ENROLLED
2025 Legislature SB 2502, 1st Engrossed
20252502er
1
2 An act implementing the 2025-2026 General
3 Appropriations Act; providing legislative intent;
4 incorporating by reference certain calculations;
5 amending s. 1011.45, F.S.; requiring a carry forward
6 spending plan to commit certain excess reserve
7 balances to specified projects in a specified manner;
8 providing for the future expiration and reversion of
9 specified statutory text; amending s. 1009.26, F.S.;
10 requiring a state university to waive a student’s out
11 of-pocket expenses under certain conditions; deleting
12 a requirement for a certain fee waiver; providing for
13 the future expiration and reversion of specified
14 statutory text; amending s. 1004.89, F.S.; revising
15 the duties of the Institute for Freedom in the
16 Americas at Miami Dade College; deleting a provision
17 requiring the college to approve a direct-support
18 organization for a specified purpose; providing for
19 the future expiration and reversion of specified
20 statutory text; authorizing certain state university
21 board of trustees to accept a health care provider’s
22 procurement methods and construction contracts under
23 certain circumstances; authorizing the Florida
24 Agricultural and Mechanical University board of
25 trustees to expend available reserves or carryforward
26 certain balances for a specified purpose; authorizing
27 the Agency for Health Care Administration to submit a
28 budget amendment to realign Medicaid funding for
29 specified purposes, subject to certain limitations;
30 authorizing the Agency for Health Care Administration
31 and the Department of Health to each submit a budget
32 amendment to realign funding within the Florida
33 Kidcare program appropriation categories or to
34 increase budget authority for certain purposes;
35 specifying the time period within which each budget
36 amendment must be submitted; amending s. 381.986,
37 F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year the exemption of
38 certain rules pertaining to the medical use of
39 marijuana from certain rulemaking requirements;
40 amending s. 14(1), chapter 2017-232, Laws of Florida;
41 exempting certain rules pertaining to medical
42 marijuana adopted to replace emergency rules from
43 specified rulemaking requirements; providing for the
44 future expiration and reversion of specified statutory
45 text; authorizing the Agency for Health Care
46 Administration to submit a budget amendment requesting
47 additional spending authority to implement specified
48 programs and payments; requiring institutions
49 participating in a specified workforce expansion and
50 education program to provide quarterly reports to the
51 agency; authorizing the Agency for Health Care
52 Administration to submit a budget amendment for a
53 specified purpose; authorizing the Agency for Health
54 Care Administration to submit a budget amendment
55 requesting additional spending authority to implement
56 the Low Income Pool component of the Florida Managed
57 Medical Assistance Demonstration up to a certain
58 amount; requiring that the amendment include a signed
59 attestation and acknowledgment for entities relating
60 to the Low Income Pool; authorizing the Agency for
61 Health Care Administration to submit a budget
62 amendment requesting additional spending authority to
63 implement certain payments and specified programs;
64 authorizing the Agency for Health Care Administration
65 to submit a budget amendment requesting additional
66 spending authority to implement a certified
67 expenditure program for emergency medical
68 transportation services; authorizing the Agency for
69 Health Care Administration to submit a budget
70 amendment requesting additional spending authority to
71 implement the Disproportionate Share Hospital Program;
72 requiring such amendment to include specified
73 information; authorizing the Agency for Health Care
74 Administration to submit a budget amendment requesting
75 additional spending authority to implement fee-for
76 service inpatient and outpatient supplemental payments
77 for specialty hospitals; authorizing the Agency for
78 Health Care Administration to submit budget amendments
79 to increase budget authority to support the Florida
80 School-Based Services program; amending s. 409.908,
81 F.S.; revising the Quality Incentive Program payment
82 pool percentage for the reimbursement of Medicaid
83 providers; providing for the future expiration and
84 reversion of specified statutory text; authorizing the
85 Department of Children and Families to submit a budget
86 amendment to realign funding within specified areas of
87 the department based on implementation of the
88 Guardianship Assistance Program; authorizing the
89 Department of Children and Families, the Department of
90 Health, and the Agency for Health Care Administration
91 to submit budget amendments to increase budget
92 authority to support certain refugee programs;
93 requiring the Department of Children and Families to
94 submit quarterly reports to the Executive Office of
95 the Governor and the Legislature; authorizing the
96 Department of Children and Families to submit budget
97 amendments to increase budget authority to support
98 specified federal grant programs; authorizing the
99 Department of Children and Families to submit budget
100 amendments to transfer funds between certain
101 appropriation categories to support the operations of
102 the Automated Community Connection to Economic Self
103 Sufficiency system; amending s. 393.066, F.S.;
104 authorizing certain persons or entities to maintain an
105 alternate data system that meets specified standards;
106 prohibiting the Agency for Persons with Disabilities
107 from requiring training on a specified system in
108 certain circumstances; requiring the Agency for Health
109 Care Administration to amend the Florida Medicaid
110 Developmental Disabilities Individual Budgeting Waiver
111 Services Provider Rate Table for a specified purpose;
112 requiring providers to be reimbursed at the existing
113 hourly rate for certain recipients; requiring the
114 agency to develop a methodology to monitor and
115 evaluate the fiscal impact of the revised
116 reimbursement methodology and submit quarterly reports
117 to the Legislature and the Executive Office of the
118 Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget; providing for
119 the future expiration and reversion of specified
120 statutory text; amending s. 394.9082, F.S.;
121 authorizing a managing entity to carry forward certain
122 unexpended funds; providing construction; amending s.
123 409.9913, F.S.; requiring core services funding to be
124 allocated as provided in the General Appropriations
125 Act; requiring the Department of Children and Families
126 to develop and report on an alternative tiered funding
127 methodology and to provide certain information;
128 providing requirements for the methodology; requiring
129 lead agencies and providers to submit detailed cost
130 and expenditure data as requested by the department
131 for a specified purpose; providing reporting
132 requirements; authorizing the Department of Health to
133 submit a budget amendment to increase budget authority
134 for the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
135 Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Child Care Food
136 Program if a certain condition is met; authorizing the
137 Department of Health to submit a budget amendment to
138 increase budget authority for the HIV/AIDS Prevention
139 and Treatment Program if a certain condition is met;
140 authorizing the Department of Health to submit a
141 budget amendment to increase budget authority for the
142 department if additional federal revenues specific to
143 COVID-19 relief funds become available; requiring the
144 Agency for Health Care Administration to replace the
145 Florida Medicaid Management Information System (FMMIS)
146 and fiscal agent operations with a specified new
147 system; specifying items that may not be included in
148 the new system; providing directives to the Agency for
149 Health Care Administration related to the new Florida
150 Health Care Connection (FX) system; requiring the
151 Agency for Health Care Administration to meet certain
152 requirements in replacing FMMIS and the current
153 Medicaid fiscal agent; requiring the Agency for Health
154 Care Administration to implement a specified program
155 governance structure that includes an executive
156 steering committee composed of specified members;
157 providing the duties of the executive steering
158 committee; requiring the establishment of specified
159 working groups; providing the composition of such
160 groups; providing requirements for such groups;
161 requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration,
162 in consultation with the Department of Health, the
163 Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Department
164 of Children and Families, and the Department of
165 Corrections, to competitively procure a contract with
166 a vendor to negotiate prices for certain prescribed
167 drugs and biological products; providing
168 specifications for such contract; authorizing the
169 Agency for Persons with Disabilities to submit budget
170 amendments to transfer funding from the Salaries and
171 Benefits appropriation categories for a specified
172 purpose; authorizing the Agency for Persons with
173 Disabilities to submit budget amendments to request
174 funds from the Lump Sum-Home and Community Based
175 Waiver category for a specified purpose; authorizing
176 the Agency for Health Care Administration and the
177 Agency for Persons with Disabilities to submit budget
178 amendments within a specified timeframe for a
179 specified purpose; authorizing the Department of
180 Veterans’ Affairs to submit a budget amendment,
181 subject to Legislative Budget Commission approval,
182 requesting certain authority for certain purposes
183 relating to veterans’ nursing homes; amending s.
184 409.915, F.S.; extending for 1 year the expiration of
185 an exception for certain funds used for the hospital
186 directed payment program; authorizing the Department
187 of Veterans’ Affairs to submit budget amendments,
188 subject to certain approval, for the development and
189 construction of a new State Veterans Nursing Home and
190 Adult Day Health Care Center in a specified county;
191 authorizing the Department of Elderly Affairs to
192 submit a budget amendment requesting certain authority
193 for an Adult Care Food Program under certain
194 circumstances; amending s. 766.314, F.S.; authorizing
195 the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury
196 Compensation Association to accept new claims during a
197 specified fiscal year under certain circumstances;
198 amending s. 216.262, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year
199 the authority of the Department of Corrections to
200 submit a budget amendment for additional positions and
201 appropriations under certain circumstances; amending
202 s. 215.18, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year the
203 authority and related repayment requirements for
204 temporary trust fund loans to the state court system
205 which are sufficient to meet the system’s
206 appropriation; requiring the Department of Juvenile
207 Justice to review county juvenile detention payments
208 to determine whether a county has met specified
209 financial responsibilities; requiring that amounts
210 owed by a certain county for such financial
211 responsibilities be deducted from certain county
212 funds; requiring the Department of Revenue to transfer
213 withheld funds to a specified trust fund; requiring
214 the Department of Revenue to ensure that such
215 reductions in amounts distributed do not reduce
216 distributions below amounts necessary for certain
217 payments due on bonds and to comply with bond
218 covenants; requiring the Department of Revenue to
219 notify the Department of Juvenile Justice if bond
220 payment requirements mandate a reduction in deductions
221 for amounts owed by a county; requiring the Department
222 of Juvenile Justice to take certain actions;
223 reenacting s. 27.40(1), (2)(a), (3)(a), (5), (6), and
224 (7), F.S., relating to court-appointed counsel;
225 extending for 1 fiscal year provisions governing the
226 appointment of court-appointed counsel; providing for
227 the future expiration and reversion of specified
228 statutory text; reenacting and amending s. 27.5304,
229 F.S., relating to the extension for 1 fiscal year
230 limitations on compensation for representation in
231 criminal proceedings; revising the maximum
232 compensation for certain proceedings; providing for
233 the future expiration and reversion of specified
234 statutory text; amending s. 934.50, F.S.; providing
235 how certain appropriated funds may be used; extending
236 for 1 year the expiration of a certain grant program;
237 amending s. 908.1033, F.S.; authorizing local law
238 enforcement agencies to apply to the State Board of
239 Immigration Enforcement to provide bonus payments for
240 certain certified correctional officers; specifying a
241 maximum amount for such bonus per officer; requiring
242 the local law enforcement agency to certify certain
243 information; requiring the Department of Management
244 Services, with the cooperation of certain agencies, to
245 use tenant broker services to renegotiate or reprocure
246 certain private lease agreements for office or storage
247 space; requiring the Department of Management Services
248 to provide a report to the Governor and the
249 Legislature by a specified date; prohibiting an agency
250 from transferring funds from a data processing
251 category to another category other than another data
252 processing category; authorizing the Executive Office
253 of the Governor to transfer funds appropriated in
254 certain categories between departments for purposes of
255 aligning amounts paid for risk management insurance
256 and for human resources services purchased per
257 statewide contract; authorizing the Department of
258 Management Services to use certain facility
259 disposition funds from the Architects Incidental Trust
260 Fund to pay for certain relocation expenses;
261 authorizing the Department of Management Services to
262 submit budget amendments for an increase in
263 appropriation under certain circumstances; requiring
264 that such amendments include specified information;
265 authorizing all agencies to continue to purchase
266 productivity and cybersecurity tools and services;
267 requiring the Department of Management Services to
268 maintain the state master agreement; requiring the
269 Department of Financial Services to replace specified
270 components of the Florida Accounting Information
271 Resource Subsystem (FLAIR) and the Cash Management
272 Subsystem (CMS) with a specified integrated enterprise
273 system; prohibiting the Department of Financial
274 Services from including certain components in the
275 replacement of FLAIR and CMS; providing requirements
276 for the Department of Financial services related to
277 replacing FLAIR and CMS; providing for the composition
278 of an executive steering committee to oversee FLAIR
279 and CMS replacement; providing requirements for the
280 executive steering committee chair; providing duties
281 and responsibilities of the executive steering
282 committee; reenacting s. 282.709(3), F.S., relating to
283 the state agency law enforcement radio system and
284 interoperability network; providing for future
285 expiration and reversion of specified statutory text;
286 authorizing state agencies and other eligible users of
287 the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System to use the
288 Department of Management Services contract to purchase
289 equipment and services; requiring that a specified
290 transaction fee percentage for use of the online
291 procurement system be collected for a specified fiscal
292 year; amending s. 24.105, F.S.; specifying
293 requirements for the adoption of rules of the
294 Department of the Lottery, excluding certain rules for
295 1 fiscal year regarding the commission for lottery
296 ticket sales; limiting additional retailer
297 compensation in a specified manner; providing for the
298 future expiration and reversion of specified statutory
299 text; reenacting and amending s. 627.351, F.S.;
300 extending for 1 year the specified authority of
301 Citizens Property Insurance Corporation; authorizing
302 the Division of Treasury within the Department of
303 Financial Services to allow employee contributions
304 into the state deferred compensation plan on a
305 specified basis under a specified program; providing
306 requirements for such employee contributions; amending
307 s. 110.116, F.S.; requiring the Department of
308 Management Services to contract with an independent
309 software quality assurance and testing provider for
310 specified purposes; deleting legislative findings and
311 contracting and reporting requirements; amending s.
312 215.5586, F.S.; revising homeowner eligibility
313 criteria for a hurricane mitigation grant from the My
314 Safe Florida Home Program; providing that certain
315 funds appropriated to the Department of Financial
316 Services may be carried forward through a specified
317 fiscal year; authorizing the Executive Office of the
318 Governor to transfer funds between departments to
319 align the budget authority granted based on the
320 estimated costs for data processing services for a
321 specified fiscal year; limiting the auxiliary
322 assessments that may be charged to state agencies
323 related to contract management services provided to
324 the Northwest Regional Data Center; amending s.
325 284.51, F.S.; revising the definition of the term
326 “first responder” as used in the electroencephalogram
327 combined Transactional Magnetic Stimulation (eTMS)
328 treatment pilot program; extending the pilot program
329 for 1 year; requiring the Department of Financial
330 Services to renew, for a specified timeframe, its
331 existing contract for the establishment of the eTMS
332 pilot program for veterans and first responders;
333 requiring the Office of Economic and Demographic
334 Research to submit a final report on certain child
335 support guidelines to the Legislature by a specified
336 date; authorizing the Department of Agriculture and
337 Consumer Services to submit budget amendments to
338 increase budget authority for the National School
339 Lunch Program; amending s. 215.18, F.S.; extending for
340 1 fiscal year certain authority to transfer funds from
341 certain trust funds in the State Treasury to other
342 trust funds in certain circumstances; requiring the
343 Department of Environmental Protection to transfer
344 designated proportions of the revenues deposited in
345 the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the department
346 to land acquisition trust funds in the Department of
347 Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of
348 State, and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
349 Commission according to specified parameters and
350 calculations; defining the term “department”;
351 requiring the Department of Environmental Protection
352 to make transfers to land acquisition trust funds
353 monthly; specifying the method of determining transfer
354 amounts; authorizing the Department of Environmental
355 Protection to advance funds from its land acquisition
356 trust fund to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
357 Commission’s land acquisition trust fund for specified
358 purposes; amending s. 259.105, F.S.; requiring that
359 proceeds from a specified trust fund be distributed as
360 provided in the General Appropriations Act for a
361 specified fiscal year; amending s. 376.91, F.S.;
362 extending for 1 year the date by which the Department
363 of Environmental Protection shall adopt statewide
364 cleanup target levels for PFAS under certain
365 circumstances; providing for future expiration and
366 reversion of specified statutory text; amending ss.
367 376.3071 and 376.3072, F.S.; prohibiting certain
368 deductibles and copays; prohibiting enforcement of
369 certain monetary caps; requiring that certain costs be
370 absorbed at the expense of the Inland Protection Trust
371 Fund; providing exceptions; reenacting s.
372 376.3071(15)(g), F.S., relating to the Inland
373 Protection Trust Fund; providing for the future
374 expiration and reversion of specified statutory text;
375 requiring the Department of Citrus to enter into
376 agreements for specified purposes by a certain date;
377 requiring the Department of Citrus to file certain
378 information with the department’s Inspector General;
379 reenacting and amending s. 380.5105, F.S., relating to
380 the Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts; revising the
381 intent of the program; providing for the future
382 expiration and reversion of specified statutory text;
383 amending s. 10, ch. 2022-272, Laws of Florida;
384 extending the Hurricane Restoration Reimbursement
385 Grant Program for 1 fiscal year; authorizing the Fish
386 and Wildlife Conservation Commission to use specified
387 funds to provide grants for a specified purpose;
388 amending s. 403.0673, F.S.; requiring that funds
389 appropriated for the water quality improvement grant
390 program be used for a specified fiscal year as
391 provided in the General Appropriations Act; amending
392 s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring funds for the Land
393 Acquisition Trust Fund to be appropriated in a
394 specified manner; amending s. 288.80125, F.S.;
395 extending for 1 fiscal year a requirement that the use
396 of funds in the Triumph Gulf Coast Trust Fund be
397 related to Hurricane Michael recovery; amending s.
398 339.135, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year the
399 authority for the chair and vice chair of the
400 Legislative Budget Commission to approve certain work
401 program amendments under specified circumstances;
402 authorizing the Department of Transportation to
403 rebalance funds within the Work Program for specified
404 purposes; providing requirements for such rebalancing;
405 authorizing the department to request a specified
406 amount of budget authority to the extent necessary to
407 advance or defer certain projects in the Work Program
408 and align resources for a specified purpose; amending
409 s. 288.0655, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year a
410 requirement that certain appropriated funds relating
411 to the Rural Infrastructure Fund be distributed in a
412 specified manner; authorizing the Division of
413 Emergency Management to submit budget amendments to
414 increase budget authority for certain expenditures;
415 amending s. 282.201, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year
416 the Division of Emergency Management’s exemption from
417 the use of the state data center; amending s. 251.001,
418 F.S.; providing that the Florida State Guard aircraft
419 is assigned to a specified department for certain
420 uses; requiring the Florida State Guard to sign a
421 certain memorandum of understanding; amending s.
422 443.1113, F.S.; providing that certain improvements to
423 the Reemployment Assistance Claims and Benefits
424 Information System are subject to appropriation;
425 revising the date a certain report from the Department
426 of Commerce is required to be submitted; revising the
427 report requirements; providing for the future
428 expiration and reversion of specified statutory text;
429 amending s. 445.08, F.S.; requiring a law enforcement
430 officer to provide documentation justifying a break in
431 service for purposes of the Florida Law Enforcement
432 Recruitment Bonus Payment Program; defining the term
433 “break in service”; providing that the time period for
434 such a break in service does not count toward
435 satisfying certain requirements; extending the program
436 for 1 fiscal year; amending s. 420.5096, F.S.;
437 revising eligibility for the Florida Hometown Hero
438 Program for a specified fiscal year; requiring the
439 Department of Management Services to assess an
440 administrative health insurance assessment on each
441 state agency; providing the rate of such assessment;
442 defining the term “state agency”; requiring the
443 Department of Management Services to take certain
444 actions in case of delinquencies; requiring the Chief
445 Financial Officer to transfer funds under specified
446 circumstances; requiring state agencies to provide a
447 list of positions that qualify for a certain exception
448 by a specified date and to update the list monthly
449 thereafter; requiring state agencies to include the
450 administrative health insurance assessment in their
451 indirect cost plan beginning for a specified fiscal
452 year and annually thereafter; requiring agencies to
453 notify the Department of Management Services, the
454 Executive Office of the Governor, and the Legislature
455 regarding the approval of their updated indirect cost
456 plans; authorizing the Executive Office of the
457 Governor to transfer budget authority between agencies
458 in specified circumstances; providing that the annual
459 salaries of the members of the Legislature be
460 maintained at a specified level for a specified fiscal
461 year; reenacting s. 215.32(2)(b), F.S., relating to
462 the authorization for transferring unappropriated cash
463 balances from selected trust funds to the Budget
464 Stabilization Fund and General Revenue Fund; providing
465 for future expiration and reversion of specific
466 statutory text; specifying the type of travel which
467 may be used with state employee travel funds for a
468 specified fiscal year; providing exceptions; providing
469 applicability; providing a monetary cap on lodging
470 costs for state employee travel to certain meetings
471 organized or sponsored by a state agency or the
472 judicial branch; authorizing employees to expend their
473 own funds for lodging expenses that exceed the
474 monetary caps; providing construction; amending s.
475 216.181, F.S.; extending for 1 fiscal year the
476 authority of the Legislative Budget Commission to
477 approve budget amendments for certain fixed capital
478 outlay projects; amending s. 216.292, F.S.; extending
479 for 1 fiscal year the requirements for certain
480 transfers; authorizing state agencies to purchase
481 vehicles from nonstate term contract vendors without
482 prior approval from the Department of Management
483 Services under certain circumstances; amending s.
484 11.52, F.S.; extending for 1 year certain state agency
485 reporting requirements regarding implementation of
486 legislation; amending s. 216.013, F.S.; extending for
487 1 fiscal year an exception from certain planning
488 requirements; amending s. 216.023, F.S.; extending for
489 1 year a requirement that certain entities include a
490 specified inventory in their legislative budget
491 requests; providing that the use of state funds must
492 be consistent with specified principles of individual
493 freedom; prohibiting a state agency from using state
494 funds to contract with an advertising agency or other
495 contractor who acts as or uses the services of media
496 reliability and bias monitors; defining the term
497 “media reliability and bias monitor”; amending s.
