
840 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding
841 ss. 1011.45 and 1012.975, Florida Statutes, the Florida
842 Agricultural and Mechanical University board of trustees may
843 expend available reserves or carry forward balances from
844 previous years’ operational and programmatic appropriations, or
845 other available reserves or balances from funds not appropriated
846 from the General Revenue Fund, from state trust funds, or from
847 tuition and fees, for the remuneration of the president of the
848 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. This section
849 expires July 1, 2027.
850 Section 10. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
851 209 through 237 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
852 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
853 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
854 amendment, subject to the notice, review, and objection
855 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to realign funding
856 within the Medicaid program appropriation categories to address
857 projected surpluses and deficits within the program and to
858 maximize the use of state trust funds. A single budget amendment
859 shall be submitted in the last quarter of the 2026-2027 fiscal
860 year only. This section expires July 1, 2027.
861 Section 11. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
862 190 through 195 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
863 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
864 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
865 amendment, subject to the notice, review, and objection
866 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to realign funding
867 within the Florida Kidcare program appropriation categories, or
868 to increase budget authority in the Children’s Medical Services
869 network category, to address projected surpluses and deficits
870 within the program or to maximize the use of state trust funds.
871 A single budget amendment must be submitted in the last quarter
872 of the 2026-2027 fiscal year only. This section expires July 1,
873 2027.
874 Section 12. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
875 490 through 499 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
876 subsection (17) of section 381.986, Florida Statutes, is amended
877 to read:
878 381.986 Medical use of marijuana.—
879 (17) Rules adopted pursuant to this section before July 1,
880 2027 2026, are not subject to ss. 120.54(3)(b) and 120.541. This
881 subsection expires July 1, 2027 2026.
882 Section 13. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
883 217, 219, and 223 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
884 the Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
885 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
886 additional spending authority to implement the federally
887 approved directed payment program for hospitals statewide
888 providing inpatient and outpatient services to Medicaid managed
889 care enrollees, the Indirect Medical Education (IME) Program,
890 and a nursing workforce expansion and education program for
891 certain institutions participating in a graduate medical
892 education or nursing education program. For institutions
893 participating in the nursing workforce expansion and education
894 program, the budget amendment must identify the educational
895 institutions partnering with the teaching hospital. Institutions
896 participating in the nursing workforce expansion and education
897 program shall provide quarterly reports to the agency detailing
898 the number of nurses participating in the program. This section
899 expires July 1, 2027.
900 Section 14. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
901 217, 219, and 223 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
902 the Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
903 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
904 additional spending authority to implement the federally
905 approved Directed Payment Program and fee-for-service
906 supplemental payments for cancer hospitals that meet the
907 criteria in 42 U.S.C. s. 1395ww(d)(1)(B)(v). This section
908 expires July 1, 2027.
909 Section 15. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
910 209 through 237 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, the
911 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
912 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
913 additional spending authority to implement the Low Income Pool
914 component of the Florida Managed Medical Assistance
915 Demonstration up to the total computable funds authorized by the
916 federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The budget
917 amendment must include the final terms and conditions of the Low
918 Income Pool, a proposed distribution model by entity, and a
919 listing of entities contributing intergovernmental transfers to
920 support the state match required. In addition, for each entity
921 included in the distribution model, a signed attestation must be
922 provided which includes the charity care cost upon which the Low
923 Income Pool payment is based and an acknowledgment that should
924 the distribution result in an overpayment based on the Low
925 Income Pool cost limit audit, the entity is responsible for
926 returning that overpayment to the agency for return to the
927 federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This section
928 expires July 1, 2027.
929 Section 16. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
930 222 and 223 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, the
931 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
932 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
933 additional spending authority to implement fee-for-service
934 supplemental payments and a directed payment program for
935 physicians and subordinate licensed health care practitioners
936 employed by or under contract with a Florida medical or dental
937 school, or a public hospital. This section expires July 1, 2027.
938 Section 17. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
939 220, 223, and 235 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
940 the Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
941 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
942 additional spending authority to implement a certified
943 expenditure program for emergency medical transportation
944 services. This section expires July 1, 2027.
945 Section 18. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
946 209 through 237 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
947 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
948 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
949 amendment, subject to the notice, review, and objection
950 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, requesting
951 additional spending authority to implement the Disproportionate
952 Share Hospital Program. The budget amendment must include a
953 proposed distribution model by entity and a listing of entities
954 contributing intergovernmental transfers and certified public
955 expenditures to support the state match required. This section
956 expires July 1, 2027.
957 Section 19. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
958 209 through 237 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, the
959 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
960 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
961 additional spending authority to implement fee-for-service
962 inpatient and outpatient supplemental payments for specialty
963 hospitals as defined in s. 395.002(28), Florida Statutes,
964 providing comprehensive acute care services to children with
965 Medicaid inpatient utilization equal to or greater than 50
966 percent and located in a county with greater than 250,000
967 Medicaid enrollees in 2023. This section expires July 1, 2027.
968 Section 20. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
969 201 and 228 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
970 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
971 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit budget
972 amendments, subject to the notice, review, and objection
973 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to increase budget
974 authority to support the Florida School-Based Services program.
975 This section expires July 1, 2027.
976 Section 21. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
977 209 through 237 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act:
978 (1) the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Task Force, a task
979 force as defined in s. 20.03(5), Florida Statutes, is created
980 within the Agency for Health Care Administration to evaluate the
981 delivery of applied behavior analysis services in a manner that
982 promotes high-quality, family-centered care while ensuring long
983 term financial sustainability of the Medicaid program and cost
984 predictability without disrupting access for current enrollees
985 and families.
986 (2) The task force shall evaluate:
987 (a) Clinical care models that lead to best practices for
988 the provision of therapy at the appropriate ages;
989 (b) Appropriate transitions for enrollees receiving ABA
990 services across developmental, educational, and community
991 settings;
992 (c) Quality metrics for ABA therapy services;
993 (d) Limits and utilization controls related to the length
994 of time ABA services may be authorized;
995 (e) Potential caps on the number of months an enrollee may
996 receive ABA services; and
997 (f) Ways to enhance Medicaid provider enrollment and
998 billing standards for ABA services to promote program integrity
999 and fiscal accountability.
1000 (3) The task force shall develop recommendations for
1001 revising the state’s service delivery model to improve care
1002 experience and service continuity for enrollees and families
1003 receiving ABA services, while safeguarding long-term program
1004 sustainability.
1005 (4) The task force shall consist of 10 members as provided
1006 in this subsection.
1007 (a) The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or his or
1008 her designee, shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of
1009 the task force and shall serve as the chair.
1010 (b) The remainder of the task force membership shall be
1011 composed as follows:
1012 1. Two members appointed by the Governor, three members
1013 appointed by the President of the Senate, and three members
1014 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, based
1015 upon the criteria of this subparagraph. The appointing officers
1016 must make their appointments prioritizing members who have the
1017 following experience or expertise:
1018 a. Persons with academic credentials or scientific
1019 expertise relating to autism and applied behavior analysis;
1020 b. Representatives of the applied behavior analysis
1021 provider community;
1022 c. Representatives of Medicaid managed care plans with
1023 managerial experience and expertise relating to autism and
1024 applied behavior analysis; or
1025 d. Physicians licensed under chapter 458, Florida Statutes,
1026 or chapter 459, Florida Statutes, with expertise relating to
1027 autism and applied behavior analysis.
1028 2. One family member of a Medicaid managed care plan
1029 enrollee who receives applied behavior analysis services,
1030 appointed by the Governor.
1031 (c) The Secretary of Health Care Administration shall
1032 coordinate with the appointing officers to ensure the task
1033 force’s membership adequately represents the criteria provided
1034 under paragraph (b).
1035 (d) Any vacancy occurring on the task force must be filled
1036 in the same manner as the original appointment.
1037 (5) The Agency for Health Care Administration must provide
1038 staff support for the work of the task force, and staff from the
1039 Department of Health, the Department of Children and Families,
1040 the Department of Education, and the Agency for Persons with
1041 Disabilities may provide additional expertise.
1042 (6) Meetings of the task force may be held through
1043 teleconference or other electronic means. The task force shall
1044 convene for its initial meeting by August 15, 2026, and
1045 thereafter, upon the call of the chair. Notices for any task
1046 force meetings must be published in advance on the Agency for
1047 Health Care Administration’s website.
1048 (7) Members of the task force shall serve without
1049 compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as
1050 provided in s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
1051 (8) The task force shall report its findings and
1052 recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
1053 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 31,
1054 2026. The report must include advantages and disadvantages of
1055 each recommendation.
1056 (9) This section expires July 1, 2027.
1057 Section 22. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1058 339, 339B, 368 through 369 of the 2026-2027 General
1059 Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292,
1060 Florida Statutes, the Department of Children and Families may
1061 submit a budget amendment, subject to the notice, review, and
1062 objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to realign
1063 funding within the department based on the implementation of the
1064 Guardianship Assistance Program, between the specific
1065 appropriations for guardianship assistance payments, foster care
1066 Level 1 room and board payments, relative caregiver payments,
1067 and nonrelative caregiver payments. This section expires July 1,
1068 2027.
1069 Section 23. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1070 209 through 212, 217, 219, 220, 222 through 224, 363, 372, 475,
1071 479, 480, 486, 501, 502, 508, and 512 of the 2026-2027 General
1072 Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292,
1073 Florida Statutes, the Department of Children and Families, the
1074 Department of Health, and the Agency for Health Care
1075 Administration may submit budget amendments, subject to the
1076 notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida
1077 Statutes, to increase budget authority to support refugee
1078 programs administered by the federal Office of Refugee
1079 Resettlement due to the ongoing instability of federal
1080 immigration policy and the resulting inability of the state to
1081 reasonably predict, with certainty, the budgetary needs of this
1082 state with respect to the number of refugees relocated to the
1083 state as part of those federal programs. The Department of
1084 Children and Families shall submit quarterly reports to the
1085 Executive Office of the Governor, the President of the Senate,
1086 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the number of
1087 refugees entering the state, the nations of origin of such
1088 refugees, and current expenditure projections. This section
1089 expires July 1, 2027.
1090 Section 24. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1091 295 through 390A of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
1092 and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes,
1093 the Department of Children and Families may submit budget
1094 amendments, subject to the notice, review, and objection
1095 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to increase budget
1096 authority to support the following federal grant programs: the
1097 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Grant Program, the Pandemic
1098 Electronic Benefit Transfer, the American Rescue Plan Grant, the
1099 State Opioid Response Grant, the Substance Use Prevention and
1100 Treatment Block Grant, the Chafee Grant for Independent Living
1101 Services, the Education and Traditional Voucher Grant, Title IV
1102 B Subparts 1 and 2 Grants, the Elder Justice Act, the STOP
1103 Violence Against Women Grant, the Rapid Unsheltered Survivor
1104 Housing Grant, and the Mental Health Block Grant. This section
1105 expires July 1, 2027.
1106 Section 25. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
1107 267 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
1108 notwithstanding the expiration date in section 32 of chapter
1109 2025-199, Laws of Florida, subsection (2) of section 393.066,
1110 Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
1111 393.066 Community services and treatment.—
1112 (2) Necessary services shall be purchased, rather than
1113 provided directly by the agency, when the purchase of services
1114 is more cost-efficient than providing them directly. All
1115 purchased services must be approved by the agency. As a
1116 condition of payment and before billing, persons or entities
1117 under contract with the agency to provide services shall use
1118 agency data management systems to document service provision to
1119 clients or shall maintain such information in its own data
1120 management system and electronically transmit it to the agency
1121 data management system in an industry standard electronic format
1122 designated by the agency. The agency may not require training on
1123 the use of agency data management systems by persons or entities
1124 that choose to maintain data in their own data management
1125 system, provided that they electronically transmit required
1126 information in a format and frequency designated by the agency.
1127 Contracted persons and entities shall meet the minimum hardware
1128 and software technical requirements established by the agency
1129 for the use of such systems. Such persons or entities shall also
1130 meet any requirements established by the agency for training and
1131 professional development of staff providing direct services to
1132 clients.
1133 Section 26. The text of s. 393.066(2), Florida Statutes, as
1134 carried forward from chapter 2025-199, Laws of Florida, by this
1135 act expires July 1, 2027, and the text of that subsection shall
1136 revert to that in existence on June 30, 2025, except that any
1137 amendments to such text enacted other than by this act shall be
1138 preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such
1139 amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which
1140 expire pursuant to this section.
1141 Section 27. Effective upon this act becoming a law, and in
1142 order to implement Specific Appropriation 382 of the 2026-2027
1143 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (c) of subsection (9) of
1144 section 394.9082, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1145 394.9082 Behavioral health managing entities.—
1146 (9) FUNDING FOR MANAGING ENTITIES.—
1147 (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for the 2026-2027 2025
1148 2026 fiscal year, a managing entity may carry forward documented
1149 unexpended funds appropriated from the State Opioid Settlement
1150 Trust Fund from 1 fiscal year to the next. Nonqualified funds
1151 carried forward pursuant to this paragraph are not included in
1152 the 8 percent cumulative cap that may be carried forward. This
1153 paragraph expires July 1, 2027 2026.
1154 Section 28. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1155 324A, 339, 339B, and 384A of the 2026-2027 General
1156 Appropriations Act, subsection (10) is added to section
1157 409.9913, Florida Statutes, to read:
1158 409.9913 Funding methodology to allocate funding to lead
1159 agencies.—
1160 (10) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, core
1161 services funding shall be allocated as provided in the General
1162 Appropriations Act. The department shall use the Tiered Funding
1163 Model developed and submitted to the Legislature pursuant to
1164 section 34 of chapter 2025-199, Laws of Florida, as the baseline
1165 framework for any updates, refinements, or enhancements to the
1166 model and shall continue to collect detailed cost, expenditure,
1167 and census data from community-based care lead agencies.
1168 (a) Each lead agency shall submit any cost, expenditure,
1169 and census data requested by the department to support the
1170 continued development and refinement of the Tiered Funding
1171 Model. Lead agencies shall complete and validate a standardized
1172 expenditure report template in the form and manner prescribed by
1173 the department.
1174 (b) The department shall conduct ongoing performance
1175 monitoring by comparing trends in individual metrics against
1176 broader indicators of system health and shall analyze emerging
1177 market trends that may impact organizational financial
1178 stability. The department’s analysis and reporting shall include
1179 a comprehensive explanation of the methodology used to establish
1180 residential group home rates, a description of the current rate
1181 setting processes employed by each community-based care lead
1182 agency, and recommendations to enhance the fiscal sustainability
1183 and transparency of those processes.
1184 (c) Beginning in July 2026 and continuing through November
1185 2026, the department shall provide monthly status reports to the
1186 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
1187 House of Representatives detailing activities and progress
1188 related to the development of the funding methodology, including
1189 preliminary recommendations for adjustments for the subsequent
1190 fiscal year.
1191 (d) By December 1, 2026, the department shall submit a
1192 final report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
1193 the Speaker of the House of Representatives that includes
1194 recommendations for adjustments to the funding methodology for
1195 the next fiscal year. The recommendations shall continue the
1196 Tiered Funding Model approach while proposing enhancements
1197 intended to strengthen operational and financial outcomes.
1198 (e) This subsection expires July 1, 2027.
1199 Section 29. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1200 324A, 339, 339B, and 384A and section 74 of the 2026-2027
1201 General Appropriations Act, subsection (9) is added to section
1202 409.990, Florida Statutes, to read:
1203 409.990 Funding for lead agencies.—A contract established
1204 between the department and a lead agency must be funded by a
1205 grant of general revenue, other applicable state funds, or
1206 applicable federal funding sources.
1207 (9) Notwithstanding subsection (5), all funds held by a
1208 lead agency carried forward pursuant to subsection (5) as of
1209 July 1, 2026, must be returned to the department. The department
1210 must hold such funds in a separate account and, by August 1,
1211 2026, report to the chair of the Senate Committee on
1212 Appropriations, the chair of the House of Representatives Budget
1213 Committee, and the Executive Office of the Governor’s Office of
1214 Policy and Budget the amount of funds returned by each lead
1215 agency. As of September 30, 2026, all funds returned pursuant to
1216 this subsection shall revert to the General Revenue Fund. This
1217 subsection expires July 1, 2027.
1218 Section 30. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1219 465 and 467 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
1220 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1221 Department of Health may submit a budget amendment, subject to
1222 the notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177,
1223 Florida Statutes, to increase budget authority for the
1224 Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
1225 (WIC) and the Child Care Food Program if additional federal
1226 revenues will be expended in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This
1227 section expires July 1, 2027.
1228 Section 31. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1229 476 and 526 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
1230 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1231 Department of Health may submit a budget amendment, subject to
1232 the notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177,
1233 Florida Statutes, to increase budget authority for the HIV/AIDS
1234 Prevention and Treatment Program if additional federal revenues
1235 specific to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment become available
1236 in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This section expires July 1, 2027.
1237 Section 32. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1238 432 through 593 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
1239 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1240 Department of Health may submit a budget amendment, subject to
1241 the notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177,
1242 Florida Statutes, to increase budget authority for the
1243 department if additional federal revenues specific to COVID-19
1244 relief funds become available in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This
1245 section expires July 1, 2027.
1246 Section 33. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
1247 203 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act:
1248 (1) The Agency for Health Care Administration shall replace
1249 the current Florida Medicaid Management Information System
1250 (FMMIS) and fiscal agent operations with a system that is
1251 modular, interoperable, and scalable for the Florida Medicaid
1252 program and that complies with all applicable federal and state
1253 laws and requirements. The agency may not include in the program
1254 to replace the current FMMIS and fiscal agent contract:
1255 (a) Functionality that duplicates any of the information
1256 systems of the other health and human services state agencies;
1257 (b) Procurement for agency requirements external to
1258 Medicaid programs with the intent to leverage the Medicaid
1259 technology infrastructure for other purposes without legislative
1260 appropriation or legislative authorization to procure these
1261 requirements. The new system, the Florida Health Care Connection
1262 (FX) system, must provide better integration with subsystems
1263 supporting Florida’s Medicaid program; uniformity, consistency,
1264 and improved access to data; and compatibility with the Centers
1265 for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Medicaid Information
1266 Technology Architecture (MITA) as the system matures and expands
1267 its functionality; or
1268 (c) Any contract executed after July 1, 2022, not including
1269 staff augmentation services purchased off the Department of
1270 Management Services Information Technology staff augmentation
1271 state term contract which are not deliverables based fixed price
1272 contracts.
1273 (2) For purposes of replacing FMMIS and the current
1274 Medicaid fiscal agent, the Agency for Health Care Administration
1275 shall:
1276 (a) Prioritize procurements for the replacement of the
1277 current functions of FMMIS and the responsibilities of the
1278 current Medicaid fiscal agent, to minimize the need to extend
1279 all or portions of the current fiscal agent contract.
1280 (b) Comply with and not exceed the Centers for Medicare and
1281 Medicaid Services funding authorizations for the FX system.
1282 (c) Develop and mature an enterprise architecture framework
1283 to align the requirements of the FX project phases and
1284 overarching program objectives, including completing and
1285 maintaining key components such as the Business Capability Model
1286 and Business Value Model.
1287 (d) Apply value-based measures to support informed
1288 decisionmaking around release readiness and go-live criteria.
