HB 937

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to legal notices; creating s. 50.0211,
3F.S.; requiring that, after a specified date, if a
4legal notice is published in a newspaper, the
5newspaper publishing the notice shall also place the
6notice on a website maintained by the newspaper;
7providing requirements for size and placement of such
8website publication; requiring free access to such
9online publications; requiring that legal notices
10published in newspapers also be published on another
11specified website; requiring that, after a specified
12date, newspapers that publish legal notice must
13provide e-mail notification of new legal notices;
14providing requirements for such notice; providing that
15an error on a newspaper or statewide website shall be
16considered a harmless error and legal notice
17requirements shall be considered met if the notice
18published in the newspaper is correct; amending s.
1950.041, F.S.; revising physical requirements for proof
20of publication affidavits; authorizing electronic
21affidavits that meet specified requirements; amending
22s. 50.061, F.S.; limiting the rate that may be charged
23for government notices required to be published more
24than once in certain circumstances; deleting
25provisions specifying rates for legal notices based on
26county population; amending ss. 125.66, 166.041,
27190.005, and 200.065, F.S.; requiring that website
28publication of certain legal notices include maps that
29appear in the newspaper advertisements; amending s.
3017.325, F.S.; making it optional for the Chief
31Financial Officer to advertise the availability of the
32governmental efficiency hotline; amending ss. 120.60
33215.555, 253.52, 255.518, and 380.0668, F.S.; deleting
34requirements that certain legal notices be published
35in Leon County; amending s. 455.275, F.S.; deleting a
36requirement that certain notices concerning
37professional licensees who cannot be personally served
38be published in Leon County; requiring that plain
39notice to the licensee to be posted on the front page
40of the Department of Business and Professional
41Regulation's website and provided to certain news
42outlets; amending s. 473.3141, F.S.; deleting a
43requirement that notices concerning discipline of
44certain certified public accountants be published in
45Leon County; amending s. 527.23, F.S.; deleting
46requirements relating to the newspaper publication of
47certain notices relating to marketing orders for
48propane gas; providing for Internet publication of
49such orders and for providing information to certain
50news outlets; amending ss. 573.109 and 573.111, F.S.;
51deleting requirements relating to the newspaper
52publication of certain notices relating to
53agricultural marketing orders; providing for Internet
54publication of such orders and for providing
55information to certain news outlets; amending s.
56631.59, F.S.; deleting requirements for the newspaper
57publication of certain notices concerning insolvent
58insurers; providing for notice by e-mail or telephone;
59providing applicability; providing effective date.
60
61Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
62
63     Section 1.  Section 50.0211, Florida Statutes, is created
64to read:
65     50.0211  Internet website publication.-
66     (1)  This section applies to legal notices that must be
67published in accordance with this chapter unless otherwise
68specified.
69     (2)  Each legal notice must be placed on the newspaper's
70website on the same day the notice appears in the newspaper. A
71link to legal notices shall be provided on the front page of the
72newspaper's website that provides access to the legal notices
73without charge. If there is a specified size and placement
74required for a printed legal notice, the size and placement of
75the notice on the newspaper's website should optimize its online
76visibility in keeping with the print requirements. The
77newspaper's web pages that contain legal notices shall present
78the legal notices as the dominant subject matter of those pages.
79The newspaper's website shall contain a search function to
80facilitate searching the legal notices. This subsection shall
81take effect July 1, 2013.
82     (3)  If a legal notice is published in a newspaper, the
83newspaper publishing the notice shall place the notice on the
84website established and maintained as an initiative of the
85Florida Press Association as a repository for such notices
86located at the following address: www.floridapublicnotices.com.
87     (4)  Newspapers that publish legal notices shall, upon
88request, provide e-mail notification of new legal notices when
89they are printed in the newspaper and added to the newspaper's
90website. Such e-mail notification shall be provided without
91charge and notification for such an e-mail registry shall be
92available on the front page of the legal notices section of the
93newspaper's website. This subsection shall take effect July 1,
942013.
95     (5)  An error in the notice placed on the newspaper or
96statewide website shall be considered a harmless error and
97proper legal notice requirements shall be considered met if the
98notice published in the newspaper is correct.