498 440.13, F.S.; providing a percentage for reimbursement
499 for emergency services and care under certain
500 circumstances; providing for future expiration and
501 reversion of specified statutory text; authorizing the
502 Office of Policy and Budget within the Executive
503 Office of the Governor to conduct a review of the
504 functions, procedures, and policies in effect for
505 certain local entities to identify specified
506 information; specifying the records that the office
507 may review; requiring certain local governments to
508 provide the office with access to specified
509 information within a specified timeframe after a
510 request from the office; providing construction;
511 providing for civil fines against the local
512 government, not its employees, for noncompliance;
513 requiring such fines to be deposited into the General
514 Revenue Fund; requiring the office to submit an
515 initial report to the Governor, the Chief Financial
516 Officer, and the Legislature by a specified date;
517 providing requirements for the report; providing
518 construction; amending s. 551.118, F.S.; specifying
519 the contract timeframe for the Florida Gaming Control
520 Commission’s contract for the provision of services
521 related to the prevention of compulsive and addictive
522 gambling; amending s. 373.0421, F.S.; providing that
523 agricultural producers who implement specified best
524 management practices are presumed to be in compliance
525 with certain recovery and prevention strategies;
526 providing for future expiration and reversion of
527 specified statutory text; providing that the Governor,
528 the Cabinet officers, and the Legislature are
529 permanent tenants of the Capitol Complex; prohibiting
530 the interior space allotted to each tenant as of a
531 specified date from being reduced or moved without the
532 tenant’s express consent; requiring the Department of
533 Management Services to offer for lease to the House of
534 Representatives certain office space by a specified
535 date; requiring the department to coordinate with
536 specified entities before planning or scheduling any
537 projects in the Capitol Center; requiring the office
538 to solicit specified feedback in carrying out the
539 provisions of the Capitol Center long-range planning;
540 prohibiting certain parking spaces from being reduced
541 or reassigned without the express consent of the
542 Legislature; providing conditions under which the veto
543 of certain appropriations or proviso language in the
544 General Appropriations Act voids language that
545 implements such appropriation; providing for the
546 continued operation of certain provisions
547 notwithstanding a future repeal or expiration provided
548 by the act; providing for severability; providing for
549 contingent retroactivity; providing effective dates.
550
551 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
552
553 Section 1. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
554 implementing and administering provisions of this act apply to
555 the General Appropriations Act for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
556 Section 2. In order to implement Specific Appropriations 5,
557 6, 88, and 89 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, the
558 calculations of the Florida Education Finance Program for the
559 2025-2026 fiscal year included in the document titled “Public
560 School Funding: The Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP)
561 Fiscal Year 2025-2026,” dated June 13, 2025, and filed with the
562 Secretary of the Senate, are incorporated by reference for the
563 purpose of displaying the calculations used by the Legislature,
564 consistent with the requirements of state law, in making
565 appropriations for the Florida Education Finance Program. This
566 section expires July 1, 2026.
567 Section 3. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 81
568 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, the school
569 readiness reimbursement rates for the 2025-2026 fiscal year
570 included in the document titled “School Readiness Program
571 Reimbursement Rates Fiscal Year 2025-2026,” dated June 13, 2025,
572 and filed with the Secretary of the Senate, are incorporated by
573 reference, consistent with the requirements of state law, in
574 making appropriations for the school readiness program
575 allocation. This section expires July 1, 2026.
576 Section 4. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 147
577 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, present subsection
578 (5) of section 1011.45, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as
579 subsection (6), a new subsection (5) is added to that section,
580 and subsection (3) of that section is amended, to read:
581 1011.45 End of year balance of funds.—Unexpended amounts in
582 any fund in a university current year operating budget shall be
583 carried forward and included as the balance forward for that
584 fund in the approved operating budget for the following year.
585 (3) A university’s carry forward spending plan must include
586 the estimated cost per planned expenditure and a timeline for
587 completion of the expenditure. A carry forward spending plan may
588 include retention of the carry forward balance as a reserve fund
589 to be used for authorized expenses in subsequent years. For any
590 annual reserve balance in excess of the 7 percent minimum carry
591 forward balance pursuant to subsection (1), the authorized
592 expenditures in a carry forward spending plan must include a
593 commitment of 12 percent of the university’s 2025-2026 fiscal
594 year state operating fund carry forward balance to fund a public
595 education capital outlay project for which an appropriation has
596 previously been provided which requires additional funds for
597 completion and which is included in the list required by s.
598 1001.706(12)(d) or for deferred building maintenance expenses.
599 The carry forward spending plan must identify the specific
600 public education capital outlay project and the amount the
601 university will contribute toward the fixed capital outlay
602 project pursuant to s. 1001.706(12)(d) or specific deferred
603 maintenance project. Authorized expenditures in a carry forward
604 spending plan may include:
605 (a) Commitment of funds to a public education capital
606 outlay project for which an appropriation has previously been
607 provided that requires additional funds for completion and which
608 is included in the list required by s. 1001.706(12)(d);
609 (b) Completion of a renovation, repair, or maintenance
610 project that is consistent with s. 1013.64(1) or replacement of
611 a minor facility;
612 (c) Completion of a remodeling or infrastructure project,
613 including a project for a developmental research school, if such
614 project is survey recommended pursuant to s. 1013.31;
615 (d) Completion of a repair or replacement project necessary
616 due to damage caused by a natural disaster for buildings
617 included in the inventory required pursuant to s. 1013.31;
618 (e) Operating expenditures that support the university’s
619 mission;
620 (f) Any purpose specified by the board or in the General
621 Appropriations Act, including the requirements in s.
622 1001.706(12)(c) or similar requirements pursuant to Board of
623 Governors regulations; and
624 (g) A commitment of funds to a contingency reserve for
625 expenses incurred as a result of a state of emergency declared
626 by the Governor pursuant to s. 252.36; and
627 (h) Deferred building maintenance expenses for the
628 maintenance, repair, and renovation of projects to improve the
629 health and safety of such facilities.
630 (5) A university’s carry forward spending plan pursuant to
631 subsection (1) must provide detailed documentation of
632 expenditures that the university applied toward the prior year
633 carry forward spending plan.
634 Section 5. The amendments to s. 1011.45, Florida Statutes,
635 made by this act expire July 1, 2026, and the text of that
636 section shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2025,
637 except that any amendments to such text enacted other than by
638 this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
639 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
640 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
641 Section 6. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 147
642 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsection (18) of
643 section 1009.26, Florida Statutes, as amended by section 20 of
644 chapter 2025-109, Laws of Florida, is amended to read:
645 1009.26 Fee waivers.—
646 (18)(a) For every course in a Program of Strategic
647 Emphasis, or in a state-approved teacher preparation program
648 identified by the Board of Governors, as identified in
649 subparagraph 3., in which a student is enrolled and has out-of
650 pocket expenses for tuition and fees after all other federal,
651 state, and institutional gift aid is applied, a state university
652 shall waive 100 percent of the tuition and fees of the student’s
653 out-of-pocket expenses for an equivalent course in such program
654 for a student who:
655 1. Is a resident for tuition purposes under s. 1009.21.
656 2. Has earned at least 60 semester credit hours towards a
657 baccalaureate degree within 2 academic years after initial
658 enrollment at a Florida public postsecondary institution.
659 3. Enrolls in one of 10 Programs of Strategic Emphasis as
660 adopted by the Board of Governors or a state-approved teacher
661 preparation program. The Board of Governors shall adopt eight
662 Programs of Strategic Emphasis in science, technology,
663 engineering, or math; beginning with the 2022-2023 academic
664 year, two Programs of Strategic Emphasis in the critical
665 workforce gap analysis category; and beginning with the 2023
666 2024 academic year, two state-approved teacher preparation
667 programs for which a student may be eligible to receive the
668 tuition and fee waiver authorized by this subsection. The
669 programs identified by the board must reflect the priorities of
670 the state and be offered at a majority of state universities at
671 the time the Board of Governors approves the list.
672 (b) A waiver granted under this subsection is applicable
673 only for upper-level courses and up to 110 percent of the number
674 of required credit hours of the baccalaureate degree program for
675 which the student is enrolled. A student granted a waiver under
676 this subsection shall continue receiving the waiver until the
677 student graduates, exceeds the number of allowable credit hours,
678 or withdraws from an eligible program, regardless of whether the
679 program is removed from the approved list of eligible programs
680 subsequent to the student’s enrollment.
681 (c) Upon enrollment in a Program of Strategic Emphasis or a
682 state-approved teacher preparation program, the tuition and fees
683 waived under this subsection must be reported for state funding
684 purposes under ss. 1009.534 and 1009.535 and must be disbursed
685 to the student. The amount disbursed to the student must be
686 equal to the award amount the student has received under s.
687 1009.534(3) or s. 1009.535(2).
688 (d) Each state university shall report to the Board of
689 Governors the number and value of all waivers granted annually
690 under this subsection. A state university in compliance with
691 this subsection may earn incentive funding, subject to
692 appropriation, in addition to the funding provided under s.
693 1001.92.
694 (d)(e) The Board of Governors shall adopt regulations to
695 administer this subsection.
696 Section 7. The amendments to s. 1009.26(18), Florida
697 Statutes, made by this act expire July 1, 2026, and the text of
698 that subsection shall revert to that in existence on June 30,
699 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than
700 by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
701 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
702 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
703 Section 8. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 130
704 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, section 1004.89,
705 Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
706 1004.89 Institute for Freedom in the Americas.—
707 (1) The Institute for Freedom in the Americas is hereby
708 created at Miami Dade College to preserve the ideals of a free
709 society and promote democracy in the Americas. The institute
710 shall be located at the Freedom Tower and shall:
711 (1)(a) Partner with the Adam Smith Center for Economic
712 Freedom to Hold workshops, symposiums, and conferences that
713 provide networking opportunities for leaders throughout the
714 region to gain new insights and ideas for promoting democracy,
715 including knowledge of and insight into the intellectual,
716 political, and economic freedoms that are foundational to a
717 democratic society.
718 (2)(b) Enter into an agreement with the Adam Smith Center
719 for Economic Freedom to provide participants with academic
720 coursework and programs that advance democratic practices and
721 economic and legal reforms.
722 (3)(c) Provide educational and experiential opportunities
723 for regional leaders committed to careers in democracy and
724 governance.
725 (2) Miami Dade College, in accordance with s. 1004.70,
726 shall approve a direct-support organization to support the
727 institute in its mission to develop partnerships throughout the
728 Americas. Notwithstanding s. 1004.70(2), the board of the
729 direct-support organization shall be composed of five members,
730 as follows: one member appointed by the President of the Senate;
731 one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
732 Representatives; and three members appointed by the Governor,
733 including a representative from Miami Dade College and a
734 representative from the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom.
735 Section 9. The amendments to s. 1004.89, Florida Statutes,
736 made by this act expire July 1, 2026, and the text of that
737 section shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2025,
738 except that any amendments to such text enacted other than by
739 this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
740 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
741 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
742 Section 10. In order to implement Specific Appropriation 17
743 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, a state university
744 board of trustees that is beginning an approved capital outlay
745 project with a health care provider may accept the health care
746 provider’s procurement methods and construction contracts
747 entered thereunder and may reimburse the health care provider
748 for its expenses using the proceeds from a bond issuance
749 approved by the Board of Governors. This section expires July 1,
750 2026.
751 Section 11. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
752 147 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
753 notwithstanding ss. 1011.45 and 1012.975, Florida Statutes, the
754 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University board of trustees
755 may expend available reserves or carry forward balances from
756 previous years’ operational and programmatic appropriations, or
757 other available reserves or balances from funds not appropriated
758 from the General Revenue Fund, from state trust funds, or
759 tuition and fees, for the remuneration of the president of the
760 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. This section
761 expires July 1, 2026.
762 Section 12. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
763 197 through 225 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
764 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
765 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
766 amendment, subject to the notice, review, and objection
767 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to realign funding
768 within the Medicaid program appropriation categories to address
769 projected surpluses and deficits within the program and to
770 maximize the use of state trust funds. A single budget amendment
771 shall be submitted in the last quarter of the 2025-2026 fiscal
772 year only. This section expires July 1, 2026.
773 Section 13. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
774 179 through 184 and 530 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations
775 Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida
776 Statutes, the Agency for Health Care Administration and the
777 Department of Health may each submit a budget amendment, subject
778 to the notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177,
779 Florida Statutes, to realign funding within the Florida Kidcare
780 program appropriation categories, or to increase budget
781 authority in the Children’s Medical Services network category,
782 to address projected surpluses and deficits within the program
783 or to maximize the use of state trust funds. A single budget
784 amendment must be submitted by each agency in the last quarter
785 of the 2025-2026 fiscal year only. This section expires July 1,
786 2026.
787 Section 14. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
788 461 through 469A of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
789 subsection (17) of section 381.986, Florida Statutes, is amended
790 to read:
791 381.986 Medical use of marijuana.—
792 (17) Rules adopted pursuant to this section before July 1,
793 2026 2025, are not subject to ss. 120.54(3)(b) and 120.541. This
794 subsection expires July 1, 2026 2025.
795 Section 15. Effective July 1, 2025, upon the expiration and
796 reversion of the amendments made to subsection (1) of section 14
797 of chapter 2017-232, Laws of Florida, pursuant to section 10 of
798 chapter 2024-228, Laws of Florida, and in order to implement
799 Specific Appropriations 461 through 469A of the 2025-2026
800 General Appropriations Act, subsection (1) of section 14 of
801 chapter 2017-232, Laws of Florida, is amended to read:
802 Section 14. Department of Health; authority to adopt rules;
803 cause of action.—
804 (1) EMERGENCY RULEMAKING.—
805 (a) The Department of Health and the applicable boards
806 shall adopt emergency rules pursuant to s. 120.54(4), Florida
807 Statutes, and this section necessary to implement s. 381.986 ss.
808 381.986 and 381.988, Florida Statutes. If an emergency rule
809 adopted under this section is held to be unconstitutional or an
810 invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority, and becomes
811 void, the department or the applicable boards may adopt an
812 emergency rule pursuant to this section to replace the rule that
813 has become void. If the emergency rule adopted to replace the
814 void emergency rule is also held to be unconstitutional or an
815 invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority and becomes
816 void, the department and the applicable boards must follow the
817 nonemergency rulemaking procedures of the Administrative
818 Procedures Act to replace the rule that has become void.
819 (b) For emergency rules adopted under this section, the
820 department and the applicable boards need not make the findings
821 required by s. 120.54(4)(a), Florida Statutes. Emergency rules
822 adopted under this section are exempt from ss. 120.54(3)(b) and
823 120.541, Florida Statutes. The department and the applicable
824 boards shall meet the procedural requirements in s. 120.54(4)(a)
825 s. 120.54(a), Florida Statutes, if the department or the
826 applicable boards have, before July 1, 2019 the effective date
827 of this act, held any public workshops or hearings on the
828 subject matter of the emergency rules adopted under this
829 subsection. Challenges to emergency rules adopted under this
830 subsection are subject to the time schedules provided in s.
831 120.56(5), Florida Statutes.
832 (c) Emergency rules adopted under this section are exempt
833 from s. 120.54(4)(c), Florida Statutes, and shall remain in
834 effect until replaced by rules adopted under the nonemergency
835 rulemaking procedures of the Administrative Procedures Act.
836 Rules adopted under the nonemergency rulemaking procedures of
837 the Administrative Procedures Act to replace emergency rules
838 adopted under this section are exempt from ss. 120.54(3)(b) and
839 120.541, Florida Statutes. By September 1, 2025 January 1, 2018,
840 the department and the applicable boards shall initiate
841 nonemergency rulemaking pursuant to the Administrative
842 Procedures Act to replace all emergency rules adopted under this
843 section by publishing a notice of rule development in the
844 Florida Administrative Register. Except as provided in paragraph
845 (a), after December 31, 2025 January 1, 2018, the department and
846 applicable boards may not adopt rules pursuant to the emergency
847 rulemaking procedures provided in this section.
848 Section 16. The amendments to subsection (1) of section 14
849 of chapter 2017-232, Laws of Florida, made by this act expire
850 January 1, 2026, and the text of that subsection shall revert to
851 that in existence on June 30, 2019, except that any amendments
852 to such text enacted other than by this act shall be preserved
853 and continue to operate to the extent that such amendments are
854 not dependent upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to
855 this section.
856 Section 17. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
857 203, 204, 207, and 211 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations
858 Act, the Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a
859 budget amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes,
860 requesting additional spending authority to implement the
861 federally approved Directed Payment Program for hospitals
862 statewide providing inpatient and outpatient services to
863 Medicaid managed care enrollees, the Indirect Medical Education
864 (IME) Program, and a nursing workforce expansion and education
865 program for certain institutions participating in a graduate
866 medical education or nursing education program. For institutions
867 participating in the nursing workforce expansion and education
868 program, the budget amendment must identify the educational
869 institutions partnering with the teaching hospital. Institutions
870 participating in the nursing workforce expansion and education
871 program shall provide quarterly reports to the agency detailing
872 the number of nurses participating in the program. This section
873 expires July 1, 2026.
874 Section 18. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
875 204, 207, and 211 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
876 the Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
877 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
878 additional spending authority to implement the federally
879 approved Directed Payment Program and fee-for-service
880 supplemental payments for cancer hospitals that meet the
881 criteria in 42 U.S.C. s. 1395ww(d)(1)(B)(v). This section
882 expires July 1, 2026.
883 Section 19. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
884 197 through 225 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, the
885 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
886 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
887 additional spending authority to implement the Low Income Pool
888 component of the Florida Managed Medical Assistance
889 Demonstration up to the total computable funds authorized by the
890 federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The budget
891 amendment must include the final terms and conditions of the Low
892 Income Pool, a proposed distribution model by entity, and a
893 listing of entities contributing intergovernmental transfers to
894 support the state match required. In addition, for each entity
895 included in the distribution model, a signed attestation must be
896 provided that includes the charity care cost upon which the Low
897 Income Pool payment is based and an acknowledgment that should
898 the distribution result in an overpayment based on the Low
899 Income Pool cost limit audit, the entity is responsible for
900 returning that overpayment to the agency for return to the
901 federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This section
902 expires July 1, 2026.
903 Section 20. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
904 210 and 211 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, the
905 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
906 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
907 additional spending authority to implement fee-for-service
908 supplemental payments and a directed payment program for
909 physicians and subordinate licensed health care practitioners
910 employed by or under contract with a Florida medical or dental
911 school, or a public hospital. This section expires July 1, 2026.
912 Section 21. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
913 208, 211, and 223 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
914 the Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
915 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
916 additional spending authority to implement a certified
917 expenditure program for emergency medical transportation
918 services. This section expires July 1, 2026.
919 Section 22. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
920 197 through 225 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
921 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
922 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
923 amendment subject to the notice, review, and objection
924 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, requesting
925 additional spending authority to implement the Disproportionate
926 Share Hospital Program. The budget amendment must include a
927 proposed distribution model by entity and a listing of entities
928 contributing intergovernmental transfers and certified public
929 expenditures to support the state match required. This section
930 expires July 1, 2026.
931 Section 23. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
932 204 and 207 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, the
933 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit a budget
934 amendment pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, requesting
935 additional spending authority to implement fee-for-service
936 inpatient and outpatient supplemental payments for specialty
937 hospitals as defined in s. 395.002(28), Florida Statutes,
938 providing comprehensive acute care services to children with
939 Medicaid inpatient utilization equal to or greater than 50
940 percent and located in a county with greater than 250,000
941 Medicaid enrollees in 2023. This section expires July 1, 2026.
942 Section 24. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
943 190 and 216 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
944 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
945 Agency for Health Care Administration may submit budget
946 amendments, subject to the notice, review, and objection
947 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to increase budget
948 authority to support the Florida School-Based Services program.
949 This section expires July 1, 2026.
950 Section 25. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
951 208, 222, and 223 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
952 paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 409.908, Florida
953 Statutes, is amended to read:
954 409.908 Reimbursement of Medicaid providers.—Subject to
955 specific appropriations, the agency shall reimburse Medicaid
956 providers, in accordance with state and federal law, according
957 to methodologies set forth in the rules of the agency and in
958 policy manuals and handbooks incorporated by reference therein.
959 These methodologies may include fee schedules, reimbursement
960 methods based on cost reporting, negotiated fees, competitive
961 bidding pursuant to s. 287.057, and other mechanisms the agency
962 considers efficient and effective for purchasing services or
963 goods on behalf of recipients. If a provider is reimbursed based
964 on cost reporting and submits a cost report late and that cost
965 report would have been used to set a lower reimbursement rate
966 for a rate semester, then the provider’s rate for that semester
967 shall be retroactively calculated using the new cost report, and
968 full payment at the recalculated rate shall be effected
969 retroactively. Medicare-granted extensions for filing cost
970 reports, if applicable, shall also apply to Medicaid cost
971 reports. Payment for Medicaid compensable services made on
972 behalf of Medicaid-eligible persons is subject to the
973 availability of moneys and any limitations or directions
974 provided for in the General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.
975 Further, nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent
976 or limit the agency from adjusting fees, reimbursement rates,
977 lengths of stay, number of visits, or number of services, or
978 making any other adjustments necessary to comply with the
979 availability of moneys and any limitations or directions
980 provided for in the General Appropriations Act, provided the
981 adjustment is consistent with legislative intent.
982 (2)
983 (b) Subject to any limitations or directions in the General
984 Appropriations Act, the agency shall establish and implement a
985 state Title XIX Long-Term Care Reimbursement Plan for nursing
986 home care in order to provide care and services in conformance
987 with the applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations,
988 and quality and safety standards and to ensure that individuals
989 eligible for medical assistance have reasonable geographic
990 access to such care.
991 1. The agency shall amend the long-term care reimbursement
992 plan and cost reporting system to create direct care and
993 indirect care subcomponents of the patient care component of the
994 per diem rate. These two subcomponents together shall equal the
995 patient care component of the per diem rate. Separate prices
996 shall be calculated for each patient care subcomponent,
997 initially based on the September 2016 rate setting cost reports
998 and subsequently based on the most recently audited cost report
999 used during a rebasing year. The direct care subcomponent of the
1000 per diem rate for any providers still being reimbursed on a cost
1001 basis shall be limited by the cost-based class ceiling, and the
1002 indirect care subcomponent may be limited by the lower of the
1003 cost-based class ceiling, the target rate class ceiling, or the
1004 individual provider target. The ceilings and targets apply only
1005 to providers being reimbursed on a cost-based system. Effective
1006 October 1, 2018, a prospective payment methodology shall be
1007 implemented for rate setting purposes with the following
1008 parameters:
1009 a. Peer Groups, including:
1010 (I) North-SMMC Regions 1-9, less Palm Beach and Okeechobee
1011 Counties; and
1012 (II) South-SMMC Regions 10-11, plus Palm Beach and
1013 Okeechobee Counties.
1014 b. Percentage of Median Costs based on the cost reports
1015 used for September 2016 rate setting:
1016 (I) Direct Care Costs........................100 percent.
1017 (II) Indirect Care Costs......................92 percent.
1018 (III) Operating Costs.........................86 percent.
1019 c. Floors:
1020 (I) Direct Care Component.....................95 percent.
1021 (II) Indirect Care Component................92.5 percent.
1022 (III) Operating Component...........................None.
1023 d. Pass-through Payments..................Real Estate and
1024 ...............................................Personal Property
1025 ...................................Taxes and Property Insurance.
1026 e. Quality Incentive Program Payment
1027 Pool..............................17.862 10 percent of September
1028 .......................................2016 non-property related
1029 ................................payments of included facilities.
