Florida Senate - 2012 SB 1986
By the Committee on Budget
576-03465-12 20121986__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to water management districts;
3 amending s. 373.503, F.S.; revising the maximum
4 millage rates that may be levied by each water
5 management district for district and basin purposes;
6 specifying the district and basin purposes; specifying
7 the maximum millage rate levied for district and basin
8 purposes used to fund the core areas of water supply
9 and water resource development projects, water
10 quality, flood protection and floodplain management,
11 and natural systems; directing the Legislature to
12 annually review each water management district’s
13 preliminary budget and set a maximum millage rate for
14 certain purposes; specifying the use of the revenues;
15 revising the review process for budgets of the water
16 management districts; prohibiting a district from
17 including in its budget or expending funds from any
18 source for certain programs and activities during the
19 next fiscal year under certain circumstances; removing
20 a provision requiring that the maximum property tax
21 revenue for water management districts revert to the
22 amount authorized for the prior year if the
23 Legislature does not set the amount; removing the
24 maximum revenues for the 2011-2012 fiscal year;
25 creating s. 373.535, F.S.; providing for the process,
26 manner, and timing by which water management districts
27 must submit a preliminary budget request to the
28 Legislature and the Governor; requiring the Executive
29 Office of the Governor and the appropriations
30 committees of the Legislature to jointly develop
31 preliminary budget instructions from which each water
32 management district shall prepare the budget requests;
33 providing criteria for the budget instructions;
34 prescribing information that the preliminary budget
35 must contain; requiring the Executive Office of the
36 Governor to analyze each preliminary budget as to the
37 adequacy of fiscal resources and certain expenditures;
38 requiring the Executive Office of the Governor to
39 provide to the Legislature by a certain time each
40 water management district’s preliminary budget,
41 together with the adequacy analysis; requiring that
42 the Legislature annually review and approve, limit, or
43 disapprove specified portions of the preliminary
44 budget for each water management district; requiring
45 that the Legislature, in appropriating funds for water
46 management districts, authorize a level of expenditure
47 for each approved program and activity; prohibiting a
48 water management district from expending any funds on
49 a program or activity not authorized by the
50 Legislature; authorizing the Legislature to review and
51 take action on other provisions of the preliminary
52 budget of each water management district; providing
53 that if the Legislature does not take action under
54 certain circumstances, provisions of the preliminary
55 budget are deemed approved; providing criteria;
56 requiring that the first funding obligation of a water
57 management district is payment of debt service for
58 bonds and certificates of participation, if
59 applicable; requiring a water management district to
60 receive prior approval from the Legislature before
61 incurring additional bonded indebtedness; providing
62 that the preliminary budget reviewed by the
63 Legislature is the basis for developing the tentative
64 budget of each water management district; limiting the
65 authority of a district to fund proposed expenditures
66 reviewed by the Legislature to the amount authorized
67 by the Legislature, the Governor, or the Legislative
68 Budget Commission; amending s. 373.536, F.S.;
69 requiring that budget amendments greater than a
70 certain amount be reviewed and approved by the
71 Executive Office of the Governor and that the
72 Executive Office of the Governor notify the
73 Legislative Budget Commission of the approval;
74 requiring that a water management district provide a
75 description of the budget control mechanisms to the
76 Executive Office of the Governor for approval;
77 providing that, upon providing notice to the
78 Legislative Budget Commission and subject to prior
79 review and approval by the Executive Office of the
80 Governor, a water management district may amend
81 unanticipated funds into its final budget; requiring
82 the Executive Office of the Governor and the
83 Legislative Budget Commission to be notified if the
84 governing board of a water management district expends
85 available funds for a disaster or emergency; requiring
86 that a water management district provide a monthly
87 financial statement to its governing board and make
88 such monthly financial statement available for public
89 access on its website; removing obsolete provisions
90 relating to review and approval by the Executive
91 Office of the Governor and the Legislative Budget
92 Commission of the tentative budget of a water
93 management district; providing for the approval or
94 disapproval of the tentative budget by the Executive
95 Office of the Governor; providing criteria for the
96 Legislative Budget Commission to use in disapproving
97 the tentative budget of a water management district;
98 prohibiting a water management district from acting on
99 a rejected provision without the approval of the
100 Executive Office of the Governor or the Legislative
101 Budget Commission; providing for the Chief Financial
102 Officer to withhold state funds from a district that
103 fails to obtain prior approval; requiring that the
104 tentative budget be based on certain criteria;
105 requiring the Executive Office of the Governor to
106 consult with the Legislature to develop a standard
107 format for the tentative budget; revising the
108 information required for the tentative budget;
109 revising the information required for the 5-year water
110 resource development work program; amending s.