99     Section 2.  Subsection (2) of section 50.041, Florida
100Statutes, is amended to read:
101     50.041  Proof of publication; uniform affidavits required.-
102     (2)  Each such affidavit shall be printed upon white bond
103paper containing at least 25 percent rag material and shall be 8
1041/2 inches in width and of convenient length, not less than 5
1051/2 inches. A white margin of not less than 2 1/2 inches shall
106be left at the right side of each affidavit form and upon or in
107this space shall be substantially pasted a clipping which shall
108be a true copy of the public notice or legal advertisement for
109which proof is executed. Alternatively, the affidavit may be
110provided in electronic rather than paper form, provided the
111notarization of the affidavit complies with the requirements of
112s. 117.021.
113     Section 3.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section 50.061,
114Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
115     50.061  Amounts chargeable.-
116     (2)  The charge for publishing each such official public
117notice or legal advertisement shall be 70 cents per square inch
118for the first insertion and 40 cents per square inch for each
119subsequent insertion, except that government notices required to
120be published more than once whose cost is paid for by the
121government and not paid in advance by or allowed to be recouped
122from private parties may not be charged for the second and
123successive insertions at a rate greater than 85 percent of the
124original rate.:
125     (a)  In all counties having a population of more than
126304,000 according to the latest official decennial census, the
127charge for publishing each such official public notice or legal
128advertisement shall be 80 cents per square inch for the first
129insertion and 60 cents per square inch for each subsequent
130insertion.
131     (b)  In all counties having a population of more than
132450,000 according to the latest official decennial census, the
133charge for publishing each such official public notice or legal
134advertisement shall be 95 cents per square inch for the first
135insertion and 75 cents per square inch for each subsequent
136insertion.
137     (3)  Where the regular established minimum commercial rate
138per square inch of the newspaper publishing such official public
139notices or legal advertisements is in excess of the rate herein
140stipulated, said minimum commercial rate per square inch may be
141charged for all such legal advertisements or official public
142notices for each insertion, except that
143     (3)  A governmental agency publishing an official public
144notice or legal advertisement may procure publication by
145soliciting and accepting written bids from newspapers published
146in the county, in which case the specified charges in this
147section do not apply.
148     Section 4.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
149125.66, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
150     125.66  Ordinances; enactment procedure; emergency
151ordinances; rezoning or change of land use ordinances or
152resolutions.-
153     (4)  Ordinances or resolutions, initiated by other than the
154county, that change the actual zoning map designation of a
155parcel or parcels of land shall be enacted pursuant to
156subsection (2). Ordinances or resolutions that change the actual
157list of permitted, conditional, or prohibited uses within a
158zoning category, or ordinances or resolutions initiated by the
159county that change the actual zoning map designation of a parcel
160or parcels of land shall be enacted pursuant to the following
161procedure:
162     (b)  In cases in which the proposed ordinance or resolution
163changes the actual list of permitted, conditional, or prohibited
164uses within a zoning category, or changes the actual zoning map
165designation of a parcel or parcels of land involving 10
166contiguous acres or more, the board of county commissioners
167shall provide for public notice and hearings as follows:
168     1.  The board of county commissioners shall hold two
169advertised public hearings on the proposed ordinance or
170resolution. At least one hearing shall be held after 5 p.m. on a
171weekday, unless the board of county commissioners, by a majority
172plus one vote, elects to conduct that hearing at another time of
173day. The first public hearing shall be held at least 7 days
174after the day that the first advertisement is published. The
175second hearing shall be held at least 10 days after the first
176hearing and shall be advertised at least 5 days prior to the
177public hearing.
178     2.  The required advertisements shall be no less than 2
179columns wide by 10 inches long in a standard size or a tabloid
180size newspaper, and the headline in the advertisement shall be
181in a type no smaller than 18 point. The advertisement shall not
182be placed in that portion of the newspaper where legal notices
183and classified advertisements appear. The advertisement shall be
184placed in a newspaper of general paid circulation in the county
185and of general interest and readership in the community pursuant
186to chapter 50, not one of limited subject matter. It is the
187legislative intent that, whenever possible, the advertisement
188shall appear in a newspaper that is published at least 5 days a
189week unless the only newspaper in the community is published
190less than 5 days a week. The advertisement shall be in
191substantially the following form:
192
193
NOTICE OF (TYPE OF) CHANGE
194
195     The ...(name of local governmental unit)... proposes to
196adopt the following by ordinance or resolution:...(title of
197ordinance or resolution)....
198
199     A public hearing on the ordinance or resolution will be
200held on ...(date and time)... at ...(meeting place)....