1030 f. Quality Score Threshold to Qualify Quality for Quality
1031 Incentive Payment......33 percent of all available points in the
1032 Medicaid Quality Incentive Program 20th
1033 ..............................percentile of included facilities.
1034 g. Fair Rental Value System Payment Parameters:
1035 (I) Building Value per Square Foot based on 2018 RS Means.
1036 (II) Land Valuation...10 percent of Gross Building value.
1037 (III) Facility Square Footage......Actual Square Footage.
1038 (IV) Movable Equipment Allowance..........$8,000 per bed.
1039 (V) Obsolescence Factor......................1.5 percent.
1040 (VI) Fair Rental Rate of Return................8 percent.
1041 (VII) Minimum Occupancy.......................90 percent.
1042 (VIII) Maximum Facility Age.....................40 years.
1043 (IX) Minimum Square Footage per Bed..................350.
1044 (X) Maximum Square Footage for Bed...................500.
1045 (XI) Minimum Cost of a renovation/replacements$500 per bed.
1046 h. Ventilator Supplemental payment of $200 per Medicaid day
1047 of 40,000 ventilator Medicaid days per fiscal year.
1048 2. The direct care subcomponent shall include salaries and
1049 benefits of direct care staff providing nursing services
1050 including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and
1051 certified nursing assistants who deliver care directly to
1052 residents in the nursing home facility, allowable therapy costs,
1053 and dietary costs. This excludes nursing administration, staff
1054 development, the staffing coordinator, and the administrative
1055 portion of the minimum data set and care plan coordinators. The
1056 direct care subcomponent also includes medically necessary
1057 dental care, vision care, hearing care, and podiatric care.
1058 3. All other patient care costs shall be included in the
1059 indirect care cost subcomponent of the patient care per diem
1060 rate, including complex medical equipment, medical supplies, and
1061 other allowable ancillary costs. Costs may not be allocated
1062 directly or indirectly to the direct care subcomponent from a
1063 home office or management company.
1064 4. On July 1 of each year, the agency shall report to the
1065 Legislature direct and indirect care costs, including average
1066 direct and indirect care costs per resident per facility and
1067 direct care and indirect care salaries and benefits per category
1068 of staff member per facility.
1069 5. Every fourth year, the agency shall rebase nursing home
1070 prospective payment rates to reflect changes in cost based on
1071 the most recently audited cost report for each participating
1072 provider.
1073 6. A direct care supplemental payment may be made to
1074 providers whose direct care hours per patient day are above the
1075 80th percentile and who provide Medicaid services to a larger
1076 percentage of Medicaid patients than the state average.
1077 7. Pediatric, Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, and
1078 government-owned facilities are exempt from the pricing model
1079 established in this subsection and shall remain on a cost-based
1080 prospective payment system. Effective October 1, 2018, the
1081 agency shall set rates for all facilities remaining on a cost
1082 based prospective payment system using each facility’s most
1083 recently audited cost report, eliminating retroactive
1084 settlements.
1085
1086 It is the intent of the Legislature that the reimbursement plan
1087 achieve the goal of providing access to health care for nursing
1088 home residents who require large amounts of care while
1089 encouraging diversion services as an alternative to nursing home
1090 care for residents who can be served within the community. The
1091 agency shall base the establishment of any maximum rate of
1092 payment, whether overall or component, on the available moneys
1093 as provided for in the General Appropriations Act. The agency
1094 may base the maximum rate of payment on the results of
1095 scientifically valid analysis and conclusions derived from
1096 objective statistical data pertinent to the particular maximum
1097 rate of payment. The agency shall base the rates of payments in
1098 accordance with the minimum wage requirements as provided in the
1099 General Appropriations Act.
1100 Section 26. The amendments to s. 409.908(2)(b), Florida
1101 Statutes, made by this act expire July 1, 2026, and the text of
1102 that paragraph shall revert to that in existence on June 30,
1103 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than
1104 by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
1105 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
1106 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
1107 Section 27. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1108 316, 318, 347, and 348 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations
1109 Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida
1110 Statutes, the Department of Children and Families may submit a
1111 budget amendment, subject to the notice, review, and objection
1112 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to realign funding
1113 within the department based on the implementation of the
1114 Guardianship Assistance Program, between the specific
1115 appropriations for guardianship assistance payments, foster care
1116 Level 1 room and board payments, relative caregiver payments,
1117 and nonrelative caregiver payments. This section expires July 1,
1118 2026.
1119 Section 28. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1120 197 through 199, 204, 207, 208, 210 through 212, 342, 351, 447,
1121 451 through 452, 458, 471, 472, 478, and 482 of the 2025-2026
1122 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and
1123 216.292, Florida Statutes, the Department of Children and
1124 Families, the Department of Health, and the Agency for Health
1125 Care Administration may submit budget amendments, subject to the
1126 notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida
1127 Statutes, to increase budget authority to support refugee
1128 programs administered by the federal Office of Refugee
1129 Resettlement due to the ongoing instability of federal
1130 immigration policy and the resulting inability of the state to
1131 reasonably predict, with certainty, the budgetary needs of this
1132 state with respect to the number of refugees relocated to the
1133 state as part of those federal programs. The Department of
1134 Children and Families shall submit quarterly reports to the
1135 Executive Office of the Governor, the President of the Senate,
1136 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the number of
1137 refugees entering the state, the nations of origin of such
1138 refugees, and current expenditure projections. This section
1139 expires July 1, 2026.
1140 Section 29. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1141 276 through 370 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
1142 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1143 Department of Children and Families may submit budget
1144 amendments, subject to the notice, review, and objection
1145 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to increase budget
1146 authority to support the following federal grant programs: the
1147 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Grant Program, the Pandemic
1148 Electronic Benefit Transfer, the American Rescue Plan Grant, the
1149 State Opioid Response Grant, the Substance Use Prevention and
1150 Treatment Block Grant, the Chafee Grant for Independent Living
1151 Services, Education and Traditional Voucher Grant, Title IV-B
1152 Subparts 1 and 2 Grants, Elder Justice Act, STOP Violence
1153 Against Women Grant, the Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing
1154 Grant, and the Mental Health Block Grant. This section expires
1155 July 1, 2026.
1156 Section 30. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1157 276 through 370 of the 2025–2026 General Appropriations Act, and
1158 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1159 Department of Children and Families may submit budget amendments
1160 pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, subject to the
1161 notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida
1162 Statutes, to transfer funds between appropriation categories and
1163 to increase budget authority as necessary to support the
1164 operations of the Automated Community Connection to Economic
1165 Self-Sufficiency system. This section expires July 1, 2026.
1166 Section 31. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1167 238, 242, and 250 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
1168 subsection (2) of section 393.066, Florida Statutes, is amended,
1169 and subsection (9) is added to that section, to read:
1170 393.066 Community services and treatment.—
1171 (2) Necessary services shall be purchased, rather than
1172 provided directly by the agency, when the purchase of services
1173 is more cost-efficient than providing them directly. All
1174 purchased services must be approved by the agency. As a
1175 condition of payment and before billing, persons or entities
1176 under contract with the agency to provide services shall use
1177 agency data management systems to document service provision to
1178 clients or shall maintain such information in its own data
1179 management system and electronically transmit it to the agency
1180 data management system in an industry standard electronic format
1181 designated by the agency. The agency may not require training on
1182 the use of agency data management systems by persons or entities
1183 that choose to maintain data in their own data management
1184 system, provided that they electronically transmit required
1185 information in a format and frequency designated by the agency
1186 and shall use such systems to bill for services. Contracted
1187 persons and entities shall meet the minimum hardware and
1188 software technical requirements established by the agency for
1189 the use of such systems. Such persons or entities shall also
1190 meet any requirements established by the agency for training and
1191 professional development of staff providing direct services to
1192 clients.
1193 (9) The Agency for Health Care Administration shall amend
1194 the Florida Medicaid Developmental Disabilities Individual
1195 Budgeting Waiver Services Provider Rate Table to establish a
1196 monthly reimbursement rate, effective October 1, 2025, for Life
1197 Skills Development Levels 3 and 4 services provided to
1198 recipients who attend such services for at least 16 days during
1199 a calendar month. Providers shall continue to be reimbursed at
1200 the existing hourly rate for recipients who attend fewer than 16
1201 days during the calendar month. The agency shall develop a
1202 methodology to monitor and evaluate the fiscal impact of the
1203 revised reimbursement methodology and shall submit quarterly
1204 reports to the chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations,
1205 the chair of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, and
1206 the Executive Office of the Governor’s Office of Policy and
1207 Budget detailing the fiscal impacts realized.
1208 Section 32. The amendments to s. 393.066(2) and (9),
1209 Florida Statutes, made by this act expire July 1, 2026, and the
1210 text of those subsections shall revert to that in existence on
1211 June 30, 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted
1212 other than by this act shall be preserved and continue to
1213 operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent
1214 upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to this section.
1215 Section 33. Effective upon this act becoming a law, and in
1216 order to implement Specific Appropriations 354 through 370A of
1217 the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (c) of
1218 subsection (9) of section 394.9082, Florida Statutes, is amended
1219 to read:
1220 394.9082 Behavioral health managing entities.—
1221 (9) FUNDING FOR MANAGING ENTITIES.—
1222 (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for the 2025-2026 2023
1223 2024 fiscal year and the 2024-2025 fiscal year, a managing
1224 entity may carry forward documented unexpended funds
1225 appropriated from the State Opioid Settlement Trust Fund from 1
1226 one fiscal year to the next. Funds carried forward pursuant to
1227 this paragraph are not included in the 8 percent cumulative cap
1228 that may be carried forward. This paragraph expires July 1, 2026
1229 2025.
1230 Section 34. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1231 302, 316 through 318, and 364 of the 2025-2026 General
1232 Appropriations Act, subsection (9) is added to section 409.9913,
1233 Florida Statutes, to read:
1234 409.9913 Funding methodology to allocate funding to lead
1235 agencies.—
1236 (9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, core
1237 services funding shall be allocated as provided in the General
1238 Appropriations Act. The department shall develop and report on
1239 an alternative tiered funding methodology to allocate funding to
1240 lead agencies. The department shall provide additional data and
1241 analysis to strengthen the existing proposed funding framework.
1242 This enhancement will aim to maximize transparency, drive
1243 performance and quality measures, and build on prior provisions
1244 and innovative practices.
1245 (a) The methodology must include, but is not limited to,
1246 the following components:
1247 1. Administration tier.—A distinct allocation reflecting
1248 actual, allowable operational and fixed costs, consistent with
1249 federal and state guidelines, including, but not limited to:
1250 a. Salaries and benefits.
1251 b. Information technology.
1252 c. Lease payments.
1253 d. Asset depreciation.
1254 e. Utilities.
1255 f. Administrative components of case management.
1256 g. Mandated activities such as training, quality
1257 improvement, or contract management.
1258 2. Prevention tier.—A dedicated prevention tier to
1259 incorporate early intervention strategies and services that
1260 reduce the need for higher-intensity system involvement which
1261 includes, but is not limited to:
1262 a. Family support services.
1263 b. Family-focused prevention programs.
1264 c. Hotline referrals and nonjudicial services.
1265 d. Differential response/child protection team
1266 coordination.
1267 3. Core services tier.—A base funding allocation that
1268 includes:
1269 a. Direct service delivery costs for case management,
1270 foster care, and post-placement services.
1271 b. Pass-through obligations, including, but not limited to:
1272 (I) Funds appropriated for independent living services.
1273 (II) Funds appropriated for maintenance adoption subsidies.
1274 (III) Funds allocated by the department for child
1275 protective investigation service training.
1276 (IV) Nonrecurring funds.
1277 (V) Designated mental health wrap-around service funds.
1278 (VI) Funds for special projects for a designated lead
1279 agency.
1280 (VII) Funds appropriated for the Guardianship Assistance
1281 Program established under s. 39.6225.
1282 4. Performance and quality measures tier.—Funding
1283 adjustments or incentives based on performance against outcome
1284 based metrics, which may include, but are not limited to:
1285 a. Maintaining or increasing sibling group placements
1286 together.
1287 b. Average yearly caseload of case managers, including only
1288 filled positions, at or below 1:14.
1289 c. Increasing finalized adoptions by at least 3 percent
1290 over the prior fiscal year.
1291 d. Reducing reentry into foster care within 12 months of
1292 case closure.
1293 e. Placement stability and least-restrictive placement
1294 rates.
1295 f. Other department-defined measures aligned with federal
1296 Child and Family Services Reviews.
1297 5. Innovation tier.—A competitive or direct grant mechanism
1298 that allows lead agencies to propose and implement innovative,
1299 evidence-informed practices aimed at improving family
1300 preservation, child well-being, community partnerships, or
1301 service delivery models. Funded projects under this tier must be
1302 time-limited and subject to performance benchmarks, be evaluated
1303 independently for effectiveness and scalability, and support
1304 goals not currently funded through core allocations.
1305 (b) At a minimum, the methodology must be:
1306 1. Cost-based.
1307 2. Actuarially sound.
1308 3. Designed to incentivize efficient and effective lead
1309 agency operation, prevention, family preservation, and
1310 permanency.
1311 4. Regionally scaled for cost-of-living factors.
1312 (c) The lead agencies and providers shall submit any
1313 detailed cost and expenditure data that the department requests
1314 for the development of the funding methodology.
1315 (d) By December 1, 2025, the department shall submit a
1316 detailed report to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
1317 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must
1318 include:
1319 1. A proposed structure and funding methodology for each
1320 tier;
1321 2. A summary of stakeholder input;
1322 3. Projected fiscal impacts by community-based care region;
1323 4. Recommended statutory or budgetary changes needed to
1324 implement the new methodology; and
1325 5. A plan for phased implementation, including performance
1326 tracking and reporting.
1327 (e) The department shall provide to the Governor, the
1328 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
1329 Representatives monthly reports beginning July 2025 through
1330 November 2025 which provide updates on activities and progress
1331 in developing the funding methodology.
1332 (f) This subsection expires July 1, 2026.
1333 Section 35. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1334 439 and 441 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
1335 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1336 Department of Health may submit a budget amendment, subject to
1337 the notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177,
1338 Florida Statutes, to increase budget authority for the
1339 Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
1340 (WIC) and the Child Care Food Program if additional federal
1341 revenues will be expended in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This
1342 section expires July 1, 2026.
1343 Section 36. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1344 448 and 496 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
1345 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1346 Department of Health may submit a budget amendment, subject to
1347 the notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177,
1348 Florida Statutes, to increase budget authority for the HIV/AIDS
1349 Prevention and Treatment Program if additional federal revenues
1350 specific to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment become available
1351 in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This section expires July 1, 2026.
1352 Section 37. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1353 409 through 556A of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
1354 and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes,
1355 the Department of Health may submit a budget amendment, subject
1356 to the notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177,
1357 Florida Statutes, to increase budget authority for the
1358 department if additional federal revenues specific to COVID-19
1359 relief funds become available in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This
1360 section expires July 1, 2026.
1361 Section 38. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
1362 192 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act:
1363 (1) The Agency for Health Care Administration shall replace
1364 the current Florida Medicaid Management Information System
1365 (FMMIS) and fiscal agent operations with a system that is
1366 modular, interoperable, and scalable for the Florida Medicaid
1367 program and that complies with all applicable federal and state
1368 laws and requirements. The agency may not include in the program
1369 to replace the current FMMIS and fiscal agent contract:
1370 (a) Functionality that duplicates any of the information
1371 systems of the other health and human services state agencies;
1372 (b) Procurement for agency requirements external to
1373 Medicaid programs with the intent to leverage the Medicaid
1374 technology infrastructure for other purposes without legislative
1375 appropriation or legislative authorization to procure these
1376 requirements. The new system, the Florida Health Care Connection
1377 (FX) system, must provide better integration with subsystems
1378 supporting Florida’s Medicaid program; uniformity, consistency,
1379 and improved access to data; and compatibility with the Centers
1380 for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Medicaid Information
1381 Technology Architecture (MITA) as the system matures and expands
1382 its functionality; or
1383 (c) Any contract executed after July 1, 2022, not including
1384 staff augmentation services purchased off the Department of
1385 Management Services Information Technology staff augmentation
1386 state term contract that are not deliverables based fixed price
1387 contracts.
1388 (2) For purposes of replacing FMMIS and the current
1389 Medicaid fiscal agent, the Agency for Health Care Administration
1390 shall:
1391 (a) Prioritize procurements for the replacement of the
1392 current functions of FMMIS and the responsibilities of the
1393 current Medicaid fiscal agent, to minimize the need to extend
1394 all or portions of the current fiscal agent contract.
1395 (b) Comply with and not exceed the Centers for Medicare and
1396 Medicaid Services funding authorizations for the FX system.
1397 (c) Develop and mature an enterprise architecture framework
1398 to align the requirements of the FX project phases and
1399 overarching program objectives, including completing and
1400 maintaining key components such as the Business Capability Model
1401 and Business Value Model.
1402 (d) Apply value-based measures to support informed
1403 decisionmaking around release readiness and go-live criteria.
1404 These measures must be tracked and reported quarterly to the FX
1405 Executive Steering Committee post-implementation to support
1406 performance monitoring and continuous improvement.
1407 (e) Through documented FX architecture governance
1408 practices, ensure that the Medicaid business needs and the
1409 business architecture are the primary drivers of information and
1410 technical architecture design decisions. All such decisions must
1411 be documented with traceable rationale to promote transparency
1412 and accountability across the program. The business,
1413 information, and technical architectures must align with the
1414 MITA framework where applicable. In areas where MITA guidance is
1415 not available, alignment will be maintained through adherence to
1416 The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF).
1417 (f) Ensure compliance and uniformity with the published
1418 MITA framework and guidelines. The agency shall:
1419 1. Implement an Enterprise Architecture (EA) management
1420 tool that supports an integrated approach to FX program
1421 architecture. The EA tool must serve as a centralized repository
1422 for the FX Business Process Inventory and support the integrated
1423 management and oversight of the FX business, technical, and
1424 information architectures.
1425 2. Establish governance structures and define user roles
1426 within the EA tool for the business, technical, and information
1427 architecture components.
1428 3. Ensure all documentation and artifacts related to
1429 meeting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
1430 Conditions for Enhanced Funding (CEF) are reviewed, validated,
1431 and approved by the designated MITA/CERT vendor to ensure they
1432 sufficiently address the applicable CEF requirements. This
1433 review by the MITA/CERT vendor shall be incorporated into the
1434 deliverable acceptance process for payment to FX vendors.
1435 4. Conduct, with the MITA/CERT vendor, quarterly governance
1436 reviews to assess conformance with MITA, TOGAF, and the FX
1437 Business Architecture framework and submit a quarterly
1438 governance report to the FX Executive Steering Committee
1439 detailing key decisions, compliance status, deviations, and
1440 corrective actions.
1441 (g) Ensure that all business requirements and technical
1442 specifications have been provided to all affected state agencies
1443 for their review and input and approved by the executive
1444 steering committee established in paragraph (k).
1445 (h) Consult with the Executive Office of the Governor’s
1446 working group for interagency information technology integration
1447 for the development of competitive solicitations that provide
1448 for data interoperability and shared information technology
1449 services across the state’s health and human services agencies.
1450 (i) Implement a data governance structure for the program
1451 to coordinate data sharing and interoperability across state
1452 health care entities.
1453 (j) Establish a continuing oversight team for each contract
1454 pursuant to s. 287.057(26), Florida Statutes. The teams must
1455 provide quarterly reports to the executive steering committee,
1456 summarizing the status of the contract, the pace of
1457 deliverables, the quality of deliverables, contractor
1458 responsiveness, and contractor performance.
1459 (k) Implement a program governance structure that includes
1460 an executive steering committee composed of:
1461 1. The Secretary of Health Care Administration, or the
1462 executive sponsor of the program.
1463 2. A representative of the Division of Health Care Finance
1464 and Data of the Agency for Health Care Administration, appointed
1465 by the Secretary of Health Care Administration.
1466 3. Two representatives from the Division of Medicaid
1467 Policy, Quality, and Operations of the Agency for Health Care
1468 Administration, appointed by the Secretary of Health Care
1469 Administration.
1470 4. A representative of the Division of Health Care Policy
1471 and Oversight of the Agency for Health Care Administration,
1472 appointed by the Secretary of Health Care Administration.
1473 5. A representative of the Florida Center for Health
1474 Information and Transparency of the Agency for Health Care
1475 Administration, appointed by the Secretary of Health Care
1476 Administration.
1477 6. The Chief Information Officer of the Agency for Health
1478 Care Administration, or his or her designee.
1479 (3)(a) The Secretary of Health Care Administration or the
1480 executive sponsor of the program shall serve as chair of the
1481 executive steering committee, and the committee shall take
1482 action by a vote of at least 5 affirmative votes with the chair
1483 voting on the prevailing side. A quorum of the executive
1484 steering committee consists of at least 5 members.
1485 (b)1. The chair shall establish a program finance and
1486 contracting working group composed of:
1487 a. The FX program director.
1488 b. A representative from the agency’s Office of the General
1489 Counsel.
1490 c. A representative from the agency’s Division of
1491 Administration.
1492 d. Representatives from each continuing oversight team.
1493 e. The FX program strategic roadmap manager.
1494 f. The FX program project managers.
1495 g. The FX program risk manager.
1496 h. Any other personnel deemed necessary by the chair.
1497 2. The working group shall meet at least monthly to review
1498 the program status and all contract and program operations,
1499 policies, risks, and issues related to the budget, spending
1500 plans and contractual obligations, and shall develop
1501 recommendations to the executive steering committee for
1502 improvement. The working group shall review all change requests
1503 that impact the program’s scope, schedule, or budget related to
1504 contract management and vendor payments and submit those
1505 recommended for adoption to the executive steering committee.
1506 The chair shall request input from the working group on agenda
1507 items for each scheduled meeting. The program shall make
1508 available program staff to the group, as needed, for the group
1509 to fulfill its duties.
1510 (c)1. The chair shall establish a state agency stakeholder
1511 working group composed of:
1512 a. The executive sponsor of the FX program.
1513 b. A representative of the Department of Children and
1514 Families, appointed by the Secretary of Children and Families.
1515 c. A representative of the Department of Health, appointed
1516 by the State Surgeon General.
1517 d. A representative of the Agency for Persons with
1518 Disabilities, appointed by the director of the Agency for
1519 Persons with Disabilities.
1520 e. A representative from the Florida Healthy Kids
1521 Corporation.
1522 f. A representative from the Department of Elderly Affairs,
1523 appointed by the Secretary of Elderly Affairs.
