Florida Senate - 2019 SB 1616
By Senator Baxley
12-01393-19 20191616__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to local government financial
3 reporting; amending ss. 129.03 and 166.241, F.S.;
4 requiring county and municipal budget officers,
5 respectively, to submit certain information to the
6 Office of Economic and Demographic Research within a
7 specified timeframe; requiring adopted budget
8 amendments and final budgets to remain posted on each
9 entity’s official website for a specified period of
10 time; requiring the Office of Economic and Demographic
11 Research to create a form for certain purposes by a
12 specified date; providing an effective date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
17 129.03, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (d) is added
18 to that subsection, to read:
19 129.03 Preparation and adoption of budget.—
20 (3) The county budget officer, after tentatively
21 ascertaining the proposed fiscal policies of the board for the
22 next fiscal year, shall prepare and present to the board a
23 tentative budget for the next fiscal year for each of the funds
24 provided in this chapter, including all estimated receipts,
25 taxes to be levied, and balances expected to be brought forward
26 and all estimated expenditures, reserves, and balances to be
27 carried over at the end of the year.
28 (c) The board shall hold public hearings to adopt tentative
29 and final budgets pursuant to s. 200.065. The hearings shall be
30 primarily for the purpose of hearing requests and complaints
31 from the public regarding the budgets and the proposed tax
32 levies and for explaining the budget and any proposed or adopted
33 amendments. The tentative budget must be posted on the county’s
34 official website at least 2 days before the public hearing to
35 consider such budget and must remain on the website for at least
36 45 days. The final budget must be posted on the website within
37 30 days after adoption and must remain on the website for at
38 least 2 years. The tentative budgets, adopted tentative budgets,
39 and final budgets shall be filed in the office of the county
40 auditor as a public record. Sufficient reference in words and
41 figures to identify the particular transactions must shall be
42 made in the minutes of the board to record its actions with
43 reference to the budgets.
44 (d) By October 15, 2019, and each October 15 annually
45 thereafter, the county budget officer shall electronically
46 submit the following information regarding the final budget and
47 the county’s economic status to the Office of Economic and
48 Demographic Research in the format specified by the office:
49 1. Government spending per resident, including, at a
50 minimum, the spending per resident for the previous 5 fiscal
51 years.
52 2. Government debt per resident, including, at a minimum,
53 the debt per resident for the previous 5 fiscal years.
54 3. Median income within the county.
55 4. The average county employee salary.
56 5. Percent of budget spent on salaries and benefits for
57 county employees.
58 6. Number of special taxing districts, wholly or partially,
59 within the county.
60 Section 2. Present subsections (4) and (5) of section
61 166.241, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
62 and (6), respectively, subsection (3) and present subsection (5)
63 are amended, and a new subsection (4) is added to that section,
64 to read:
65 166.241 Fiscal years, budgets, and budget amendments.—
66 (3) The tentative budget must be posted on the
67 municipality’s official website at least 2 days before the
68 budget hearing, held pursuant to s. 200.065 or other law, to
69 consider such budget and must remain on the website for at least
70 45 days. The final adopted budget must be posted on the
71 municipality’s official website within 30 days after adoption
72 and must remain on the website for at least 2 years. If the
73 municipality does not operate an official website, the
74 municipality must, within a reasonable period of time as
75 established by the county or counties in which the municipality
76 is located, transmit the tentative budget and final budget to
77 the manager or administrator of such county or counties who
78 shall post the budgets on the county’s website.
79 (4) Beginning October 15, 2019, and each October 15
80 thereafter, the municipal budget officer shall electronically
81 submit the following information regarding the final budget and
82 the municipality’s economic status to the Office of Economic and
83 Demographic Research in the format specified by the office:
84 (a) Government spending per resident, including, at a
85 minimum, the spending per resident for the previous 5 fiscal
86 years.
87 (b) Government debt per resident, including, at a minimum,
88 the debt per resident for the previous 5 fiscal years.
89 (c) Average municipal employee salary.
90 (d) Median income within the municipality.
91 (e) Number of special taxing districts, wholly or
92 partially, within the municipality.
93 (f) Percent of budget spent on salaries and benefits for
94 municipal employees.
95 (6)(5) If the governing body of a municipality amends the
96 budget pursuant to paragraph (5)(c) (4)(c), the adopted
97 amendment must be posted on the official website of the
98 municipality within 5 days after adoption and must remain on the
99 website for at least 2 years. If the municipality does not
100 operate an official website, the municipality must, within a
101 reasonable period of time as established by the county or
102 counties in which the municipality is located, transmit the
103 adopted amendment to the manager or administrator of such county
104 or counties who shall post the adopted amendment on the county’s
105 website.
106 Section 3. By July 15, 2019, the Office of Economic and
107 Demographic Research shall establish the format and forms for
108 use by counties and municipalities for purposes of submitting
109 the information required by this act.
110 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.