201
202Except for amendments which change the actual list of permitted,
203conditional, or prohibited uses within a zoning category, the
204advertisement shall contain a geographic location map which
205clearly indicates the area within the local government covered
206by the proposed ordinance or resolution. The map shall include
207major street names as a means of identification of the general
208area. In addition to being published in the newspaper, the map
209must be part of the online notice required pursuant to s.
21050.0211.
211     3.  In lieu of publishing the advertisements set out in
212this paragraph, the board of county commissioners may mail a
213notice to each person owning real property within the area
214covered by the ordinance or resolution. Such notice shall
215clearly explain the proposed ordinance or resolution and shall
216notify the person of the time, place, and location of both
217public hearings on the proposed ordinance or resolution.
218     Section 5.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
219166.041, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
220     166.041  Procedures for adoption of ordinances and
221resolutions.-
222     (3)
223     (c)  Ordinances initiated by other than the municipality
224that change the actual zoning map designation of a parcel or
225parcels of land shall be enacted pursuant to paragraph (a).
226Ordinances that change the actual list of permitted,
227conditional, or prohibited uses within a zoning category, or
228ordinances initiated by the municipality that change the actual
229zoning map designation of a parcel or parcels of land shall be
230enacted pursuant to the following procedure:
231     1.  In cases in which the proposed ordinance changes the
232actual zoning map designation for a parcel or parcels of land
233involving less than 10 contiguous acres, the governing body
234shall direct the clerk of the governing body to notify by mail
235each real property owner whose land the municipality will
236redesignate by enactment of the ordinance and whose address is
237known by reference to the latest ad valorem tax records. The
238notice shall state the substance of the proposed ordinance as it
239affects that property owner and shall set a time and place for
240one or more public hearings on such ordinance. Such notice shall
241be given at least 30 days prior to the date set for the public
242hearing, and a copy of the notice shall be kept available for
243public inspection during the regular business hours of the
244office of the clerk of the governing body. The governing body
245shall hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance and may,
246upon the conclusion of the hearing, immediately adopt the
247ordinance.
248     2.  In cases in which the proposed ordinance changes the
249actual list of permitted, conditional, or prohibited uses within
250a zoning category, or changes the actual zoning map designation
251of a parcel or parcels of land involving 10 contiguous acres or
252more, the governing body shall provide for public notice and
253hearings as follows:
254     a.  The local governing body shall hold two advertised
255public hearings on the proposed ordinance. At least one hearing
256shall be held after 5 p.m. on a weekday, unless the local
257governing body, by a majority plus one vote, elects to conduct
258that hearing at another time of day. The first public hearing
259shall be held at least 7 days after the day that the first
260advertisement is published. The second hearing shall be held at
261least 10 days after the first hearing and shall be advertised at
262least 5 days prior to the public hearing.
263     b.  The required advertisements shall be no less than 2
264columns wide by 10 inches long in a standard size or a tabloid
265size newspaper, and the headline in the advertisement shall be
266in a type no smaller than 18 point. The advertisement shall not
267be placed in that portion of the newspaper where legal notices
268and classified advertisements appear. The advertisement shall be
269placed in a newspaper of general paid circulation in the
270municipality and of general interest and readership in the
271municipality, not one of limited subject matter, pursuant to
272chapter 50. It is the legislative intent that, whenever
273possible, the advertisement appear in a newspaper that is
274published at least 5 days a week unless the only newspaper in
275the municipality is published less than 5 days a week. The
276advertisement shall be in substantially the following form:
277
278
NOTICE OF (TYPE OF) CHANGE
279
280     The ...(name of local governmental unit)... proposes to
281adopt the following ordinance:...(title of the ordinance)....
282
283     A public hearing on the ordinance will be held on ...(date
284and time)... at ...(meeting place)....
285
286Except for amendments which change the actual list of permitted,
287conditional, or prohibited uses within a zoning category, the
288advertisement shall contain a geographic location map which
289clearly indicates the area covered by the proposed ordinance.
290The map shall include major street names as a means of
291identification of the general area. In addition to being
292published in the newspaper, the map must be part of the online
293notice required pursuant to s. 50.0211.
294     c.  In lieu of publishing the advertisement set out in this
295paragraph, the municipality may mail a notice to each person
296owning real property within the area covered by the ordinance.
297Such notice shall clearly explain the proposed ordinance and
298shall notify the person of the time, place, and location of any
299public hearing on the proposed ordinance.