1524 g. The state chief information officer, or his or her
1525 designee.
1526 h. A representative of the Department of Financial Services
1527 who has experience with the state’s financial processes,
1528 including development of the PALM system, appointed by the Chief
1529 Financial Officer.
1530 2. The working group shall meet at least quarterly to
1531 review the program status and all program operations, policies,
1532 risks, and issues that may impact the operations external to the
1533 Agency for Health Care Administration FX program, and shall
1534 develop recommendations to the executive steering committee for
1535 improvement. The chair shall request input from the working
1536 group on agenda items for each scheduled meeting. The program
1537 shall make available program staff to the group to provide
1538 system demonstrations and any program documentation, as needed,
1539 for the group to fulfill its duties.
1540 (4) The executive steering committee has the overall
1541 responsibility for ensuring that the program to replace FMMIS
1542 and the Medicaid fiscal agent meets its primary business
1543 objectives and shall:
1544 (a) Identify and recommend to the Executive Office of the
1545 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
1546 House of Representatives any statutory changes needed to
1547 implement the modular replacement to standardize, to the fullest
1548 extent possible, the state’s health care data and business
1549 processes.
1550 (b) Review and approve any changes to the program’s scope,
1551 schedule, and budget.
1552 (c) Review and approve any changes to the program’s
1553 strategic roadmap.
1554 (d) Review and approve change requests that impact the
1555 program’s scope, schedule, or budget recommended for adoption by
1556 the program finance and contracting working group.
1557 (e) Review recommendations provided by the program working
1558 groups.
1559 (f) Review vendor scorecards, reports, and notifications
1560 produced by the continuing oversight teams.
1561 (g) Ensure that adequate resources are provided throughout
1562 all phases of the program.
1563 (h) Approve all major program deliverables.
1564 (i) Review and verify that all procurement and contractual
1565 documents associated with the replacement of the current FMMIS
1566 and Medicaid fiscal agent align with the scope, schedule, and
1567 anticipated budget for the program.
1568 (5) This section expires July 1, 2026.
1569 Section 39. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1570 211, 212, 262, 272, 328, 472, 496, and 699 of the 2025-2026
1571 General Appropriations Act, the Agency for Health Care
1572 Administration, in consultation with the Department of Health,
1573 the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of
1574 Children and Families, and the Department of Corrections, shall
1575 competitively procure a contract with a vendor to negotiate, for
1576 these agencies, prices for prescribed drugs and biological
1577 products excluded from the program established under s.
1578 381.02035, Florida Statutes, and ineligible under 21 U.S.C. s.
1579 384, including, but not limited to, insulin and epinephrine. The
1580 contract may allow the vendor to directly purchase these
1581 products for participating agencies when feasible and
1582 advantageous. The contracted vendor must be compensated on a
1583 contingency basis, paid from a portion of the savings achieved
1584 by its price negotiation or purchase of the prescription drugs
1585 and products. This section expires July 1, 2026.
1586 Section 40. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1587 254, 260, 261, 265, 270, and 271 of the 2025-2026 General
1588 Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292,
1589 Florida Statutes, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities may
1590 submit budget amendments, subject to the notice, review, and
1591 objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to
1592 transfer funding from the Salaries and Benefits appropriation
1593 categories to categories used for contractual services in order
1594 to support additional staff augmentation resources needed at the
1595 Developmental Disability Centers. This section expires July 1,
1596 2026.
1597 Section 41. In order to implement section 80 of the 2025
1598 2026 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181
1599 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the Agency for Persons with
1600 Disabilities may submit budget amendments, subject to the
1601 notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida
1602 Statutes, to request the appropriation of funds from the Lump
1603 Sum-Home and Community-Based Services Waiver category to address
1604 any deficits or funding shortfalls. This section expires July 1,
1605 2026.
1606 Section 42. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1607 219 and 242 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
1608 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1609 Agency for Health Care Administration and the Agency for Persons
1610 with Disabilities may submit budget amendments, subject to the
1611 notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida
1612 Statutes, at least 3 days before the effective date of the
1613 action, to increase budget authority to support the
1614 implementation of the home and community-based services Medicaid
1615 waiver program of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. This
1616 section expires July 1, 2026.
1617 Section 43. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
1618 557 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
1619 notwithstanding chapter 216, Florida Statutes, the Department of
1620 Veterans’ Affairs may submit a budget amendment, subject to
1621 Legislative Budget Commission approval, requesting the authority
1622 to establish positions in excess of the number authorized by the
1623 Legislature, increase appropriations from the Operations and
1624 Maintenance Trust Fund, or provide a necessary salary rate
1625 sufficient to provide for essential staff for veterans’ nursing
1626 homes, if the department projects that additional direct care
1627 staff are needed to meet its established staffing ratio. This
1628 section expires July 1, 2026.
1629 Section 44. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
1630 211 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsection (1)
1631 of section 409.915, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
1632 409.915 County contributions to Medicaid.—Although the
1633 state is responsible for the full portion of the state share of
1634 the matching funds required for the Medicaid program, the state
1635 shall charge the counties an annual contribution in order to
1636 acquire a certain portion of these funds.
1637 (1)(a) As used in this section, the term “state Medicaid
1638 expenditures” means those expenditures used as matching funds
1639 for the federal Medicaid program.
1640 (b) The term does not include funds specially assessed by
1641 any local governmental entity and used as the nonfederal share
1642 for the hospital directed payment program after July 1, 2021.
1643 This paragraph expires July 1, 2026 2025.
1644 Section 45. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1645 557 through 581B of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
1646 the Department of Veterans’ Affairs may submit budget amendments
1647 pursuant to chapter 216, Florida Statutes, subject to federal
1648 approval, requesting additional spending authority to support
1649 the development and construction of a new State Veterans’
1650 Nursing Home and Adult Day Health Care Center in Collier County.
1651 This section expires July 1, 2026.
1652 Section 46. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1653 386 and 396 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
1654 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
1655 Department of Elderly Affairs may submit a budget amendment,
1656 subject to the notice, review, and objection procedures of s.
1657 216.177, Florida Statutes, to increase budget authority for the
1658 United States Department of Agriculture’s Adult Care Food
1659 Program if additional federal revenues will be expended in the
1660 2025-2026 fiscal year. This section expires July 1, 2026.
1661 Section 47. In order to implement appropriations of the
1662 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (c) of
1663 subsection (9) of section 766.314, Florida Statutes, is amended
1664 to read:
1665 766.314 Assessments; plan of operation.—
1666 (9)
1667 (c)1. If the total of all current estimates equals or
1668 exceeds 100 percent of the funds on hand and the funds that will
1669 become available to the association within the next 12 months
1670 from all sources described in subsection (4) and paragraph
1671 (5)(a), the association may not accept any new claims without
1672 express authority from the Legislature. This section does not
1673 preclude the association from accepting any claim if the injury
1674 occurred 18 months or more before the effective date of this
1675 suspension. Within 30 days after the effective date of this
1676 suspension, the association shall notify the Governor, the
1677 Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the
1678 Senate, the Office of Insurance Regulation, the Agency for
1679 Health Care Administration, and the Department of Health of this
1680 suspension.
1681 2. Notwithstanding this paragraph, the association is
1682 authorized to accept new claims during the 2025-2026 fiscal year
1683 if the total of all current estimates exceeds the limits
1684 described in subparagraph 1. during that fiscal year. This
1685 subparagraph expires July 1, 2026.
1686 Section 48. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1687 584 through 669 and 692 through 723 of the 2025-2026 General
1688 Appropriations Act, subsection (4) of section 216.262, Florida
1689 Statutes, is amended to read:
1690 216.262 Authorized positions.—
1691 (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter relating
1692 to increasing the number of authorized positions, and for the
1693 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal year only, if the actual inmate
1694 population of the Department of Corrections exceeds the inmate
1695 population projections of the February 21, 2025 December 15,
1696 2023, Criminal Justice Estimating Conference by 1 percent for 2
1697 consecutive months or 2 percent for any month, the Executive
1698 Office of the Governor, with the approval of the Legislative
1699 Budget Commission, shall immediately notify the Criminal Justice
1700 Estimating Conference, which shall convene as soon as possible
1701 to revise the estimates. The Department of Corrections may then
1702 submit a budget amendment requesting the establishment of
1703 positions in excess of the number authorized by the Legislature
1704 and additional appropriations from unallocated general revenue
1705 sufficient to provide for essential staff, fixed capital
1706 improvements, and other resources to provide classification,
1707 security, food services, health services, and other variable
1708 expenses within the institutions to accommodate the estimated
1709 increase in the inmate population. All actions taken pursuant to
1710 this subsection are subject to review and approval by the
1711 Legislative Budget Commission. This subsection expires July 1,
1712 2026 2025.
1713 Section 49. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1714 2956 through 3018A of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
1715 subsection (2) of section 215.18, Florida Statutes, is amended
1716 to read:
1717 215.18 Transfers between funds; limitation.—
1718 (2) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may receive one
1719 or more trust fund loans to ensure that the state court system
1720 has funds sufficient to meet its appropriations in the 2025-2026
1721 2024-2025 General Appropriations Act. If the Chief Justice
1722 accesses the loan, he or she must notify the Governor and the
1723 chairs of the legislative appropriations committees in writing.
1724 The loan must come from other funds in the State Treasury which
1725 are for the time being or otherwise in excess of the amounts
1726 necessary to meet the just requirements of such last-mentioned
1727 funds. The Governor shall order the transfer of funds within 5
1728 days after the written notification from the Chief Justice. If
1729 the Governor does not order the transfer, the Chief Financial
1730 Officer shall transfer the requested funds. The loan of funds
1731 from which any money is temporarily transferred must be repaid
1732 by the end of the 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal year. This
1733 subsection expires July 1, 2026 2025.
1734 Section 50. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1735 1051 through 1061 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act:
1736 (1) The Department of Juvenile Justice shall review county
1737 juvenile detention payments to ensure that counties fulfill
1738 their financial responsibilities required in s. 985.6865,
1739 Florida Statutes. If the Department of Juvenile Justice
1740 determines that a county has not met its obligations, the
1741 department shall direct the Department of Revenue to deduct the
1742 amount owed to the Department of Juvenile Justice from the funds
1743 provided to the county under s. 218.23, Florida Statutes. The
1744 Department of Revenue shall transfer the funds withheld to the
1745 Shared County/State Juvenile Detention Trust Fund.
1746 (2) As an assurance to holders of bonds issued by counties
1747 before July 1, 2025, for which distributions made pursuant to s.
1748 218.23, Florida Statutes, are pledged, or bonds issued to refund
1749 such bonds which mature no later than the bonds they refunded
1750 and which result in a reduction of debt service payable in each
1751 fiscal year, the amount available for distribution to a county
1752 shall remain as provided by law and continue to be subject to
1753 any lien or claim on behalf of the bondholders. The Department
1754 of Revenue must ensure, based on information provided by an
1755 affected county, that any reduction in amounts distributed
1756 pursuant to subsection (1) does not reduce the amount of
1757 distribution to a county below the amount necessary for the
1758 timely payment of principal and interest when due on the bonds
1759 and the amount necessary to comply with any covenant under the
1760 bond resolution or other documents relating to the issuance of
1761 the bonds. If a reduction to a county’s monthly distribution
1762 must be decreased in order to comply with this section, the
1763 Department of Revenue must notify the Department of Juvenile
1764 Justice of the amount of the decrease, and the Department of
1765 Juvenile Justice must send a bill for payment of such amount to
1766 the affected county.
1767 (3) This section expires July 1, 2026.
1768 Section 51. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1769 733 through 754A, 880 through 1002A, and 1020 through 1050A of
1770 the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding
1771 the expiration date in section 41 of chapter 2024-228, Laws of
1772 Florida, subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection (2),
1773 paragraph (a) of subsection (3), and subsections (5), (6), and
1774 (7) of section 27.40, Florida Statutes, are reenacted to read:
1775 27.40 Court-appointed counsel; circuit registries; minimum
1776 requirements; appointment by court.—
1777 (1) Counsel shall be appointed to represent any individual
1778 in a criminal or civil proceeding entitled to court-appointed
1779 counsel under the Federal or State Constitution or as authorized
1780 by general law. The court shall appoint a public defender to
1781 represent indigent persons as authorized in s. 27.51. The office
1782 of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel shall be
1783 appointed to represent persons in those cases in which provision
1784 is made for court-appointed counsel, but only after the public
1785 defender has certified to the court in writing that the public
1786 defender is unable to provide representation due to a conflict
1787 of interest or is not authorized to provide representation. The
1788 public defender shall report, in the aggregate, the specific
1789 basis of all conflicts of interest certified to the court. On a
1790 quarterly basis, the public defender shall submit this
1791 information to the Justice Administrative Commission.
1792 (2)(a) Private counsel shall be appointed to represent
1793 persons in those cases in which provision is made for court
1794 appointed counsel but only after the office of criminal conflict
1795 and civil regional counsel has been appointed and has certified
1796 to the court in writing that the criminal conflict and civil
1797 regional counsel is unable to provide representation due to a
1798 conflict of interest. The criminal conflict and civil regional
1799 counsel shall report, in the aggregate, the specific basis of
1800 all conflicts of interest certified to the court. On a quarterly
1801 basis, the criminal conflict and civil regional counsel shall
1802 submit this information to the Justice Administrative
1803 Commission.
1804 (3) In using a registry:
1805 (a) The chief judge of the circuit shall compile a list of
1806 attorneys in private practice, by county and by category of
1807 cases, and provide the list to the clerk of court in each
1808 county. The chief judge of the circuit may restrict the number
1809 of attorneys on the general registry list. To be included on a
1810 registry, an attorney must certify that he or she:
1811 1. Meets any minimum requirements established by the chief
1812 judge and by general law for court appointment;
1813 2. Is available to represent indigent defendants in cases
1814 requiring court appointment of private counsel; and
1815 3. Is willing to abide by the terms of the contract for
1816 services, s. 27.5304, and this section.
1817
1818 To be included on a registry, an attorney must enter into a
1819 contract for services with the Justice Administrative
1820 Commission. Failure to comply with the terms of the contract for
1821 services may result in termination of the contract and removal
1822 from the registry. Each attorney on the registry is responsible
1823 for notifying the clerk of the court and the Justice
1824 Administrative Commission of any change in his or her status.
1825 Failure to comply with this requirement is cause for termination
1826 of the contract for services and removal from the registry until
1827 the requirement is fulfilled.
1828 (5) The Justice Administrative Commission shall approve
1829 uniform contract forms for use in procuring the services of
1830 private court-appointed counsel and uniform procedures and forms
1831 for use by a court-appointed attorney in support of billing for
1832 attorney’s fees, costs, and related expenses to demonstrate the
1833 attorney’s completion of specified duties. Such uniform
1834 contracts and forms for use in billing must be consistent with
1835 s. 27.5304, s. 216.311, and the General Appropriations Act and
1836 must contain the following statement: “The State of Florida’s
1837 performance and obligation to pay under this contract is
1838 contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature.”
1839 (6) After court appointment, the attorney must immediately
1840 file a notice of appearance with the court indicating acceptance
1841 of the appointment to represent the defendant and of the terms
1842 of the uniform contract as specified in subsection (5).
1843 (7)(a) A private attorney appointed by the court from the
1844 registry to represent a client is entitled to payment as
1845 provided in s. 27.5304 so long as the requirements of subsection
1846 (1) and paragraph (2)(a) are met. An attorney appointed by the
1847 court who is not on the registry list may be compensated under
1848 s. 27.5304 only if the court finds in the order of appointment
1849 that there were no registry attorneys available for
1850 representation for that case and only if the requirements of
1851 subsection (1) and paragraph (2)(a) are met.
1852 (b)1. The flat fee established in s. 27.5304 and the
1853 General Appropriations Act shall be presumed by the court to be
1854 sufficient compensation. The attorney shall maintain appropriate
1855 documentation, including contemporaneous and detailed hourly
1856 accounting of time spent representing the client. If the
1857 attorney fails to maintain such contemporaneous and detailed
1858 hourly records, the attorney waives the right to seek
1859 compensation in excess of the flat fee established in s. 27.5304
1860 and the General Appropriations Act. These records and documents
1861 are subject to review by the Justice Administrative Commission
1862 and audit by the Auditor General, subject to the attorney-client
1863 privilege and work-product privilege. The attorney shall
1864 maintain the records and documents in a manner that enables the
1865 attorney to redact any information subject to a privilege in
1866 order to facilitate the commission’s review of the records and
1867 documents and not to impede such review. The attorney may redact
1868 information from the records and documents only to the extent
1869 necessary to comply with the privilege. The Justice
1870 Administrative Commission shall review such records and shall
1871 contemporaneously document such review before authorizing
1872 payment to an attorney. Objections by or on behalf of the
1873 Justice Administrative Commission to records or documents or to
1874 claims for payment by the attorney shall be presumed correct by
1875 the court unless the court determines, in writing, that
1876 competent and substantial evidence exists to justify overcoming
1877 the presumption.
1878 2. If an attorney fails, refuses, or declines to permit the
1879 commission or the Auditor General to review documentation for a
1880 case as provided in this paragraph, the attorney waives the
1881 right to seek, and the commission may not pay, compensation in
1882 excess of the flat fee established in s. 27.5304 and the General
1883 Appropriations Act for that case.
1884 3. A finding by the commission that an attorney has waived
1885 the right to seek compensation in excess of the flat fee
1886 established in s. 27.5304 and the General Appropriations Act, as
1887 provided in this paragraph, shall be presumed to be correct,
1888 unless the court determines, in writing, that competent and
1889 substantial evidence exists to justify overcoming the
1890 presumption.
1891 Section 52. The text of s. 27.40(1), (2)(a), (3)(a), (5),
1892 (6), and (7), Florida Statutes, as carried forward from chapter
1893 2019-116, Laws of Florida, by this act, expires July 1, 2026,
1894 and the text of those subsections and paragraphs, as applicable,
1895 shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2019, except that
1896 any amendments to such text enacted other than by this act shall
1897 be preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such
1898 amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which
1899 expire pursuant to this section.
1900 Section 53. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
1901 733 through 754A, 880 through 1002A, and 1020 through 1050A of
1902 the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding
1903 the expiration date in section 43 of chapter 2024-228, Laws of
1904 Florida, subsection (13) of section 27.5304, Florida Statutes,
1905 is amended, and subsections (1), (3), (6), (7), and (11), and
1906 paragraphs (a) through (e) of subsection (12) of that section
1907 are reenacted, to read:
1908 27.5304 Private court-appointed counsel; compensation;
1909 notice.—
1910 (1) Private court-appointed counsel appointed in the manner
1911 prescribed in s. 27.40(1) and (2)(a) shall be compensated by the
1912 Justice Administrative Commission only as provided in this
1913 section and the General Appropriations Act. The flat fees
1914 prescribed in this section are limitations on compensation. The
1915 specific flat fee amounts for compensation shall be established
1916 annually in the General Appropriations Act. The attorney also
1917 shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses in
1918 accordance with s. 29.007. If the attorney is representing a
1919 defendant charged with more than one offense in the same case,
1920 the attorney shall be compensated at the rate provided for the
1921 most serious offense for which he or she represented the
1922 defendant. This section does not allow stacking of the fee
1923 limits established by this section.
1924 (3) The court retains primary authority and responsibility
1925 for determining the reasonableness of all billings for attorney
1926 fees, costs, and related expenses, subject to statutory
1927 limitations and the requirements of s. 27.40(7). Private court
1928 appointed counsel is entitled to compensation upon final
1929 disposition of a case.
1930 (6) For compensation for representation pursuant to a court
1931 appointment in a proceeding under chapter 39:
1932 (a) At the trial level, compensation for representation for
1933 dependency proceedings shall not exceed $1,450 for the first
1934 year following the date of appointment and shall not exceed $700
1935 each year thereafter. Compensation shall be paid based upon
1936 representation of a parent irrespective of the number of case
1937 numbers that may be assigned or the number of children involved,
1938 including any children born during the pendency of the
1939 proceeding. Any appeal, except for an appeal from an
1940 adjudication of dependency, shall be completed by the trial
1941 attorney and is considered compensated by the flat fee for
1942 dependency proceedings.
1943 1. Counsel may bill the flat fee not exceeding $1,450
1944 following disposition or upon dismissal of the petition.
1945 2. Counsel may bill the annual flat fee not exceeding $700
1946 following the first judicial review in the second year following
1947 the date of appointment and each year thereafter as long as the
1948 case remains under protective supervision.
1949 3. If the court grants a motion to reactivate protective
1950 supervision, the attorney shall receive the annual flat fee not
1951 exceeding $700 following the first judicial review and up to an
1952 additional $700 each year thereafter.
1953 4. If, during the course of dependency proceedings, a
1954 proceeding to terminate parental rights is initiated,
1955 compensation shall be as set forth in paragraph (b). If counsel
1956 handling the dependency proceeding is not authorized to handle
1957 proceedings to terminate parental rights, the counsel must
1958 withdraw and new counsel must be appointed.
1959 (b) At the trial level, compensation for representation in
1960 termination of parental rights proceedings shall not exceed
1961 $1,800 for the first year following the date of appointment and
1962 shall not exceed $700 each year thereafter. Compensation shall
1963 be paid based upon representation of a parent irrespective of
1964 the number of case numbers that may be assigned or the number of
1965 children involved, including any children born during the
1966 pendency of the proceeding. Any appeal, except for an appeal
1967 from an order granting or denying termination of parental
1968 rights, shall be completed by trial counsel and is considered
1969 compensated by the flat fee for termination of parental rights
1970 proceedings. If the individual has dependency proceedings
1971 ongoing as to other children, those proceedings are considered
1972 part of the termination of parental rights proceedings as long
1973 as that termination of parental rights proceeding is ongoing.
1974 1. Counsel may bill the flat fee not exceeding $1,800 30
1975 days after rendition of the final order. Each request for
1976 payment submitted to the Justice Administrative Commission must
1977 include the trial counsel’s certification that:
1978 a. Counsel discussed grounds for appeal with the parent or
1979 that counsel attempted and was unable to contact the parent; and
1980 b. No appeal will be filed or that a notice of appeal and a
1981 motion for appointment of appellate counsel, containing the
1982 signature of the parent, have been filed.
1983 2. Counsel may bill the annual flat fee not exceeding $700
1984 following the first judicial review in the second year after the
1985 date of appointment and each year thereafter as long as the
1986 termination of parental rights proceedings are still ongoing.
1987 (c) For appeals from an adjudication of dependency,
1988 compensation may not exceed $1,800.
1989 1. Counsel may bill a flat fee not exceeding $1,200 upon
1990 filing the initial brief or the granting of a motion to
1991 withdraw.
