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The Florida Senate

HB 5401 — Transparency in State Contracting

by Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee and Rep. Ingram (SB 1764 by Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee)

This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.

Prepared by: Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee (GO)

The Transparency Florida Act (act) requires specified government fiscal and contract information to be made publicly available via website or management system. Among other provisions, it requires:

  • The Executive Office of the Governor to establish a website making certain information relating to the state budget open to the public; and
  • The Chief Financial Officer to provide public access to a state contract management system providing specified information relating to government contracts.

This bill amends the act relating to government fiscal information websites as follows:

  • Requires the creation of a single website through which all other websites required by the act may be accessed;
  • Creates style and formatting requirements for all websites required by the act;
  • Requires the creation of a website relating to state employee and officer data;
  • Requires the creation of a website relating to state fiscal planning data; and
  • Adds search criteria and informational requirements to the existing state budget website.

The bill amends the act relating to the state contract management system as follows:

  • Renames the state contract management system the state contract tracking system;
  • Expands the posting requirements to include the contract itself, certain related procurement documents, and additional related information;
  • Creates an exemption from posting requirements for those records that could reveal attorney work product or strategy;
  • Authorizes the Chief Financial Officer to regulate or prohibit the posting of certain records, including any that could jeopardize the health, safety, or welfare of the public;
  • Requires redaction of confidential or exempt information in a record prior to its posting and creates related provisions; and
  • Authorizes the Department of Legal Affairs and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to post the required information on their own websites in lieu of in the state contract tracking system operated by the Chief Financial Officer.

The bill also creates a User Experience Task Force tasked with developing a design for consolidating existing state-managed websites that provide public access to state operational and fiscal information into a single website.

If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2013.

Vote: Senate 40-0; House 117-0