300     Section 6.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
301190.005, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
302     190.005  Establishment of district.-
303     (1)  The exclusive and uniform method for the establishment
304of a community development district with a size of 1,000 acres
305or more shall be pursuant to a rule, adopted under chapter 120
306by the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission, granting
307a petition for the establishment of a community development
308district.
309     (d)  A local public hearing on the petition shall be
310conducted by a hearing officer in conformance with the
311applicable requirements and procedures of the Administrative
312Procedure Act. The hearing shall include oral and written
313comments on the petition pertinent to the factors specified in
314paragraph (e). The hearing shall be held at an accessible
315location in the county in which the community development
316district is to be located. The petitioner shall cause a notice
317of the hearing to be published in a newspaper at least once a
318week for the 4 successive weeks immediately prior to the
319hearing. Such notice shall give the time and place for the
320hearing, a description of the area to be included in the
321district, which description shall include a map showing clearly
322the area to be covered by the district, and any other relevant
323information which the establishing governing bodies may require.
324The advertisement shall not be placed in that portion of the
325newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements
326appear. The advertisement shall be published in a newspaper of
327general paid circulation in the county and of general interest
328and readership in the community, not one of limited subject
329matter, pursuant to chapter 50. Whenever possible, the
330advertisement shall appear in a newspaper that is published at
331least 5 days a week, unless the only newspaper in the community
332is published fewer than 5 days a week. In addition to being
333published in the newspaper, the map referenced above must be
334part of the online advertisement required pursuant to s.
33550.0211. All affected units of general-purpose local government
336and the general public shall be given an opportunity to appear
337at the hearing and present oral or written comments on the
338petition.
339     Section 7.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (3) of section
340200.065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
341     200.065  Method of fixing millage.-
342     (3)  The advertisement shall be no less than one-quarter
343page in size of a standard size or a tabloid size newspaper, and
344the headline in the advertisement shall be in a type no smaller
345than 18 point. The advertisement shall not be placed in that
346portion of the newspaper where legal notices and classified
347advertisements appear. The advertisement shall be published in a
348newspaper of general paid circulation in the county or in a
349geographically limited insert of such newspaper. The geographic
350boundaries in which such insert is circulated shall include the
351geographic boundaries of the taxing authority. It is the
352legislative intent that, whenever possible, the advertisement
353appear in a newspaper that is published at least 5 days a week
354unless the only newspaper in the county is published less than 5
355days a week, or that the advertisement appear in a
356geographically limited insert of such newspaper which insert is
357published throughout the taxing authority's jurisdiction at
358least twice each week. It is further the legislative intent that
359the newspaper selected be one of general interest and readership
360in the community and not one of limited subject matter, pursuant
361to chapter 50.
362     (h)  In no event shall any taxing authority add to or
363delete from the language of the advertisements as specified
364herein unless expressly authorized by law, except that, if an
365increase in ad valorem tax rates will affect only a portion of
366the jurisdiction of a taxing authority, advertisements may
367include a map or geographical description of the area to be
368affected and the proposed use of the tax revenues under
369consideration. In addition, if published in the newspaper, the
370map must be part of the online advertisement required by s.
37150.0211. The advertisements required herein shall not be
372accompanied, preceded, or followed by other advertising or
373notices which conflict with or modify the substantive content
374prescribed herein.
375     Section 8.  Subsection (2) of section 17.325, Florida
376Statutes, is amended to read:
377     17.325  Governmental efficiency hotline; duties of Chief
378Financial Officer.-
379     (2)  The Chief Financial Officer shall operate the hotline
38024 hours a day. The Chief Financial Officer may shall advertise
381the availability of the hotline in newspapers of general
382circulation in this state and shall provide for the posting of
383notices in conspicuous places in state agency offices, city
384halls, county courthouses, and places in which there is exposure
385to significant numbers of the general public, including, but not
386limited to, local convenience stores, shopping malls, shopping
387centers, gasoline stations, or restaurants. The Chief Financial
388Officer shall use the slogan "Tell us where we can 'Get Lean'"
389for the hotline and in advertisements for the hotline.
390     Section 9.  Subsection (5) of section 120.60, Florida
391Statutes, is amended to read:
392     120.60  Licensing.-
393     (5)  No revocation, suspension, annulment, or withdrawal of
394any license is lawful unless, prior to the entry of a final
395order, the agency has served, by personal service or certified
396mail, an administrative complaint which affords reasonable
397notice to the licensee of facts or conduct which warrant the
398intended action and unless the licensee has been given an
399adequate opportunity to request a proceeding pursuant to ss.