1289 These measures must be tracked and reported quarterly to the
1290 executive steering committee established in paragraph (k) post
1291 implementation to support performance monitoring and continuous
1292 improvement.
1293 (e) Through documented FX architecture governance
1294 practices, ensure that the Medicaid business needs and the
1295 business architecture are the primary drivers of information and
1296 technical architecture design decisions. All such decisions must
1297 be documented with traceable rationale to promote transparency
1298 and accountability across the program. The business,
1299 information, and technical architectures must align with the
1300 MITA framework where applicable. In areas where MITA guidance is
1301 not available, alignment will be maintained through adherence to
1302 The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF).
1303 (f) Ensure compliance and uniformity with the published
1304 MITA framework and guidelines. The agency shall:
1305 1. Implement an Enterprise Architecture (EA) management
1306 tool that supports an integrated approach to FX program
1307 architecture. The EA tool must serve as a centralized repository
1308 for the FX Business Process Inventory and support the integrated
1309 management and oversight of the FX business, technical, and
1310 information architectures.
1311 2. Establish governance structures and define user roles
1312 within the EA tool for the business, technical, and information
1313 architecture components.
1314 (g) Ensure that all business requirements and technical
1315 specifications have been provided to all affected state agencies
1316 for their review and input and approved by the executive
1317 steering committee.
1318 (h) Consult with the Executive Office of the Governor’s
1319 working group for interagency information technology integration
1320 for the development of competitive solicitations that provide
1321 for data interoperability and shared information technology
1322 services across the state’s health and human services agencies.
1323 (i) Implement a data governance structure for the program
1324 to coordinate data sharing and interoperability across state
1325 health care entities.
1326 (j) Establish a continuing oversight team for each contract
1327 pursuant to s. 287.057(26), Florida Statutes. The teams must
1328 provide quarterly reports to the executive steering committee,
1329 summarizing the status of the contract, the pace of
1330 deliverables, the quality of deliverables, contractor
1331 responsiveness, and contractor performance.
1332 (k) Implement a program governance structure that includes
1333 an executive steering committee composed of:
1334 1. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or the
1335 executive sponsor of the program.
1336 2. A representative of the Division of Health Care Finance
1337 and Data of the Agency for Health Care Administration, appointed
1338 by the Secretary of Health Care Administration.
1339 3. Two representatives from the Division of Medicaid
1340 Policy, Quality, and Operations of the Agency for Health Care
1341 Administration, appointed by the Secretary of Health Care
1342 Administration.
1343 4. A representative of the Division of Health Care Policy
1344 and Oversight of the Agency for Health Care Administration,
1345 appointed by the Secretary of Health Care Administration.
1346 5. A representative of the Florida Center for Health
1347 Information and Transparency of the Agency for Health Care
1348 Administration, appointed by the Secretary of Health Care
1349 Administration.
1350 6. The Chief Information Officer of the Agency for Health
1351 Care Administration, or his or her designee.
1352 (3)(a) The Secretary of Health Care Administration or the
1353 executive sponsor of the program shall serve as chair of the
1354 executive steering committee, and the committee shall take
1355 action by a vote of at least 5 affirmative votes with the chair
1356 voting on the prevailing side. A quorum of the executive
1357 steering committee consists of at least 5 members.
1358 (b)1. The chair shall establish a program finance and
1359 contracting working group composed of:
1360 a. The FX program director.
1361 b. A representative from the agency’s Office of the General
1362 Counsel.
1363 c. A representative from the agency’s Division of
1364 Administration.
1365 d. Representatives from each continuing oversight team.
1366 e. The FX program strategic roadmap manager.
1367 f. The FX program project managers.
1368 g. The FX program risk manager.
1369 h. Any other personnel deemed necessary by the chair.
1370 2. The working group shall meet at least monthly to review
1371 the program status and all contract and program operations,
1372 policies, risks, and issues related to the budget, spending
1373 plans and contractual obligations, and shall develop
1374 recommendations to the executive steering committee for
1375 improvement. The working group shall review all change requests
1376 that impact the program’s scope, schedule, or budget related to
1377 contract management and vendor payments and submit those
1378 recommended for adoption to the executive steering committee.
1379 The chair shall request input from the working group on agenda
1380 items for each scheduled meeting. The program shall make
1381 available program staff to the group, as needed, for the group
1382 to fulfill its duties.
1383 (c)1. The chair shall establish a state agency stakeholder
1384 working group composed of:
1385 a. The executive sponsor of the FX program.
1386 b. A representative of the Department of Children and
1387 Families, appointed by the Secretary of Children and Families.
1388 c. A representative of the Department of Health, appointed
1389 by the State Surgeon General.
1390 d. A representative of the Agency for Persons with
1391 Disabilities, appointed by the director of the Agency for
1392 Persons with Disabilities.
1393 e. A representative from the Florida Healthy Kids
1394 Corporation.
1395 f. A representative from the Department of Elderly Affairs,
1396 appointed by the Secretary of Elderly Affairs.
1397 g. The state chief information officer, or his or her
1398 designee.
1399 h. A representative of the Department of Financial Services
1400 who has experience with the state’s financial processes,
1401 including development of the PALM system, appointed by the Chief
1402 Financial Officer.
1403 2. The working group shall meet at least quarterly to
1404 review the program status and all program operations, policies,
1405 risks, and issues that may impact the operations external to the
1406 Agency for Health Care Administration FX program, and shall
1407 develop recommendations to the executive steering committee for
1408 improvement. The chair shall request input from the working
1409 group on agenda items for each scheduled meeting. The program
1410 shall make available program staff to the group to provide
1411 system demonstrations and any program documentation, as needed,
1412 for the group to fulfill its duties.
1413 (4) The executive steering committee has the overall
1414 responsibility for ensuring that the program to replace FMMIS
1415 and the Medicaid fiscal agent meets its primary business
1416 objectives and shall:
1417 (a) Identify and recommend to the Executive Office of the
1418 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
1419 House of Representatives any statutory changes needed to
1420 implement the modular replacement to standardize, to the fullest
1421 extent possible, the state’s health care data and business
1422 processes.
1423 (b) Review and approve any changes to the program’s scope,
1424 schedule, and budget.
1425 (c) Review and approve any changes to the program’s
1426 strategic roadmap.
1427 (d) Review and approve change requests that impact the
1428 program’s scope, schedule, or budget recommended for adoption by
1429 the program finance and contracting working group.
1430 (e) Review recommendations provided by the program working
1431 groups.
1432 (f) Review vendor scorecards, reports, and notifications
1433 produced by the continuing oversight teams.
1434 (g) Ensure that adequate resources are provided throughout
1435 all phases of the program.
1436 (h) Approve all major program deliverables.
1437 (i) Review and verify that all procurement and contractual
1438 documents associated with the replacement of the current FMMIS
1439 and Medicaid fiscal agent align with the scope, schedule, and
1440 anticipated budget for the program.
1441 (5) This section expires July 1, 2027.
1442 Section 34. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
1443 203 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, the Agency for
1444 Health Care Administration shall contract for a comprehensive,
1445 independent technical architecture and feasibility assessment of
1446 the agency’s Medicaid management information system (MMIS),
1447 including components completed under the FX project.
1448 (1) The assessment must evaluate the agency’s current
1449 technical architecture and technology standards related to its
1450 MMIS replacement activities and assess alignment with all
1451 applicable federal and state laws and requirements, including,
1452 but not limited to, the federal Centers for Medicare and
1453 Medicaid Services (CMS) Interoperability and Patient Access Rule
1454 (CMS-9115), the Medicaid Information Technology Architecture
1455 (MITA) frameworks and guidelines, and recognized industry and
1456 governmental best practices, including CMS modularity guidance
1457 and National Institute of Standards and Technology cybersecurity
1458 standards.
1459 (2) The assessment must, at a minimum:
1460 (a) Identify and document current deficiencies in the
1461 technical architecture, system design, and standards that may
1462 affect long-term sustainability, including issues related to
1463 maintainability, scalability, security, interoperability,
1464 technical debt, vendor dependency, and compliance with evolving
1465 federal and state requirements.
1466 (b) Develop a future-state technical architecture that is
1467 driven by and aligned with the business architecture, Medicaid
1468 program needs, and CMS modularity and interoperability
1469 principles, including identification of core components,
1470 interfaces, data flows, and applicable standards.
1471 (c) Evaluate the feasibility of transitioning from the
1472 current-state architecture to the future-state architecture,
1473 including phased or modular implementation options, associated
1474 risks, estimated costs, implementation timelines, operational
1475 impacts, and implications for federal funding eligibility.
1476 (d) Prioritize replacement of the functionality provided
1477 under the current fiscal agent contract and recommend a
1478 sustainable path forward, including identification of any
1479 prerequisite governance, policy, or remediation actions required
1480 prior to implementation.
1481 (e) Assess the agency’s readiness to implement and operate
1482 the recommended solution, including evaluation of governance
1483 structures, staffing capacity, and resource sufficiency.
1484 (3) The completed assessment must be submitted
1485 simultaneously to the Agency for Health Care Administration, the
1486 chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the chair of
1487 the House of Representatives Budget Committee, and the Executive
1488 Office of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget by January
1489 8, 2027.
1490 (4) Based on the results of the assessment, the Agency for
1491 Health Care Administration shall develop a new time-phased
1492 implementation roadmap with measurable success criteria for the
1493 MMIS replacement that aligns investments with the agency’s
1494 Medicaid program goals and business strategy. The agency must
1495 submit the roadmap to chair of the Senate Committee on
1496 Appropriations, the chair of the House of Representatives Budget
1497 Committee, and the Executive Office of the Governor’s Office of
1498 Policy and Budget by February 2, 2027.
1499 (5) This section expires July 1, 2027.
1500 Section 35. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1501 223, 224, 279, 290, 349, 503, 526, and 751 of the 2026-2027
1502 General Appropriations Act, the Agency for Health Care
1503 Administration, in consultation with the Department of Health,
1504 the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of
1505 Children and Families, and the Department of Corrections, shall
1506 competitively procure a contract with a vendor to negotiate, for
1507 these agencies, prices for prescribed drugs and biological
1508 products excluded from the program established under s.
1509 381.02035, Florida Statutes, and ineligible under 21 U.S.C. s.
1510 384, including, but not limited to, insulin and epinephrine. The
1511 contract may allow the vendor to directly purchase these
1512 products for participating agencies when feasible and
1513 advantageous. The contracted vendor must be compensated on a
1514 contingency basis, paid from a portion of the savings achieved
1515 by its price negotiation or purchase of the prescription drugs
1516 and products. This section expires July 1, 2027.
1517 Section 36. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1518 238 through 245 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
1519 notwithstanding ss. 408.040(2) and 408.808(3), Florida Statutes:
1520 (1)(a) An inactive license or a partially inactive license
1521 with an expiration date on or after June 1, 2024, may be issued
1522 or renewed to a skilled nursing provider subject to the
1523 certificate-of-need provisions in part I of chapter 408, Florida
1524 Statutes, if the provider currently holds an active or inactive
1525 license, does not have a provisional license, and will be
1526 temporarily unable to provide services due to impacts from a
1527 natural disaster or state of emergency; or will be deactivating
1528 or has deactivated beds to improve and modernize the licensees
1529 physical plant, but is reasonably expected to resume services
1530 within 48 months.
1531 (b) Such issuance or renewal may be made for a period of 12
1532 months and may be further renewed for up to 36 additional months
1533 upon demonstration by the licensee of the provider’s progress
1534 toward reopening. During each 12-month renewal cycle, the
1535 applicant shall attest that good-faith progress towards
1536 commencement of the project is ongoing or that the project is
1537 delayed by litigation or by governmental action or inaction with
1538 respect to regulations or permitting that precludes commencement
1539 of the project.
1540 (2)(a) The certificate-of-need validity period for a
1541 project shall be extended by the agency if the certificateholder
1542 demonstrates to the satisfaction of the agency that good-faith
1543 progress toward the commencement of the project is ongoing or
1544 that the project is delayed by litigation or by government
1545 action or inaction with respect to regulations or permitting
1546 that precludes commencement of the project.
1547 (b) Such extension may be made for a period of 12 months
1548 and may be renewed for up to 36 additional months upon
1549 demonstration by the certificateholder of the progress towards
1550 opening. During each 12-month validity period renewal cycle, the
1551 certificateholder shall attest that good-faith progress towards
1552 commencement of the project is ongoing or that the project is
1553 being delayed by litigation or by governmental action or
1554 inaction.
1555 (3) This section expires July 1, 2027.
1556 Section 37. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1557 272, 277, 278, 283, 288, and 289 of the 2026-2027 General
1558 Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292,
1559 Florida Statutes, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities may
1560 submit budget amendments, subject to the notice, review, and
1561 objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to
1562 transfer funding from the Salaries and Benefits appropriation
1563 categories to categories used for contractual services in order
1564 to support additional staff augmentation resources needed at the
1565 Developmental Disability Centers. This section expires July 1,
1566 2027.
1567 Section 38. In order to implement section 66 of the 2026
1568 2027 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181
1569 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the Agency for Persons with
1570 Disabilities may submit budget amendments, subject to the
1571 notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida
1572 Statutes, to request the appropriation of funds from the Lump
1573 Sum-Home and Community-Based Services Waiver category to address
1574 any deficits or funding shortfalls. This section expires July 1,
1575 2027.
1576 Section 39. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1577 231 and 254 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
1578 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1579 Agency for Health Care Administration and the Agency for Persons
1580 with Disabilities may submit budget amendments, subject to the
1581 notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida
1582 Statutes, at least 3 days before the effective date of the
1583 action, to increase budget authority to support the
1584 implementation of the home and community-based services Medicaid
1585 waiver program of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. This
1586 section expires July 1, 2027.
1587 Section 40. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
1588 594 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
1589 notwithstanding chapter 216, Florida Statutes, the Department of
1590 Veterans’ Affairs may submit a budget amendment, subject to
1591 Legislative Budget Commission approval, requesting the authority
1592 to establish positions in excess of the number authorized by the
1593 Legislature, increase appropriations from the Operations and
1594 Maintenance Trust Fund, or provide a necessary salary rate
1595 sufficient to provide for essential staff for veterans’ nursing
1596 homes, if the department projects that additional direct care
1597 staff are needed to meet its established staffing ratio. This
1598 section expires July 1, 2027.
1599 Section 41. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
1600 223 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, subsection (1)
1601 of section 409.915, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1602 409.915 County contributions to Medicaid.—Although the
1603 state is responsible for the full portion of the state share of
1604 the matching funds required for the Medicaid program, the state
1605 shall charge the counties an annual contribution in order to
1606 acquire a certain portion of these funds.
1607 (1)(a) As used in this section, the term “state Medicaid
1608 expenditures” means those expenditures used as matching funds
1609 for the federal Medicaid program.
1610 (b) The term does not include funds specially assessed by
1611 any local governmental entity and used as the nonfederal share
1612 for the hospital directed payment program after July 1, 2021.
1613 This paragraph expires July 1, 2027 2026.
1614 Section 42. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1615 594 through 622A of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
1616 and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes,
1617 the Department of Veterans’ Affairs is authorized to:
1618 (1) Expend funds pursuant to a Memorandum of Agreement
1619 between the department and the Collier County Board of County
1620 Commissioners, as well as funds appropriated in chapter 2023
1621 239, Laws of Florida, for the planning and construction of a new
1622 State Veterans’ Nursing Home and Adult Day Health Center in
1623 Collier County.
1624 (2) Apply for a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
1625 Construction Grant for the Collier County State Veterans’
1626 Nursing Home.
1627 (3) Submit budget amendments subject to the notice, review,
1628 and objection procedures in s. 216.177, Florida Statutes,
1629 subject to federal approval, requesting additional spending
1630 authority to support the development and construction of a new
1631 State Veterans’ Nursing Home and Adult Day Health Care Center in
1632 Collier County.
1633
1634 This section expires July 1, 2027.
1635 Section 43. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1636 404 and 406 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
1637 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1638 Department of Elderly Affairs may submit a budget amendment,
1639 subject to the notice, review, and objection procedures of s.
1640 216.177, Florida Statutes, to increase budget authority for the
1641 United States Department of Agriculture’s Adult Care Food
1642 Program or the Older Americans Act if additional federal
1643 revenues will be expended in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This
1644 section expires July 1, 2027.
1645 Section 44. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1646 626 through 718 and 729 through 782 of the 2026-2027 General
1647 Appropriations Act, subsection (4) of section 216.262, Florida
1648 Statutes, is amended to read:
1649 216.262 Authorized positions.—
1650 (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter relating
1651 to increasing the number of authorized positions, and for the
1652 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year only, if the actual inmate
1653 population of the Department of Corrections exceeds the inmate
1654 population projections of the December 23 February 21, 2025,
1655 Criminal Justice Estimating Conference by 1 percent for 2
1656 consecutive months or 2 percent for any month, the Executive
1657 Office of the Governor, with the approval of the Legislative
1658 Budget Commission, shall immediately notify the Criminal Justice
1659 Estimating Conference, which shall convene as soon as possible
1660 to revise the estimates. The Department of Corrections may then
1661 submit a budget amendment requesting the establishment of
1662 positions in excess of the number authorized by the Legislature
1663 and additional appropriations from unallocated general revenue
1664 sufficient to provide for essential staff, fixed capital
1665 improvements, and other resources to provide classification,
1666 security, food services, health services, and other variable
1667 expenses within the institutions to accommodate the estimated
1668 increase in the inmate population. All actions taken pursuant to
1669 this subsection are subject to review and approval by the
1670 Legislative Budget Commission. This subsection expires July 1,
1671 2027 2026.
1672 Section 45. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1673 3340 through 3409 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
1674 subsection (2) of section 215.18, Florida Statutes, is amended
1675 to read:
1676 215.18 Transfers between funds; limitation.—
1677 (2) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may receive one
1678 or more trust fund loans to ensure that the state court system
1679 has funds sufficient to meet its appropriations in the 2026-2027
1680 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act. If the Chief Justice
1681 accesses the loan, he or she must notify the Governor and the
1682 chairs of the legislative appropriations committees in writing.
1683 The loan must come from other funds in the State Treasury which
1684 are for the time being or otherwise in excess of the amounts
1685 necessary to meet the just requirements of such last-mentioned
1686 funds. The Governor shall order the transfer of funds within 5
1687 days after the written notification from the Chief Justice. If
1688 the Governor does not order the transfer, the Chief Financial
1689 Officer shall transfer the requested funds. The loan of funds
1690 from which any money is temporarily transferred must be repaid
1691 by the end of the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year. This
1692 subsection expires July 1, 2027 2026.
1693 Section 46. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1694 1183 through 1194 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act:
1695 (1) The Department of Juvenile Justice shall review county
1696 juvenile detention payments to ensure that counties fulfill
1697 their financial responsibilities required in s. 985.6865,
1698 Florida Statutes. If the Department of Juvenile Justice
1699 determines that a county has not met its obligations, the
1700 department shall direct the Department of Revenue to deduct the
1701 amount owed to the Department of Juvenile Justice from the funds
1702 provided to the county under s. 218.23, Florida Statutes. The
1703 Department of Revenue shall transfer the funds withheld to the
1704 Shared County/State Juvenile Detention Trust Fund.
1705 (2) As an assurance to holders of bonds issued by counties
1706 before July 1, 2026, for which distributions made pursuant to s.
