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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to unemployment compensation benefits;

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amending s. 443.111, F.S.; authorizing the Agency for

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Workforce Innovation to develop a system for the payment

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of benefits by electronic funds transfer; requiring that

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commodities or services for the system be procured by

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competitive solicitation or from a state term contract;

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requiring the agency to adopt rules necessary to

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administer the system; providing an effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section

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443.111, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

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     443.111  Payment of benefits.--

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     (1)  MANNER OF PAYMENT.--Benefits are payable from the fund

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in accordance with rules adopted by the Agency for Workforce

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Innovation, subject to the following requirements:

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     (a)  Benefits are payable by mail or electronically.

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Notwithstanding s. 409.942(4), the agency may develop a system

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for the payment of benefits by electronic funds transfer,

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including, but not limited to, debit cards, electronic payment

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cards, or any other means of electronic payment that the agency

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deems to be commercially viable or cost-effective. Commodities or

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services related to the development of such a system shall be

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procured by competitive solicitation, unless they are purchased

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from a state term contract pursuant to s. 287.056. The agency

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shall adopt rules necessary to administer the system.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.