111 373.605, F.S.; authorizing the governing board of a
112 water management district to provide group insurance
113 for its employees and the employees of another water
114 management district in the same manner and with the
115 same provisions and limitations as authorized for
116 other public employees by certain laws; providing an
117 effective date.
118
119 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
120
121 Section 1. Subsections (3) and (4) of section 373.503,
122 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
123 373.503 Manner of taxation.—
124 (3) The districts may levy ad valorem taxes on property
125 within the district solely for the purposes of this chapter and
126 of chapter 25270, 1949, Laws of Florida, as amended, and chapter
127 61-691, Laws of Florida, as amended. If appropriate, taxes
128 levied by each governing board may be separated by the governing
129 board into a millage necessary for the purposes of the district
130 and a millage necessary for financing basin functions specified
131 in s. 373.0695.
132 (a) Notwithstanding any other general or special law, and
133 subject to subsection (4), the maximum total millage rate for
134 district and basin purposes which may be used solely for the
135 purposes of funding the core water management district mission
136 areas of water supply, including alternative water supply and
137 the water resource development projects, water quality, flood
138 protection and floodplain management, and natural systems, shall
139 be:
140 1. Northwest Florida Water Management District: 0.04 0.05
141 mill.
142 2. Suwannee River Water Management District: 0.80 0.75
143 mill.
144 3. St. Johns River Water Management District: 0.80 0.6
145 mill.
146 4. Southwest Florida Water Management District: 0.80 1.0
147 mill.
148 5. South Florida Water Management District: 0.80 mill.
149 (b) As provided in s. 373.535 and subject to the limits
150 established by s. 9(b), Art. VII of the State Constitution, the
151 Legislature shall annually review the preliminary budget of each
152 water management district and shall separately set, in addition
153 to the rate set in paragraph (a), a maximum millage rate or
154 maximum revenue limit for each district which may be used to
155 fund regulation, outreach, management, and administration
156 programs and activities.
157 (c) The maximum authorized millage rates or revenue limits
158 separately established in paragraphs (a) and (b) shall be used
159 to fund only the core mission areas and programs and activities
160 specified those paragraphs. If the Legislature fails to set a
161 revenue limit or the maximum amount of millage that may be
162 levied for the programs and activities specified in paragraph
163 (b), a district may not include in its budget or expend funds
164 from any source for those programs and activities during the
165 next fiscal year.
166 (d)(b) The apportionment in the South Florida Water
167 Management District shall be a maximum of 40 percent for
168 district purposes and a maximum of 60 percent for basin
169 purposes, respectively.
170 (e)(c) Within the Southwest Florida Water Management
171 District, the maximum millage assessed for district purposes may
172 not exceed 50 percent of the total authorized millage if there
173 are one or more basins in the district, and the maximum millage
174 assessed for basin purposes may not exceed 50 percent of the
175 total authorized millage.
176 (4)(a) To ensure that taxes authorized by this chapter
177 continue to be in proportion to the benefits derived by the
178 parcels of real estate within the districts, the Legislature
179 shall annually review the preliminary budget for each district
180 for the next fiscal year as provided in s. 373.535 and the
181 authorized millage rate for each district. Based upon this
182 review, the Legislature shall set the authorized maximum millage
183 rate or the maximum amount of revenue to be raised by each
184 district in the next fiscal year from the taxes levied. Except
185 as provided in paragraph (b), if the annual maximum amount of
186 property tax revenue is not set by the Legislature on or before
187 July 1 of each year, the maximum property tax revenue that may
188 be raised reverts to the amount authorized in the prior year.