1707 218.23, Florida Statutes, are pledged, or bonds issued to refund
1708 such bonds which mature no later than the bonds they refunded
1709 and which result in a reduction of debt service payable in each
1710 fiscal year, the amount available for distribution to a county
1711 shall remain as provided by law and continue to be subject to
1712 any lien or claim on behalf of the bondholders. The Department
1713 of Revenue must ensure, based on information provided by an
1714 affected county, that any reduction in amounts distributed
1715 pursuant to subsection (1) does not reduce the amount of
1716 distribution to a county below the amount necessary for the
1717 timely payment of principal and interest when due on the bonds
1718 and the amount necessary to comply with any covenant under the
1719 bond resolution or other documents relating to the issuance of
1720 the bonds. If a reduction to a county’s monthly distribution
1721 must be decreased in order to comply with this section, the
1722 Department of Revenue must notify the Department of Juvenile
1723 Justice of the amount of the decrease, and the Department of
1724 Juvenile Justice must send a bill for payment of such amount to
1725 the affected county.
1726 (3) This section expires July 1, 2027.
1727 Section 47. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1728 793 through 817A, 978 through 1125, and 1146 through 1182 of the
1729 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding the
1730 expiration date in section 52 of chapter 2025-199, Laws of
1731 Florida, subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection (2),
1732 paragraph (a) of subsection (3), and subsections (5), (6), and
1733 (7) of section 27.40, Florida Statutes, are reenacted to read:
1734 27.40 Court-appointed counsel; circuit registries; minimum
1735 requirements; appointment by court.—
1736 (1) Counsel shall be appointed to represent any individual
1737 in a criminal or civil proceeding entitled to court-appointed
1738 counsel under the Federal or State Constitution or as authorized
1739 by general law. The court shall appoint a public defender to
1740 represent indigent persons as authorized in s. 27.51. The office
1741 of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel shall be
1742 appointed to represent persons in those cases in which provision
1743 is made for court-appointed counsel, but only after the public
1744 defender has certified to the court in writing that the public
1745 defender is unable to provide representation due to a conflict
1746 of interest or is not authorized to provide representation. The
1747 public defender shall report, in the aggregate, the specific
1748 basis of all conflicts of interest certified to the court. On a
1749 quarterly basis, the public defender shall submit this
1750 information to the Justice Administrative Commission.
1751 (2)(a) Private counsel shall be appointed to represent
1752 persons in those cases in which provision is made for court
1753 appointed counsel but only after the office of criminal conflict
1754 and civil regional counsel has been appointed and has certified
1755 to the court in writing that the criminal conflict and civil
1756 regional counsel is unable to provide representation due to a
1757 conflict of interest. The criminal conflict and civil regional
1758 counsel shall report, in the aggregate, the specific basis of
1759 all conflicts of interest certified to the court. On a quarterly
1760 basis, the criminal conflict and civil regional counsel shall
1761 submit this information to the Justice Administrative
1762 Commission.
1763 (3) In using a registry:
1764 (a) The chief judge of the circuit shall compile a list of
1765 attorneys in private practice, by county and by category of
1766 cases, and provide the list to the clerk of court in each
1767 county. The chief judge of the circuit may restrict the number
1768 of attorneys on the general registry list. To be included on a
1769 registry, an attorney must certify that he or she:
1770 1. Meets any minimum requirements established by the chief
1771 judge and by general law for court appointment;
1772 2. Is available to represent indigent defendants in cases
1773 requiring court appointment of private counsel; and
1774 3. Is willing to abide by the terms of the contract for
1775 services, s. 27.5304, and this section.
1776
1777 To be included on a registry, an attorney must enter into a
1778 contract for services with the Justice Administrative
1779 Commission. Failure to comply with the terms of the contract for
1780 services may result in termination of the contract and removal
1781 from the registry. Each attorney on the registry is responsible
1782 for notifying the clerk of the court and the Justice
1783 Administrative Commission of any change in his or her status.
1784 Failure to comply with this requirement is cause for termination
1785 of the contract for services and removal from the registry until
1786 the requirement is fulfilled.
1787 (5) The Justice Administrative Commission shall approve
1788 uniform contract forms for use in procuring the services of
1789 private court-appointed counsel and uniform procedures and forms
1790 for use by a court-appointed attorney in support of billing for
1791 attorney’s fees, costs, and related expenses to demonstrate the
1792 attorney’s completion of specified duties. Such uniform
1793 contracts and forms for use in billing must be consistent with
1794 s. 27.5304, s. 216.311, and the General Appropriations Act and
1795 must contain the following statement: “The State of Florida’s
1796 performance and obligation to pay under this contract is
1797 contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature.”
1798 (6) After court appointment, the attorney must immediately
1799 file a notice of appearance with the court indicating acceptance
1800 of the appointment to represent the defendant and of the terms
1801 of the uniform contract as specified in subsection (5).
1802 (7)(a) A private attorney appointed by the court from the
1803 registry to represent a client is entitled to payment as
1804 provided in s. 27.5304 so long as the requirements of subsection
1805 (1) and paragraph (2)(a) are met. An attorney appointed by the
1806 court who is not on the registry list may be compensated under
1807 s. 27.5304 only if the court finds in the order of appointment
1808 that there were no registry attorneys available for
1809 representation for that case and only if the requirements of
1810 subsection (1) and paragraph (2)(a) are met.
1811 (b)1. The flat fee established in s. 27.5304 and the
1812 General Appropriations Act shall be presumed by the court to be
1813 sufficient compensation. The attorney shall maintain appropriate
1814 documentation, including contemporaneous and detailed hourly
1815 accounting of time spent representing the client. If the
1816 attorney fails to maintain such contemporaneous and detailed
1817 hourly records, the attorney waives the right to seek
1818 compensation in excess of the flat fee established in s. 27.5304
1819 and the General Appropriations Act. These records and documents
1820 are subject to review by the Justice Administrative Commission
1821 and audit by the Auditor General, subject to the attorney-client
1822 privilege and work-product privilege. The attorney shall
1823 maintain the records and documents in a manner that enables the
1824 attorney to redact any information subject to a privilege in
1825 order to facilitate the commission’s review of the records and
1826 documents and not to impede such review. The attorney may redact
1827 information from the records and documents only to the extent
1828 necessary to comply with the privilege. The Justice
1829 Administrative Commission shall review such records and shall
1830 contemporaneously document such review before authorizing
1831 payment to an attorney. Objections by or on behalf of the
1832 Justice Administrative Commission to records or documents or to
1833 claims for payment by the attorney shall be presumed correct by
1834 the court unless the court determines, in writing, that
1835 competent and substantial evidence exists to justify overcoming
1836 the presumption.
1837 2. If an attorney fails, refuses, or declines to permit the
1838 commission or the Auditor General to review documentation for a
1839 case as provided in this paragraph, the attorney waives the
1840 right to seek, and the commission may not pay, compensation in
1841 excess of the flat fee established in s. 27.5304 and the General
1842 Appropriations Act for that case.
1843 3. A finding by the commission that an attorney has waived
1844 the right to seek compensation in excess of the flat fee
1845 established in s. 27.5304 and the General Appropriations Act, as
1846 provided in this paragraph, shall be presumed to be correct,
1847 unless the court determines, in writing, that competent and
1848 substantial evidence exists to justify overcoming the
1849 presumption.
1850 Section 48. The text of s. 27.40(1), (2)(a), (3)(a), (5),
1851 (6), and (7), Florida Statutes, as carried forward from chapter
1852 2019-116, Laws of Florida, by this act expires July 1, 2027, and
1853 the text of those subsections and paragraphs, as applicable,
1854 shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2019, except that
1855 any amendments to such text enacted other than by this act shall
1856 be preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such
1857 amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which
1858 expire pursuant to this section.
1859 Section 49. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1860 793 through 817A, 978 through 1125, and 1146 through 1182 of the
1861 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding the
1862 expiration date in section 54 of chapter 2025-199, Laws of
1863 Florida, subsection (13) of section 27.5304, Florida Statutes,
1864 is amended, and subsections (1), (3), (6), (7), and (11) and
1865 paragraphs (a) through (e) of subsection (12) of that section
1866 are reenacted, to read:
1867 27.5304 Private court-appointed counsel; compensation;
1868 notice.—
1869 (1) Private court-appointed counsel appointed in the manner
1870 prescribed in s. 27.40(1) and (2)(a) shall be compensated by the
1871 Justice Administrative Commission only as provided in this
1872 section and the General Appropriations Act. The flat fees
1873 prescribed in this section are limitations on compensation. The
1874 specific flat fee amounts for compensation shall be established
1875 annually in the General Appropriations Act. The attorney also
1876 shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses in
1877 accordance with s. 29.007. If the attorney is representing a
1878 defendant charged with more than one offense in the same case,
1879 the attorney shall be compensated at the rate provided for the
1880 most serious offense for which he or she represented the
1881 defendant. This section does not allow stacking of the fee
1882 limits established by this section.
1883 (3) The court retains primary authority and responsibility
1884 for determining the reasonableness of all billings for attorney
1885 fees, costs, and related expenses, subject to statutory
1886 limitations and the requirements of s. 27.40(7). Private court
1887 appointed counsel is entitled to compensation upon final
1888 disposition of a case.
1889 (6) For compensation for representation pursuant to a court
1890 appointment in a proceeding under chapter 39:
1891 (a) At the trial level, compensation for representation for
1892 dependency proceedings shall not exceed $1,450 for the first
1893 year following the date of appointment and shall not exceed $700
1894 each year thereafter. Compensation shall be paid based upon
1895 representation of a parent irrespective of the number of case
1896 numbers that may be assigned or the number of children involved,
1897 including any children born during the pendency of the
1898 proceeding. Any appeal, except for an appeal from an
1899 adjudication of dependency, shall be completed by the trial
1900 attorney and is considered compensated by the flat fee for
1901 dependency proceedings.
1902 1. Counsel may bill the flat fee not exceeding $1,450
1903 following disposition or upon dismissal of the petition.
1904 2. Counsel may bill the annual flat fee not exceeding $700
1905 following the first judicial review in the second year following
1906 the date of appointment and each year thereafter as long as the
1907 case remains under protective supervision.
1908 3. If the court grants a motion to reactivate protective
1909 supervision, the attorney shall receive the annual flat fee not
1910 exceeding $700 following the first judicial review and up to an
1911 additional $700 each year thereafter.
1912 4. If, during the course of dependency proceedings, a
1913 proceeding to terminate parental rights is initiated,
1914 compensation shall be as set forth in paragraph (b). If counsel
1915 handling the dependency proceeding is not authorized to handle
1916 proceedings to terminate parental rights, the counsel must
1917 withdraw and new counsel must be appointed.
1918 (b) At the trial level, compensation for representation in
1919 termination of parental rights proceedings shall not exceed
1920 $1,800 for the first year following the date of appointment and
1921 shall not exceed $700 each year thereafter. Compensation shall
1922 be paid based upon representation of a parent irrespective of
1923 the number of case numbers that may be assigned or the number of
1924 children involved, including any children born during the
1925 pendency of the proceeding. Any appeal, except for an appeal
1926 from an order granting or denying termination of parental
1927 rights, shall be completed by trial counsel and is considered
1928 compensated by the flat fee for termination of parental rights
1929 proceedings. If the individual has dependency proceedings
1930 ongoing as to other children, those proceedings are considered
1931 part of the termination of parental rights proceedings as long
1932 as that termination of parental rights proceeding is ongoing.
1933 1. Counsel may bill the flat fee not exceeding $1,800 30
1934 days after rendition of the final order. Each request for
1935 payment submitted to the Justice Administrative Commission must
1936 include the trial counsel’s certification that:
1937 a. Counsel discussed grounds for appeal with the parent or
1938 that counsel attempted and was unable to contact the parent; and
1939 b. No appeal will be filed or that a notice of appeal and a
1940 motion for appointment of appellate counsel, containing the
1941 signature of the parent, have been filed.
1942 2. Counsel may bill the annual flat fee not exceeding $700
1943 following the first judicial review in the second year after the
1944 date of appointment and each year thereafter as long as the
1945 termination of parental rights proceedings are still ongoing.
1946 (c) For appeals from an adjudication of dependency,
1947 compensation may not exceed $1,800.
1948 1. Counsel may bill a flat fee not exceeding $1,200 upon
1949 filing the initial brief or the granting of a motion to
1950 withdraw.
1951 2. If a brief is filed, counsel may bill an additional flat
1952 fee not exceeding $600 upon rendition of the mandate.
1953 (d) For an appeal from an adjudication of termination of
1954 parental rights, compensation may not exceed $3,500.
1955 1. Counsel may bill a flat fee not exceeding $1,750 upon
1956 filing the initial brief or the granting of a motion to
1957 withdraw.
1958 2. If a brief is filed, counsel may bill an additional flat
1959 fee not exceeding $1,750 upon rendition of the mandate.
1960 (7) Counsel eligible to receive compensation from the state
1961 for representation pursuant to court appointment made in
1962 accordance with the requirements of s. 27.40(1) and (2)(a) in a
1963 proceeding under chapter 384, chapter 390, chapter 392, chapter
1964 393, chapter 394, chapter 397, chapter 415, chapter 743, chapter
1965 744, or chapter 984 shall receive compensation not to exceed the
1966 limits prescribed in the General Appropriations Act. Any such
1967 compensation must be determined as provided in s. 27.40(7).
1968 (11) It is the intent of the Legislature that the flat fees
1969 prescribed under this section and the General Appropriations Act
1970 comprise the full and complete compensation for private court
1971 appointed counsel. It is further the intent of the Legislature
1972 that the fees in this section are prescribed for the purpose of
1973 providing counsel with notice of the limit on the amount of
1974 compensation for representation in particular proceedings and
1975 the sole procedure and requirements for obtaining payment for
1976 the same.
1977 (a) If court-appointed counsel moves to withdraw prior to
1978 the full performance of his or her duties through the completion
1979 of the case, the court shall presume that the attorney is not
1980 entitled to the payment of the full flat fee established under
1981 this section and the General Appropriations Act.
1982 (b) If court-appointed counsel is allowed to withdraw from
1983 representation prior to the full performance of his or her
1984 duties through the completion of the case and the court appoints
1985 a subsequent attorney, the total compensation for the initial
1986 and any and all subsequent attorneys may not exceed the flat fee
1987 established under this section and the General Appropriations
1988 Act, except as provided in subsection (12).
1989
1990 This subsection constitutes notice to any subsequently appointed
1991 attorney that he or she will not be compensated the full flat
1992 fee.
1993 (12) The Legislature recognizes that on rare occasions an
1994 attorney may receive a case that requires extraordinary and
1995 unusual effort.
1996 (a) If counsel seeks compensation that exceeds the limits
1997 prescribed by law, he or she must file a motion with the chief
1998 judge for an order approving payment of attorney fees in excess
1999 of these limits.
2000 1. Before filing the motion, the counsel shall deliver a
2001 copy of the intended billing, together with supporting
2002 affidavits and all other necessary documentation, to the Justice
2003 Administrative Commission.
2004 2. The Justice Administrative Commission shall review the
2005 billings, affidavit, and documentation for completeness and
2006 compliance with contractual and statutory requirements and shall
2007 contemporaneously document such review before authorizing
2008 payment to an attorney. If the Justice Administrative Commission
2009 objects to any portion of the proposed billing, the objection
2010 and supporting reasons must be communicated in writing to the
2011 private court-appointed counsel. The counsel may thereafter file
2012 his or her motion, which must specify whether the commission
2013 objects to any portion of the billing or the sufficiency of
2014 documentation, and shall attach the commission’s letter stating
2015 its objection.
2016 (b) Following receipt of the motion to exceed the fee
2017 limits, the chief judge or a single designee shall hold an
2018 evidentiary hearing. The chief judge may select only one judge
2019 per circuit to hear and determine motions pursuant to this
2020 subsection, except multicounty circuits and the eleventh circuit
2021 may have up to two designees.
2022 1. At the hearing, the attorney seeking compensation must
2023 prove by competent and substantial evidence that the case
2024 required extraordinary and unusual efforts. The chief judge or
2025 single designee shall consider criteria such as the number of
2026 witnesses, the complexity of the factual and legal issues, and
2027 the length of trial. The fact that a trial was conducted in a
2028 case does not, by itself, constitute competent substantial
2029 evidence of an extraordinary and unusual effort. In a criminal
2030 case, relief under this section may not be granted if the number
2031 of work hours does not exceed 75 or the number of the state’s
2032 witnesses deposed does not exceed 20.
2033 2. Objections by or on behalf of the Justice Administrative
2034 Commission to records or documents or to claims for payment by
2035 the attorney shall be presumed correct by the court unless the
2036 court determines, in writing, that competent and substantial
2037 evidence exists to justify overcoming the presumption. The chief
2038 judge or single designee shall enter a written order detailing
2039 his or her findings and identifying the extraordinary nature of
2040 the time and efforts of the attorney in the case which warrant
2041 exceeding the flat fee established by this section and the
2042 General Appropriations Act.
2043 (c) A copy of the motion and attachments shall be served on
2044 the Justice Administrative Commission at least 20 business days
2045 before the date of a hearing. The Justice Administrative
2046 Commission has standing to appear before the court, and may
2047 appear in person or telephonically, including at the hearing
2048 under paragraph (b), to contest any motion for an order
2049 approving payment of attorney fees, costs, or related expenses
2050 and may participate in a hearing on the motion by use of
2051 telephonic or other communication equipment. The Justice
2052 Administrative Commission may contract with other public or
2053 private entities or individuals to appear before the court for
2054 the purpose of contesting any motion for an order approving
2055 payment of attorney fees, costs, or related expenses. The fact
2056 that the Justice Administrative Commission has not objected to
2057 any portion of the billing or to the sufficiency of the
2058 documentation is not binding on the court.
2059 (d) If the chief judge or a single designee finds that
2060 counsel has proved by competent and substantial evidence that
2061 the case required extraordinary and unusual efforts, the chief
2062 judge or single designee shall order the compensation to be paid
2063 to the attorney at a percentage above the flat fee rate,
2064 depending on the extent of the unusual and extraordinary effort
2065 required. The percentage must be only the rate necessary to
2066 ensure that the fees paid are not confiscatory under common law.
2067 The percentage may not exceed 200 percent of the established
2068 flat fee, absent a specific finding that 200 percent of the flat
2069 fee in the case would be confiscatory. If the chief judge or
2070 single designee determines that 200 percent of the flat fee
2071 would be confiscatory, he or she shall order the amount of
2072 compensation using an hourly rate not to exceed $75 per hour for
2073 a noncapital case and $100 per hour for a capital case. However,
2074 the compensation calculated by using the hourly rate shall be
2075 only that amount necessary to ensure that the total fees paid
2076 are not confiscatory, subject to the requirements of s.
2077 27.40(7).
2078 (e) Any order granting relief under this subsection must be
2079 attached to the final request for a payment submitted to the
2080 Justice Administrative Commission and must satisfy the
2081 requirements of subparagraph (b)2.
2082 (13) Notwithstanding the limitation set forth in subsection
2083 (5) and for the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year only, the
2084 compensation for representation in a criminal proceeding may not
2085 exceed the following:
2086 (a) For misdemeanors and juveniles represented at the trial
2087 level: $2,000.