400120.569 and 120.57. When personal service cannot be made and the
401certified mail notice is returned undelivered, the agency shall
402cause a short, plain notice to the licensee to be published once
403each week for 4 consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in
404the county of the licensee's last known address as it appears on
405the records of the agency. If no newspaper is published in that
406county, the notice may be published in a newspaper of general
407circulation in that county. If the address is in some state
408other than this state or in a foreign territory or country, the
409notice may be published in Leon County.
410     Section 10.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of section
411215.555, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
412     215.555  Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.-
413     (6)  REVENUE BONDS.-
414     (d)  Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Finance
415Corporation.-
416     1.  In addition to the findings and declarations in
417subsection (1), the Legislature also finds and declares that:
418     a.  The public benefits corporation created under this
419paragraph will provide a mechanism necessary for the cost-
420effective and efficient issuance of bonds. This mechanism will
421eliminate unnecessary costs in the bond issuance process,
422thereby increasing the amounts available to pay reimbursement
423for losses to property sustained as a result of hurricane
424damage.
425     b.  The purpose of such bonds is to fund reimbursements
426through the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to pay for the
427costs of construction, reconstruction, repair, restoration, and
428other costs associated with damage to properties of
429policyholders of covered policies due to the occurrence of a
430hurricane.
431     c.  The efficacy of the financing mechanism will be
432enhanced by the corporation's ownership of the assessments, by
433the insulation of the assessments from possible bankruptcy
434proceedings, and by covenants of the state with the
435corporation's bondholders.
436     2.a.  There is created a public benefits corporation, which
437is an instrumentality of the state, to be known as the Florida
438Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Finance Corporation.
439     b.  The corporation shall operate under a five-member board
440of directors consisting of the Governor or a designee, the Chief
441Financial Officer or a designee, the Attorney General or a
442designee, the director of the Division of Bond Finance of the
443State Board of Administration, and the senior employee of the
444State Board of Administration responsible for operations of the
445Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.
446     c.  The corporation has all of the powers of corporations
447under chapter 607 and under chapter 617, subject only to the
448provisions of this subsection.
449     d.  The corporation may issue bonds and engage in such
450other financial transactions as are necessary to provide
451sufficient funds to achieve the purposes of this section.
452     e.  The corporation may invest in any of the investments
453authorized under s. 215.47.
454     f.  There shall be no liability on the part of, and no
455cause of action shall arise against, any board members or
456employees of the corporation for any actions taken by them in
457the performance of their duties under this paragraph.
458     3.a.  In actions under chapter 75 to validate any bonds
459issued by the corporation, the notice required by s. 75.06 shall
460be published only in Leon County and in two newspapers of
461general circulation in the state, and the complaint and order of
462the court shall be served only on the State Attorney of the
463Second Judicial Circuit.
464     b.  The state hereby covenants with holders of bonds of the
465corporation that the state will not repeal or abrogate the power
466of the board to direct the Office of Insurance Regulation to
467levy the assessments and to collect the proceeds of the revenues
468pledged to the payment of such bonds as long as any such bonds
469remain outstanding unless adequate provision has been made for
470the payment of such bonds pursuant to the documents authorizing
471the issuance of such bonds.
472     4.  The bonds of the corporation are not a debt of the
473state or of any political subdivision, and neither the state nor
474any political subdivision is liable on such bonds. The
475corporation does not have the power to pledge the credit, the
476revenues, or the taxing power of the state or of any political
477subdivision. The credit, revenues, or taxing power of the state
478or of any political subdivision shall not be deemed to be
479pledged to the payment of any bonds of the corporation.
480     5.a.  The property, revenues, and other assets of the
481corporation; the transactions and operations of the corporation
482and the income from such transactions and operations; and all
483bonds issued under this paragraph and interest on such bonds are
484exempt from taxation by the state and any political subdivision,
485including the intangibles tax under chapter 199 and the income
486tax under chapter 220. This exemption does not apply to any tax
487imposed by chapter 220 on interest, income, or profits on debt
488obligations owned by corporations other than the Florida
489Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Finance Corporation.