189 (b) For the 2011-2012 fiscal year, the total ad valorem
190 taxes levied may not exceed $3,946,969 for the Northwest Florida
191 Water Management District, $5,412,674 for the Suwannee River
192 Water Management District, $85,335,619 for the St. Johns Water
193 Management District, $107,766,957 for the Southwest Florida
194 Water Management District, and $284,901,967 for the South
195 Florida Water Management District.
196 Section 2. Section 373.535, Florida Statutes, is created to
197 read:
198 373.535 Preliminary district budget; development,
199 legislative review, and authority granted.—
200 (1) PRELIMINARY BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.—
201 (a) In preparation for the legislative budget review, each
202 water management district shall submit a preliminary budget
203 request to the Legislature and to the Governor in the form and
204 manner prescribed in the budget instructions and at such time as
205 specified by the Executive Office of the Governor based on the
206 district’s independent judgment of its needs. However, a water
207 management district may not submit its complete preliminary
208 budget request later than December 15 unless an alternative date
209 is agreed to be in the best interest of the state by the
210 Governor and the chairs of the legislative appropriations
211 committees.
212 (b) The Executive Office of the Governor and the
213 appropriations committees of the Legislature shall jointly
214 develop preliminary budget instructions for preparing the
215 exhibits and schedules that make up the budget from which each
216 district shall prepare their budget request. The preliminary
217 budget instructions must be transmitted to each district by
218 October 1 of each year, unless an alternative date is agreed to
219 be in the best interest of the state by the Governor and the
220 chairs of the legislative appropriations committees.
221 (c) The preliminary budget request must contain for each
222 program:
223 1. A section that clearly identifies and provides
224 justification for each proposed expenditure listed in s.
225 373.536(5)(d)4.d.-f. and that identifies the source of funds for
226 each expenditure.
227 2. A section that provides, by core mission area of
228 responsibility, justification for proposed expenditures and that
229 identifies the source of funds needed for activities related to
230 water supply, including alternative water supply and water
231 resource development projects identified in the district’s
232 regional water supply plans, water quality, flood protection and
233 floodplain management, and natural systems.
234 3. A section that reviews the adopted budget allocations by
235 program area and the performance metrics for the prior year.
236 (d) The Executive Office of the Governor shall analyze each
237 preliminary budget to determine the adequacy of fiscal resources
238 available to the district and the adequacy of proposed district
239 expenditures related to the core mission areas of responsibility
240 for water supply, including alternative water supply and water
241 resource development projects identified in the district’s
242 regional water supply plans, water quality, flood protection and
243 floodplain management, and natural systems. This analysis shall
244 be based on the particular needs within each water management
245 district in the core mission areas of responsibility. The water
246 supply analysis must specifically include a determination of the
247 adequacy of each district’s fiscal resources provided in the
248 district’s preliminary budget to meet appropriate progress
249 toward meeting the districtwide 20-year projected water supply
250 demands, including funding for alternative water supply
251 development and conservation projects.
252 (e) The Executive Office of the Governor shall provide the
253 preliminary budget for each water management district together
254 with the adequacy analysis specified in paragraph (d) to the
255 Legislature not later than 30 days before the start of each
256 legislative session.
257 (2) PRELIMINARY BUDGET; LEGISLATIVE REVIEW AND APPROVAL.—
258 (a)1. The Legislature must annually review and approve,
259 limit, or disapprove each portion of the preliminary budget for
260 each water management district for those items in s.
261 373.536(5)(d)4.d.-f. specific to regulation, outreach,
262 management, and administration programs and activities.
263 2. After the annual review, the Legislature shall
264 appropriate for each district funds for the proposed
265 expenditures, set a maximum amount of revenue that may be raised
266 to fund the programs and activities for those items in s.
267 373.536(5)(d)4.d.-f., or set the maximum millage rate that may
268 be levied to fund these programs and activities. The
269 appropriation, revenue limit, or millage rate authorized by the
270 Legislature for the programs and activities reviewed under this
271 paragraph may not exceed 20 percent of a district’s total
272 preliminary budget.
273 3. If the Legislature does not appropriate funds, set the
274 maximum amount of revenue, or set the maximum millage rate
275 pursuant to subparagraph 2., the water management district may
276 not include in its budget or expend funds from any source for
277 such programs and activities during the ensuing fiscal year.
278 (b) The Legislature may also review and take action on any
279 other aspect of the preliminary budget for each water management
280 district. If the Legislature does not take any action pursuant
281 to this paragraph, those portions of the preliminary budget of
282 the water management district are deemed approved.