2088 (b) For noncapital, nonlife felonies represented at the
2089 trial level: $15,000.
2090 (c) For life felonies represented at the trial level:
2091 $15,000.
2092 (d) For capital cases represented at the trial level:
2093 $25,000. For purposes of this paragraph, a “capital case” is any
2094 offense for which the potential sentence is death and the state
2095 has not waived seeking the death penalty.
2096 (e) For representation on appeal: $9,000.
2097 (f) This subsection expires July 1, 2027 2026.
2098 Section 50. The text of s. 27.5304(1), (3), (7), (11), and
2099 (12)(a)-(e), Florida Statutes, as carried forward from chapter
2100 2019-116, Laws of Florida, and the text of s. 27.5304(6),
2101 Florida Statutes, as carried forward from chapter 2023-240, Laws
2102 of Florida, by this act, expire July 1, 2027, and the text of
2103 those subsections and paragraphs, as applicable, shall revert to
2104 that in existence on June 30, 2019, except that any amendments
2105 to such text enacted other than by this act shall be preserved
2106 and continue to operate to the extent that such amendments are
2107 not dependent upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to
2108 this section.
2109 Section 51. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2110 1348 through 1353 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
2111 subsection (3) of section 908.1033, Florida Statutes, is amended
2112 to read:
2113 908.1033 Local Law Enforcement Immigration Grant Program.—
2114 (3)(a) A local law enforcement agency may apply to the
2115 State Board of Immigration Enforcement to provide bonus payments
2116 for the agency’s local law enforcement officers who participate
2117 in United States Department of Homeland Security at-large task
2118 force operations. The local law enforcement agency may apply for
2119 a bonus of up to $1,000 for each local law enforcement officer
2120 employed within that agency. The local law enforcement agency
2121 must certify to the board that the local law enforcement officer
2122 participated in one or more operations and provide any
2123 information required by the board. Eligible participation does
2124 not include operations occurring solely at state correctional
2125 facilities or county detention facilities.
2126 (b) The bonus payment shall be adjusted to include 7.65
2127 percent for the officers’ share of Federal Insurance
2128 Contribution Act tax on the bonus.
2129 (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), and for the 2026-2027
2130 2025-2026 fiscal year, a local law enforcement agency may apply
2131 to the State Board of Immigration Enforcement to provide bonus
2132 payments for the agency’s certified correctional officers under
2133 s. 943.10(2), who are a warrant service officer under s. 287(g)
2134 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. s. 1357 or an
2135 immigration officer under the jail enforcement model under s.
2136 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. s. 1357.
2137 The local law enforcement agency may apply for a bonus of up to
2138 $1,000 for each certified correctional officer employed with
2139 that county detention facility. The local law enforcement agency
2140 must certify to the board that the certified correctional
2141 officer acted in such capacity as a warrant service officer or
2142 an immigration officer under the jail enforcement model for at
2143 least 6 months preceding the application and provide any
2144 information required by the board. Eligible participation does
2145 not include operations occurring solely at state correctional
2146 facilities. This paragraph expires July 1, 2027 2026.
2147 Section 52. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2148 1336A of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (g)
2149 is added to subsection (7) of section 934.50, Florida Statutes,
2150 to read:
2151 934.50 Searches and seizure using a drone.—
2152 (7) SECURITY STANDARDS FOR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY DRONE USE.—
2153 (g) Subject to appropriation, the Drone as First Responder
2154 Grant Program is created within the Department of Law
2155 Enforcement.
2156 1. The grant program shall provide funds to law enforcement
2157 agencies, fire service providers, ambulance crews, or other
2158 first responders that apply for funding to acquire new drones
2159 that comply with this section. To be eligible, the applicant
2160 must provide the department with any information the department
2161 deems necessary. A law enforcement agency, fire service,
2162 ambulance service, or other first responder agency may apply
2163 directly to the department or a local governmental entity may
2164 submit an application on behalf of one or more of its agencies
2165 to purchase one or more new drones.
2166 2. The department shall expeditiously develop an
2167 application process. Funds shall be allocated on a first-come,
2168 first-served basis, determined by the date the department
2169 receives the application.
2170 3. Grants must be matched by at least 50 percent local
2171 funds, but the department may waive this requirement for
2172 agencies solely serving within a fiscally constrained county as
2173 described in s. 218.67(1), Florida Statutes. Each grant is
2174 limited to a total of $250,000 per agency and a maximum $50,000
2175 per drone.
2176 4. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “first
2177 responder agency“ has the same meaning as in s. 365.179(1)(a).
2178 5. The department may adopt rules to implement this
2179 paragraph. The department is authorized, and all conditions are
2180 deemed met, to adopt emergency rules under s. 120.54(4) for the
2181 purpose of implementing this paragraph. Notwithstanding any
2182 other law, emergency rules adopted under this section are
2183 effective for 12 months after adoption and may be renewed during
2184 the pendency of procedures to adopt permanent rules addressing
2185 the subject of the emergency rules.
2186
2187 This paragraph expires July 1, 2027.
2188 Section 53. In order to implement appropriations used to
2189 pay existing lease contracts for private lease space in excess
2190 of 2,000 square feet in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations
2191 Act, the Department of Management Services, with the cooperation
2192 of the agencies having the existing lease contracts for office
2193 or storage space, shall use tenant broker services to
2194 renegotiate or reprocure all private lease agreements for office
2195 or storage space which are expiring between July 1, 2027, and
2196 June 30, 2029, in order to reduce costs in future years. The
2197 department shall incorporate this initiative into its 2026
2198 master leasing report required under s. 255.249(7), Florida
2199 Statutes, and may use tenant broker services to explore the
2200 possibilities of colocating office or storage space, to review
2201 the space needs of each agency, and to review the length and
2202 terms of potential renewals or renegotiations. The department
2203 shall provide a report to the Executive Office of the Governor,
2204 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
2205 Representatives by November 1, 2026, which lists each lease
2206 contract for private office or storage space, the status of
2207 renegotiations, and the savings achieved. This section expires
2208 July 1, 2027.
2209 Section 54. In order to implement appropriations authorized
2210 in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act for data center
2211 services, and notwithstanding s. 216.292(2)(a), Florida
2212 Statutes, an agency may not transfer funds from a data
2213 processing category to a category other than another data
2214 processing category or a cloud computing category for
2215 information technology resources hosted outside an agency. This
2216 section expires July 1, 2027.
2217 Section 55. In order to implement the appropriation of
2218 funds in the appropriation category “Special Categories-Risk
2219 Management Insurance” in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations
2220 Act, and pursuant to the notice, review, and objection
2221 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, the Executive Office
2222 of the Governor may transfer funds appropriated in that category
2223 between departments in order to align the budget authority
2224 granted with the premiums paid by each department for risk
2225 management insurance. This section expires July 1, 2027.
2226 Section 56. In order to implement the appropriation of
2227 funds in the appropriation category “Special Categories-Transfer
2228 to Department of Management Services-Human Resources Services
2229 Purchased per Statewide Contract” in the 2026-2027 General
2230 Appropriations Act, and pursuant to the notice, review, and
2231 objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, the
2232 Executive Office of the Governor may transfer funds appropriated
2233 in that category between departments in order to align the
2234 budget authority granted with the assessments that must be paid
2235 by each agency to the Department of Management Services for
2236 human resource management services. This section expires July 1,
2237 2027.
2238 Section 57. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2239 2935 in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act in the Building
2240 Relocation appropriation category from the Architects Incidental
2241 Trust Fund of the Department of Management Services, and in
2242 accordance with s. 215.196, Florida Statutes:
2243 (1) Upon the final disposition of a state-owned building,
2244 the Department of Management Services may use up to 5 percent of
2245 facility disposition funds from the Architects Incidental Trust
2246 Fund to defer, offset, or otherwise pay for all or a portion of
2247 relocation expenses, including furniture, fixtures, and
2248 equipment for state agencies impacted by the disposition of the
2249 department’s managed facilities in the Florida Facilities Pool.
2250 The extent of the financial assistance provided to impacted
2251 state agencies shall be determined by the department.
2252 (2) The Department of Management Services may submit budget
2253 amendments for an increase in appropriation if necessary for the
2254 implementation of this section pursuant to chapter 216, Florida
2255 Statutes. Budget amendments for an increase in appropriation
2256 shall include a detailed plan providing all estimated costs and
2257 relocation proposals.
2258 (3) This section expires July 1, 2027.
2259 Section 58. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2260 2513 through 2516 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act:
2261 (1) The Department of Financial Services shall replace the
2262 four main components of the Florida Accounting Information
2263 Resource Subsystem (FLAIR), which include central FLAIR,
2264 departmental FLAIR, payroll, and information warehouse, and
2265 shall replace the cash management and accounting management
2266 components of the Cash Management Subsystem (CMS) with an
2267 integrated enterprise system that allows the state to organize,
2268 define, and standardize its financial management business
2269 processes and that complies with ss. 215.90-215.96, Florida
2270 Statutes. The department may not include in the replacement of
2271 FLAIR and CMS:
2272 (a) Functionality that duplicates any of the other
2273 information subsystems of the Florida Financial Management
2274 Information System; or
2275 (b) Agency business processes related to any of the
2276 functions included in the Personnel Information System, the
2277 Purchasing Subsystem, or the Legislative Appropriations
2278 System/Planning and Budgeting Subsystem.
2279 (2) For purposes of replacing FLAIR and CMS, the Department
2280 of Financial Services shall:
2281 (a) Take into consideration the cost and implementation
2282 data identified for Option 3 as recommended in the March 31,
2283 2014, Florida Department of Financial Services FLAIR Study,
2284 version 031.
2285 (b) Ensure that all business requirements and technical
2286 specifications have been provided to all state agencies for
2287 their review and input and approved by the executive steering
2288 committee established in paragraph (c), including any updates to
2289 these documents.
2290 (c) Implement a project governance structure that includes
2291 an executive steering committee composed of:
2292 1. The Chief Financial Officer or the executive sponsor of
2293 the project.
2294 2. A representative of the Division of Treasury of the
2295 Department of Financial Services, appointed by the Chief
2296 Financial Officer.
2297 3. The Chief Information Officers of the Department of
2298 Financial Services and the Department of Environmental
2299 Protection.
2300 4. Two employees from the Division of Accounting and
2301 Auditing of the Department of Financial Services, appointed by
2302 the Chief Financial Officer. Each employee must have experience
2303 relating to at least one of the four main components that
2304 compose FLAIR.
2305 5. Two employees from the Executive Office of the Governor,
2306 appointed by the Governor. One employee must have experience
2307 relating to the Legislative Appropriations System/Planning and
2308 Budgeting Subsystem.
2309 6. One employee from the Department of Revenue, appointed
2310 by the executive director, who has experience using or
2311 maintaining the department’s finance and accounting systems.
2312 7. Two employees from the Department of Management
2313 Services, appointed by the Secretary of Management Services. One
2314 employee must have experience relating to the department’s
2315 personnel information subsystem and one employee must have
2316 experience relating to the department’s purchasing subsystem.
2317 8. A state agency administrative services director,
2318 appointed by the Governor.
2319 9. The executive sponsor of the Florida Health Care
2320 Connection (FX) System or his or her designee, appointed by the
2321 Secretary of Health Care Administration.
2322 10. The state chief information officer, or his or her
2323 designee, as a nonvoting member. The state chief information
2324 officer, or his or her designee, shall provide monthly status
2325 reports to the executive steering committee pursuant to the
2326 oversight responsibilities in s. 282.0051, Florida Statutes.
2327 11. One employee from the Department of Business and
2328 Professional Regulation who has experience in finance and
2329 accounting and FLAIR, appointed by the Secretary of Business and
2330 Professional Regulation.
2331 12. One employee from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
2332 Commission who has experience using or maintaining the
2333 commission’s finance and accounting systems, appointed by the
2334 chair of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
2335 13. The budget director of the Department of Education, or
2336 his or her designee.
2337 (3)(a) The Chief Financial Officer or the executive sponsor
2338 of the project shall serve as chair of the executive steering
2339 committee, and the committee shall take action by a vote of at
2340 least eight affirmative votes with the Chief Financial Officer
2341 or the executive sponsor of the project voting on the prevailing
2342 side. A quorum of the executive steering committee consists of
2343 at least 10 members.
2344 (b) No later than 14 days before a meeting of the executive
2345 steering committee, the chair shall request input from committee
2346 members on agenda items for the next scheduled meeting.
2347 (c) The chair shall establish a working group composed of
2348 FLAIR users, state agency technical staff who maintain
2349 applications that integrate with FLAIR, and no less than four
2350 state agency finance and accounting or budget directors. The
2351 working group shall meet at least monthly to review PALM
2352 functionality, assess project impacts to state financial
2353 business processes and agency staff, and develop recommendations
2354 to the executive steering committee for improvements. The chair
2355 shall request input from the working group on agenda items for
2356 each scheduled meeting. The Florida PALM project team shall
2357 dedicate a staff member to the group and provide system
2358 demonstrations and any project documentation, as needed, for the
2359 group to fulfill its duties.
2360 (d) The chair shall request all agency project sponsors to
2361 provide bimonthly status reports to the executive steering
2362 committee. The form and format of the bimonthly status reports
2363 shall be developed by the Florida PALM project and provided to
2364 the executive steering committee meeting for approval. Such
2365 agency status reports shall provide information to the executive
2366 steering committee on the activities and ongoing work within the
2367 agency to prepare its systems and impacted employees for the
2368 deployment of the Florida PALM System. The first bimonthly
2369 status report is due September 1, 2026, and bimonthly
2370 thereafter.
2371 (4) The executive steering committee has the overall
2372 responsibility for ensuring that the project to replace FLAIR
2373 and CMS meets its primary business objectives and shall:
2374 (a) Identify and recommend to the Executive Office of the
2375 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
2376 House of Representatives any statutory changes needed to
2377 implement the replacement subsystem that will standardize, to
2378 the fullest extent possible, the state’s financial management
2379 business processes.
2380 (b) Review and approve any changes to the project’s scope,
2381 schedule, and budget which do not conflict with the requirements
2382 of subsection (1).
2383 (c) Ensure that adequate resources are provided throughout
2384 all phases of the project.
2385 (d) Approve all major project deliverables and any cost
2386 changes to each deliverable over $250,000.
2387 (e) Approve contract amendments and changes to all
2388 contract-related documents associated with the replacement of
2389 FLAIR and CMS.
2390 (f) Review, and approve as warranted, the format of the
2391 bimonthly agency status reports to include objective and
2392 quantifiable information on each agency’s progress in planning
2393 for the Florida PALM Major Implementation, covering the agency’s
2394 people, processes, technology, and data transformation
2395 activities.
2396 (g) Ensure compliance with ss. 216.181(16), 216.311,
2397 216.313, 282.318(4)(h), and 287.058, Florida Statutes.
2398 (5) This section expires July 1, 2027.
2399 Section 59. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2400 3040 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
2401 notwithstanding the expiration date in section 65 of chapter
2402 2025-199, Laws of Florida, subsection (3) of section 282.709,
2403 Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
2404 282.709 State agency law enforcement radio system and
2405 interoperability network.—
2406 (3) In recognition of the critical nature of the statewide
2407 law enforcement radio communications system, the Legislature
2408 finds that there is an immediate danger to the public health,
2409 safety, and welfare, and that it is in the best interest of the
2410 state to continue partnering with the system’s current operator.
2411 The Legislature finds that continuity of coverage is critical to
2412 supporting law enforcement, first responders, and other public
2413 safety users. The potential for a loss in coverage or a lack of
2414 interoperability between users requires emergency action and is
2415 a serious concern for officers’ safety and their ability to
2416 communicate and respond to various disasters and events.
2417 (a) The department, pursuant to s. 287.057(11), shall enter
2418 into a 15-year contract with the entity that was operating the
2419 statewide radio communications system on January 1, 2021. The
2420 contract must include:
2421 1. The purchase of radios;
2422 2. The upgrade to the Project 25 communications standard;
2423 3. Increased system capacity and enhanced coverage for
2424 system users;
2425 4. Operations, maintenance, and support at a fixed annual
2426 rate;
2427 5. The conveyance of communications towers to the
2428 department; and
2429 6. The assignment of communications tower leases to the
2430 department.
2431 (b) The State Agency Law Enforcement Radio System Trust
2432 Fund is established in the department and funded from surcharges
2433 collected under ss. 318.18, 320.0802, and 328.72. Upon
2434 appropriation, moneys in the trust fund may be used by the
2435 department to acquire the equipment, software, and engineering,
2436 administrative, and maintenance services it needs to construct,
2437 operate, and maintain the statewide radio system. Moneys in the
2438 trust fund from surcharges shall be used to help fund the costs
2439 of the system. Upon completion of the system, moneys in the
2440 trust fund may also be used by the department for payment of the
2441 recurring maintenance costs of the system.
2442 Section 60. The text of s. 282.709(3), Florida Statutes, as
2443 carried forward from chapter 2021-37, Laws of Florida, by this
2444 act expires July 1, 2027, and the text of that subsection shall
2445 revert to that in existence on June 1, 2021, except that any
2446 amendments to such text enacted other than by this act shall be
2447 preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such
2448 amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which
2449 expire pursuant to this section.
2450 Section 61. In order to implement appropriations relating
2451 to the purchase of equipment and services related to the
2452 Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) as authorized in
2453 the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding s.
2454 287.057, Florida Statutes, state agencies and other eligible
2455 users of the SLERS network may use the Department of Management
2456 Services SLERS contract for purchase of equipment and services.
2457 This section expires July 1, 2027.
2458 Section 62. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2459 2954 through 2965 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
2460 and notwithstanding rule 60A-1.031, Florida Administrative Code,
2461 the transaction fee as identified in s. 287.057(24)(c), Florida
2462 Statutes, shall be collected for use of the online procurement
2463 system and is 0.7 percent for the 2026-2027 fiscal year only.