1992 2. If a brief is filed, counsel may bill an additional flat
1993 fee not exceeding $600 upon rendition of the mandate.
1994 (d) For an appeal from an adjudication of termination of
1995 parental rights, compensation may not exceed $3,500.
1996 1. Counsel may bill a flat fee not exceeding $1,750 upon
1997 filing the initial brief or the granting of a motion to
1998 withdraw.
1999 2. If a brief is filed, counsel may bill an additional flat
2000 fee not exceeding $1,750 upon rendition of the mandate.
2001 (7) Counsel eligible to receive compensation from the state
2002 for representation pursuant to court appointment made in
2003 accordance with the requirements of s. 27.40(1) and (2)(a) in a
2004 proceeding under chapter 384, chapter 390, chapter 392, chapter
2005 393, chapter 394, chapter 397, chapter 415, chapter 743, chapter
2006 744, or chapter 984 shall receive compensation not to exceed the
2007 limits prescribed in the General Appropriations Act. Any such
2008 compensation must be determined as provided in s. 27.40(7).
2009 (11) It is the intent of the Legislature that the flat fees
2010 prescribed under this section and the General Appropriations Act
2011 comprise the full and complete compensation for private court
2012 appointed counsel. It is further the intent of the Legislature
2013 that the fees in this section are prescribed for the purpose of
2014 providing counsel with notice of the limit on the amount of
2015 compensation for representation in particular proceedings and
2016 the sole procedure and requirements for obtaining payment for
2017 the same.
2018 (a) If court-appointed counsel moves to withdraw prior to
2019 the full performance of his or her duties through the completion
2020 of the case, the court shall presume that the attorney is not
2021 entitled to the payment of the full flat fee established under
2022 this section and the General Appropriations Act.
2023 (b) If court-appointed counsel is allowed to withdraw from
2024 representation prior to the full performance of his or her
2025 duties through the completion of the case and the court appoints
2026 a subsequent attorney, the total compensation for the initial
2027 and any and all subsequent attorneys may not exceed the flat fee
2028 established under this section and the General Appropriations
2029 Act, except as provided in subsection (12).
2030
2031 This subsection constitutes notice to any subsequently appointed
2032 attorney that he or she will not be compensated the full flat
2033 fee.
2034 (12) The Legislature recognizes that on rare occasions an
2035 attorney may receive a case that requires extraordinary and
2036 unusual effort.
2037 (a) If counsel seeks compensation that exceeds the limits
2038 prescribed by law, he or she must file a motion with the chief
2039 judge for an order approving payment of attorney fees in excess
2040 of these limits.
2041 1. Before filing the motion, the counsel shall deliver a
2042 copy of the intended billing, together with supporting
2043 affidavits and all other necessary documentation, to the Justice
2044 Administrative Commission.
2045 2. The Justice Administrative Commission shall review the
2046 billings, affidavit, and documentation for completeness and
2047 compliance with contractual and statutory requirements and shall
2048 contemporaneously document such review before authorizing
2049 payment to an attorney. If the Justice Administrative Commission
2050 objects to any portion of the proposed billing, the objection
2051 and supporting reasons must be communicated in writing to the
2052 private court-appointed counsel. The counsel may thereafter file
2053 his or her motion, which must specify whether the commission
2054 objects to any portion of the billing or the sufficiency of
2055 documentation, and shall attach the commission’s letter stating
2056 its objection.
2057 (b) Following receipt of the motion to exceed the fee
2058 limits, the chief judge or a single designee shall hold an
2059 evidentiary hearing. The chief judge may select only one judge
2060 per circuit to hear and determine motions pursuant to this
2061 subsection, except multicounty circuits and the eleventh circuit
2062 may have up to two designees.
2063 1. At the hearing, the attorney seeking compensation must
2064 prove by competent and substantial evidence that the case
2065 required extraordinary and unusual efforts. The chief judge or
2066 single designee shall consider criteria such as the number of
2067 witnesses, the complexity of the factual and legal issues, and
2068 the length of trial. The fact that a trial was conducted in a
2069 case does not, by itself, constitute competent substantial
2070 evidence of an extraordinary and unusual effort. In a criminal
2071 case, relief under this section may not be granted if the number
2072 of work hours does not exceed 75 or the number of the state’s
2073 witnesses deposed does not exceed 20.
2074 2. Objections by or on behalf of the Justice Administrative
2075 Commission to records or documents or to claims for payment by
2076 the attorney shall be presumed correct by the court unless the
2077 court determines, in writing, that competent and substantial
2078 evidence exists to justify overcoming the presumption. The chief
2079 judge or single designee shall enter a written order detailing
2080 his or her findings and identifying the extraordinary nature of
2081 the time and efforts of the attorney in the case which warrant
2082 exceeding the flat fee established by this section and the
2083 General Appropriations Act.
2084 (c) A copy of the motion and attachments shall be served on
2085 the Justice Administrative Commission at least 20 business days
2086 before the date of a hearing. The Justice Administrative
2087 Commission has standing to appear before the court, and may
2088 appear in person or telephonically, including at the hearing
2089 under paragraph (b), to contest any motion for an order
2090 approving payment of attorney fees, costs, or related expenses
2091 and may participate in a hearing on the motion by use of
2092 telephonic or other communication equipment. The Justice
2093 Administrative Commission may contract with other public or
2094 private entities or individuals to appear before the court for
2095 the purpose of contesting any motion for an order approving
2096 payment of attorney fees, costs, or related expenses. The fact
2097 that the Justice Administrative Commission has not objected to
2098 any portion of the billing or to the sufficiency of the
2099 documentation is not binding on the court.
2100 (d) If the chief judge or a single designee finds that
2101 counsel has proved by competent and substantial evidence that
2102 the case required extraordinary and unusual efforts, the chief
2103 judge or single designee shall order the compensation to be paid
2104 to the attorney at a percentage above the flat fee rate,
2105 depending on the extent of the unusual and extraordinary effort
2106 required. The percentage must be only the rate necessary to
2107 ensure that the fees paid are not confiscatory under common law.
2108 The percentage may not exceed 200 percent of the established
2109 flat fee, absent a specific finding that 200 percent of the flat
2110 fee in the case would be confiscatory. If the chief judge or
2111 single designee determines that 200 percent of the flat fee
2112 would be confiscatory, he or she shall order the amount of
2113 compensation using an hourly rate not to exceed $75 per hour for
2114 a noncapital case and $100 per hour for a capital case. However,
2115 the compensation calculated by using the hourly rate shall be
2116 only that amount necessary to ensure that the total fees paid
2117 are not confiscatory, subject to the requirements of s.
2118 27.40(7).
2119 (e) Any order granting relief under this subsection must be
2120 attached to the final request for a payment submitted to the
2121 Justice Administrative Commission and must satisfy the
2122 requirements of subparagraph (b)2.
2123 (13) Notwithstanding the limitation set forth in subsection
2124 (5) and for the 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal year only, the
2125 compensation for representation in a criminal proceeding may not
2126 exceed the following:
2127 (a) For misdemeanors and juveniles represented at the trial
2128 level: $2,000.
2129 (b) For noncapital, nonlife felonies represented at the
2130 trial level: $15,000.
2131 (c) For life felonies represented at the trial level:
2132 $15,000.
2133 (d) For capital cases represented at the trial level:
2134 $25,000. For purposes of this paragraph, a “capital case” is any
2135 offense for which the potential sentence is death and the state
2136 has not waived seeking the death penalty.
2137 (e) For representation on appeal: $9,000.
2138 (f) This subsection expires July 1, 2026 2025.
2139 Section 54. The text of s. 27.5304(1), (3), (7), (11), and
2140 (12)(a)-(e), Florida Statutes, as carried forward from chapter
2141 2019-116, Laws of Florida, and the text of s. 27.5304(6),
2142 Florida Statutes, as carried forward from chapter 2023-240, Laws
2143 of Florida, by this act, expire July 1, 2026, and the text of
2144 those subsections and paragraphs, as applicable, shall revert to
2145 that in existence on June 30, 2019, except that any amendments
2146 to such text enacted other than by this act shall be preserved
2147 and continue to operate to the extent that such amendments are
2148 not dependent upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to
2149 this section.
2150 Section 55. In order to implement section 132 of the 2025
2151 2026 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (f) of subsection (7)
2152 of section 934.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2153 934.50 Searches and seizure using a drone.—
2154 (7) SECURITY STANDARDS FOR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY DRONE USE.—
2155 (f) Notwithstanding this subsection:
2156 1. Subject to appropriation, the drone replacement grant
2157 program is created within the Department of Law Enforcement. The
2158 program shall provide funds to law enforcement agencies, fire
2159 service providers, ambulance crews, or other first responders
2160 that turn in drones that are not in compliance with this section
2161 or that apply for funding to acquire new drones that comply with
2162 this section. To be eligible for replacement, the drone must
2163 have not reached its end of life and must still be in working
2164 condition. To be eligible to acquire a new drone, the applicant
2165 must provide the department with any information the department
2166 deems necessary. Funds shall be provided per drone based upon
2167 the drone’s replacement costs. Grant funds may only be used to
2168 purchase drones that are in compliance with this section. The
2169 Department of Law Enforcement shall expeditiously develop an
2170 application process based on grant type, and funds shall be
2171 allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by the
2172 date the department receives the application. For applications
2173 received on the same day, the department shall prioritize
2174 applicants located in rural counties and applicants which have
2175 not received funding under the program. The department may adopt
2176 rules to implement this program. For the purposes of this
2177 paragraph, the term “law enforcement agency” has the same
2178 meaning as in this section.
2179 2. The Department of Law Enforcement shall provide the
2180 first two functional drones of each unique make and model
2181 received through the drone grant replacement program to the
2182 Florida Center for Cybersecurity within the University of South
2183 Florida. The Florida Center for Cybersecurity shall analyze each
2184 drone received from the Department of Law Enforcement to
2185 determine whether the drones presented a cybersecurity concern
2186 during its time of use and shall provide a report of its
2187 findings and a list of any specific security vulnerabilities
2188 found in the drone to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
2189 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The center must
2190 return any drone received through the drone replacement grant
2191 program to the Department of Law Enforcement for destruction
2192 pursuant to subparagraph 3., following the completion of the
2193 cybersecurity analysis.
2194 3. The Department of Law Enforcement shall ensure the
2195 destruction of all drones received through the drone replacement
2196 grant program after ensuring that the first two functional
2197 drones of each unique make and model received have been
2198 transmitted to the Florida Center for Cybersecurity for
2199 analysis. The Florida Center for Cybersecurity shall return to
2200 the department for destruction any duplicate model drones in
2201 their possession which were previously transmitted to the
2202 center, and which are not being retained for analysis.
2203 4. From the funds appropriated to the drone replacement
2204 grant program, the Department of Law Enforcement:
2205 a. May expend funds to directly cause, or contract for, the
2206 secure destruction of all drones received under the program
2207 during fiscal years 2023-2024, and 2024-2025, and 2025-2026
2208 which are not being retained for analysis or retained by the
2209 department following a completed analysis.
2210 b. Must provide to the Florida Center for Cybersecurity
2211 $25,000 to cover the center’s expenses associated with the
2212 analysis, transport, secure storage, reporting, and other
2213 related costs necessary to comply with the requirements of this
2214 subsection.
2215 c. May increase the awards previously provided in fiscal
2216 year 2024-2025 2023-2024, which were based on the drone’s value,
2217 to award the value to reflect the drone’s replacement cost.
2218 5. The Department of Law Enforcement is authorized, and all
2219 conditions are deemed met, to adopt emergency rules under s.
2220 120.54(4) for the purpose of implementing the drone replacement
2221 grant program. Notwithstanding any other law, emergency rules
2222 adopted under this section are effective for 12 months after
2223 adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to
2224 adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency
2225 rules.
2226
2227 This paragraph expires July 1, 2026 2025.
2228 Section 56. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2229 1188B through 1188G of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
2230 subsection (3) of section 908.1033, Florida Statutes, is amended
2231 to read:
2232 908.1033 Local Law Enforcement Immigration Grant Program.—
2233 (3)(a) A local law enforcement agency may apply to the
2234 State Board of Immigration Enforcement to provide bonus payments
2235 for the agency’s local law enforcement officers who participate
2236 in United States Department of Homeland Security at-large task
2237 force operations. The local law enforcement agency may apply for
2238 a bonus of up to $1,000 for each local law enforcement officer
2239 employed within that agency. The local law enforcement agency
2240 must certify to the board that the local law enforcement officer
2241 participated in one or more operations and provide any
2242 information required by the board. Eligible participation does
2243 not include operations occurring solely at state correctional
2244 facilities or county detention facilities.
2245 (b) The bonus payment shall be adjusted to include 7.65
2246 percent for the officers’ share of Federal Insurance
2247 Contribution Act tax on the bonus.
2248 (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), and for the 2025-2026
2249 fiscal year, a local law enforcement agency may apply to the
2250 State Board of Immigration Enforcement to provide bonus payments
2251 for the agency’s certified correctional officers under s.
2252 943.10(2), who are a warrant service officer under 287(g) of the
2253 Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. s. 1357 or an
2254 immigration officer under the jail enforcement model under
2255 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. s. 1357.
2256 The local law enforcement agency may apply for a bonus of up to
2257 $1,000 for each certified correctional officer employed with
2258 that county detention facility. The local law enforcement agency
2259 must certify to the board that the certified correctional
2260 officer acted in such capacity as a warrant service officer or
2261 an immigration officer under the jail enforcement model for at
2262 least 6 months preceding the application and provide any
2263 information required by the board. Eligible participation does
2264 not include operations occurring solely at state correctional
2265 facilities. This paragraph expires July 1, 2026.
2266 Section 57. In order to implement appropriations used to
2267 pay existing lease contracts for private lease space in excess
2268 of 2,000 square feet in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations
2269 Act, the Department of Management Services, with the cooperation
2270 of the agencies having the existing lease contracts for office
2271 or storage space, shall use tenant broker services to
2272 renegotiate or reprocure all private lease agreements for office
2273 or storage space which are expiring between July 1, 2026, and
2274 June 30, 2028, in order to reduce costs in future years. The
2275 department shall incorporate this initiative into its 2025
2276 master leasing report required under s. 255.249(7), Florida
2277 Statutes, and may use tenant broker services to explore the
2278 possibilities of collocating office or storage space, to review
2279 the space needs of each agency, and to review the length and
2280 terms of potential renewals or renegotiations. The department
2281 shall provide a report to the Executive Office of the Governor,
2282 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
2283 Representatives by November 1, 2025, which lists each lease
2284 contract for private office or storage space, the status of
2285 renegotiations, and the savings achieved. This section expires
2286 July 1, 2026.
2287 Section 58. In order to implement appropriations authorized
2288 in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act for data center
2289 services, and notwithstanding s. 216.292(2)(a), Florida
2290 Statutes, an agency may not transfer funds from a data
2291 processing category to a category other than another data
2292 processing category or a cloud computing category for
2293 information technology resources hosted outside an agency. This
2294 section expires July 1, 2026.
2295 Section 59. In order to implement the appropriation of
2296 funds in the appropriation category “Special Categories-Risk
2297 Management Insurance” in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations
2298 Act, and pursuant to the notice, review, and objection
2299 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, the Executive Office
2300 of the Governor may transfer funds appropriated in that category
2301 between departments in order to align the budget authority
2302 granted with the premiums paid by each department for risk
2303 management insurance. This section expires July 1, 2026.
2304 Section 60. In order to implement the appropriation of
2305 funds in the appropriation category “Special Categories-Transfer
2306 to Department of Management Services-Human Resources Services
2307 Purchased per Statewide Contract” in the 2025-2026 General
2308 Appropriations Act, and pursuant to the notice, review, and
2309 objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, the
2310 Executive Office of the Governor may transfer funds appropriated
2311 in that category between departments in order to align the
2312 budget authority granted with the assessments that must be paid
2313 by each agency to the Department of Management Services for
2314 human resource management services. This section expires July 1,
2315 2026.
2316 Section 61. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2317 2602 in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act in the Building
2318 Relocation appropriation category from the Architects Incidental
2319 Trust Fund of the Department of Management Services, and in
2320 accordance with s. 215.196, Florida Statutes:
2321 (1) Upon the final disposition of a state-owned building,
2322 the Department of Management Services may use up to 5 percent of
2323 facility disposition funds from the Architects Incidental Trust
2324 Fund to defer, offset, or otherwise pay for all or a portion of
2325 relocation expenses, including furniture, fixtures, and
2326 equipment for state agencies impacted by the disposition of the
2327 department’s managed facilities in the Florida Facilities Pool.
2328 The extent of the financial assistance provided to impacted
2329 state agencies shall be determined by the department.
2330 (2) The Department of Management Services may submit budget
2331 amendments for an increase in appropriation if necessary for the
2332 implementation of this section pursuant to chapter 216, Florida
2333 Statutes. Budget amendments for an increase in appropriation
2334 shall include a detailed plan providing all estimated costs and
2335 relocation proposals.
2336 (3) This section expires July 1, 2026.
2337 Section 62. Effective upon this act becoming a law, and in
2338 order to implement the appropriation of funds in the 2025-2026
2339 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding part I of
2340 chapter 287, Florida Statutes, in order to ensure continued
2341 operations, all agencies as defined in s. 287.012(1), Florida
2342 Statutes, may continue to purchase, subject to appropriation,
2343 the current productivity and cybersecurity tools and services
2344 from a qualified provider under the state master agreement. The
2345 Department of Management Services shall ensure that the state
2346 master agreement for the current tools and services remains
2347 active and available for agencies to use when negotiating
2348 enterprise agreements. This section expires July 1, 2026.
2349 Section 63. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2350 2217 through 2220B of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act:
2351 (1) The Department of Financial Services shall replace the
2352 four main components of the Florida Accounting Information
2353 Resource Subsystem (FLAIR), which include central FLAIR,
2354 departmental FLAIR, payroll, and information warehouse, and
2355 shall replace the cash management and accounting management
2356 components of the Cash Management Subsystem (CMS) with an
2357 integrated enterprise system that allows the state to organize,
2358 define, and standardize its financial management business
2359 processes and that complies with ss. 215.90-215.96, Florida
2360 Statutes. The department may not include in the replacement of
2361 FLAIR and CMS:
2362 (a) Functionality that duplicates any of the other
2363 information subsystems of the Florida Financial Management
2364 Information System; or
2365 (b) Agency business processes related to any of the
2366 functions included in the Personnel Information System, the
2367 Purchasing Subsystem, or the Legislative Appropriations
2368 System/Planning and Budgeting Subsystem.
2369 (2) For purposes of replacing FLAIR and CMS, the Department
2370 of Financial Services shall:
2371 (a) Take into consideration the cost and implementation
2372 data identified for Option 3 as recommended in the March 31,
2373 2014, Florida Department of Financial Services FLAIR Study,
2374 version 031.
2375 (b) Ensure that all business requirements and technical
2376 specifications have been provided to all state agencies for
2377 their review and input and approved by the executive steering
2378 committee established in paragraph (c), including any updates to
2379 these documents.
2380 (c) Implement a project governance structure that includes
2381 an executive steering committee composed of:
2382 1. The Chief Financial Officer or the executive sponsor of
2383 the project.
2384 2. A representative of the Division of Treasury of the
2385 Department of Financial Services, appointed by the Chief
2386 Financial Officer.
2387 3. The Chief Information Officers of the Department of
2388 Financial Services and the Department of Environmental
2389 Protection.
2390 4. Two employees from the Division of Accounting and
2391 Auditing of the Department of Financial Services, appointed by
2392 the Chief Financial Officer. Each employee must have experience
2393 relating to at least one of the four main components that
2394 compose FLAIR.
2395 5. Two employees from the Executive Office of the Governor,
2396 appointed by the Governor. One employee must have experience
2397 relating to the Legislative Appropriations System/Planning and
2398 Budgeting Subsystem.
2399 6. One employee from the Department of Revenue, appointed
2400 by the executive director, who has experience using or
2401 maintaining the department’s finance and accounting systems.
2402 7. Two employees from the Department of Management
2403 Services, appointed by the Secretary of Management Services. One
2404 employee must have experience relating to the department’s
2405 personnel information subsystem and one employee must have
2406 experience relating to the department’s purchasing subsystem.
2407 8. A state agency administrative services director,
2408 appointed by the Governor.
2409 9. The executive sponsor of the Florida Health Care
2410 Connection (FX) System or his or her designee, appointed by the
2411 Secretary of Health Care Administration.
2412 10. The State Chief Information Officer, or his or her
2413 designee, as a nonvoting member. The State Chief Information
2414 Officer, or his or her designee, shall provide monthly status
2415 reports to the executive steering committee pursuant to the
2416 oversight responsibilities in s. 282.0051, Florida Statutes.
2417 11. One employee from the Department of Business and
2418 Professional Regulation who has experience in finance and
2419 accounting and FLAIR, appointed by the Secretary of Business and
2420 Professional Regulation.
2421 12. One employee from the Florida Fish and Wildlife
2422 Conservation Commission who has experience using or maintaining
2423 the commission’s finance and accounting systems, appointed by
2424 the Chair of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
2425 Commission.
2426 13. The budget director of the Department of Education, or
2427 his or her designee.
2428 (3)(a) The Chief Financial Officer or the executive sponsor
2429 of the project shall serve as chair of the executive steering
2430 committee, and the committee shall take action by a vote of at
2431 least eight affirmative votes with the Chief Financial Officer
2432 or the executive sponsor of the project voting on the prevailing
2433 side. A quorum of the executive steering committee composed of
2434 at least 10 members.
2435 (b) No later than 14 days before a meeting of the executive
2436 steering committee, the chair shall request input from committee
2437 members on agenda items for the next scheduled meeting.
2438 (c) The chair shall establish a working group composed of
2439 FLAIR users, state agency technical staff who maintain
2440 applications that integrate with FLAIR, and no less than four
2441 state agency finance and accounting or budget directors. The
2442 working group shall meet at least monthly to review PALM
2443 functionality, assess project impacts to state financial
2444 business processes and agency staff, and develop recommendations
2445 to the executive steering committee for improvements. The chair
2446 shall request input from the working group on agenda items for
2447 each scheduled meeting. The PALM project team shall dedicate a
2448 staff member to the group and provide system demonstrations and
2449 any project documentation, as needed, for the group to fulfill
2450 its duties.