283 (c) If applicable, the preliminary budget for each water
284 management district must specify that the district’s first
285 obligation for payment is the debt service on bonds and
286 certificates of participation. In addition, a water management
287 district must receive approval from the Legislature before it
288 may incur additional bond indebtedness.
289 (3) PRELIMINARY BUDGET; AUTHORITY GRANTED.—
290 (a) Each water management district shall use the
291 preliminary budget as reviewed, and as may be amended, by the
292 Legislature pursuant to this section and s. 373.503 as the basis
293 for developing the tentative budget for the next fiscal year as
294 provided in s. 373.536(5).
295 (b) The Legislature’s action pursuant to subsection (2),
296 the approval pursuant to paragraph (2)(b), or the action by the
297 Governor or Legislative Budget Commission pursuant to the
298 provisions of s. 373.536(4) and (5) constitutes the only
299 authority for a district to fund proposed expenditures for the
300 next fiscal year. A district may not include in its tentative
301 budget or expend any funds from any source for its programs and
302 activities during the next fiscal year without such
303 authorization.
304 Section 3. Subsections (4), (5), and (6) of section
305 373.536, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
306 373.536 District budget and hearing thereon.—
307 (4) BUDGET CONTROLS; FINANCIAL INFORMATION.—
308 (a) The final adopted budget for the district is will
309 thereupon be the operating and fiscal guide for the district for
310 the ensuing year; however, transfers of funds may be made within
311 the budget by action of the governing board at a public meeting
312 of the governing board. Budget amendments greater than $1
313 million must be reviewed and approved by the Executive Office of
314 the Governor. The Executive Office of the Governor shall provide
315 to the Legislative Budget Commission notice of such approval.
316 (b) The district shall control its budget, at a minimum, by
317 funds and shall provide to the Executive Office of the Governor
318 for approval a description of its budget control mechanisms.
319 (c) If Should the district receives receive unanticipated
320 funds after the adoption of the final budget, the final budget
321 may be amended, following review and approval by the Executive
322 Office of the Governor, by including such funds, if so long as
323 notice of intention to amend is provided to the Legislative
324 Budget Commission and is published in the Notice of the
325 governing board meeting at which the amendment will be
326 considered, pursuant to s. 120.525. The notice shall set forth a
327 summary of the proposed amendment.
328 (d) However, In the event of a disaster or of an emergency
329 arising to prevent or avert the same, the governing board is
330 shall not be limited by the budget but may expend shall have
331 authority to apply such funds as may be available for the
332 disaster or emergency therefor or as may be procured for such
333 purpose. In such an event, the governing board shall notify the
334 Executive Office of the Governor and the Legislative Budget
335 Commission as soon as practical, but no later than 30 days after
336 the governing board’s action.
337 (e)(d) By September 1, 2012 2011, each water management
338 district shall provide a monthly financial statement in the form
339 and manner prescribed by the Department of Financial Services to
340 the district’s its governing board and make such monthly
341 financial statement available for public access on its website.
342 (5) TENTATIVE BUDGET CONTENTS AND SUBMISSION; REVIEW AND
343 APPROVAL.—
344 (a) The Executive Office of the Governor may approve or and
345 the Legislative Budget Commission are authorized to disapprove,
346 in whole or in part, the budget of each water management
347 district. The Executive Office of the Governor shall analyze
348 each budget as to the adequacy of fiscal resources available to
349 the district and the adequacy of district expenditures related
350 to water supply, including water resource development projects
351 identified in the district’s regional water supply plans; water
352 quality; flood protection and floodplain management; and natural
353 systems. This analysis shall be based on the particular needs
354 within each water management district in those four areas of
355 responsibility and shall be provided to the Legislative Budget
356 Commission.
357 (b) The Executive Office of the Governor, the Legislative
358 Budget Commission, and the water management districts shall
359 develop a process to facilitate review and communication
360 regarding water management district tentative budgets, as
361 necessary. If the Legislative Budget Commission determines that
362 the tentative budget of a water management district has been
363 significantly modified from a preliminary budget reviewed by the
364 Legislature pursuant to s. 373.535, the Legislative Budget
365 Commission may review, and may disapprove, any part of the
366 tentative budget of the water management district. Unless
367 otherwise authorized by the Legislature in the preliminary
368 budget review conducted pursuant to s. 373.535, the Legislative
369 Budget Commission must approve any water management district
370 budget proposal that includes any of the following:
371 1. Except for land exchanges, any single purchase of land
372 in excess of $10 million.