2464 This section expires July 1, 2027.
2465 Section 63. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2466 2866 through 2892 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
2467 and upon the expiration and reversion of the amendments made by
2468 section 69 of chapter 2025-199, Laws of Florida, paragraph (i)
2469 of subsection (9) of section 24.105, Florida Statutes, is
2470 amended to read:
2471 24.105 Powers and duties of department.—The department
2472 shall:
2473 (9) Adopt rules governing the establishment and operation
2474 of the state lottery, including:
2475 (i) The manner and amount of compensation of retailers,
2476 except for the 2026-2027 fiscal year only, effective July 1,
2477 2026, the commission for lottery ticket sales shall be 6 percent
2478 of the purchase price of each ticket sold or issued as a prize
2479 by a retailer. Any additional retailer compensation is limited
2480 to the Florida Lottery Retailer Bonus Commission program
2481 appropriated in Specific Appropriation 2892 of the 2026-2027
2482 General Appropriations Act.
2483 Section 64. The amendment to s. 24.105(9)(i), Florida
2484 Statutes, made by this act expires July 1, 2027, and the text of
2485 that paragraph shall revert to that in existence on June 30,
2486 2022, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than
2487 by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
2488 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
2489 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
2490 Section 65. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2491 3084 through 3092 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
2492 paragraph (ll) of subsection (6) of section 627.351, Florida
2493 Statutes, is amended to read:
2494 627.351 Insurance risk apportionment plans.—
2495 (6) CITIZENS PROPERTY INSURANCE CORPORATION.—
2496 (ll)1. In addition to any other method of alternative
2497 dispute resolution authorized by state law, the corporation may
2498 adopt policy forms that provide for the resolution of disputes
2499 regarding its claim determinations, including disputes regarding
2500 coverage for, or the scope and value of, a claim, in a
2501 proceeding before the Division of Administrative Hearings. Any
2502 such policies are not subject to s. 627.70154. All proceedings
2503 in the Division of Administrative Hearings pursuant to such
2504 policies are subject to ss. 57.105 and 768.79 as if filed in the
2505 courts of this state and are not considered chapter 120
2506 administrative proceedings. Rule 1.442, Florida Rules of Civil
2507 Procedure, applies to any offer served pursuant to s. 768.79,
2508 except that, notwithstanding any provision in Rule 1.442,
2509 Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, to the contrary, an offer
2510 shall not be served earlier than 10 days after filing the
2511 request for hearing with the Division of Administrative Hearings
2512 and shall not be served later than 10 days before the date set
2513 for the final hearing. The administrative law judge in such
2514 proceedings shall award attorney fees and other relief pursuant
2515 to ss. 57.105 and 768.79. The corporation may not seek, and the
2516 office may not approve, a maximum hourly rate for attorney fees.
2517 2. The corporation may contract with the division to
2518 conduct proceedings to resolve disputes regarding its claim
2519 determinations as may be provided for in the applicable policies
2520 of insurance. This subparagraph expires July 1, 2027 2026.
2521 Section 66. In order to implement section 125 of the 2026
2522 2027 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (a) of subsection (2)
2523 of section 215.5586, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2524 215.5586 My Safe Florida Home Program.—There is established
2525 within the Department of Financial Services the My Safe Florida
2526 Home Program. The department shall provide fiscal
2527 accountability, contract management, and strategic leadership
2528 for the program, consistent with this section. This section does
2529 not create an entitlement for property owners or obligate the
2530 state in any way to fund the inspection or retrofitting of
2531 residential property in this state. Implementation of this
2532 program is subject to annual legislative appropriations. It is
2533 the intent of the Legislature that, subject to the availability
2534 of funds, the My Safe Florida Home Program provide licensed
2535 inspectors to perform hurricane mitigation inspections of
2536 eligible homes and grants to fund hurricane mitigation projects
2537 on those homes. The department shall implement the program in
2538 such a manner that the total amount of funding requested by
2539 accepted applications, whether for inspections, grants, or other
2540 services or assistance, does not exceed the total amount of
2541 available funds. If, after applications are processed and
2542 approved, funds remain available, the department may accept
2543 applications up to the available amount. The program shall
2544 develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated approach
2545 for hurricane damage mitigation pursuant to the requirements
2546 provided in this section.
2547 (2) HURRICANE MITIGATION GRANTS.—Financial grants shall be
2548 used by homeowners to make improvements recommended by an
2549 inspection which increase resistance to hurricane damage.
2550 (a) A homeowner is eligible for a hurricane mitigation
2551 grant if all of the following criteria are met:
2552 1. The home must be eligible for an inspection under
2553 subsection (1).
2554 2. The home must be a dwelling with an insured value of
2555 $700,000 or less. Homeowners who are low-income persons, as
2556 defined in s. 420.0004(11), are exempt from this requirement.
2557 3. The home must undergo an acceptable hurricane mitigation
2558 inspection as provided in subsection (1).
2559 4. The building permit application for initial construction
2560 of the home must have been made before January 1, 2008.
2561 5. The homeowner must agree to make his or her home
2562 available for inspection once a mitigation project is completed.
2563 6. The homeowner must agree to provide to the department
2564 information received from the homeowner’s insurer identifying
2565 the discounts realized by the homeowner because of the
2566 mitigation improvements funded through the program.
2567 7.a. The homeowner must be a low-income person or moderate
2568 income person as defined in s. 420.0004.
2569 b. The hurricane mitigation inspection must have occurred
2570 within the previous 24 months from the date of application.
2571 c. Notwithstanding subparagraph 2., homeowners who are low
2572 income persons, as defined in s. 420.0004(11), are not exempt
2573 from the requirement that the home must be a dwelling with an
2574 insured value of $700,000 or less.
2575 d. This subparagraph expires July 1, 2027 2026.
2576 Section 67. Effective upon this act becoming a law, in
2577 order to implement Specific Appropriation 2544A of the 2026-2027
2578 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding s. 216.301,
2579 Florida Statutes, the funds appropriated to the Department of
2580 Financial Services in Specific Appropriation 2245A and section
2581 74 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act will not revert
2582 and may be carried forward through the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
2583 This section expires July 1, 2027.
2584 Section 68. In order to implement the appropriation of
2585 funds in the appropriation category “Northwest Regional Data
2586 Center” in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
2587 pursuant to the notice, review, and objection procedures of s.
2588 216.177, Florida Statutes, the Executive Office of the Governor
2589 may transfer funds appropriated in that category between
2590 departments in order to align the budget authority granted based
2591 on the estimated costs for data processing services for the
2592 2026-2027 fiscal year. This section expires July 1, 2027.
2593 Section 69. In order to implement appropriations authorized
2594 in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act for state data
2595 center services, auxiliary assessments charged to state agencies
2596 related to contract management services provided to Northwest
2597 Regional Data Center may not exceed 3 percent. This section
2598 expires July 1, 2027.
2599 Section 70. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2600 2563A of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, section
2601 284.51, Florida Statutes, is reenacted and amended to read:
2602 284.51 Electroencephalogram combined transcranial magnetic
2603 stimulation treatment pilot program.—
2604 (1) As used in this section, the term:
2605 (a) “Division” means the Division of Risk Management of the
2606 Department of Financial Services.
2607 (b) “Electroencephalogram combined Transcranial Magnetic
2608 Stimulation” or “eTMS” means treatment in which transcranial
2609 magnetic stimulation frequency pulses are tuned to the patient’s
2610 physiology and biometric data.
2611 (c) “First responder” means a law enforcement officer, a
2612 part-time law enforcement officer, or an auxiliary law
2613 enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10; a firefighter as
2614 defined in s. 633.102; a 911 public safety telecommunicator as
2615 defined in s. 401.465; or an emergency medical technician or
2616 paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 employed by state or local
2617 government. The term also includes a volunteer or retired law
2618 enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical
2619 technician or paramedic engaged, or previously engaged, by the
2620 state or a local government.
2621 (d) “Veteran” means:
2622 1. A veteran as defined in 38 U.S.C. s. 101(2);
2623 2. A person who served in a reserve component as defined in
2624 38 U.S.C. s. 101(27); or
2625 3. A person who served in the National Guard of any state.
2626 (2) The division shall select a provider to establish a
2627 statewide pilot program to make eTMS available for veterans,
2628 first responders, and immediate family members of veterans and
2629 first responders with:
2630 (a) Substance use disorders.
2631 (b) Mental illness.
2632 (c) Sleep disorders.
2633 (d) Traumatic brain injuries.
2634 (e) Sexual trauma.
2635 (f) Posttraumatic stress disorder and accompanying
2636 comorbidities.
2637 (g) Concussions.
2638 (h) Other brain trauma.
2639 (i) Quality of life issues affecting human performance,
2640 including issues related to or resulting from problems with
2641 cognition and problems maintaining attention, concentration, or
2642 focus.
2643 (3) The provider must display a history of serving veteran
2644 and first responder populations at a statewide level. The
2645 provider shall establish a network for in-person and offsite
2646 care with the goal of providing statewide access. Consideration
2647 shall be provided to locations with a large population of first
2648 responders and veterans. In addition to traditional eTMS
2649 devices, the provider may utilize nonmedical Portable Magnetic
2650 Stimulation devices to improve access to underserved populations
2651 in remote areas or to be used to serve as a pre-post treatment
2652 or a stand-alone device. The provider shall be required to
2653 establish and operate a clinical practice and to evaluate
2654 outcomes of such clinical practice.
2655 (4) The pilot program shall include:
2656 (a) The establishment of a peer-to-peer support network by
2657 the provider made available to all individuals receiving
2658 treatment under the program.
2659 (b) The requirement that each individual who receives
2660 treatment under the program also must receive neurophysiological
2661 monitoring, monitoring for symptoms of substance use and other
2662 mental health disorders, and access to counseling and wellness
2663 programming. Each individual who receives treatment must also
2664 participate in the peer-to-peer support network established by
2665 the provider.
2666 (c) The establishment of protocols which include the use of
2667 adopted stimulation frequency and intensity modulation based on
2668 EEGs done on days 0, 10, and 20 and motor threshold testing, as
2669 well as clinical symptoms, signs, and biometrics.
2670 (d) The requirement that protocols and outcomes of any
2671 treatment provided by the clinical practice shall be collected
2672 and reported by the provider quarterly to the division, the
2673 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
2674 Representatives. Such report shall include the biodata metrics
2675 and all expenditures and accounting of the use of funds received
2676 from the department.
2677 (e) The requirement that protocols and outcomes of any
2678 treatment provided by the clinical practice shall be collected
2679 and reported to the University of South Florida and may be
2680 provided by the provider to any relevant Food and Drug
2681 Administration studies or trials.
2682 (5) The division may adopt rules to implement this section.
2683 (6) This section expires July 1, 2027 2026.
2684 Section 71. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2685 2563A of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, the
2686 Department of Financial Services shall continue its existing
2687 contract for the establishment of the Electroencephalogram
2688 Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment pilot
2689 program for veterans and first responders. The department’s
2690 existing contract, and all funds paid by the department pursuant
2691 to that contract, do not constitute state financial assistance
2692 as provided in s. 215.97, Florida Statutes. This section expires
2693 July 1, 2027.
2694 Section 72. Effective upon this act becoming a law, and in
2695 order to implement Specific Appropriations 2505 through 2512 of
2696 the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, subsection (3) is
2697 added to section 717.123, Florida Statutes, to read:
2698 717.123 Deposit of funds.—
2699 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), and for the 2025-2026
2700 and 2026-2027 fiscal years, the department shall retain, from
2701 the funds received under this chapter, an amount not to exceed
2702 the amount estimated to be received as atypical receipts for the
2703 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 fiscal years by the Revenue Estimating
2704 Conference resulting from the implementation of chapter 2024
2705 140, Laws of Florida. This amount must be held in a separate
2706 account and is in addition to the $15 million the department is
2707 authorized to retain pursuant to subsection (1). From the
2708 separate account the department shall make prompt payment of
2709 claims relating to the atypical receipts allowed by the
2710 department. This subsection expires July 1, 2027.
2711 Section 73. In order to implement specific appropriations
2712 from the land acquisition trust funds within the Department of
2713 Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of
2714 Environmental Protection, the Department of State, and the Fish
2715 and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which are contained in the
2716 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, subsection (3) of section
2717 215.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2718 215.18 Transfers between funds; limitation.—
2719 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) and only with respect to
2720 a land acquisition trust fund in the Department of Agriculture
2721 and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental
2722 Protection, the Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife
2723 Conservation Commission, whenever there is a deficiency in a
2724 land acquisition trust fund which would render that trust fund
2725 temporarily insufficient to meet its just requirements,
2726 including the timely payment of appropriations from that trust
2727 fund, and other trust funds in the State Treasury have moneys
2728 that are for the time being or otherwise in excess of the
2729 amounts necessary to meet the just requirements, including
2730 appropriated obligations, of those other trust funds, the
2731 Governor may order a temporary transfer of moneys from one or
2732 more of the other trust funds to a land acquisition trust fund
2733 in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the
2734 Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of State,
2735 or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Any action
2736 proposed pursuant to this subsection is subject to the notice,
2737 review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, and the Governor
2738 shall provide notice of such action at least 7 days before the
2739 effective date of the transfer of trust funds, except that
2740 during July 2026 2025, notice of such action shall be provided
2741 at least 3 days before the effective date of a transfer unless
2742 such 3-day notice is waived by the chair and vice chair of the
2743 Legislative Budget Commission. Any transfer of trust funds to a
2744 land acquisition trust fund in the Department of Agriculture and
2745 Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection,
2746 the Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
2747 Commission must be repaid to the trust funds from which the
2748 moneys were loaned by the end of the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal
2749 year. The Legislature has determined that the repayment of the
2750 other trust fund moneys temporarily loaned to a land acquisition
2751 trust fund in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
2752 Services, the Department of Environmental Protection, the
2753 Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
2754 Commission pursuant to this subsection is an allowable use of
2755 the moneys in a land acquisition trust fund because the moneys
2756 from other trust funds temporarily loaned to a land acquisition
2757 trust fund shall be expended solely and exclusively in
2758 accordance with s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution. This
2759 subsection expires July 1, 2027 2026.
2760 Section 74. (1) In order to implement specific
2761 appropriations from the land acquisition trust funds within the
2762 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department
2763 of Environmental Protection, the Department of State, and the
2764 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission which are contained in
2765 the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, the Department of
2766 Environmental Protection shall transfer revenues from the Land
2767 Acquisition Trust Fund within the department to the land
2768 acquisition trust funds within the Department of Agriculture and
2769 Consumer Services, the Department of State, and the Fish and
2770 Wildlife Conservation Commission as provided in this section. As
2771 used in this section, the term “department” means the Department
2772 of Environmental Protection.
2773 (2) After subtracting any required debt service payments,
2774 the proportionate share of revenues to be transferred to each
2775 land acquisition trust fund shall be calculated by dividing the
2776 appropriations from each of the land acquisition trust funds for
2777 the fiscal year by the total appropriations from the Land
2778 Acquisition Trust Fund within the department and the land
2779 acquisition trust funds within the Department of Agriculture and
2780 Consumer Services, the Department of State, and the Fish and
2781 Wildlife Conservation Commission for the fiscal year. The
2782 department shall transfer the proportionate share of the
2783 revenues in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the
2784 department on a monthly basis to the appropriate land
2785 acquisition trust funds within the Department of Agriculture and
2786 Consumer Services, the Department of State, and the Fish and
2787 Wildlife Conservation Commission and shall retain its
2788 proportionate share of the revenues in the Land Acquisition
2789 Trust Fund within the department. Total distributions to a land
2790 acquisition trust fund within the Department of Agriculture and
2791 Consumer Services, the Department of State, and the Fish and
2792 Wildlife Conservation Commission may not exceed the total
2793 appropriations from such trust fund for the fiscal year.
2794 (3) In addition, the department shall transfer from the
2795 Land Acquisition Trust Fund to land acquisition trust funds
2796 within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the
2797 Department of State, and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
2798 Commission amounts equal to the difference between the amounts
2799 appropriated in chapter 2025-198, Laws of Florida, to the
2800 department’s Land Acquisition Trust Fund and the other land
2801 acquisition trust funds, and the amounts actually transferred
2802 between those trust funds during the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
2803 (4) The department may advance funds from the beginning
2804 unobligated fund balance in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to
2805 the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the Fish and Wildlife
2806 Conservation Commission needed for cash flow purposes based on a
2807 detailed expenditure plan. The department shall prorate amounts
2808 transferred quarterly to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
2809 Commission to recoup the amount of funds advanced by June 30,
2810 2027.
2811 (5) This section expires July 1, 2027.
2812 Section 75. In order to implement specific appropriations
2813 from the Florida Forever Trust Fund within the Department of
2814 Environmental Protection, which are contained in the 2026-2027
2815 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (m) of subsection (3) of
2816 section 259.105, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2817 259.105 The Florida Forever Act.—
2818 (3) Less the costs of issuing and the costs of funding
2819 reserve accounts and other costs associated with bonds, the
2820 proceeds of cash payments or bonds issued pursuant to this
2821 section shall be deposited into the Florida Forever Trust Fund
2822 created by s. 259.1051. The proceeds shall be distributed by the
2823 Department of Environmental Protection in the following manner:
2824 (m) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a)-(j) and for the 2026
2825 2027 2025-2026 fiscal year, the proceeds shall be distributed as
2826 provided in the General Appropriations Act. This paragraph
2827 expires July 1, 2027 2026.
2828 Section 76. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2829 1776 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
2830 notwithstanding the expiration date in section 85 of chapter
2831 2025-199, Laws of Florida, paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of
2832 section 376.91, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2833 376.91 Statewide cleanup of perfluoroalkyl and
2834 polyfluoroalkyl substances.—
2835 (2) STATEWIDE CLEANUP TARGET LEVELS.—
2836 (a) If the United States Environmental Protection Agency
2837 has not finalized its standards for PFAS in drinking water,
2838 groundwater, and soil by January 1, 2027 2026, the department
2839 shall adopt by rule statewide cleanup target levels for PFAS in
2840 drinking water, groundwater, and soil using criteria set forth
2841 in s. 376.30701, with priority given to PFOA and PFOS. The rules
2842 for statewide cleanup target levels may not take effect until
2843 ratified by the Legislature.
2844 Section 77. The amendment to s. 376.91(2)(a), Florida
2845 Statutes, made by this act expires July 1, 2027, and the text of
2846 that paragraph shall revert to that in existence on June 30,
2847 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than
2848 by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
2849 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
2850 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
2851 Section 78. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2852 1831A of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
2853 notwithstanding the expiration date in section 89 of chapter
2854 2025-199, Laws of Florida, paragraph (g) of subsection (15) of
2855 section 376.3071, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
2856 376.3071 Inland Protection Trust Fund; creation; purposes;
2857 funding.—
2858 (15) ETHANOL OR BIODIESEL DAMAGE; PREVENTIVE MEASURES.—The
2859 department shall pay, pursuant to this subsection, up to $10
2860 million each fiscal year from the fund for the costs of labor
2861 and equipment to repair or replace petroleum storage systems
2862 that may have been damaged due to the storage of fuels blended
2863 with ethanol or biodiesel, or for preventive measures to reduce
2864 the potential for such damage.
2865 (g) Payments may not be made for the following:
2866 1. Proposal costs or costs related to preparation of the
2867 application and required documentation;
2868 2. Certified public accountant costs;
2869 3. Except as provided in paragraph (j), any costs in excess
2870 of the amount approved by the department under paragraph (b) or
2871 which are not in substantial compliance with the purchase order;
2872 4. Costs associated with storage tanks, piping, or
2873 ancillary equipment that has previously been repaired or
2874 replaced for which costs have been paid under this section;
2875 5. Facilities that are not in compliance with department
2876 storage tank rules, until the noncompliance issues have been
2877 resolved; or
2878 6. Costs associated with damage to petroleum storage
2879 systems caused in whole or in part by causes other than the
2880 storage of fuels blended with ethanol or biodiesel.
2881 Section 79. The text of s. 376.3071(15)(g), Florida
2882 Statutes, as carried forward from chapter 2020-114, Laws of
2883 Florida, by this act expires July 1, 2027, and the text of that
2884 paragraph shall revert to that in existence on July 1, 2020, but
2885 not including any amendments made by this act or chapter 2020
2886 114, Laws of Florida, and any amendments to such text enacted
2887 other than by this act shall be preserved and continue to
2888 operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent
2889 upon the portion of text which expires pursuant to this section.