2451 (d) The chair shall request all agency project sponsors to
2452 provide bimonthly status reports to the executive steering
2453 committee. The form and format of the bimonthly status reports
2454 shall be developed by the Florida PALM project and provided to
2455 the executive steering committee meeting for approval. Such
2456 agency status reports shall provide information to the executive
2457 steering committee on the activities and ongoing work within the
2458 agency to prepare their systems and impacted employees for the
2459 deployment of the Florida PALM System. The first bimonthly
2460 status report is due September 1, 2025, and bimonthly
2461 thereafter.
2462 (4) The executive steering committee has the overall
2463 responsibility for ensuring that the project to replace FLAIR
2464 and CMS meets its primary business objectives and shall:
2465 (a) Identify and recommend to the Executive Office of the
2466 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
2467 House of Representatives any statutory changes needed to
2468 implement the replacement subsystem that will standardize, to
2469 the fullest extent possible, the state’s financial management
2470 business processes.
2471 (b) Review and approve any changes to the project’s scope,
2472 schedule, and budget which do not conflict with the requirements
2473 of subsection (1).
2474 (c) Ensure that adequate resources are provided throughout
2475 all phases of the project.
2476 (d) Approve all major project deliverables and any cost
2477 changes to each deliverable over $250,000.
2478 (e) Approve contract amendments and changes to all
2479 contract-related documents associated with the replacement of
2480 FLAIR and CMS.
2481 (f) Review, and approve as warranted, the format of the
2482 bimonthly agency status reports to include objective and
2483 quantifiable information on each agency’s progress in planning
2484 for the Florida PALM Major Implementation, covering the agency’s
2485 people, processes, technology, and data transformation
2486 activities.
2487 (g) Ensure compliance with ss. 216.181(16), 216.311,
2488 216.313, 282.318(4)(h), and 287.058, Florida Statutes.
2489 (5) This section expires July 1, 2026.
2490 Section 64. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2491 2698 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
2492 notwithstanding the expiration date in section 53 of chapter
2493 2024-228, Laws of Florida, subsection (3) of section 282.709,
2494 Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
2495 282.709 State agency law enforcement radio system and
2496 interoperability network.—
2497 (3) In recognition of the critical nature of the statewide
2498 law enforcement radio communications system, the Legislature
2499 finds that there is an immediate danger to the public health,
2500 safety, and welfare, and that it is in the best interest of the
2501 state to continue partnering with the system’s current operator.
2502 The Legislature finds that continuity of coverage is critical to
2503 supporting law enforcement, first responders, and other public
2504 safety users. The potential for a loss in coverage or a lack of
2505 interoperability between users requires emergency action and is
2506 a serious concern for officers’ safety and their ability to
2507 communicate and respond to various disasters and events.
2508 (a) The department, pursuant to s. 287.057(11), shall enter
2509 into a 15-year contract with the entity that was operating the
2510 statewide radio communications system on January 1, 2021. The
2511 contract must include:
2512 1. The purchase of radios;
2513 2. The upgrade to the Project 25 communications standard;
2514 3. Increased system capacity and enhanced coverage for
2515 system users;
2516 4. Operations, maintenance, and support at a fixed annual
2517 rate;
2518 5. The conveyance of communications towers to the
2519 department; and
2520 6. The assignment of communications tower leases to the
2521 department.
2522 (b) The State Agency Law Enforcement Radio System Trust
2523 Fund is established in the department and funded from surcharges
2524 collected under ss. 318.18, 320.0802, and 328.72. Upon
2525 appropriation, moneys in the trust fund may be used by the
2526 department to acquire the equipment, software, and engineering,
2527 administrative, and maintenance services it needs to construct,
2528 operate, and maintain the statewide radio system. Moneys in the
2529 trust fund from surcharges shall be used to help fund the costs
2530 of the system. Upon completion of the system, moneys in the
2531 trust fund may also be used by the department for payment of the
2532 recurring maintenance costs of the system.
2533 Section 65. The text of s. 282.709(3), Florida Statutes, as
2534 carried forward from chapter 2021-37, Laws of Florida, by this
2535 act expires July 1, 2026, and the text of that subsection, shall
2536 revert to that in existence on June 1, 2021, except that any
2537 amendments to such text enacted other than by this act, shall be
2538 preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such
2539 amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which
2540 expire pursuant to this section.
2541 Section 66. In order to implement appropriations relating
2542 to the purchase of equipment and services related to the
2543 Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) as authorized in
2544 the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding s.
2545 287.057, Florida Statutes, state agencies and other eligible
2546 users of the SLERS network may use the Department of Management
2547 Services SLERS contract for purchase of equipment and services.
2548 This section expires July 1, 2026.
2549 Section 67. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2550 2616 through 2626 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
2551 and notwithstanding rule 60A-1.031, Florida Administrative Code,
2552 the transaction fee as identified in s. 287.057(24)(c), Florida
2553 Statutes, shall be collected for use of the online procurement
2554 system and is 0.7 percent for the 2025-2026 fiscal year only.
2555 This section expires July 1, 2026.
2556 Section 68. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2557 2542 through 2564 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
2558 and upon the expiration and reversion of the amendments made by
2559 section 57 of chapter 2024-228, Laws of Florida, paragraph (i)
2560 of subsection (9) of section 24.105, Florida Statutes, is
2561 amended to read:
2562 24.105 Powers and duties of department.—The department
2563 shall:
2564 (9) Adopt rules governing the establishment and operation
2565 of the state lottery, including:
2566 (i) The manner and amount of compensation of retailers,
2567 except for the 2025-2026 fiscal year only, effective July 1,
2568 2025, the commission for lottery ticket sales shall be 6 percent
2569 of the purchase price of each ticket sold or issued as a prize
2570 by a retailer. Any additional retailer compensation is limited
2571 to the Florida Lottery Retailer Bonus Commission program
2572 appropriated in Specific Appropriation 2561 of the 2025-2026
2573 General Appropriations Act.
2574 Section 69. The amendment to s. 24.105(9)(i), Florida
2575 Statutes, made by this act expires July 1, 2026, and the text of
2576 that paragraph shall revert to that in existence on June 30,
2577 2023, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than
2578 by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
2579 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
2580 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
2581 Section 70. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2582 2733 through 2740A of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
2583 paragraph (ll) of subsection (6) of section 627.351, Florida
2584 Statutes, is amended to read:
2585 627.351 Insurance risk apportionment plans.—
2586 (6) CITIZENS PROPERTY INSURANCE CORPORATION.—
2587 (ll)1. In addition to any other method of alternative
2588 dispute resolution authorized by state law, the corporation may
2589 adopt policy forms that provide for the resolution of disputes
2590 regarding its claim determinations, including disputes regarding
2591 coverage for, or the scope and value of, a claim, in a
2592 proceeding before the Division of Administrative Hearings. Any
2593 such policies are not subject to s. 627.70154. All proceedings
2594 in the Division of Administrative Hearings pursuant to such
2595 policies are subject to ss. 57.105 and 768.79 as if filed in the
2596 courts of this state and are not considered chapter 120
2597 administrative proceedings. Rule 1.442, Florida Rules of Civil
2598 Procedure, applies to any offer served pursuant to s. 768.79,
2599 except that, notwithstanding any provision in Rule 1.442,
2600 Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, to the contrary, an offer
2601 shall not be served earlier than 10 days after filing the
2602 request for hearing with the Division of Administrative Hearings
2603 and shall not be served later than 10 days before the date set
2604 for the final hearing. The administrative law judge in such
2605 proceedings shall award attorney fees and other relief pursuant
2606 to ss. 57.105 and 768.79. The corporation may not seek, and the
2607 office may not approve, a maximum hourly rate for attorney fees.
2608 2. The corporation may contract with the division to
2609 conduct proceedings to resolve disputes regarding its claim
2610 determinations as may be provided for in the applicable policies
2611 of insurance. This subparagraph expires July 1, 2026 2025.
2612 Section 71. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2613 2193 through 2199A of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
2614 and notwithstanding s. 112.215(6), Florida Statutes, which
2615 limits the contributions to the state deferred compensation plan
2616 to tax-deferred compensation, the Division of Treasury within
2617 the Department of Financial Services is authorized and approved,
2618 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year only, to allow employee
2619 contributions into the state deferred compensation plan on an
2620 after-tax basis under a qualified program pursuant to section
2621 402A of the Internal Revenue Code. Such employee contributions
2622 may be made by only those employees who made similar
2623 contributions prior to July 1, 2025. The division shall submit
2624 to the Legislature by December 1, 2025, a plan to transition any
2625 after-tax contributions and earnings thereon out of the state
2626 deferred compensation plan. The division must implement such
2627 plan the day after sine die of the 2026 Regular Session unless
2628 the Legislature enacts during the 2026 Regular Session a law
2629 authorizing and approving such after-tax contributions on a
2630 permanent basis. This section expires July 1, 2026.
2631 Section 72. Effective upon this act becoming law, and in
2632 order to implement Specific Appropriations 2665 through 2671A of
2633 the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding
2634 the proviso language for Specific Appropriation 2966 in chapter
2635 2023-239, Laws of Florida, subsection (2) of section 110.116,
2636 Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2637 110.116 Personnel information system; payroll procedures.—
2638 (2)(a) The department shall contract with an independent
2639 software quality assurance and testing provider to work with all
2640 stakeholders to:
2641 1. Conduct a comprehensive business process analysis to
2642 document current workflows, identify inefficiencies, and develop
2643 recommendations to streamline business processes to improve
2644 service delivery, reduce redundancy, and enhance operational
2645 efficiency.
2646 2. Develop detailed current and future state business,
2647 functional, and technical requirements, including, but not
2648 limited to:
2649 a. System capabilities and user requirements;
2650 b. Security, accessibility, and compliance standards;
2651 c. Data migration and conversion requirements;
2652 d. Integration points with existing enterprise systems and
2653 third-party applications; and
2654 e. Verifiable acceptance criteria for each requirement.
2655 3. Conduct a complete system integration assessment to
2656 identify dependencies, interoperability challenges, and
2657 strategies for seamless data exchange.
2658 4. Deliver a streamlined transparent process to track,
2659 test, and update all system requirements.
2660 5. Submit a report detailing these requirements, process
2661 improvements, and any related statutory change recommendations
2662 to the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the chair
2663 of the House Budget Committee, and the Executive Office of the
2664 Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget by June 30, 2026. In
2665 recognition of the critical nature of the statewide personnel
2666 and payroll system commonly known as People First, the
2667 Legislature finds that it is in the best interest of the state
2668 to continue partnering with the current People First third-party
2669 operator. The People First System annually processes 500,000
2670 employment applications, 455,000 personnel actions, and the
2671 state’s $9.5-billion payroll. The Legislature finds that the
2672 continuity of operations of the People First System and the
2673 critical functions it provides such as payroll, employee health
2674 insurance benefit records, and other critical services must not
2675 be interrupted. Presently, the Chief Financial Officer is
2676 undertaking the development of a new statewide accounting and
2677 financial management system, commonly known as the Planning,
2678 Accounting, and Ledger Management (PALM) system, scheduled to be
2679 operational in the year 2026. The procurement and implementation
2680 of an entire replacement of the People First System will impede
2681 the timeframe needed to successfully integrate the state’s
2682 payroll system with the PALM System. In order to maintain
2683 continuity of operations and to ensure the successful completion
2684 of the PALM System, the Legislature directs that:
2685 (a) The department, pursuant to s. 287.057(11), shall enter
2686 into a 3-year contract extension with the entity operating the
2687 People First System by on January 1, 2024. The contract
2688 extension must:
2689 1. Provide for the integration of the current People First
2690 System with PALM.
2691 2. Exclude major functionality updates or changes to the
2692 People First System prior to completion of the PALM System. This
2693 does not include:
2694 a. Routine system maintenance such as code updates
2695 following open enrollment; or
2696 b. The technical remediation necessary to integrate the
2697 system with PALM within the PALM project’s planned
2698 implementation schedule.
2699 3. Include project planning and analysis deliverables
2700 necessary to:
2701 a. Detail and document the state’s functional requirements.
2702 b. Estimate the cost of transitioning the current People
2703 First System to a cloud computing infrastructure within the
2704 contract extension and after the successful integration with
2705 PALM. The project cost evaluation shall estimate the annual cost
2706 and capacity growth required to host the system in a cloud
2707 environment.
2708
2709 The department shall develop these system specifications in
2710 conjunction with the Department of Financial Services and the
2711 Auditor General.
2712 4. Include technical support for state agencies that may
2713 need assistance in remediating or integrating current financial
2714 shadow systems with People First in order to integrate with PALM
2715 or the cloud version of People First.
2716 5. Include organizational change management and training
2717 deliverables needed to support the implementation of PALM
2718 payroll functionality and the People First System cloud upgrade.
2719 Responsibilities of the operator and the department shall be
2720 outlined in a project role and responsibility assignment chart
2721 within the contract.
2722 6. Include an option to renew the contract for one
2723 additional year.
2724 (b) The department shall submit, no later than June 30,
2725 2026, its project planning and detailed cost estimate to upgrade
2726 the current People First System to the chair of the Senate
2727 Committee on Appropriations, the chair of the House of
2728 Representatives Appropriations Committee, and the Executive
2729 Office of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget, for
2730 preliminary review and consideration of funding the department’s
2731 Fiscal Year 2026-2027 legislative budget request to update the
2732 system.
2733 (b)(c) This subsection expires July 1, 2026 2025.
2734 Section 73. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2735 2139 through 2141 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
2736 paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 215.5586, Florida
2737 Statutes, is amended to read:
2738 215.5586 My Safe Florida Home Program.—There is established
2739 within the Department of Financial Services the My Safe Florida
2740 Home Program. The department shall provide fiscal
2741 accountability, contract management, and strategic leadership
2742 for the program, consistent with this section. This section does
2743 not create an entitlement for property owners or obligate the
2744 state in any way to fund the inspection or retrofitting of
2745 residential property in this state. Implementation of this
2746 program is subject to annual legislative appropriations. It is
2747 the intent of the Legislature that, subject to the availability
2748 of funds, the My Safe Florida Home Program provide licensed
2749 inspectors to perform hurricane mitigation inspections of
2750 eligible homes and grants to fund hurricane mitigation projects
2751 on those homes. The department shall implement the program in
2752 such a manner that the total amount of funding requested by
2753 accepted applications, whether for inspections, grants, or other
2754 services or assistance, does not exceed the total amount of
2755 available funds. If, after applications are processed and
2756 approved, funds remain available, the department may accept
2757 applications up to the available amount. The program shall
2758 develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated approach
2759 for hurricane damage mitigation pursuant to the requirements
2760 provided in this section.
2761 (2) HURRICANE MITIGATION GRANTS.—Financial grants shall be
2762 used by homeowners to make improvements recommended by an
2763 inspection which increase resistance to hurricane damage.
2764 (a) A homeowner is eligible for a hurricane mitigation
2765 grant if all of the following criteria are met:
2766 1. The home must be eligible for an inspection under
2767 subsection (1).
2768 2. The home must be a dwelling with an insured value of
2769 $700,000 or less. Homeowners who are low-income persons, as
2770 defined in s. 420.0004(11), are exempt from this requirement.
2771 3. The home must undergo an acceptable hurricane mitigation
2772 inspection as provided in subsection (1).
2773 4. The building permit application for initial construction
2774 of the home must have been made before January 1, 2008.
2775 5. The homeowner must agree to make his or her home
2776 available for inspection once a mitigation project is completed.
2777 6. The homeowner must agree to provide to the department
2778 information received from the homeowner’s insurer identifying
2779 the discounts realized by the homeowner because of the
2780 mitigation improvements funded through the program.
2781 7.a. The homeowner must be a low-income person or moderate
2782 income person as defined in s. 420.0004.
2783 b. The hurricane mitigation inspection must have occurred
2784 within the previous 24 months from the date of application.
2785 c. Notwithstanding subparagraph 2., homeowners who are low
2786 income persons, as defined in s. 420.0004(11), are not exempt
2787 from the requirement that the home must be a dwelling with an
2788 insured value of $700,000 or less.
2789 d. This subparagraph expires July 1, 2026.
2790 Section 74. Effective upon this act becoming a law, in
2791 order to implement Specific Appropriation 2245A of the 2025-2026
2792 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding s. 216.301,
2793 Florida Statutes, the funds appropriated to the Department of
2794 Financial Services in Specific Appropriation 2489A or section
2795 179 of the 2024-2025 General Appropriations Act will not revert
2796 and may be carried forward through the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
2797 This section expires July 1, 2026.
2798 Section 75. In order to implement the appropriation of
2799 funds in the appropriation category “Northwest Regional Data
2800 Center” in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
2801 pursuant to the notice, review, and objection procedures of s.
2802 216.177, Florida Statutes, the Executive Office of the Governor
2803 may transfer funds appropriated in that category between
2804 departments in order to align the budget authority granted based
2805 on the estimated costs for data processing services for the
2806 2025-2026 fiscal year. This section expires July 1, 2026.
2807 Section 76. In order to implement appropriations authorized
2808 in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act for state data
2809 center services, auxiliary assessments charged to state agencies
2810 related to contract management services provided to Northwest
2811 Regional Data Center may not exceed 3 percent. This section
2812 expires July 1, 2026.
2813 Section 77. In order to implement section 189 of the 2025
2814 2026 General Appropriations Act, section 284.51, Florida
2815 Statutes, is reenacted and amended to read:
2816 284.51 Electroencephalogram combined transcranial magnetic
2817 stimulation treatment pilot program.—
2818 (1) As used in this section, the term:
2819 (a) “Division” means the Division of Risk Management of the
2820 Department of Financial Services.
2821 (b) “Electroencephalogram combined Transcranial Magnetic
2822 Stimulation” or “eTMS” means treatment in which transcranial
2823 magnetic stimulation frequency pulses are tuned to the patient’s
2824 physiology and biometric data.
2825 (c) “First responder” means a law enforcement officer, a
2826 part-time law enforcement officer, or an auxiliary law
2827 enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10, a firefighter as
2828 defined in s. 633.102, a 911 public safety telecommunicator as
2829 defined in s. 401.465, or an emergency medical technician or
2830 paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 employed by state or local
2831 government. The term also includes a volunteer or retired law
2832 enforcement officer, firefighter, or emergency medical
2833 technician or paramedic engaged, or previously engaged, by the
2834 state or a local government has the same meaning as provided in
2835 s. 112.1815(1).
2836 (d) “Veteran” means:
2837 1. A veteran as defined in 38 U.S.C. s. 101(2);
2838 2. A person who served in a reserve component as defined in
2839 38 U.S.C. s. 101(27); or
2840 3. A person who served in the National Guard of any state.
2841 (2) The division shall select a provider to establish a
2842 statewide pilot program to make eTMS available for veterans,
2843 first responders, and immediate family members of veterans and
2844 first responders with:
2845 (a) Substance use disorders.
2846 (b) Mental illness.
2847 (c) Sleep disorders.
2848 (d) Traumatic brain injuries.
2849 (e) Sexual trauma.
2850 (f) Posttraumatic stress disorder and accompanying
2851 comorbidities.
2852 (g) Concussions.
2853 (h) Other brain trauma.
2854 (i) Quality of life issues affecting human performance,
2855 including issues related to or resulting from problems with
2856 cognition and problems maintaining attention, concentration, or
2857 focus.
2858 (3) The provider must display a history of serving veteran
2859 and first responder populations at a statewide level. The
2860 provider shall establish a network for in-person and offsite
2861 care with the goal of providing statewide access. Consideration
2862 shall be provided to locations with a large population of first
2863 responders and veterans. In addition to traditional eTMS
2864 devices, the provider may utilize nonmedical Portable Magnetic
2865 Stimulation devices to improve access to underserved populations
2866 in remote areas or to be used to serve as a pre-post treatment
2867 or a stand-alone device. The provider shall be required to
2868 establish and operate a clinical practice and to evaluate
2869 outcomes of such clinical practice.
2870 (4) The pilot program shall include:
2871 (a) The establishment of a peer-to-peer support network by
2872 the provider made available to all individuals receiving
2873 treatment under the program.
2874 (b) The requirement that each individual who receives
2875 treatment under the program also must receive neurophysiological
2876 monitoring, monitoring for symptoms of substance use and other
2877 mental health disorders, and access to counseling and wellness
2878 programming. Each individual who receives treatment must also
2879 participate in the peer-to-peer support network established by
2880 the provider.
2881 (c) The establishment of protocols which include the use of
2882 adopted stimulation frequency and intensity modulation based on
2883 EEGs done on days 0, 10, and 20 and motor threshold testing, as
2884 well as clinical symptoms, signs, and biometrics.
2885 (d) The requirement that protocols and outcomes of any
2886 treatment provided by the clinical practice shall be collected
2887 and reported by the provider quarterly to the division, the
2888 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
2889 Representatives. Such report shall include the biodata metrics
2890 and all expenditures and accounting of the use of funds received
2891 from the department.
2892 (e) The requirement that protocols and outcomes of any
2893 treatment provided by the clinical practice shall be collected
2894 and reported to the University of South Florida and may be
2895 provided by the provider to any relevant Food and Drug
2896 Administration studies or trials.
2897 (5) The division may adopt rules to implement this section.
2898 (6) This section expires July 1, 2026 2025.
2899 Section 78. In order to implement section 189 of the 2025
2900 2026 General Appropriations Act, the Department of Financial
2901 Services shall renew, for a period of 2 years, its existing
2902 contract for the establishment of the Electroencephalogram
2903 Combined Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment pilot
2904 program for veterans and first responders. The department’s
2905 existing contract, and all funds paid by the department pursuant
2906 to that contract, do not constitute state financial assistance
2907 as provided in s. 215.97, Florida Statutes. At the time of
2908 contract renewal, the department shall amend the existing
2909 contract, as needed, to clarify that funds paid pursuant to the
2910 contract do not constitute state financial assistance. This
2911 section expires July 1, 2026.
2912 Section 79. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
2913 2849 through 2862 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
2914 and notwithstanding the deadline in chapter 2024-231, Laws of
2915 Florida, for submission of the economic data necessary to review
2916 the child support guidelines, the Office of Economic and
2917 Demographic Research shall submit a final report to the
2918 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
2919 House of Representatives by December 1, 2025. This section
2920 expires July 1, 2026.
2921 Section 80. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
2922 1456 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
2923 notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292, Florida Statutes, the
2924 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may submit
2925 budget amendments, subject to the notice, review, and objection
2926 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to increase budget
2927 authority to support the National School Lunch Program. This
2928 section expires July 1, 2026.