373 2. Any cumulative purchase of land during a single fiscal
374 year in excess of $50 million.
375 3. Any issuance of debt on or after July 1, 2012.
376 4. Program expenditures as described in sub-subparagraphs
377 (d)4.d.-f. in excess of 20 percent of a district’s total annual
378 budget.
379
380 Written disapproval of any provision in the tentative budget
381 must be received by the district at least 5 business days before
382 prior to the final district budget adoption hearing conducted
383 under s. 200.065(2)(d). If written disapproval of any portion of
384 the budget is not received at least 5 business days before prior
385 to the final budget adoption hearing, the governing board may
386 proceed with final adoption. Any provision rejected by the
387 Executive Office of the Governor or the Legislative Budget
388 Commission may shall not be included in a district’s final
389 budget and may not be acted upon through any other means without
390 prior approval of the entity rejecting the provision. Upon
391 written request of the Governor or the Legislative Budget
392 Commission, the Chief Financial Officer shall withhold state
393 funds from a water management district that fails to comply with
394 these requirements.
395 (c) Each water management district shall, by August 1 of
396 each year, submit for review a tentative budget to the Governor,
397 the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
398 Representatives, the Legislative Budget Commission, the
399 secretary of the department, and the governing body of each
400 county in which the district has jurisdiction or derives any
401 funds for the operations of the district. The tentative budget
402 must be posted on the water management district’s official
403 website at least 2 days before budget hearings held pursuant to
404 s. 200.065 or other law.
405 (d) The tentative budget must be based on the preliminary
406 budget as reviewed, and as may be amended, by the Legislature
407 pursuant to ss. 373.503 and 373.535 and must set forth the
408 proposed expenditures of the district, to which may be added an
409 amount to be held as reserve. The tentative budget must include,
410 but is not limited to, the following information for the
411 preceding fiscal year and the current fiscal year, and the
412 proposed amounts for the upcoming fiscal year, in a standard
413 format prescribed by the Executive Office of the Governor, in
414 consultation with the Legislature:
415 1. The estimated amount of funds remaining at the beginning
416 of the fiscal year which have been obligated for the payment of
417 outstanding commitments not yet completed.
418 2. The estimated amount of unobligated funds or net cash
419 balance on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year, an
420 accounting of the source, balance, and projected future use of
421 the unobligated funds, and the estimated amount of funds to be
422 raised by district taxes or received from other sources to meet
423 the requirements of the district.
424 3. The millage rates and the percentage increase above the
425 rolled-back rate, together with a summary of the reasons the
426 increase is required, and the percentage increase in taxable
427 value resulting from new construction within the district.
428 4. The salaries and benefits, expenses, operating capital
429 outlay, number of authorized positions, and other personal
430 services for the following program areas of the district:
431 a. Water resource planning and monitoring;
432 b. Land acquisition, restoration, and public works;
433 c. Operation and maintenance of works and lands;
434 d. Regulation;
435 e. Outreach for which the information provided must contain
436 a full description and accounting of expenditures for water
437 resources education; public information and public relations,
438 including public service announcements and advertising in any
439 media; and lobbying activities related to local, regional, state
440 and federal governmental affairs, whether incurred by district
441 staff or through contractual services; and
442 f. Management and administration.
443
444 In addition to the program areas reported by all water
445 management districts, the South Florida Water Management
446 District shall include in its budget document separate sections
447 on all costs associated with the Everglades Construction Project
448 and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
449 5. The total estimated amount in the district budget for
450 each area of responsibility listed in subparagraph 4. and for
451 water resource, water supply, and alternative water supply
452 development projects identified in the district’s regional water
453 supply plans.
454 6. A description of each new, expanded, reduced, or
455 eliminated program.
456 7. The funding sources, including, but not limited to, ad
457 valorem taxes, Surface Water Improvement and Management Program
458 funds, other state funds, federal funds, and user fees and
459 permit fees for each program area.
460 (e) The Executive Office of the Governor shall annually, on
461 or before December 15, file with the Legislature a report that
462 summarizes its review of the water management districts’
463 tentative budgets and displays the adopted budget allocations by
464 program area. The report must identify the districts that are
465 not in compliance with the reporting requirements of this
466 section. State funds shall be withheld from a water management
467 district that fails to comply with these reporting requirements.