2890 Section 80. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2891 2320 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
2892 notwithstanding chapter 287, Florida Statutes, the Department of
2893 Citrus shall enter into agreements for the purpose of increasing
2894 production of trees that show tolerance or resistance to citrus
2895 greening and to commercialize technologies that produce
2896 tolerance or resistance to citrus greening in trees. The
2897 department shall enter into these agreements no later than
2898 January 1, 2027, and shall file with the department’s Inspector
2899 General a certification of conditions and circumstances
2900 justifying each agreement entered into without competitive
2901 solicitation. This section expires July 1, 2027.
2902 Section 81. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2903 1715 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
2904 notwithstanding the expiration date in section 92 of chapter
2905 2025-199, Laws of Florida, section 380.5105, Florida Statutes,
2906 as amended by chapters 2024-228 and 2025-199, Laws of Florida,
2907 is reenacted to read:
2908 380.5105 The Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts; Florida
2909 Forever program.—
2910 (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, it
2911 is the intent of the Legislature that the trust shall administer
2912 the working waterfronts land acquisition program as set forth in
2913 this section.
2914 (a) The trust and the Department of Agriculture and
2915 Consumer Services shall jointly develop rules specifically
2916 establishing an application process and a process for the
2917 evaluation, scoring and ranking of working waterfront projects.
2918 The proposed rules jointly developed pursuant to this paragraph
2919 shall be promulgated by the trust. Such rules shall establish a
2920 system of weighted criteria to give increased priority to
2921 projects:
2922 1. Within a municipality with a population less than
2923 30,000;
2924 2. Within a municipality or area under intense growth and
2925 development pressures, as evidenced by a number of factors,
2926 including a determination that the municipality’s growth rate
2927 exceeds the average growth rate for the state;
2928 3. Within the boundary of a community redevelopment agency
2929 established pursuant to s. 163.356;
2930 4. Adjacent to state-owned submerged lands designated as an
2931 aquatic preserve identified in s. 258.39; or
2932 5. That provide a demonstrable benefit to the local
2933 economy.
2934 (b) For projects that will require more than the grant
2935 amount awarded for completion, the applicant must identify in
2936 their project application funding sources that will provide the
2937 difference between the grant award and the estimated project
2938 completion cost. Such rules may be incorporated into those
2939 developed pursuant to s. 380.507(11).
2940 (c) The trust shall develop a ranking list based on
2941 criteria identified in paragraph (a) for proposed fee simple and
2942 less-than-fee simple acquisition projects developed pursuant to
2943 this section. The trust shall, by the first Board of Trustees of
2944 the Internal Improvement Trust Fund meeting in February, present
2945 the ranking list pursuant to this section to the board of
2946 trustees for final approval of projects for funding. The board
2947 of trustees may remove projects from the ranking list but may
2948 not add projects.
2949 (d) Grant awards, acquisition approvals, and terms of less
2950 than-fee acquisitions shall be approved by the trust. Waterfront
2951 communities that receive grant awards must submit annual
2952 progress reports to the trust identifying project activities
2953 which are complete, and the progress achieved in meeting the
2954 goals outlined in the project application. The trust must
2955 implement a process to monitor and evaluate the performance of
2956 grant recipients in completing projects that are funded through
2957 the working waterfronts program.
2958 (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, it
2959 is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of
2960 Environmental Protection shall administer the working
2961 waterfronts capital outlay grant program as set forth in this
2962 section to support the commercial fishing and marine aquaculture
2963 industries, including the infrastructure for receiving or
2964 unloading seafood for the purpose of supporting the seafood
2965 economy.
2966 (a) The working waterfronts capital outlay grant program is
2967 created to provide funding to assist commercial saltwater
2968 products or commercial saltwater wholesale dealer or retailer
2969 license holders and seafood houses in maintaining their
2970 operations.
2971 (b) Eligible costs and expenditures include fixed capital
2972 outlay and operating capital outlay, including, but not limited
2973 to, the repair and maintenance or replacement of equipment, the
2974 repair and maintenance or replacement of water-adjacent
2975 facilities or infrastructure, and the construction or renovation
2976 of shoreside facilities.
2977 (c) The applicant must demonstrate a benefit to the local
2978 economy.
2979 (d) Grant recipients must submit annual progress reports to
2980 the department identifying project activities that are complete
2981 and the progress achieved in meeting the goals outlined in the
2982 project application.
2983 (e) The department shall implement a process to monitor and
2984 evaluate the performance of grant recipients in completing
2985 projects funded through the program.
2986 Section 82. The text of s. 380.5105, Florida Statutes, as
2987 carried forward from chapters 2024-228 and 2025-199, Laws of
2988 Florida, by this act expires July 1, 2027, and the text of that
2989 section shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2024,
2990 except that any amendments to such text enacted other than by
2991 this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
2992 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
2993 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
2994 Section 83. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2995 1951 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act and
2996 notwithstanding s. 823.11(4)(c), Florida Statutes, the Fish and
2997 Wildlife Conservation Commission may use funds appropriated for
2998 the derelict vessel removal program for grants to local
2999 governments or to remove, store, destroy, and dispose of, or to
3000 pay private contractors to remove, store, destroy, and dispose
3001 of, derelict vessels or vessels declared a public nuisance
3002 pursuant to s. 327.73(1)(aa), Florida Statutes. This section
3003 expires July 1, 2027.
3004 Section 84. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3005 1744A of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, subsection
3006 (4) is added to section 403.890, Florida Statutes, to read:
3007 403.890 Water Protection and Sustainability Program.—
3008 (4) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2), revenues
3009 deposited into or appropriated to the Water Protection and
3010 Sustainability Program Trust Fund may be used as provided in the
3011 General Appropriations Act. This subsection expires July 1,
3012 2027.
3013 Section 85. In order to implement appropriations from the
3014 Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the Department of
3015 Environmental Protection in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations
3016 Act, paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
3017 Statutes, is amended to read:
3018 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
3019 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
3020 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
3021 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
3022 under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
3023 pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
3024 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
3025 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
3026 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
3027 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
3028 Project subject to congressional authorization; the Long-Term
3029 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
3030 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
3031 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
3032 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
3033 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
3034 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
3035 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
3036 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
3037 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
3038 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
3039 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
3040 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project, the
3041 Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoir Project, the Lake
3042 Okeechobee Watershed Project, the C-43 West Basin Storage
3043 Reservoir Project, the Indian River Lagoon-South Project, the
3044 Western Everglades Restoration Project, and the Picayune Strand
3045 Restoration Project. The Department of Environmental Protection
3046 and the South Florida Water Management District shall give
3047 preference to those Everglades restoration projects that reduce
3048 harmful discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee to the St.
3049 Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a timely manner. For the
3050 purpose of performing the calculation provided in this
3051 subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid pursuant to
3052 paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
3053 purposes set forth under this paragraph shall be added to the
3054 amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
3055 (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
3056 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
3057 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
3058 purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
3059 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
3060 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
3061 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
3062 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
3063 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
3064 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
3065 paragraph shall be added to the amount remaining after the
3066 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
3067 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
3068 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
3069 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
3070 subparagraph.
3071 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
3072 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
3073 Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
3074 the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
3075 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
3076 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
3077 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
3078 4. The sum of $64 million is appropriated and shall be
3079 transferred to the Everglades Trust Fund for the 2018-2019
3080 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, for the EAA
3081 reservoir project pursuant to s. 373.4598. Any funds remaining
3082 in any fiscal year shall be made available only for Phase II of
3083 the C-51 reservoir project or projects identified in
3084 subparagraph 1. and must be used in accordance with laws
3085 relating to such projects. Any funds made available for such
3086 purposes in a fiscal year are in addition to the amount
3087 appropriated under subparagraph 1. This distribution shall be
3088 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
3089 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2017, for the
3090 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
3091 5. The sum of $50 million shall be appropriated annually to
3092 the South Florida Water Management District for the Lake
3093 Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project in accordance with s.
3094 373.4599. This distribution must be reduced by an amount equal
3095 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
3096 issued after July 1, 2021, for the purposes set forth in this
3097 subparagraph.
3098 6. The sum of $100 million shall be appropriated annually
3099 to the Department of Environmental Protection for the
3100 acquisition of land pursuant to s. 259.105.
3101 7. Notwithstanding subparagraph 6. subparagraphs 3. and 6.,
3102 for the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year, funds shall be
3103 appropriated as provided in the General Appropriations Act. This
3104 subparagraph expires July 1, 2027 2026.
3105 Section 86. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3106 1650 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
3107 notwithstanding chapter 255, Florida Statutes, the Department of
3108 Agriculture and Consumer Services may lease an existing facility
3109 that meets the requirements of s. 581.1843(6), Florida Statutes,
3110 and may administer a program to expedite the expansion of the
3111 propagation of Citrus sinensis or Citrus sinensis-like budwood
3112 trees and seedlings that show tolerance or resistance to citrus
3113 greening, and to commercialize technologies that produce
3114 tolerance or resistance to citrus greening in trees. This
3115 section expires July 1, 2027.
3116 Section 87. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3117 1660 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
3118 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
3119 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may submit
3120 budget amendments, subject to the notice, review, and objection
3121 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to increase budget
3122 authority to support the National School Lunch Program. This
3123 section expires July 1, 2027.
3124 Section 88. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3125 2331 through 2338 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
3126 subsection (3) of section 288.80125, Florida Statutes, is
3127 amended to read:
3128 288.80125 Triumph Gulf Coast Trust Fund.—
3129 (3) For the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year, funds shall be
3130 used for the Rebuild Florida Revolving Loan Fund program to
3131 provide assistance to businesses impacted by Hurricane Michael
3132 as provided in the General Appropriations Act. This subsection
3133 expires July 1, 2027 2026.
3134 Section 89. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3135 2055 through 2068, 2069D through 2069E, 2080 through 2090, 2092
3136 through 2100, and 2138 through 2151 of the 2026-2027 General
3137 Appropriations Act, paragraph (h) of subsection (7) of section
3138 339.135, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3139 339.135 Work program; legislative budget request;
3140 definitions; preparation, adoption, execution, and amendment.—
3141 (7) AMENDMENT OF THE ADOPTED WORK PROGRAM.—
3142 (h)1. Any work program amendment that also adds a new
3143 project, or phase thereof, to the adopted work program in excess
3144 of $3 million is subject to approval by the Legislative Budget
3145 Commission. Any work program amendment submitted under this
3146 paragraph must include, as supplemental information, a list of
3147 projects, or phases thereof, in the current 5-year adopted work
3148 program which are eligible for the funds within the
3149 appropriation category being used for the proposed amendment.
3150 The department shall provide a narrative with the rationale for
3151 not advancing an existing project, or phase thereof, in lieu of
3152 the proposed amendment.
3153 2. If the department submits an amendment to the
3154 Legislative Budget Commission and the commission does not meet
3155 or consider the amendment within 30 days after its submittal,
3156 the chair and vice chair of the commission may authorize the
3157 amendment to be approved pursuant to s. 216.177. This
3158 subparagraph expires July 1, 2027 2026.
3159 Section 90. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3160 2055 through 2068, 2069D, 2069E, 2080 through 2082, 2092 through
3161 2100 and 2138 through 2151 of the 2026-2027 General
3162 Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding s. 339.135(7)(b),
3163 Florida Statutes, the Department of Transportation is authorized
3164 to request up to $100 million of budget authority to the extent
3165 necessary to advance or defer projects programmed in the Work
3166 Program and realign resources to safeguard district allocations
3167 and ensure projects programmed in the Work Program are balanced
3168 to the finance plan. The department may submit budget amendments
3169 to realign budget authority consistent with this section and
3170 pursuant to s. 339.135(7), Florida Statutes. This section
3171 expires July 1, 2027.
3172 Section 91. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3173 2396 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, subsection (6)
3174 of section 288.0655, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3175 288.0655 Rural Infrastructure Fund.—
3176 (6) For the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year, the funds
3177 appropriated for the grant program for Florida Panhandle
3178 counties shall be distributed pursuant to and for the purposes
3179 described in the proviso language associated with Specific
3180 Appropriation 2396 2113 of the 2026-2027 2025-2026 General
3181 Appropriations Act. This subsection expires July 1, 2027 2026.
3182 Section 92. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3183 2396A through 2396J of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
3184 section 288.013, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
3185 288.013 Office of Rural Prosperity.—
3186 (1) The Legislature finds that the unique characteristics
3187 of the rural communities in this state are integral to making
3188 Florida an attractive place to visit, work, and live. The
3189 Legislature further finds that fostering a prosperous rural
3190 economy and vibrant rural communities serves the best interests
3191 of this state. Rural prosperity supports this state’s
3192 infrastructure, housing, agricultural, and food-processing needs
3193 and advances the overall health of Florida’s economy. It is
3194 essential that rural areas be able to grow and thrive, whether
3195 independently or through regional partnerships. To better serve
3196 rural communities, and in recognition of the unique challenges
3197 and opportunities they face, the Office of Rural Prosperity is
3198 established to ensure that state efforts to support rural
3199 Florida are coordinated, focused, and effective.
3200 (2) Notwithstanding s. 20.60, the Office of Rural
3201 Prosperity is created within the Department of Commerce to
3202 support rural communities by helping rural stakeholders navigate
3203 available programs and resources and by representing rural
3204 interests across state government.
3205 (3) The Governor shall appoint a director to lead the
3206 office, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The director
3207 shall report to the secretary of the department and shall serve
3208 at the pleasure of the secretary.
3209 (4) The office shall do all of the following:
3210 (a) Serve as the state’s point of contact for rural local
3211 governments.
3212 (b) Provide administrative support to the Rural Economic
3213 Development Initiative (REDI) pursuant to s. 288.0656.
3214 (c) Provide training and technical assistance to rural
3215 local governments on a broad range of community and economic
3216 development activities. The training and technical assistance
3217 may be offered using communications technology or in person. In
3218 addition, the office shall post a recorded training and
3219 technical assistance video to the office’s website which covers
3220 all of the required topics. The training and technical
3221 assistance must include, at a minimum, the following topics:
3222 1. How to access state and federal resources, including
3223 training on the online rural resource directory required under
3224 paragraph (d).
3225 2. Best practices for comprehensive planning, economic
3226 development, and land development in rural communities.
3227 3. Strategies to address staffing shortages and strengthen
3228 management functions in rural local governments.
3229 4. Requirements of, and updates on recent changes to, the
3230 Community Planning Act under s. 163.3161.
3231 5. Updates on other recent state and federal laws affecting
3232 rural local governments.
3233 (d) Create and maintain an online rural resource directory
3234 to serve as an interactive tool for users to navigate state and
3235 federal resources, tools, and services available to rural local
3236 governments. The office shall ensure the directory is regularly
3237 updated and, to the greatest extent possible, includes current
3238 information on programs, resources, and services that address
3239 the needs of rural communities in all areas of governance. Each
3240 state agency shall routinely provide information and updates to
3241 the office to support maintenance of the directory. The
3242 directory must allow users to search by indicators, such as
3243 agency name, resource type, or topic, and include a notification
3244 feature that alerts users when new or updated resources are
3245 available. To the greatest extent possible, the directory must
3246 identify any financial match requirements associated with listed
3247 programs.
3248 (5)(a) By October 1, 2026, the office shall establish and
3249 provide staff for seven regional rural community liaison centers
3250 across this state to provide specialized in-person state support
3251 to rural local governments located in rural areas of opportunity
3252 as defined in s. 288.0656. The department shall, by rule, divide
3253 the state into seven regions and assign a liaison center to each
3254 region. Each liaison center shall serve the local governments
3255 within its geographic area and shall be staffed with at least
3256 two full-time department employees. At a minimum, each liaison
3257 center has the following powers and duties:
3258 1. Assist local governments in planning and achieving goals
3259 related to local or regional growth, economic development, and
3260 rural prosperity.
3261 2. Facilitate access to state and federal resources,
3262 including grants, loans, and other available assistance.
3263 3. Advise local governments on available program waivers,
3264 including financial match waivers or reductions for projects
3265 using state or federal funds through REDI under s. 288.0656.
3266 4. Coordinate technical assistance needs with the
3267 department and other state or federal agencies.
3268 5. Promote model ordinances, policies, and strategies
3269 related to economic development.
3270 6. Assist local governments with regulatory and reporting
3271 compliance requirements.
3272 (b) To the greatest extent possible, each regional rural
3273 community liaison center shall coordinate with local and
3274 regional governmental entities, regional economic development
3275 organizations as defined in s. 288.018, and other appropriate
3276 entities to establish a network that fosters community-driven
3277 solutions promoting viable and sustainable rural communities.
3278 (c) Each regional rural community liaison center shall
3279 regularly engage with REDI established in s. 288.0656, and at
3280 least one staff member from each liaison center shall attend the
3281 monthly REDI meeting, either in person or by means of electronic
3282 communication.
3283 (6) By December 1, 2026, the director of the office shall
3284 submit to the Administration Commission within the Executive
3285 Office of the Governor a written report describing the office’s
3286 operations and accomplishments for the preceding year. In
3287 consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
3288 Services, the office shall also include in the report
3289 recommendations for policies, programs, and funding initiatives
3290 to further support the needs of rural communities in this state.
3291 The office shall also submit the report to the President of the
3292 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
3293 December 1 of each year and publish it on the office’s website.
3294 At the next scheduled meeting of the Administration Commission
3295 following submission of the report, the director shall, in
3296 person, present detailed information from the report required
3297 under this subsection.
3298 (7) This section expires July 1, 2027.
3299 Section 93. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3300 2396E of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (f)
3301 is added to subsection (7) of section 288.001, Florida Statutes,
3302 to read:
3303 288.001 The Florida Small Business Development Center
3304 Network.—
3305 (7) ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDS; USES; PAY-PER-PERFORMANCE
3306 INCENTIVES; STATEWIDE SERVICE; SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS; BEST
3307 PRACTICES; ELIGIBILITY.—
3308 (f) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a), (b), and (c), the
3309 network shall use funds directly appropriated for the specific
3310 purpose of expanding service in rural communities as defined in
3311 s. 288.0656, in addition to any funds allocated by the network
3312 from other sources. The network shall use the funds to develop
3313 an activity plan focused on network consultants and resources in
3314 rural communities. In collaboration with regional economic
3315 development organizations as defined in s. 288.018, the plan
3316 must provide for either full- or part-time consultants to be
3317 available for at least 20 hours per week in rural areas or to be
3318 permanently stationed in rural areas. This may include
3319 establishing a circuit in specific rural locations to ensure the
3320 consultants’ availability on a regular basis. By using the funds
3321 to create a regular presence in rural areas, the network will
3322 strengthen community collaboration, raise awareness of available
3323 resources to provide opportunities for new business development
3324 or existing business growth, and make professional experience,
3325 education, and business information available in these essential
3326 communities. The network may dedicate funds to facilitate local
3327 or regional events that focus on small business topics, provide
3328 consulting services, and leverage partner organizations, such as
3329 the regional economic development organizations, local workforce
3330 development boards as described in s. 445.007, and Florida
3331 College System institutions. This paragraph expires July 1,
3332 2027.