2929 Section 81. In order to implement specific appropriations
2930 from the land acquisition trust funds within the Department of
2931 Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of
2932 Environmental Protection, the Department of State, and the Fish
2933 and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which are contained in the
2934 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsection (3) of section
2935 215.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
2936 215.18 Transfers between funds; limitation.—
2937 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) and only with respect to
2938 a land acquisition trust fund in the Department of Agriculture
2939 and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental
2940 Protection, the Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife
2941 Conservation Commission, whenever there is a deficiency in a
2942 land acquisition trust fund which would render that trust fund
2943 temporarily insufficient to meet its just requirements,
2944 including the timely payment of appropriations from that trust
2945 fund, and other trust funds in the State Treasury have moneys
2946 that are for the time being or otherwise in excess of the
2947 amounts necessary to meet the just requirements, including
2948 appropriated obligations, of those other trust funds, the
2949 Governor may order a temporary transfer of moneys from one or
2950 more of the other trust funds to a land acquisition trust fund
2951 in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the
2952 Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of State,
2953 or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Any action
2954 proposed pursuant to this subsection is subject to the notice,
2955 review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, and the Governor
2956 shall provide notice of such action at least 7 days before the
2957 effective date of the transfer of trust funds, except that
2958 during July 2025 2024, notice of such action shall be provided
2959 at least 3 days before the effective date of a transfer unless
2960 such 3-day notice is waived by the chair and vice chair of the
2961 Legislative Budget Commission. Any transfer of trust funds to a
2962 land acquisition trust fund in the Department of Agriculture and
2963 Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection,
2964 the Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
2965 Commission must be repaid to the trust funds from which the
2966 moneys were loaned by the end of the 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal
2967 year. The Legislature has determined that the repayment of the
2968 other trust fund moneys temporarily loaned to a land acquisition
2969 trust fund in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
2970 Services, the Department of Environmental Protection, the
2971 Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
2972 Commission pursuant to this subsection is an allowable use of
2973 the moneys in a land acquisition trust fund because the moneys
2974 from other trust funds temporarily loaned to a land acquisition
2975 trust fund shall be expended solely and exclusively in
2976 accordance with s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution. This
2977 subsection expires July 1, 2026 2025.
2978 Section 82. (1) In order to implement specific
2979 appropriations from the land acquisition trust funds within the
2980 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department
2981 of Environmental Protection, the Department of State, and the
2982 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission which are contained in
2983 the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, the Department of
2984 Environmental Protection shall transfer revenues from the Land
2985 Acquisition Trust Fund within the department to the land
2986 acquisition trust funds within the Department of Agriculture and
2987 Consumer Services, the Department of State, and the Fish and
2988 Wildlife Conservation Commission as provided in this section. As
2989 used in this section, the term “department” means the Department
2990 of Environmental Protection.
2991 (2) After subtracting any required debt service payments,
2992 the proportionate share of revenues to be transferred to each
2993 land acquisition trust fund shall be calculated by dividing the
2994 appropriations from each of the land acquisition trust funds for
2995 the fiscal year by the total appropriations from the Land
2996 Acquisition Trust Fund within the department and the land
2997 acquisition trust funds within the Department of Agriculture and
2998 Consumer Services, the Department of State, and the Fish and
2999 Wildlife Conservation Commission for the fiscal year. The
3000 department shall transfer the proportionate share of the
3001 revenues in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the
3002 department on a monthly basis to the appropriate land
3003 acquisition trust funds within the Department of Agriculture and
3004 Consumer Services, the Department of State, and the Fish and
3005 Wildlife Conservation Commission and shall retain its
3006 proportionate share of the revenues in the Land Acquisition
3007 Trust Fund within the department. Total distributions to a land
3008 acquisition trust fund within the Department of Agriculture and
3009 Consumer Services, the Department of State, and the Fish and
3010 Wildlife Conservation Commission may not exceed the total
3011 appropriations from such trust fund for the fiscal year.
3012 (3) In addition, the department shall transfer from the
3013 Land Acquisition Trust Fund to land acquisition trust funds
3014 within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the
3015 Department of State, and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
3016 Commission amounts equal to the difference between the amounts
3017 appropriated in chapter 2024-231, Laws of Florida, to the
3018 department’s Land Acquisition Trust Fund and the other land
3019 acquisition trust funds, and the amounts actually transferred
3020 between those trust funds during the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
3021 (4) The department may advance funds from the beginning
3022 unobligated fund balance in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to
3023 the Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the Fish and Wildlife
3024 Conservation Commission needed for cash flow purposes based on a
3025 detailed expenditure plan. The department shall prorate amounts
3026 transferred quarterly to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
3027 Commission to recoup the amount of funds advanced by June 30,
3028 2026.
3029 (5) This section expires July 1, 2026.
3030 Section 83. In order to implement specific appropriations
3031 from the Florida Forever Trust Fund within the Department of
3032 Environmental Protection, which are contained in the 2025-2026
3033 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (m) of subsection (3) of
3034 section 259.105, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3035 259.105 The Florida Forever Act.—
3036 (3) Less the costs of issuing and the costs of funding
3037 reserve accounts and other costs associated with bonds, the
3038 proceeds of cash payments or bonds issued pursuant to this
3039 section shall be deposited into the Florida Forever Trust Fund
3040 created by s. 259.1051. The proceeds shall be distributed by the
3041 Department of Environmental Protection in the following manner:
3042 (m) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a)-(j) and for the 2025
3043 2026 2024-2025 fiscal year, the proceeds shall be distributed as
3044 provided in the General Appropriations Act. This paragraph
3045 expires July 1, 2026 2025.
3046 Section 84. In order to implement section 171 of the 2025
3047 2026 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (a) of subsection (2)
3048 of section 376.91, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3049 376.91 Statewide cleanup of perfluoroalkyl and
3050 polyfluoroalkyl substances.—
3051 (2) STATEWIDE CLEANUP TARGET LEVELS.—
3052 (a) If the United States Environmental Protection Agency
3053 has not finalized its standards for PFAS in drinking water,
3054 groundwater, and soil by January 1, 2026 2025, the department
3055 shall adopt by rule statewide cleanup target levels for PFAS in
3056 drinking water, groundwater, and soil using criteria set forth
3057 in s. 376.30701, with priority given to PFOA and PFOS. The rules
3058 for statewide cleanup target levels may not take effect until
3059 ratified by the Legislature.
3060 Section 85. The amendments to s. 376.91(2)(a), Florida
3061 Statutes, made by this act expire July 1, 2026, and the text of
3062 that paragraph shall revert to that in existence on June 30,
3063 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than
3064 by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
3065 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
3066 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
3067 Section 86. In order to implement section 171 of the 2025
3068 2026 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (i) is added to
3069 subsection (13) of section 376.3071, Florida Statutes, to read:
3070 376.3071 Inland Protection Trust Fund; creation; purposes;
3071 funding.—
3072 (13) PETROLEUM CLEANUP PARTICIPATION PROGRAM.—To encourage
3073 detection, reporting, and cleanup of contamination caused by
3074 discharges of petroleum or petroleum products, the department
3075 shall, within the guidelines established in this subsection,
3076 implement a cleanup program to provide rehabilitation funding
3077 assistance for all property contaminated by discharges of
3078 petroleum or petroleum products from a petroleum storage system
3079 occurring before January 1, 1995. Eligibility is subject to an
3080 annual appropriation from the fund. Additionally, funding for
3081 eligible sites is contingent upon annual appropriation in
3082 subsequent years. Such continued state funding is not an
3083 entitlement or a vested right under this subsection. Eligibility
3084 shall be determined in the program, notwithstanding any other
3085 provision of law, consent order, order, judgment, or ordinance
3086 to the contrary.
3087 (i) Notwithstanding this section, for the 2025-2026 fiscal
3088 year, program deductibles and copayments may not be assessed,
3089 monetary caps may not be enforced, and all costs for activities
3090 described in this subsection must be absorbed at the expense of
3091 the Inland Protection Trust Fund, without recourse to
3092 reimbursement or recovery, with the following exceptions:
3093 1. This paragraph does not apply to a site where the
3094 department has been denied site access to implement this
3095 section.
3096 2. This paragraph does not authorize or require
3097 reimbursement from the fund for costs expended before the
3098 beginning of the grace period.
3099 3. Upon discovery by the department that the owner or
3100 operator of a petroleum storage system has been grossly
3101 negligent in the maintenance of such petroleum storage system;
3102 has, with willful intent to conceal the existence of a serious
3103 discharge, falsified inventory or reconciliation records
3104 maintained with respect to the site at which such system is
3105 located; or has intentionally damaged such petroleum storage
3106 system, the site at which such system is located is ineligible
3107 for participation in the incentive program and the owner is
3108 liable for all costs due to discharges from petroleum storage
3109 systems at that site.
3110
3111 This paragraph expires July 1, 2026.
3112 Section 87. In order to implement section 171 of the 2025
3113 2026 General Appropriations Act, present subsection (5) of
3114 section 376.3072, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as
3115 subsection (6), and a new subsection (5) is added to that
3116 section, to read:
3117 376.3072 Florida Petroleum Liability and Restoration
3118 Insurance Program.—
3119 (5) Notwithstanding subsections (1)-(4), for the 2025-2026
3120 fiscal year, program deductibles or copayments may not be
3121 assessed, monetary caps may not be enforced, and all costs for
3122 activities described in this section must be absorbed at the
3123 expense of the Inland Protection Trust Fund, without recourse to
3124 reimbursement or recovery, with the following exceptions:
3125 (a) This subsection does not apply to a site where the
3126 department has been denied site access to implement this
3127 section.
3128 (b) This subsection does not authorize or require
3129 reimbursement from the fund for costs expended before the
3130 beginning of the grace period.
3131 (c) Upon discovery by the department that the owner or
3132 operator of a petroleum storage system has been grossly
3133 negligent in the maintenance of such petroleum storage system;
3134 has, with willful intent to conceal the existence of a serious
3135 discharge, falsified inventory or reconciliation records
3136 maintained with respect to the site at which such system is
3137 located; or has intentionally damaged such petroleum storage
3138 system, the site at which such system is located is ineligible
3139 for participation in the incentive program and the owner is
3140 liable for all costs due to discharges from petroleum storage
3141 systems at that site.
3142
3143 This subsection expires July 1, 2026.
3144 Section 88. In order to implement section 171 of the 2025
3145 2026 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding the
3146 expiration date in section 66 of chapter 2024-228, Laws of
3147 Florida, paragraph (g) of subsection (15) of section 376.3071,
3148 Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
3149 376.3071 Inland Protection Trust Fund; creation; purposes;
3150 funding.—
3151 (15) ETHANOL OR BIODIESEL DAMAGE; PREVENTIVE MEASURES.—The
3152 department shall pay, pursuant to this subsection, up to $10
3153 million each fiscal year from the fund for the costs of labor
3154 and equipment to repair or replace petroleum storage systems
3155 that may have been damaged due to the storage of fuels blended
3156 with ethanol or biodiesel, or for preventive measures to reduce
3157 the potential for such damage.
3158 (g) Payments may not be made for the following:
3159 1. Proposal costs or costs related to preparation of the
3160 application and required documentation;
3161 2. Certified public accountant costs;
3162 3. Except as provided in paragraph (j), any costs in excess
3163 of the amount approved by the department under paragraph (b) or
3164 which are not in substantial compliance with the purchase order;
3165 4. Costs associated with storage tanks, piping, or
3166 ancillary equipment that has previously been repaired or
3167 replaced for which costs have been paid under this section;
3168 5. Facilities that are not in compliance with department
3169 storage tank rules, until the noncompliance issues have been
3170 resolved; or
3171 6. Costs associated with damage to petroleum storage
3172 systems caused in whole or in part by causes other than the
3173 storage of fuels blended with ethanol or biodiesel.
3174 Section 89. The text of s. 376.3071(15)(g), Florida
3175 Statutes, as carried forward from chapter 2020-114, Laws of
3176 Florida, by this act expires July 1, 2026, and the text of that
3177 paragraph shall revert to that in existence on July 1, 2020, but
3178 not including any amendments made by this act or chapter 2020
3179 114, Laws of Florida, and any amendments to such text enacted
3180 other than by this act shall be preserved and continue to
3181 operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent
3182 upon the portion of text which expires pursuant to this section.
3183 Section 90. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3184 2052 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
3185 notwithstanding chapter 287, Florida Statutes, the Department of
3186 Citrus shall enter into agreements for the purpose of increasing
3187 production of trees that show tolerance or resistance to citrus
3188 greening and to commercialize technologies that produce
3189 tolerance or resistance to citrus greening in trees. The
3190 department shall enter into these agreements no later than
3191 January 1, 2026, and shall file with the department’s Inspector
3192 General a certification of conditions and circumstances
3193 justifying each agreement entered into without competitive
3194 solicitation. This section expires July 1, 2026.
3195 Section 91. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3196 1502 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
3197 notwithstanding the expiration date in section 71 of chapter
3198 2024-228, Laws of Florida, section 380.5105, Florida Statutes,
3199 is reenacted and amended to read:
3200 380.5105 The Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts; Florida
3201 Forever program.—
3202 (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, it
3203 is the intent of the Legislature that the trust shall administer
3204 the working waterfronts land acquisition program as set forth in
3205 this section.
3206 (a) The trust and the Department of Agriculture and
3207 Consumer Services shall jointly develop rules specifically
3208 establishing an application process and a process for the
3209 evaluation, scoring and ranking of working waterfront projects.
3210 The proposed rules jointly developed pursuant to this paragraph
3211 shall be promulgated by the trust. Such rules shall establish a
3212 system of weighted criteria to give increased priority to
3213 projects:
3214 1. Within a municipality with a population less than
3215 30,000;
3216 2. Within a municipality or area under intense growth and
3217 development pressures, as evidenced by a number of factors,
3218 including a determination that the municipality’s growth rate
3219 exceeds the average growth rate for the state;
3220 3. Within the boundary of a community redevelopment agency
3221 established pursuant to s. 163.356;
3222 4. Adjacent to state-owned submerged lands designated as an
3223 aquatic preserve identified in s. 258.39; or
3224 5. That provide a demonstrable benefit to the local
3225 economy.
3226 (b) For projects that will require more than the grant
3227 amount awarded for completion, the applicant must identify in
3228 their project application funding sources that will provide the
3229 difference between the grant award and the estimated project
3230 completion cost. Such rules may be incorporated into those
3231 developed pursuant to s. 380.507(11).
3232 (c) The trust shall develop a ranking list based on
3233 criteria identified in paragraph (a) for proposed fee simple and
3234 less-than-fee simple acquisition projects developed pursuant to
3235 this section. The trust shall, by the first Board of Trustees of
3236 the Internal Improvement Trust Fund meeting in February, present
3237 the ranking list pursuant to this section to the board of
3238 trustees for final approval of projects for funding. The board
3239 of trustees may remove projects from the ranking list but may
3240 not add projects.
3241 (d) Grant awards, acquisition approvals, and terms of less
3242 than-fee acquisitions shall be approved by the trust. Waterfront
3243 communities that receive grant awards must submit annual
3244 progress reports to the trust identifying project activities
3245 which are complete, and the progress achieved in meeting the
3246 goals outlined in the project application. The trust must
3247 implement a process to monitor and evaluate the performance of
3248 grant recipients in completing projects that are funded through
3249 the working waterfronts program.
3250 (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, it
3251 is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of
3252 Environmental Protection shall administer the working
3253 waterfronts capital outlay grant program as set forth in this
3254 section to support the commercial fishing and marine aquaculture
3255 industries industry, including the infrastructure for receiving
3256 or unloading seafood for the purpose of supporting the seafood
3257 economy.
3258 (a) The working waterfronts capital outlay grant program is
3259 created to provide funding to assist commercial saltwater
3260 products or commercial saltwater wholesale dealer or retailer
3261 license holders and seafood houses in maintaining their
3262 operations.
3263 (b) Eligible costs and expenditures include fixed capital
3264 outlay and operating capital outlay, including, but not limited
3265 to, the repair and maintenance or replacement of equipment, the
3266 repair and maintenance or replacement of water-adjacent
3267 facilities or infrastructure, and the construction or renovation
3268 of shoreside facilities.
3269 (c) The applicant must demonstrate a benefit to the local
3270 economy.
3271 (d) Grant recipients must submit annual progress reports to
3272 the department identifying project activities that are complete
3273 and the progress achieved in meeting the goals outlined in the
3274 project application.
3275 (e) The department shall implement a process to monitor and
3276 evaluate the performance of grant recipients in completing
3277 projects funded through the program.
3278 Section 92. The text of s. 380.5105, Florida Statutes, as
3279 carried forward from chapter 2024-228, Laws of Florida, by this
3280 act expire July 1, 2026, and the text of that section shall
3281 revert to that in existence on June 30, 2024, except that any
3282 amendments to such text enacted other than by this act shall be
3283 preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such
3284 amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which
3285 expire pursuant to this section.
3286 Section 93. In order to implement section 167 of the 2025
3287 2026 General Appropriations Act, section 10 of chapter 2022-272,
3288 Laws of Florida, as amended by section 72 of chapter 2024-228,
3289 Laws of Florida, is amended to read:
3290 Section 10. Hurricane Restoration Reimbursement Grant
3291 Program.—
3292 (1) There is hereby created within the Department of
3293 Environmental Protection the Hurricane Restoration Reimbursement
3294 Grant Program for the purpose of providing financial assistance
3295 to mitigate coastal beach erosion for coastal homeowners whose
3296 property was significantly impacted by Hurricane Ian or
3297 Hurricane Nicole in 2022. The department is authorized to
3298 provide financial assistance grants to eligible recipients
3299 located in Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Duval, Flagler,
3300 Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Nassau, Palm Beach, Saint
3301 Johns, Saint Lucie, Sarasota, and Volusia Counties.
3302 (2) The department may provide grants to property owners to
3303 mitigate for coastal beach erosion caused by Hurricane Ian or
3304 Hurricane Nicole during 2022. Grant funding may only be used to
3305 reimburse a property owner for construction costs:
3306 (a) Related to sand placement and temporary or permanent
3307 coastal armoring construction projects to mitigate coastal beach
3308 erosion and may not be used for the repair of residential
3309 structures.
3310 (b) Incurred as a result of preparation for or damage
3311 sustained from Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole in 2022.
3312 (c) Incurred after September 23, 2022.
3313 (d) Related to a project that has been permitted, is exempt
3314 from permitting requirements, or is otherwise authorized by law.
3315 (3) Financial assistance grants may only be provided to
3316 mitigate damage to property located in Brevard, Broward,
3317 Charlotte, Collier, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Lee, Manatee,
3318 Martin, Nassau, Palm Beach, Saint Johns, Saint Lucie, Sarasota,
3319 and Volusia Counties that is a:
3320 (a) Residential property that meets the following
3321 requirements:
3322 1. The parcel must be a single-family, site-built,
3323 residential property or a multi-family, site-built, residential
3324 property not to exceed four units; and
3325 2. The homeowner must have been granted a homestead
3326 exemption on the home under chapter 196, Florida Statutes;
3327 (b) Residential condominium, as defined in chapter 718,
3328 Florida Statutes; or
3329 (c) Cooperative, as defined in chapter 719, Florida
3330 Statutes.
3331 (4)(a) The department shall reimburse 100 percent of the
3332 cost of eligible sand placement projects. For armoring projects
3333 on residential properties eligible under paragraph (3)(a), the
3334 department shall cost-share with $1 provided by the property
3335 owner for every $1 provided by the state with a maximum of
3336 $300,000 in state funding toward the actual cost of an eligible
3337 project. For armoring projects on properties eligible under
3338 paragraphs (3)(b) and (c), the department shall cost-share with
3339 $1 provided by the property owner for every $1 provided by the
3340 state with a maximum of $600,000 in state funding toward the
3341 actual cost of an eligible project. The department shall
3342 prioritize applicants who are low-income or moderate-income
3343 persons, as defined in s. 420.0004, Florida Statutes. Grants
3344 will be awarded to property owners for eligible projects
3345 following the receipt of a completed application on a first
3346 come, first-served basis until funding is exhausted.
3347 1. Applications may be submitted beginning February 1,
3348 2023.
3349 2. Applicants must include evidence that the project meets
3350 the criteria in subsections (2) and (3).
3351 (b) If the department determines that an application meets
3352 the requirements of this section, the department shall enter
3353 into a cost-share grant agreement with the applicant consistent
3354 with this section.
3355 (c) The department shall disburse grant funds on a
3356 reimbursement basis. In order to receive reimbursement, property
3357 owners must submit, at a minimum:
3358 1. If applicable, the permit issued under chapter 161,
3359 Florida Statutes, or applicable statute, and evidence that the
3360 project complies with all permitting requirements.
3361 2. All invoices and payment receipts for eligible projects.
3362 3. If applicable, documentation that the eligible project
3363 was completed by a licensed professional or contractor.
3364 (5) Beginning July 1, 2024, local governments and
3365 municipalities may apply for program funds to implement large
3366 scale sand placement projects located in a county listed in
3367 subsection (1). Impacted counties and municipalities may request
3368 funding for such projects that protect upland structures and
3369 provide benefits to property owners at large. Funding will be
3370 distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Up to 100
3371 percent of costs are eligible. Projects must be able to be
3372 completed by July 1, 2026 2025. No more than 50 percent of
3373 remaining funds will be used for this purpose.
3374 (6) No later than January 31, 2023, the department shall
3375 adopt emergency rules prescribing the procedures,
3376 administration, and criteria for approving the applications for
3377 the Hurricane Restoration Reimbursement Grant Program. The
3378 department is authorized, and all conditions are deemed met, to
3379 adopt emergency rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54(4),
3380 Florida Statutes, to implement this section. The Legislature
3381 finds that such emergency rulemaking authority is necessary to
3382 address critical shoreline erosion which may result in the loss
3383 of property by homeowners in those areas of the state that
3384 sustained damage due to Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole during
3385 2022. Such rules shall remain effective until the funding in the
3386 grant program is exhausted or this section expires for 6 months
3387 after the date of adoption.
3388 (7) This section expires July 1, 2026 2025.
3389 Section 94. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3390 1725 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act and
3391 notwithstanding s. 823.11(4)(c), Florida Statutes, the Fish and
3392 Wildlife Conservation Commission may use funds appropriated for
3393 the derelict vessel removal program for grants to local
3394 governments or to remove, store, destroy, and dispose of, or to
3395 pay private contractors to remove, store, destroy, and dispose
3396 of, derelict vessels or vessels declared a public nuisance
3397 pursuant to s. 327.73(1)(aa), Florida Statutes. This section
3398 expires July 1, 2026.
3399 Section 95. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3400 1555 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsection (9)
3401 of section 403.0673, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3402 403.0673 Water quality improvement grant program.—A grant
3403 program is established within the Department of Environmental
3404 Protection to address wastewater, stormwater, and agricultural
3405 sources of nutrient loading to surface water or groundwater.