468 (6) FINAL BUDGET; ANNUAL AUDIT; CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PLAN;
469 WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT WORK PROGRAM.—
470 (a) Each district must, by the date specified for each
471 item, furnish copies of the following documents to the Governor,
472 the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
473 Representatives, the chairs of all legislative committees and
474 subcommittees having substantive or fiscal jurisdiction over the
475 districts, as determined by the President of the Senate or the
476 Speaker of the House of Representatives as applicable, the
477 secretary of the department, and the governing board of each
478 county in which the district has jurisdiction or derives any
479 funds for the operations of the district:
480 1. The adopted budget, to be furnished within 10 days after
481 its adoption.
482 2. A financial audit of its accounts and records, to be
483 furnished within 10 days after its acceptance by the governing
484 board. The audit must be conducted in accordance with the
485 provisions of s. 11.45 and the rules adopted thereunder. In
486 addition to the entities named above, the district must provide
487 a copy of the audit to the Auditor General within 10 days after
488 its acceptance by the governing board.
489 3. A 5-year capital improvements plan, to be included in
490 the consolidated annual report required by s. 373.036(7). The
491 plan must include expected sources of revenue for planned
492 improvements and must be prepared in a manner comparable to the
493 fixed capital outlay format set forth in s. 216.043.
494 4. A 5-year water resource development work program to be
495 furnished within 30 days after the adoption of the final budget.
496 The program must describe the district’s implementation strategy
497 and funding plan for the water resource, water supply, and
498 alternative water supply development components component of
499 each approved regional water supply plan developed or revised
500 under s. 373.709. The work program must address all the elements
501 of the water resource, water supply, and alternative water
502 supply development components component in the district’s
503 approved regional water supply plans and must identify which
504 projects in the work program which will provide water;, explain
505 how each water resource, water supply, and alternative water
506 supply development project will produce additional water
507 available for consumptive uses;, estimate the quantity of water
508 to be produced by each project;, and provide an assessment of
509 the contribution of the district’s regional water supply plans
510 in providing sufficient water needed to timely meet the water
511 supply needs of existing and future reasonable-beneficial uses
512 for a 1-in-10-year drought event.
513 (b) Within 30 days after its submittal, the department
514 shall review the proposed work program and submit its findings,
515 questions, and comments to the district. The review must include
516 a written evaluation of the program’s consistency with the
517 furtherance of the district’s approved regional water supply
518 plans, and the adequacy of proposed expenditures. As part of the
519 review, the department shall give interested parties the
520 opportunity to provide written comments on each district’s
521 proposed work program. Within 45 days after receipt of the
522 department’s evaluation, the governing board shall state in
523 writing to the department which of the changes recommended in
524 the evaluation it will incorporate into its work program
525 submitted as part of the March 1 consolidated annual report
526 required by s. 373.036(7) or specify the reasons for not
527 incorporating the changes. The department shall include the
528 district’s responses in a final evaluation report and shall
529 submit a copy of the report to the Governor, the President of
530 the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
531 (c)(b) If any entity listed in paragraph (a) provides
532 written comments to the district regarding any document
533 furnished under this subsection, the district must respond to
534 the comments in writing and furnish copies of the comments and
535 written responses to the other entities.
536 (d)(c) The final adopted budget must be posted on the water
537 management district’s official website within 30 days after
538 adoption.
539 Section 4. Section 373.605, Florida Statues, is amended to
540 read:
541 373.605 Group insurance for water management districts.—
542 (1) The governing board of a any water management district
543 may is hereby authorized and empowered to provide group
544 insurance for its employees in the same manner and with the same
545 provisions and limitations authorized for other public employees
546 by ss. 112.08, 112.09, 112.10, 112.11, and 112.14.
547 (2) The governing board of a water management district may
548 provide group insurance for its employees and the employees of
549 another water management district in the same manner and with
550 the same provisions and limitations authorized for other public
551 employees by ss. 112.08, 112.09, 112.10, 112.11, and 112.14.
552 (2) Any and all insurance agreements in effect as of
553 October 1, 1974, which conform to the provisions of this section
554 are hereby ratified.
555 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.