3333 Section 94. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3334 2396F of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, section
3335 288.014, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
3336 288.014 Renaissance Grants Program.—
3337 (1) The Legislature finds that it has historically provided
3338 programs to assist rural communities with economic development
3339 and to enhance their ability to attract businesses and that, by
3340 providing that extra component of economic viability, rural
3341 communities are able to attract new businesses and grow existing
3342 ones. However, the Legislature further finds that a subset of
3343 rural communities has decreased in population over the past
3344 decade, contributing to a decline in local business activity and
3345 economic development. The Legislature therefore determines that
3346 state assistance must evolve to support these communities in
3347 achieving the foundation necessary for economic viability. The
3348 intent of the Renaissance Grants Program is to reverse economic
3349 deterioration in such rural communities by retaining and
3350 attracting residents by giving them a reason to stay, which will
3351 stimulate natural economic growth, business opportunities, and
3352 improved quality of life.
3353 (2) The Office of Rural Prosperity within the department
3354 shall administer the Renaissance Grants Program to provide block
3355 grants to eligible counties. By August 1, 2026, the Office of
3356 Economic and Demographic Research shall certify to the Office of
3357 Rural Prosperity which counties are growth-impeded. For the
3358 purposes of this section, the term “growth-impeded” means a
3359 county that, as of the most recent population estimate, has
3360 experienced a declining population over the previous 10 years.
3361 After the initial certification, the Office of Economic and
3362 Demographic Research shall annually certify whether the county
3363 remains growth-impeded, until the office certifies the county
3364 has had 3 consecutive years of population growth. Upon such
3365 certification of population growth, the county remains eligible
3366 for the program for 1 additional year to prepare for the end of
3367 block grant funding.
3368 (3)(a) Each participating county shall enter into an
3369 agreement with the Office of Rural Prosperity to receive block
3370 grant funds. Counties have broad authority to design their
3371 specific plan to achieve population growth consistent with this
3372 section. The Office of Rural Prosperity may not determine the
3373 manner in which a county implements its plan. However, regional
3374 rural community liaison center staff shall provide assistance in
3375 developing the county’s plan, upon the county’s request.
3376 (b) Each participating county shall submit a report to the
3377 Office of Rural Prosperity detailing program activities,
3378 intergovernmental agreements, and other information as required
3379 by the office.
3380 (c) Each participating county shall receive $1 million from
3381 the funds appropriated to the program, or an equal share of the
3382 funds appropriated if insufficient to provide that amount.
3383 Counties shall make all attempts to limit expenses for
3384 administrative costs, consistent with the need for prudent
3385 management and accountability in the use of public funds.
3386 Counties may supplement the block grant with other funding
3387 sources, including local, state, or federal grants, and may seek
3388 public or private contributions or in-kind support to advance
3389 program activities.
3390 (4)(a) Each participating county shall hire and retain a
3391 renaissance coordinator, who may be funded from block grant
3392 proceeds. The renaissance coordinator is responsible for:
3393 1. Ensuring that block grant funds are used as provided in
3394 this section;
3395 2. Coordinating with other local governments, school
3396 boards, Florida College System institutions, and other partners;
3397 and
3398 3. Reporting as necessary to the state, including
3399 information necessary pursuant to subsection (7).
3400 (b) The Office of Rural Prosperity regional rural community
3401 liaison center staff shall, upon request, provide assistance and
3402 training to the renaissance coordinator to support successful
3403 implementation of the block grant.
3404 (5) Each participating county shall design a plan for
3405 targeted community investments designed to achieve population
3406 growth and increase economic vitality. The plan must include the
3407 following key features for use of the state support:
3408 (a) Technology centers located within schools or on school
3409 premises, administered by the local school board, providing
3410 extended hours and access for students.
3411 (b) Facilities that colocate adult day care with child care
3412 facilities. The site-sharing facilities must be managed to also
3413 encourage interaction between generations and increase the
3414 health and well-being of younger and older participants, reduce
3415 social isolation, and create cost and time efficiencies for
3416 working families. The regional rural community liaison center
3417 staff of the Office of Rural Prosperity shall, upon request,
3418 assist the county with bringing recommendations to the Rural
3419 Economic Development Initiative or the appropriate state agency
3420 to streamline all required state permits, licenses, regulations,
3421 or other requirements.
3422 (c) Technology labs operated in partnership with the
3423 nearest Florida College System institution or a career center
3424 under s. 1001.44. Repurposed vacant industrial sites or existing
3425 office space must be given priority in the selection of lab
3426 locations. Each local technology lab must be staffed and open
3427 for extended hours with the capacity to provide:
3428 1. Access to trainers and equipment necessary for earning
3429 certificates or online degrees in technology;
3430 2. Hands-on assistance in securing remote work
3431 opportunities; and
3432 3. Studio space equipped for remote technology-based work
3433 available for graduates and other qualifying residents.
3434 Participating counties may determine which residents receive
3435 priority access. Collaboration with community partners,
3436 including the local workforce development board as described in
3437 s. 445.007, to provide training opportunities, in-kind support
3438 such as transportation to and from the lab, financing of
3439 equipment for in-home use, or basic maintenance of such
3440 equipment is required.
3441 (6) In addition to hiring a renaissance coordinator, each
3442 participating county shall develop intergovernmental agreements
3443 for shared responsibilities with its municipalities, school
3444 board, and Florida College System institution or career center
3445 and enter into necessary contracts with providers and community
3446 partners in order to implement the plan.
3447 (7)(a) Beginning in 2027, the Auditor General shall conduct
3448 an operational audit as defined in s. 11.45 of each county’s
3449 grant activities.
3450 (b) By July 1, 2027, the Office of Economic and Demographic
3451 Research shall submit a report to the President of the Senate
3452 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives summarizing
3453 renaissance block grant recipients by county. The report must
3454 provide key economic indicators that measure progress in
3455 reversing long-term trends in the county. The Office of Rural
3456 Prosperity shall, upon request, provide any data necessary to
3457 complete the report.
3458 (8) Notwithstanding s. 216.301, funds appropriated for the
3459 purposes of this section are not subject to reversion.
3460 (9) This section expires July 1, 2027.
3461 Section 95. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3462 2396G of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, section
3463 288.0175, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
3464 288.0175 Public Infrastructure Smart Technology Grant
3465 Program.—
3466 (1) The Public Infrastructure Smart Technology Grant
3467 Program is established within the Office of Rural Prosperity
3468 within the department to fund and support public infrastructure
3469 smart technology projects in communities located in rural areas
3470 of opportunity, subject to legislative appropriation.
3471 (2) As used in this section, the term:
3472 (a) “Public infrastructure smart technology” means systems
3473 or applications that use connectivity, data analytics, or
3474 automation to improve public infrastructure by increasing
3475 efficiency, enhancing public services, and promoting sustainable
3476 development.
3477 (b) “Rural area of opportunity” has the same meaning as in
3478 s. 288.0656.
3479 (c) “Smart region” means a geographic area that uses
3480 technology and innovative ideas to improve the quality of life
3481 for its citizens by addressing regional challenges through
3482 collaboration among government, businesses, and communities.
3483 (d) “Smart technology lead organization” means a not-for
3484 profit corporation organized under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal
3485 Revenue Code which has been in existence for at least 3 years
3486 and specializes in smart region planning.
3487 (3)(a) By October 1, 2026, the Office of Rural Prosperity
3488 shall contract with one or more smart technology lead
3489 organizations to administer the grant program for the purpose of
3490 deploying public infrastructure smart technology in rural
3491 communities. Under such contracts, the smart technology lead
3492 organization shall award grants to counties and municipalities
3493 located within a rural area of opportunity for eligible public
3494 infrastructure smart technology projects.
3495 (b) Each contract must specify deliverables, reporting
3496 requirements, timeframes, and any other term the office deems
3497 necessary. At a minimum, the contract must require the smart
3498 technology lead organization to:
3499 1. Collaborate with counties and municipalities in rural
3500 areas of opportunity to identify cost-effective smart technology
3501 solutions for improving public services and infrastructure.
3502 2. Provide technical assistance to counties and
3503 municipalities located in rural areas of opportunity in
3504 developing public infrastructure smart technology project plans.
3505 3. Facilitate connections between rural communities and
3506 other entities, including companies and regional partners to
3507 maximize the impact of funded projects.
3508 (4) The Office of Rural Prosperity shall include a summary
3509 of projects funded under this section in its report required by
3510 s. 288.013(6).
3511 (5) This section expires July 1, 2027.
3512 Section 96. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3513 2396J of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, section
3514 288.065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3515 288.065 Rural Community Development Revolving Loan Fund.—
3516 (1) The Rural Community Development Revolving Loan Fund
3517 Program is established within the Office of Rural Prosperity
3518 department to facilitate the use of existing federal, state, and
3519 local financial resources by providing local governments with
3520 financial assistance to further promote the economic viability
3521 of rural communities. These funds may be used to finance
3522 initiatives directed toward maintaining or developing the
3523 economic base of rural communities, especially initiatives
3524 addressing employment opportunities for residents of these
3525 communities.
3526 (2)(a) The program shall provide for long-term loans, loan
3527 guarantees, and loan loss reserves to units of local
3528 governments, or economic development organizations substantially
3529 underwritten by a unit of local government.,
3530 (b) For purposes of this section, the term “unit of local
3531 government” means any of the following:
3532 1. A county within counties with a population populations
3533 of 75,000 or less. fewer, or within any
3534 2. A county with a population of 125,000 or less fewer
3535 which is contiguous to a county with a population of 75,000 or
3536 less. fewer
3537 3. A municipality within a county described in subparagraph
3538 1. or subparagraph 2.
3539 4. A county or municipality within a rural area of
3540 opportunity designated under s. 288.0656.
3541
3542 For purposes of this paragraph, population is determined in
3543 accordance with the most recent official estimates pursuant to
3544 s. 186.901 and must include those residing in incorporated and
3545 unincorporated areas of a county, based on the most recent
3546 official population estimate as determined under s. 186.901,
3547 including those residing in incorporated areas and those
3548 residing in unincorporated areas of the county, or to units of
3549 local government, or economic development organizations
3550 substantially underwritten by a unit of local government, within
3551 a rural area of opportunity.
3552 (c)(b) Requests for loans must shall be made by application
3553 to the office department. Loans must shall be made pursuant to
3554 agreements specifying the terms and conditions agreed to between
3555 the applicant and the office department. The loans are shall be
3556 the legal obligations of the applicant.
3557 (d)(c) All repayments of principal and interest must shall
3558 be returned to the loan fund and made available for loans to
3559 other applicants. However, in a rural area of opportunity
3560 designated under s. 288.0656 by the Governor, and upon approval
3561 by the office department, repayments of principal and interest
3562 may be retained by the applicant if such repayments are
3563 dedicated and matched to fund regionally based economic
3564 development organizations representing the rural area of
3565 opportunity.
3566 (3) The office department shall manage the fund,
3567 establishing loan practices that must include, but are not
3568 limited to, procedures for establishing loan interest rates,
3569 uses of funding, application procedures, and application review
3570 procedures. The office has department shall have final approval
3571 authority for any loan under this section.
3572 (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301, funds
3573 appropriated for this loan fund may purpose shall not be subject
3574 to reversion.
3575 (5) The office shall include in its report required under
3576 s. 288.013 detailed information about the fund, including loans
3577 made during the previous fiscal year, loans active, loans
3578 terminated or repaid, and the amount of funds not obligated as
3579 of 14 days before the date the report is due.
3580 Section 97. The amendments to s. 288.065, Florida Statutes,
3581 made by this act expire July 1, 2027, and the text of that
3582 section shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2026,
3583 except that any amendments to such text enacted other than by
3584 this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
3585 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
3586 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
3587 Section 98. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3588 2759 through 2764 and sections 154 and 155 of the 2026-2027
3589 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and
3590 216.292, Florida Statutes, the Division of Emergency Management
3591 may submit budget amendments, subject to the notice, review, and
3592 objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to
3593 increase budget authority for projected expenditures due to
3594 reimbursements from federally declared disasters if additional
3595 federal revenues specific to such programs become available in
3596 the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This section expires July 1, 2027.
3597 Section 99. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3598 2750 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, subsection (2)
3599 of section 282.201, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3600 282.201 State data center.—The state data center is
3601 established within the department. The provision of data center
3602 services must comply with applicable state and federal laws,
3603 regulations, and policies, including all applicable security,
3604 privacy, and auditing requirements. The department shall appoint
3605 a director of the state data center who has experience in
3606 leading data center facilities and has expertise in cloud
3607 computing management.
3608 (2) USE OF THE STATE DATA CENTER.—
3609 (a) The following are exempt from the use of the state data
3610 center: the Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of the
3611 Lottery’s Gaming System, Systems Design and Development in the
3612 Office of Policy and Budget, the regional traffic management
3613 centers as described in s. 335.14(2) and the Office of Toll
3614 Operations of the Department of Transportation, the State Board
3615 of Administration, state attorneys, public defenders, criminal
3616 conflict and civil regional counsel, capital collateral regional
3617 counsel, and the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.
3618 (b) The Division of Emergency Management is exempt from the
3619 use of the state data center. This paragraph expires July 1,
3620 2027 2026.
3621 Section 100. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3622 2367 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and upon the
3623 expiration and reversion of the amendments to s. 443.1113,
3624 Florida Statutes, pursuant to section 105 of chapter 2025-199,
3625 Laws of Florida, subsections (4) and (5) of section 443.1113,
3626 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
3627 443.1113 Reemployment Assistance Claims and Benefits
3628 Information System.—
3629 (4)(a) The Department of Commerce shall perform an annual
3630 review of the system and identify enhancements or modernization
3631 efforts that improve the delivery of services to claimants and
3632 employers and reporting to state and federal entities. These
3633 improvements are subject to appropriation, and must include, but
3634 need not be limited to:
3635 1. Infrastructure upgrades through cloud services.
3636 2. Software improvements.
3637 3. Enhanced data analytics and reporting.
3638 4. Increased cybersecurity pursuant to s. 282.318.
3639 (b) The department shall seek input on recommended
3640 enhancements from, at a minimum, the following entities:
3641 1. The Florida Digital Service within the Department of
3642 Management Services.
3643 2. The General Tax Administration Program Office within the
3644 Department of Revenue.
3645 3. The Division of Accounting and Auditing within the
3646 Department of Financial Services.
3647 (5) By September 1, 2026 October 1, 2023, and each year
3648 thereafter, the Department of Commerce shall submit a
3649 Reemployment Assistance Claims and Benefits Information System
3650 report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
3651 Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must, at a
3652 minimum, include:
3653 (a) A summary of clearly defined deliverables and
3654 measurable outcomes of maintenance, enhancement, and
3655 modernization efforts over the last fiscal year.
3656 (b) A plan for the next 2 fiscal years 3-year outlook of
3657 recommended enhancements or modernization efforts that includes
3658 projected nonrecurring project costs, clear deliverables, and
3659 timeframes for completion of each enhancement or modernization
3660 effort in priority order, and the projected recurring operations
3661 and maintenance costs after the completion of each enhancement
3662 or modernization effort.
3663 Section 101. The amendments to s. 443.1113(4) and (5),
3664 Florida Statutes, made by this act expire July 1, 2027, and the
3665 text of those subsections shall revert to that in existence on
3666 June 30, 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted
3667 other than by this act shall be preserved and continue to
3668 operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent
3669 upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to this section.
3670 Section 102. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3671 2359 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, subsection (9)
3672 of section 445.08, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsections
3673 (2) and (4) of that section are reenacted, to read:
3674 445.08 Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment
3675 Program.—
3676 (2)(a) There is created within the department the Florida
3677 Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program to aid in the
3678 recruitment of law enforcement officers within the state. The
3679 purpose of the program is to administer one-time bonus payments
3680 of up to $5,000 to each newly employed officer within the state.
3681 (b) Bonus payments provided to eligible newly employed
3682 officers are contingent upon legislative appropriations and
3683 shall be prorated subject to the amount appropriated for the
3684 program.
3685 (4) The department shall develop an annual plan for the
3686 administration of the program and distribution of bonus
3687 payments. Applicable employing agencies shall assist the
3688 department with the collection of any data necessary to
3689 determine bonus payment amounts and to distribute the bonus
3690 payments, and shall otherwise provide the department with any
3691 information or assistance needed to fulfill the requirements of
3692 this section. At a minimum, the plan must include:
3693 (a) The method for determining the estimated number of
3694 newly employed officers to gain or be appointed to full-time
3695 employment during the applicable fiscal year.
3696 (b) The minimum eligibility requirements a newly employed
3697 officer must meet to receive and retain a bonus payment, which
3698 must include:
3699 1. Obtaining certification for employment or appointment as
3700 a law enforcement officer pursuant to s. 943.1395.
3701 2. Gaining full-time employment with a Florida criminal
3702 justice agency.
3703 3. Maintaining full-time employment as a law enforcement
3704 officer with a Florida criminal justice agency for at least 2
3705 years from the date on which the officer obtained certification.
3706 The required 2-year employment period may be satisfied by
3707 maintaining full-time employment at one or more employing
3708 agencies, but such period must not contain any break in service
3709 longer than 180 calendar days.
3710 (c) The standards by which the department will determine
3711 under what circumstances a break in service is acceptable. A law
3712 enforcement officer must provide documentation to the department
3713 justifying a break in service. For purposes of this section, the
3714 term “break in service” means a period of time during which the
3715 person is employed with a Florida criminal justice agency but is
3716 not employed as a full-time law enforcement officer or a period
3717 of time during which the person is in between employment as a
3718 full-time law enforcement officer for no longer than 15 days.
3719 The time period for any break in service does not count toward
3720 satisfying the 2-year full-time employment requirement of this
3721 section.
3722 (d) The method that will be used to determine the bonus
3723 payment amount to be distributed to each newly employed officer.
3724 (e) The method that will be used to distribute bonus
3725 payments to applicable employing agencies for distribution to
3726 eligible officers. Such method should prioritize distributing
3727 bonus payments to eligible officers in the most efficient and
3728 quickest manner possible.
3729 (f) The estimated cost to the department associated with
3730 developing and administering the program and distributing bonus
3731 payment funds.
3732 (g) The method by which an officer must reimburse the state
3733 if he or she received a bonus payment under the program, but
3734 failed to maintain continuous employment for the required 2-year
3735 period. Reimbursement shall not be required if an officer is
3736 discharged by his or her employing agency for a reason other
3737 than misconduct as designated on the affidavit of separation
3738 completed by the employing agency and maintained by the
3739 commission.
3740
3741 The department may establish other criteria deemed necessary to
3742 determine bonus payment eligibility and distribution.
3743 (9) This section expires July 1, 2027 2026.
3744 Section 103. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3745 2384 through 2386 and sections 144, 145, 146, 152, and 153 of
3746 the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding
3747 ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the Department of
3748 Commerce may submit budget amendments, subject to the notice,
3749 review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida
3750 Statutes, to increase budget authority to support the following
3751 federal grant programs: the Broadband Equity, Access, and
3752 Deployment Program (BEAD), Capital Projects Fund Program,
3753 Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery Program
3754 (CDBG-DR), Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), Home Energy
3755 Assistance Programs – Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
3756 (LIHEAP), and Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, Pub. L.