490     b.  All bonds of the corporation shall be and constitute
491legal investments without limitation for all public bodies of
492this state; for all banks, trust companies, savings banks,
493savings associations, savings and loan associations, and
494investment companies; for all administrators, executors,
495trustees, and other fiduciaries; for all insurance companies and
496associations and other persons carrying on an insurance
497business; and for all other persons who are now or may hereafter
498be authorized to invest in bonds or other obligations of the
499state and shall be and constitute eligible securities to be
500deposited as collateral for the security of any state, county,
501municipal, or other public funds. This sub-subparagraph shall be
502considered as additional and supplemental authority and shall
503not be limited without specific reference to this sub-
504subparagraph.
505     6.  The corporation and its corporate existence shall
506continue until terminated by law; however, no such law shall
507take effect as long as the corporation has bonds outstanding
508unless adequate provision has been made for the payment of such
509bonds pursuant to the documents authorizing the issuance of such
510bonds. Upon termination of the existence of the corporation, all
511of its rights and properties in excess of its obligations shall
512pass to and be vested in the state.
513     Section 11.  Section 253.52, Florida Statutes, is amended
514to read:
515     253.52  Placing oil and gas leases on market by board.-
516Whenever in the opinion of the Board of Trustees of the Internal
517Improvement Trust Fund there shall be a demand for the purchase
518of oil and gas leases on any area, tract, or parcel of the land
519so owned, controlled, or managed, by any state board,
520department, or agency, then the board shall place such oil and
521gas lease or leases on the market in such blocks, tracts, or
522parcels as it may designate. The lease or leases shall only be
523made after notice by publication thereof has been made not less
524than once a week for 4 consecutive weeks in a newspaper of
525general circulation published in Leon County, and in a similar
526newspaper for a similar period of time published in the vicinity
527of the lands offered to be leased, the last publication in both
528newspapers to be not less than 5 days in advance of the sale
529date. Such notice shall be to the effect that a lease or leases
530will be offered for sale at such date and time as may be named
531in said notice and shall describe the land upon which such
532lease, or leases, will be offered. This notice may be combined
533with the notice required pursuant to s. 253.115. Before any
534lease of any block, tract, or parcel of land, submerged, or
535unsubmerged, within a radius of 3 miles of the boundaries of any
536incorporated city, or town, or within such radius of any bathing
537beach, or beaches, outside thereof, such board, department, or
538agency, shall through one or more of its members hold a public
539hearing, after notice thereof by publication once in a newspaper
540of general circulation published at least 1 week prior to said
541hearing in the vicinity of the land, or lands, offered to be
542leased, of the offer to lease the same, calling upon all
543interested persons to attend said hearing where they would be
544given the opportunity to be heard, all of which shall be
545considered by the board prior to the execution of any lease or
546leases to said land, and the board may withdraw said land, or
547any part thereof, from the market, and refuse to execute such
548lease or leases if after such hearing, or otherwise, it
549considers such execution contrary to the public welfare. Before
550advertising any land for lease the form of the lease or leases
551to be offered for sale, not inconsistent with law, or the
552provisions of this section, shall be prescribed by the board and
553a copy, or copies, thereof, shall be available to the general
554public at the office of the Board of Trustees of the Internal
555Improvement Trust Fund and the advertisements of such sale shall
556so state.
557     Section 12.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
558255.518, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
559     255.518  Obligations; purpose, terms, approval,
560limitations.-
561     (4)
562     (b)  In actions to validate such obligations pursuant to
563chapter 75, the complaint shall be filed in the Circuit Court of
564Leon County, the notice required by s. 75.06, shall be published
565only in Leon County and in two newspapers of general circulation
566in the state, and the complaint and order of the court shall be
567served only on the state attorney of the Second Judicial
568Circuit.
569     Section 13.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
570380.0668, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
571     380.0668  Bonds; purpose, terms, approval, limitations.-
572     (4)
573     (b)  In actions to validate such bonds pursuant to chapter
57475, the complaint shall be filed in the Circuit Court of Leon
575County, the notice required by s. 75.06 shall be published in
576newspapers of general circulation in Leon County and the county
577in which the area or areas of critical state concern involved
578are located, and the complaint and order of the court shall be
579served on the state attorney of the Second Judicial Circuit and
580the circuit in which the area or areas of critical state concern
581involved are located.