3757 No. 117-2. This section expires July 1, 2027.
3758 Section 104. (1) In order to implement section 8 of the
3759 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, beginning July 1, 2026,
3760 and on the first day of each month thereafter, the Department of
3761 Management Services shall assess an administrative health
3762 insurance assessment on each state agency equal to the
3763 employer’s cost of individual employee health care coverage for
3764 each vacant position within such agency eligible for coverage
3765 through the Division of State Group Insurance. As used in this
3766 section, the term “state agency” means an agency within the
3767 State Personnel System, the Department of the Lottery, the
3768 Justice Administrative Commission and all entities
3769 administratively housed in the Justice Administrative
3770 Commission, and the state courts system.
3771 (2) Each state agency shall remit the assessed
3772 administrative health insurance assessment under subsection (1)
3773 to the State Employees Health Insurance Trust Fund, for the
3774 State Group Insurance Program, as provided in ss. 110.123 and
3775 110.1239, Florida Statutes, from currently allocated moneys for
3776 salaries and benefits within 30 days after receipt of the
3777 assessment from the Department of Management Services. Should
3778 any state agency become more than 60 days delinquent in payment
3779 of this obligation, the Department of Management Services shall
3780 certify to the Chief Financial Officer the amount due and the
3781 Chief Financial Officer shall transfer the amount due to the
3782 Department of Management Services.
3783 (3) The administrative health insurance assessment shall
3784 apply to all vacant positions funded with state funds whether
3785 fully or partially funded with state funds. Vacant positions
3786 partially funded with state funds shall pay a percentage of the
3787 assessment imposed in subsection (1) equal to the percentage
3788 share of state funds provided for such vacant positions. No
3789 assessment shall apply to vacant positions fully funded with
3790 federal funds. Each state agency shall provide the Department of
3791 Management Services with a complete list of position numbers
3792 that are funded, or partially funded, with federal funding, and
3793 include the percentage of federal funding for each position no
3794 later than July 31, 2026, and shall update the list on the last
3795 day of each month thereafter. For federally funded vacant
3796 positions, or partially funded vacant positions, each state
3797 agency shall immediately take steps to include the
3798 administrative health insurance assessment in its indirect cost
3799 plan for the 2027-2028 fiscal year and each fiscal year
3800 thereafter. A state agency shall notify the Department of
3801 Management Services, the Executive Office of the Governor, the
3802 chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and the chair
3803 of the House of Representatives Budget Committee upon approval
3804 of the updated indirect cost plan. If the state agency is not
3805 able to obtain approval from its federal awarding agency, the
3806 state agency must notify the Department of Management Services,
3807 the Executive Office of the Governor, and the appropriation and
3808 budget chairs no later than January 15, 2027.
3809 (4) Pursuant to the notice, review, and objection
3810 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, the Executive Office
3811 of the Governor may transfer budget authority appropriated in
3812 the Salaries and Benefits appropriation category between
3813 agencies in order to align the appropriations granted with the
3814 assessments that must be paid by each agency to the Department
3815 of Management Services for the administrative health insurance
3816 assessment.
3817 (5) This section expires July 1, 2027.
3818 Section 105. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3819 2852 and 2855 of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, and
3820 notwithstanding s. 11.13(1), Florida Statutes, the authorized
3821 salaries for members of the Legislature for the 2026-2027 fiscal
3822 year shall be set at the same level in effect on July 1, 2010.
3823 This section expires July 1, 2027.
3824 Section 106. In order to implement the transfer of funds
3825 from the General Revenue Fund from trust funds for the 2026-2027
3826 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding the expiration
3827 date in section 111 of chapter 2025-199, Laws of Florida,
3828 paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 215.32, Florida
3829 Statutes, is reenacted to read:
3830 215.32 State funds; segregation.—
3831 (2) The source and use of each of these funds shall be as
3832 follows:
3833 (b)1. The trust funds shall consist of moneys received by
3834 the state which under law or under trust agreement are
3835 segregated for a purpose authorized by law. The state agency or
3836 branch of state government receiving or collecting such moneys
3837 is responsible for their proper expenditure as provided by law.
3838 Upon the request of the state agency or branch of state
3839 government responsible for the administration of the trust fund,
3840 the Chief Financial Officer may establish accounts within the
3841 trust fund at a level considered necessary for proper
3842 accountability. Once an account is established, the Chief
3843 Financial Officer may authorize payment from that account only
3844 upon determining that there is sufficient cash and releases at
3845 the level of the account.
3846 2. In addition to other trust funds created by law, to the
3847 extent possible, each agency shall use the following trust funds
3848 as described in this subparagraph for day-to-day operations:
3849 a. Operations or operating trust fund, for use as a
3850 depository for funds to be used for program operations funded by
3851 program revenues, with the exception of administrative
3852 activities when the operations or operating trust fund is a
3853 proprietary fund.
3854 b. Operations and maintenance trust fund, for use as a
3855 depository for client services funded by third-party payors.
3856 c. Administrative trust fund, for use as a depository for
3857 funds to be used for management activities that are departmental
3858 in nature and funded by indirect cost earnings and assessments
3859 against trust funds. Proprietary funds are excluded from the
3860 requirement of using an administrative trust fund.
3861 d. Grants and donations trust fund, for use as a depository
3862 for funds to be used for allowable grant or donor agreement
3863 activities funded by restricted contractual revenue from private
3864 and public nonfederal sources.
3865 e. Agency working capital trust fund, for use as a
3866 depository for funds to be used pursuant to s. 216.272.
3867 f. Clearing funds trust fund, for use as a depository for
3868 funds to account for collections pending distribution to lawful
3869 recipients.
3870 g. Federal grant trust fund, for use as a depository for
3871 funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by
3872 restricted program revenues from federal sources.
3873
3874 To the extent possible, each agency must adjust its internal
3875 accounting to use existing trust funds consistent with the
3876 requirements of this subparagraph. If an agency does not have
3877 trust funds listed in this subparagraph and cannot make such
3878 adjustment, the agency must recommend the creation of the
3879 necessary trust funds to the Legislature no later than the next
3880 scheduled review of the agency’s trust funds pursuant to s.
3881 215.3206.
3882 3. All such moneys are hereby appropriated to be expended
3883 in accordance with the law or trust agreement under which they
3884 were received, subject always to the provisions of chapter 216
3885 relating to the appropriation of funds and to the applicable
3886 laws relating to the deposit or expenditure of moneys in the
3887 State Treasury.
3888 4.a. Notwithstanding any provision of law restricting the
3889 use of trust funds to specific purposes, unappropriated cash
3890 balances from selected trust funds may be authorized by the
3891 Legislature for transfer to the Budget Stabilization Fund and
3892 General Revenue Fund in the General Appropriations Act.
3893 b. This subparagraph does not apply to trust funds required
3894 by federal programs or mandates; trust funds established for
3895 bond covenants, indentures, or resolutions whose revenues are
3896 legally pledged by the state or public body to meet debt service
3897 or other financial requirements of any debt obligations of the
3898 state or any public body; the Division of Licensing Trust Fund
3899 in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the
3900 State Transportation Trust Fund; the trust fund containing the
3901 net annual proceeds from the Florida Education Lotteries; the
3902 Florida Retirement System Trust Fund; trust funds under the
3903 management of the State Board of Education or the Board of
3904 Governors of the State University System, where such trust funds
3905 are for auxiliary enterprises, self-insurance, and contracts,
3906 grants, and donations, as those terms are defined by general
3907 law; trust funds that serve as clearing funds or accounts for
3908 the Chief Financial Officer or state agencies; trust funds that
3909 account for assets held by the state in a trustee capacity as an
3910 agent or fiduciary for individuals, private organizations, or
3911 other governmental units; and other trust funds authorized by
3912 the State Constitution.
3913 Section 107. The text of s. 215.32(2)(b), Florida Statutes,
3914 as carried forward from chapter 2011-47, Laws of Florida, by
3915 this act expires July 1, 2027, and the text of that paragraph
3916 shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2011, except that
3917 any amendments to such text enacted other than by this act shall
3918 be preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such
3919 amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which
3920 expire pursuant to this section.
3921 Section 108. In order to implement appropriations in the
3922 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act for state employee travel,
3923 the funds appropriated to each state agency which may be used
3924 for travel by state employees are limited during the 2026-2027
3925 fiscal year to travel for activities that are critical to each
3926 state agency’s mission. Funds may not be used for travel by
3927 state employees to foreign countries, other states, conferences,
3928 staff training activities, or other administrative functions
3929 unless the agency head has approved, in writing, that such
3930 activities are critical to the agency’s mission. The agency head
3931 shall consider using teleconferencing and other forms of
3932 electronic communication to meet the needs of the proposed
3933 activity before approving mission-critical travel. This section
3934 does not apply to travel for law enforcement purposes, military
3935 purposes, emergency management activities, or public health
3936 activities. This section expires July 1, 2027.
3937 Section 109. In order to implement appropriations in the
3938 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act for state employee travel
3939 and notwithstanding s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, costs for
3940 lodging associated with a meeting, conference, or convention
3941 organized or sponsored in whole or in part by a state agency or
3942 the judicial branch may not exceed $225 per day. An employee may
3943 expend his or her own funds for any lodging expenses in excess
3944 of $225 per day. For purposes of this section, a meeting does
3945 not include travel activities for conducting an audit,
3946 examination, inspection, or investigation or travel activities
3947 related to a litigation or emergency response. This section
3948 expires July 1, 2027.
3949 Section 110. In order to implement the appropriations and
3950 reappropriations authorized in the 2026-2027 General
3951 Appropriations Act, paragraph (d) of subsection (11) of section
3952 216.181, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3953 216.181 Approved budgets for operations and fixed capital
3954 outlay.—
3955 (11)
3956 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) and paragraph (2)(b), and
3957 for the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year only, the Legislative
3958 Budget Commission may approve budget amendments for new fixed
3959 capital outlay projects or increase the amounts appropriated to
3960 state agencies for fixed capital outlay projects. This paragraph
3961 expires July 1, 2027 2026.
3962
3963 The provisions of this subsection are subject to the notice and
3964 objection procedures set forth in s. 216.177.
3965 Section 111. In order to implement the salaries and
3966 benefits, expenses, other personal services, contracted
3967 services, special categories, and operating capital outlay
3968 categories of the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act,
3969 paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 216.292, Florida
3970 Statutes, is amended to read:
3971 216.292 Appropriations nontransferable; exceptions.—
3972 (2) The following transfers are authorized to be made by
3973 the head of each department or the Chief Justice of the Supreme
3974 Court whenever it is deemed necessary by reason of changed
3975 conditions:
3976 (a) The transfer of appropriations funded from identical
3977 funding sources, except appropriations for fixed capital outlay,
3978 and the transfer of amounts included within the total original
3979 approved budget and plans of releases of appropriations as
3980 furnished pursuant to ss. 216.181 and 216.192, as follows:
3981 1. Between categories of appropriations within a budget
3982 entity, if no category of appropriation is increased or
3983 decreased by more than 5 percent of the original approved budget
3984 or $250,000, whichever is greater, by all action taken under
3985 this subsection.
3986 2. Between budget entities within identical categories of
3987 appropriations, if no category of appropriation is increased or
3988 decreased by more than 5 percent of the original approved budget
3989 or $250,000, whichever is greater, by all action taken under
3990 this subsection.
3991 3. Any agency exceeding salary rate established pursuant to
3992 s. 216.181(8) on June 30th of any fiscal year shall not be
3993 authorized to make transfers pursuant to subparagraphs 1. and 2.
3994 in the subsequent fiscal year.
3995 4. Notice of proposed transfers under subparagraphs 1. and
3996 2. shall be provided to the Executive Office of the Governor and
3997 the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees at least
3998 3 days prior to agency implementation in order to provide an
3999 opportunity for review. The review shall be limited to ensuring
4000 that the transfer is in compliance with the requirements of this
4001 paragraph.
4002 5. For the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year, the review
4003 shall ensure that transfers proposed pursuant to this paragraph
4004 comply with this chapter, maximize the use of available and
4005 appropriate trust funds, and are not contrary to legislative
4006 policy and intent. This subparagraph expires July 1, 2027 2026.
4007 Section 112. In order to implement appropriations in the
4008 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act for the acquisitions of
4009 motor vehicles, and notwithstanding chapter 287, Florida
4010 Statutes, relating to the purchase of motor vehicles from a
4011 state term contract, state agencies may purchase vehicles from
4012 nonstate term contract vendors without prior approval from the
4013 Department of Management Services, provided the cost of the
4014 motor vehicle is equal to or less than the cost of a similar
4015 class of vehicle found on a state term contract and provided the
4016 funds for the purchase have been specifically appropriated. This
4017 section expires July 1, 2027.
4018 Section 113. In order to implement appropriations for state
4019 agencies in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, section
4020 11.52, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
4021 11.52 Implementation of enacted legislation.—Each state
4022 agency shall provide the Legislature and the Executive Office of
4023 the Governor with information about the status of implementation
4024 of recently enacted legislation. The implementation status must
4025 be provided 90 days following the effective date of the
4026 legislation and updated each August 1 thereafter until all
4027 provisions of the legislation have been fully implemented. The
4028 implementation status report must include, at a minimum, for
4029 each enacted legislation, the actions or steps taken to
4030 implement the legislation and planned actions or steps for
4031 implementation, such as any rules proposed for implementation,
4032 any procurements required, any contract executed to assist the
4033 agency in the implementation, any contracts executed to
4034 implement or administer the legislation, programs started,
4035 offices established, or other organization administrative
4036 changes made including personnel changes, or federal waivers
4037 requested; any expenditures made directly related to the
4038 implementation; and any impediments or delays in implementation,
4039 including, but not limited to, challenges of administrative
4040 rules. No later than 14 days prior to the next regular
4041 legislative session, the state agency shall provide an update of
4042 any changes to the implementation status, notify the Legislature
4043 of any protests of rulemaking or other communications regarding
4044 the implementation of the legislation and the status of any
4045 litigation related to the legislation, and identify any policy
4046 issues that need to be resolved by the Legislature to ensure
4047 timely and effective implementation of the legislation. This
4048 section expires July 1, 2027 2026.
4049 Section 114. In order to implement appropriations for state
4050 agencies and the judicial branch in the 2026-2027 General
4051 Appropriations Act, subsection (7) of section 216.013, Florida
4052 Statutes, is amended to read:
4053 216.013 Long-range program plan.—State agencies and the
4054 judicial branch shall develop long-range program plans to
4055 achieve state goals using an interagency planning process that
4056 includes the development of integrated agency program service
4057 outcomes. The plans shall be policy based, priority driven,
4058 accountable, and developed through careful examination and
4059 justification of all agency and judicial branch programs.
4060 (7) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, each
4061 state executive agency and the judicial branch are not required
4062 to develop or post a long-range program plan by September 30,
4063 2026 2025, for the 2027-2028 2026-2027 fiscal year, except in
4064 circumstances outlined in any updated written instructions
4065 prepared by the Executive Office of the Governor in consultation
4066 with the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees.
4067 This subsection expires July 1, 2027 2026.
4068 Section 115. In order to implement appropriations for state
4069 agencies and the judicial branch in the 2026-2027 General
4070 Appropriations Act, subsection (7) of section 216.023, Florida
4071 Statutes, is amended to read:
4072 216.023 Legislative budget requests to be furnished to
4073 Legislature by agencies.—
4074 (7) As part of the legislative budget request, each state
4075 agency and the judicial branch shall include an inventory of all
4076 ongoing technology-related projects that have a cumulative
4077 estimated or realized cost of more than $1 million. The
4078 inventory must, at a minimum, contain all of the following
4079 information:
4080 (a) The name of the technology system.
4081 (b) A brief description of the purpose and function of the
4082 system.
4083 (c) A brief description of the goals of the project.
4084 (d) The initiation date of the project.
4085 (e) The key performance indicators for the project.
4086 (f) Any other metrics for the project evaluating the health
4087 and status of the project.
4088 (g) The original and current baseline estimated end dates
4089 of the project.
4090 (h) The original and current estimated costs of the
4091 project.
4092 (i) Total funds appropriated or allocated to the project
4093 and the current realized cost for the project by fiscal year.
4094
4095 For purposes of this subsection, an ongoing technology-related
4096 project is one which has been funded or has had or is expected
4097 to have expenditures in more than one fiscal year. An ongoing
4098 technology-related project does not include the continuance of
4099 existing hardware and software maintenance agreements, the
4100 renewal of existing software licensing agreements, or the
4101 replacement of desktop units with new technology that is
4102 substantially similar to the technology being replaced. This
4103 subsection expires July 1, 2027 2026.
4104 Section 116. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
4105 203, 583, 642, 1455A, 2514, and 3235, and sections 72 and 94 of
4106 the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act:
4107 (1) Of the funds appropriated for information technology
4108 projects, 75 percent shall be held in reserve. All general
4109 revenue funds not held in reserve shall be fully released. The
4110 Agency for Health Care Administration, Department of Children
4111 and Families, Department of Corrections, Department of Financial
4112 Services, Florida Gaming Control Commission, Department of
4113 Health, and Department of Revenue are authorized to submit a
4114 budget amendment to request release of funds pursuant to chapter
4115 216, Florida Statutes. The amount requested to be released in
4116 each budget amendment may not exceed the agency’s projected
4117 quarterly expenditures, reduced by any unexpended funds from
4118 prior releases. Release is contingent upon submission of the
4119 following:
4120 (a) An updated and comprehensive operational work plan;
4121 (b) A detailed monthly spend plan with expenditures broken
4122 down by deliverable which identifies all planned and actual
4123 project work and costs specified in the current project
4124 schedule; and
4125 (c) A copy of the project status report from the most
4126 recently completed month at the time of submission which
4127 provides justification for any variance from the most recently
4128 submitted project schedule and spend plan.
4129 (2) The agencies receiving funds pursuant to this section
4130 must submit monthly project status reports to the Executive
4131 Office of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget, the chair
4132 of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the chair of the House
4133 Budget Committee, and any other designated project oversight
4134 entity no later than 30 days after the close of the previous
4135 month. Each status report must include copies of any new or
4136 updated relevant task order, contract, or purchase order. The
4137 status report must also describe progress made to date for each
4138 project milestone and deliverable, planned and actual completion
4139 dates, planned and actual costs incurred, and any current
4140 project issues or risks.
4141 (3) This section expires July 1, 2027.
4142 Section 117. Any section of this act which implements a
4143 specific appropriation or specifically identified proviso
4144 language in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act is void if
4145 the specific appropriation or specifically identified proviso
4146 language is vetoed. Any section of this act which implements
4147 more than one specific appropriation or more than one portion of
4148 specifically identified proviso language in the 2026-2027
4149 General Appropriations Act is void if all the specific
4150 appropriations or portions of specifically identified proviso
4151 language are vetoed.
4152 Section 118. If any other act passed during the 2026
4153 Regular Session of the Legislature contains a provision that is
4154 substantively the same as a provision in this act, but that
4155 removes or is otherwise not subject to the future repeal applied
4156 to such provision by this act, the Legislature intends that the
4157 provision in the other act takes precedence and continues to
4158 operate, notwithstanding the future repeal provided by this act.
4159 Section 119. If any provision of this act or its
4160 application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
4161 invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of
4162 the act which can be given effect without the invalid provision
4163 or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are
4164 severable.
4165 Section 120. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
4166 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon
4167 this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1,
4168 2026, or, if this act fails to become a law until after that
4169 date, it shall take effect upon becoming a law and shall operate
4170 retroactively to July 1, 2026.