582     Section 14.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
583455.275, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
584     455.275  Address of record.-
585     (3)
586     (b)  If service, as provided in paragraph (a), does not
587provide the department with proof of service, the department
588shall call the last known telephone number of record and cause a
589short, plain notice to the licensee to be posted on the front
590page of the department's website and shall send notice via e-
591mail to all newspapers of general circulation and all news
592departments of broadcast network affiliates in the county of the
593licensee's last known address of record published once each week
594for 4 consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in the county
595of the licensee's last known address of record. If a newspaper
596is not published in the county, the administrative complaint may
597be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the
598county. If the licensee's last known address is located in
599another state or in a foreign jurisdiction, the administrative
600complaint may be published in Leon County pursuant to s.
601120.60(5).
602     Section 15.  Subsection (5) of section 473.3141, Florida
603Statutes, is amended to read:
604     473.3141  Certified public accountants licensed in other
605states.-
606     (5)  Disciplinary action against an individual or firm that
607practices pursuant to this section is not valid unless, prior to
608the entry of a final order, the agency has served, by personal
609service pursuant to this chapter or chapter 48 or by certified
610mail, an administrative complaint that provides reasonable
611notice to the individual or firm of facts or conduct that
612warrants the intended action and unless the individual or firm
613has been given an adequate opportunity to request a proceeding
614pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57. When personal service cannot
615be made and the certified mail notice is returned undelivered,
616the agency shall have a short, plain notice to the individual or
617firm with practice privileges published once a week for 4
618consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in Leon County,
619Florida. The newspaper shall meet the requirements prescribed by
620law for such purposes.
621     Section 16.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section
622527.23, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
623     527.23  Marketing orders; referendum requirements;
624assessments.-
625     (5)
626     (b)  It is the duty of the producers or dealers of propane
627gas who vote in each referendum to send their marked ballots to
628the department, which shall have the ballots counted by
629qualified and impartial personnel in its office, and the
630department shall, within 10 days after the closing date for
631submitting ballots in any referendum, certify in writing and
632publish the results of such referendum on the front page of
633their website and shall send notice via e-mail to all
634publications of general circulation and all news departments of
635broadcast network affiliates located within the state in a
636newspaper of general circulation in the state and in such other
637newspapers as the department prescribes.
638     Section 17.  Subsection (2) of section 573.109, Florida
639Statutes, is amended to read:
640     573.109  Procedure for referendum.-
641     (2)  It shall be the duty of the producers or handlers
642affected who vote in each referendum to send their marked
643ballots to the department, which shall have the ballots counted
644by qualified and impartial personnel in its office, and the
645department shall, within 10 days after the closing date for
646submitting ballots in any referendum, certify in writing and
647publish the results of such referendum on the front page of
648their website and shall send notice via e-mail to all
649publications of general circulation and all news departments of
650broadcast network affiliates located within the state in a
651newspaper of general circulation in the state and in such other
652newspapers as the department may prescribe.
653     Section 18.  Section 573.111, Florida Statutes, is amended
654to read:
655     573.111  Notice of effective date of marketing order.-
656Before the issuance of any marketing order, or any suspension,
657amendment, or termination thereof, a notice shall be posted on a
658public bulletin board to be maintained by the department in the
659Division of Marketing and Development of the department in the
660Nathan Mayo Building, Tallahassee, Leon County, and a copy of
661the notice shall be posted on the department website published
662in a newspaper of general circulation in the state and in such
663other newspaper or newspapers as the department may prescribe.
664The notices published in the newspaper or newspapers shall be
665sent by first-class mail, by the department to those newspapers
666designated by it, the same date that the notice is posted on the
667bulletin board with instructions to publish the same as a legal
668advertisement the first date after receipt of the notice as such
669newspaper's policy for publishing legal advertisements provides.
670No marketing order, or any suspension, amendment, or termination
671thereof, shall become effective until the termination of a
672period of 5 days from the date of posting and publication.
673     Section 19.  Subsection (2) of section 631.59, Florida
674Statutes, is amended to read:
675     631.59  Duties and powers of department and office.-
676     (2)  The department may require that the association notify
677the insureds of the insolvent insurer and any other interested
678parties of the determination of insolvency and of their rights
679under this part. Such notification shall be by mail at their
680last known addresses, when available, but if sufficient
681information for notification by mail is not available, notice by
682e-mail or telephone publication in a newspaper of general
683circulation shall be sufficient.
684     Section 20.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
685act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2012, and shall apply to
686legal notices that must be published on or after that date.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.