3406 (9) For the 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal year, and
3407 notwithstanding the requirements of this section and s. 403.890,
3408 funds appropriated from the Water Protection and Sustainability
3409 Program Trust Fund may be used as provided in the General
3410 Appropriations Act subsections (4)-(6), the department shall
3411 dedicate at least $25 million of the revenues transferred from
3412 s. 201.15(4)(h), for priority projects to improve water quality
3413 in the Indian River Lagoon. This subsection expires July 1, 2026
3414 2025.
3415 Section 96. In order to implement appropriations from the
3416 Land Acquisition Trust Fund within the Department of
3417 Environmental Protection in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations
3418 Act, paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
3419 Statutes, is amended to read:
3420 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
3421 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
3422 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
3423 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
3424 under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
3425 pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
3426 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
3427 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
3428 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
3429 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
3430 Project subject to congressional authorization; the Long-Term
3431 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
3432 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
3433 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
3434 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
3435 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
3436 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
3437 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
3438 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
3439 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
3440 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
3441 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
3442 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project, the
3443 Everglades Agricultural Area Storage Reservoir Project, the Lake
3444 Okeechobee Watershed Project, the C-43 West Basin Storage
3445 Reservoir Project, the Indian River Lagoon-South Project, the
3446 Western Everglades Restoration Project, and the Picayune Strand
3447 Restoration Project. The Department of Environmental Protection
3448 and the South Florida Water Management District shall give
3449 preference to those Everglades restoration projects that reduce
3450 harmful discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee to the St.
3451 Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a timely manner. For the
3452 purpose of performing the calculation provided in this
3453 subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid pursuant to
3454 paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
3455 purposes set forth under this paragraph shall be added to the
3456 amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
3457 (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
3458 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
3459 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
3460 purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
3461 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
3462 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
3463 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
3464 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
3465 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
3466 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
3467 paragraph shall be added to the amount remaining after the
3468 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
3469 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
3470 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
3471 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
3472 subparagraph.
3473 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
3474 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
3475 Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
3476 the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
3477 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
3478 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
3479 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
3480 4. The sum of $64 million is appropriated and shall be
3481 transferred to the Everglades Trust Fund for the 2018-2019
3482 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, for the EAA
3483 reservoir project pursuant to s. 373.4598. Any funds remaining
3484 in any fiscal year shall be made available only for Phase II of
3485 the C-51 reservoir project or projects identified in
3486 subparagraph 1. and must be used in accordance with laws
3487 relating to such projects. Any funds made available for such
3488 purposes in a fiscal year are in addition to the amount
3489 appropriated under subparagraph 1. This distribution shall be
3490 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
3491 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2017, for the
3492 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
3493 5. The sum of $50 million shall be appropriated annually to
3494 the South Florida Water Management District for the Lake
3495 Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project in accordance with s.
3496 373.4599. This distribution must be reduced by an amount equal
3497 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
3498 issued after July 1, 2021, for the purposes set forth in this
3499 subparagraph.
3500 6. The sum of $100 million shall be appropriated annually
3501 to the Department of Environmental Protection for the
3502 acquisition of land pursuant to s. 259.105.
3503 7. Notwithstanding subparagraphs 3. and 6., for the 2025
3504 2026 fiscal year, funds shall be appropriated as provided in the
3505 General Appropriations Act. This subparagraph expires July 1,
3506 2026.
3507 Section 97. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3508 2059 through 2065 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
3509 subsection (3) of section 288.80125, Florida Statutes, is
3510 amended to read:
3511 288.80125 Triumph Gulf Coast Trust Fund.—
3512 (3) For the 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal year, funds shall be
3513 used for the Rebuild Florida Revolving Loan Fund program to
3514 provide assistance to businesses impacted by Hurricane Michael
3515 as provided in the General Appropriations Act. This subsection
3516 expires July 1, 2026 2025.
3517 Section 98. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3518 1822 through 1835, 1840, 1841, 1853 through 1858, 1860 through
3519 1864, 1866 through 1874, and 1905 through 1914C of the 2025-2026
3520 General Appropriations Act, paragraph (h) of subsection (7) of
3521 section 339.135, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3522 339.135 Work program; legislative budget request;
3523 definitions; preparation, adoption, execution, and amendment.—
3524 (7) AMENDMENT OF THE ADOPTED WORK PROGRAM.—
3525 (h)1. Any work program amendment that also adds a new
3526 project, or phase thereof, to the adopted work program in excess
3527 of $3 million is subject to approval by the Legislative Budget
3528 Commission. Any work program amendment submitted under this
3529 paragraph must include, as supplemental information, a list of
3530 projects, or phases thereof, in the current 5-year adopted work
3531 program which are eligible for the funds within the
3532 appropriation category being used for the proposed amendment.
3533 The department shall provide a narrative with the rationale for
3534 not advancing an existing project, or phase thereof, in lieu of
3535 the proposed amendment.
3536 2. If the department submits an amendment to the
3537 Legislative Budget Commission and the commission does not meet
3538 or consider the amendment within 30 days after its submittal,
3539 the chair and vice chair of the commission may authorize the
3540 amendment to be approved pursuant to s. 216.177. This
3541 subparagraph expires July 1, 2026 2025.
3542 Section 99. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3543 1822 through 1835, 1840 and 1841, 1853 through 1864, 1866
3544 through 1874, and 1905 through 1914C of the 2025-2026 General
3545 Appropriations Act, the Department of Transportation is
3546 authorized to:
3547 (1) Notwithstanding applicable provisions of chapters 206,
3548 212, 215, 320, 334, and 339, and section 201.15(4)(a), Florida
3549 Statutes, rebalance funds within the Work Program to account for
3550 lower projected revenues due to laws enacted which reduce the
3551 department’s statutory revenue distributions. The department’s
3552 rebalancing must also preserve, to the maximum extent feasible,
3553 executed contracts, debt service payments, planned safety
3554 projects, and planned preservation-related projects.
3555 (2) Notwithstanding s. 339.135(7)(b), Florida Statutes,
3556 request up to $200,000,000 of budget authority to the extent
3557 necessary to advance or defer projects programmed in the Work
3558 Program and realign resources to safeguard district allocations
3559 and ensure projects programmed in the Work Program are balanced
3560 to the finance plan.
3561
3562 The department may submit budget amendments to realign budget
3563 authority consistent with this section and pursuant to section
3564 339.135(7), Florida Statutes. This section expires July 1, 2026.
3565 Section 100. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3566 2113 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsection (6)
3567 of section 288.0655, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3568 288.0655 Rural Infrastructure Fund.—
3569 (6) For the 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal year, the funds
3570 appropriated for the grant program for Florida Panhandle
3571 counties shall be distributed pursuant to and for the purposes
3572 described in the proviso language associated with Specific
3573 Appropriation 2113 2348 of the 2025-2026 2024-2025 General
3574 Appropriations Act. This subsection expires July 1, 2026 2025.
3575 Section 101. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3576 2446 through 2455 and section 247 of the 2025-2026 General
3577 Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding ss. 216.181 and 216.292,
3578 Florida Statutes, the Division of Emergency Management may
3579 submit budget amendments, subject to the notice, review, and
3580 objection procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, to
3581 increase budget authority for projected expenditures due to
3582 reimbursements from federally declared disasters. This section
3583 expires July 1, 2026.
3584 Section 102. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3585 2432 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations act, subsection (2)
3586 of section 282.201, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3587 282.201 State data center.—The state data center is
3588 established within the department. The provision of data center
3589 services must comply with applicable state and federal laws,
3590 regulations, and policies, including all applicable security,
3591 privacy, and auditing requirements. The department shall appoint
3592 a director of the state data center who has experience in
3593 leading data center facilities and has expertise in cloud
3594 computing management.
3595 (2) USE OF THE STATE DATA CENTER.—
3596 (a) The following are exempt from the use of the state data
3597 center: the Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of the
3598 Lottery’s Gaming System, Systems Design and Development in the
3599 Office of Policy and Budget, the regional traffic management
3600 centers as described in s. 335.14(2) and the Office of Toll
3601 Operations of the Department of Transportation, the State Board
3602 of Administration, state attorneys, public defenders, criminal
3603 conflict and civil regional counsel, capital collateral regional
3604 counsel, and the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.
3605 (b) The Division of Emergency Management is exempt from the
3606 use of the state data center. This paragraph expires July 1,
3607 2026 2025.
3608 Section 103. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3609 2791 through 2798A of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
3610 subsection (12) is added to section 251.001, Florida Statutes,
3611 to read:
3612 251.001 Florida State Guard Act.—
3613 (12) Pursuant to s. 287.16(4), unless the Governor has
3614 issued a declaration of a state of emergency due to a natural
3615 emergency, as those terms are defined in s. 252.34, in the
3616 previous 30 days, Florida State Guard aircraft shall be assigned
3617 to the Department of Law Enforcement for daily training activity
3618 and operational use by the department. No later than July 31,
3619 2025, the Florida State Guard and the department must sign a
3620 Memorandum of Understanding implementing the terms of the
3621 assignment of aircraft. This subsection expires July 1, 2026.
3622 Section 104. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3623 2089 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsections
3624 (4) and (5) of section 443.1113, Florida Statutes, are amended
3625 to read:
3626 443.1113 Reemployment Assistance Claims and Benefits
3627 Information System.—
3628 (4)(a) The Department of Commerce shall perform an annual
3629 review of the system and identify enhancements or modernization
3630 efforts that improve the delivery of services to claimants and
3631 employers and reporting to state and federal entities. These
3632 improvements are subject to appropriation, and must include, but
3633 need not be limited to:
3634 1. Infrastructure upgrades through cloud services.
3635 2. Software improvements.
3636 3. Enhanced data analytics and reporting.
3637 4. Increased cybersecurity pursuant to s. 282.318.
3638 (b) The department shall seek input on recommended
3639 enhancements from, at a minimum, the following entities:
3640 1. The Florida Digital Service within the Department of
3641 Management Services.
3642 2. The General Tax Administration Program Office within the
3643 Department of Revenue.
3644 3. The Division of Accounting and Auditing within the
3645 Department of Financial Services.
3646 (5) By September 1, 2025 October 1, 2023, and each year
3647 thereafter, the Department of Commerce shall submit a
3648 Reemployment Assistance Claims and Benefits Information System
3649 report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
3650 Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must, at a
3651 minimum, include:
3652 (a) A summary of clearly defined deliverables and
3653 measurable outcomes of maintenance, enhancement, and
3654 modernization efforts over the last fiscal year.
3655 (b) A plan for the next 2 fiscal years 3-year outlook of
3656 recommended enhancements or modernization efforts that includes
3657 projected nonrecurring project costs, clear deliverables, and
3658 timeframes for completion of each enhancement or modernization
3659 effort in priority order, and the projected recurring operations
3660 and maintenance costs after the completion of each enhancement
3661 or modernization effort.
3662 Section 105. The amendments to s. 443.1113(4) and (5),
3663 Florida Statutes, made by this act expire July 1, 2026, and the
3664 text of those subsections shall revert to that in existence on
3665 June 30, 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted
3666 other than by this act shall be preserved and continue to
3667 operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent
3668 upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to this section.
3669 Section 106. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3670 2083 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsections
3671 (2), (4), and (9) of section 445.08, Florida Statutes, are
3672 amended to read:
3673 445.08 Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment
3674 Program.—
3675 (2)(a) There is created within the department the Florida
3676 Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program to aid in the
3677 recruitment of law enforcement officers within the state. The
3678 purpose of the program is to administer one-time bonus payments
3679 of up to $5,000 to each newly employed officer within the state.
3680 (b) Bonus payments provided to eligible newly employed
3681 officers are contingent upon legislative appropriations and
3682 shall be prorated subject to the amount appropriated for the
3683 program.
3684 (4) The department shall develop an annual plan for the
3685 administration of the program and distribution of bonus
3686 payments. Applicable employing agencies shall assist the
3687 department with the collection of any data necessary to
3688 determine bonus payment amounts and to distribute the bonus
3689 payments, and shall otherwise provide the department with any
3690 information or assistance needed to fulfill the requirements of
3691 this section. At a minimum, the plan must include:
3692 (a) The method for determining the estimated number of
3693 newly employed officers to gain or be appointed to full-time
3694 employment during the applicable fiscal year.
3695 (b) The minimum eligibility requirements a newly employed
3696 officer must meet to receive and retain a bonus payment, which
3697 must include:
3698 1. Obtaining certification for employment or appointment as
3699 a law enforcement officer pursuant to s. 943.1395.
3700 2. Gaining full-time employment with a Florida criminal
3701 justice agency.
3702 3. Maintaining continuous full-time employment as a law
3703 enforcement officer with a Florida criminal justice agency for
3704 at least 2 years from the date on which the officer obtained
3705 certification. The required 2-year employment period may be
3706 satisfied by maintaining full-time employment at one or more
3707 employing agencies, but such period must not contain any break
3708 in service longer than 180 15 calendar days.
3709 (c) The standards by which the department will determine
3710 under what circumstances a break in service is acceptable. A law
3711 enforcement officer must provide documentation to the department
3712 justifying a break in service. For purposes of this section, the
3713 term “break in service” means a period of time during which the
3714 person is employed with a Florida criminal justice agency but is
3715 not employed as a full-time law enforcement officer or a period
3716 of time during which the person is in between employment as a
3717 full-time law enforcement officer for no longer than 15 days.
3718 The time period for any break in service does not count toward
3719 satisfying the 2-year full-time employment requirement of this
3720 section.
3721 (d)(c) The method that will be used to determine the bonus
3722 payment amount to be distributed to each newly employed officer.
3723 (e)(d) The method that will be used to distribute bonus
3724 payments to applicable employing agencies for distribution to
3725 eligible officers. Such method should prioritize distributing
3726 bonus payments to eligible officers in the most efficient and
3727 quickest manner possible.
3728 (f)(e) The estimated cost to the department associated with
3729 developing and administering the program and distributing bonus
3730 payment funds.
3731 (g)(f) The method by which an officer must reimburse the
3732 state if he or she received a bonus payment under the program,
3733 but failed to maintain continuous employment for the required 2
3734 year period. Reimbursement shall not be required if an officer
3735 is discharged by his or her employing agency for a reason other
3736 than misconduct as designated on the affidavit of separation
3737 completed by the employing agency and maintained by the
3738 commission.
3739
3740 The department may establish other criteria deemed necessary to
3741 determine bonus payment eligibility and distribution.
3742 (9) This section expires July 1, 2026 2025.
3743 Section 107. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
3744 2116 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsection (6)
3745 is added to section 420.5096, Florida Statutes, to read:
3746 420.5096 Florida Hometown Hero Program.—
3747 (6)(a) For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, eligibility for
3748 financial assistance through the program appropriated in the
3749 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act shall be limited to the
3750 following borrowers:
3751 1. A person employed full-time by a Florida-based employer
3752 as a health care worker, school staff member, first responder,
3753 public safety or court employee, or child care worker;
3754 2. A servicemember of the United States military or
3755 military reserves, the United State Coast Guard or its reserves,
3756 or the Florida National Guard; or
3757 3. A veteran employed full-time by a Florida-based
3758 employer.
3759 (b) The corporation shall publish a list of eligible
3760 occupations pursuant to subparagraph (a)1. All borrowers must
3761 otherwise meet the requirements of this section.
3762 (c) This subsection expires July 1, 2026.
3763 Section 108. (1) In order to implement section 8 of the
3764 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, beginning July 1, 2025,
3765 and on the first day of each month thereafter, the Department of
3766 Management Services shall assess an administrative health
3767 insurance assessment on each state agency equal to the
3768 employer’s cost of individual employee health care coverage for
3769 each vacant position within such agency eligible for coverage
3770 through the Division of State Group Insurance. As used in this
3771 section, the term “state agency” means an agency within the
3772 State Personnel System, the Department of the Lottery, the
3773 Justice Administrative Commission and all entities
3774 administratively housed in the Justice Administrative
3775 Commission, and the state courts system.
3776 (2) Each state agency shall remit the assessed
3777 administrative health insurance assessment under subsection (1)
3778 to the State Employees Health Insurance Trust Fund, for the
3779 State Group Insurance Program, as provided in ss. 110.123 and
3780 110.1239, Florida Statutes, from currently allocated monies for
3781 salaries and benefits within 30 days after receipt of the
3782 assessment from the Department of Management Services. Should
3783 any state agency become more than 60 days delinquent in payment
3784 of this obligation, the Department of Management Services shall
3785 certify to the Chief Financial Officer the amount due and the
3786 Chief Financial Officer shall transfer the amount due to the
3787 Department of Management Services.
3788 (3) The administrative health insurance assessment shall
3789 apply to all vacant positions funded with state funds whether
3790 fully or partially funded with state funds. Vacant positions
3791 partially funded with state funds shall pay a percentage of the
3792 assessment imposed in subsection (1) equal to the percentage
3793 share of state funds provided for such vacant positions. No
3794 assessment shall apply to vacant positions fully funded with
3795 federal funds. Each state agency shall provide the Department of
3796 Management Services with a complete list of position numbers
3797 that are funded, or partially funded, with federal funding, and
3798 include the percentage of federal funding for each position no
3799 later than July 31, 2025, and shall update the list on the last
3800 day of each month thereafter. For federally funded vacant
3801 positions, or partially funded vacant positions, each state
3802 agency shall immediately take steps to include the
3803 administrative health insurance assessment in its indirect cost
3804 plan for the 2026-2027 fiscal year and each fiscal year
3805 thereafter. A state agency shall notify the Department of
3806 Management Services, the Executive Office of the Governor, the
3807 chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the chair of
3808 the House of Representatives Budget Committee upon approval of
3809 the updated indirect cost plan. If the state agency is not able
3810 to obtain approval from its federal awarding agency, the state
3811 agency must notify the Department of Management Services, the
3812 Executive Office of the Governor, and the appropriation and
3813 budget chairs no later than January 15, 2026.
3814 (4) Pursuant to the notice, review, and objection
3815 procedures of s. 216.177, Florida Statutes, the Executive Office
3816 of the Governor may transfer budget authority appropriated in
3817 the Salaries and Benefits appropriation category between
3818 agencies in order to align the appropriations granted with the
3819 assessments that must be paid by each agency to the Department
3820 of Management Services for the administrative health insurance
3821 assessment.
3822 (5) This section expires July 1, 2026.
3823 Section 109. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
3824 2530 and 2531 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, and
3825 notwithstanding s. 11.13(1), Florida Statutes, the authorized
3826 salaries for members of the Legislature for the 2025-2026 fiscal
3827 year shall be set at the same level in effect on July 1, 2010.
3828 This section expires July 1, 2026.
3829 Section 110. In order to implement the transfer of funds
3830 from the General Revenue Fund from trust funds for the 2025-2026
3831 General Appropriations Act, and notwithstanding the expiration
3832 date in section 91 of chapter 2024-228, Laws of Florida,
3833 paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 215.32, Florida
3834 Statutes, is reenacted to read:
3835 215.32 State funds; segregation.—
3836 (2) The source and use of each of these funds shall be as
3837 follows:
3838 (b)1. The trust funds shall consist of moneys received by
3839 the state which under law or under trust agreement are
3840 segregated for a purpose authorized by law. The state agency or
3841 branch of state government receiving or collecting such moneys
3842 is responsible for their proper expenditure as provided by law.
3843 Upon the request of the state agency or branch of state
3844 government responsible for the administration of the trust fund,
3845 the Chief Financial Officer may establish accounts within the
3846 trust fund at a level considered necessary for proper
3847 accountability. Once an account is established, the Chief
3848 Financial Officer may authorize payment from that account only
3849 upon determining that there is sufficient cash and releases at
3850 the level of the account.
3851 2. In addition to other trust funds created by law, to the
3852 extent possible, each agency shall use the following trust funds
3853 as described in this subparagraph for day-to-day operations:
3854 a. Operations or operating trust fund, for use as a
3855 depository for funds to be used for program operations funded by
3856 program revenues, with the exception of administrative
3857 activities when the operations or operating trust fund is a
3858 proprietary fund.
3859 b. Operations and maintenance trust fund, for use as a
3860 depository for client services funded by third-party payors.
3861 c. Administrative trust fund, for use as a depository for
3862 funds to be used for management activities that are departmental
3863 in nature and funded by indirect cost earnings and assessments
3864 against trust funds. Proprietary funds are excluded from the
3865 requirement of using an administrative trust fund.
3866 d. Grants and donations trust fund, for use as a depository
3867 for funds to be used for allowable grant or donor agreement
3868 activities funded by restricted contractual revenue from private
3869 and public nonfederal sources.
3870 e. Agency working capital trust fund, for use as a
3871 depository for funds to be used pursuant to s. 216.272.
3872 f. Clearing funds trust fund, for use as a depository for
3873 funds to account for collections pending distribution to lawful
3874 recipients.
3875 g. Federal grant trust fund, for use as a depository for
3876 funds to be used for allowable grant activities funded by
3877 restricted program revenues from federal sources.
3878
3879 To the extent possible, each agency must adjust its internal
3880 accounting to use existing trust funds consistent with the
3881 requirements of this subparagraph. If an agency does not have
3882 trust funds listed in this subparagraph and cannot make such
3883 adjustment, the agency must recommend the creation of the
3884 necessary trust funds to the Legislature no later than the next
3885 scheduled review of the agency’s trust funds pursuant to s.
3886 215.3206.
3887 3. All such moneys are hereby appropriated to be expended
3888 in accordance with the law or trust agreement under which they
3889 were received, subject always to the provisions of chapter 216
3890 relating to the appropriation of funds and to the applicable
3891 laws relating to the deposit or expenditure of moneys in the
3892 State Treasury.
3893 4.a. Notwithstanding any provision of law restricting the
3894 use of trust funds to specific purposes, unappropriated cash
3895 balances from selected trust funds may be authorized by the
3896 Legislature for transfer to the Budget Stabilization Fund and
3897 General Revenue Fund in the General Appropriations Act.
3898 b. This subparagraph does not apply to trust funds required
3899 by federal programs or mandates; trust funds established for
3900 bond covenants, indentures, or resolutions whose revenues are
3901 legally pledged by the state or public body to meet debt service
3902 or other financial requirements of any debt obligations of the
3903 state or any public body; the Division of Licensing Trust Fund
3904 in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the
3905 State Transportation Trust Fund; the trust fund containing the
3906 net annual proceeds from the Florida Education Lotteries; the
3907 Florida Retirement System Trust Fund; trust funds under the
3908 management of the State Board of Education or the Board of
3909 Governors of the State University System, where such trust funds
3910 are for auxiliary enterprises, self-insurance, and contracts,
3911 grants, and donations, as those terms are defined by general
3912 law; trust funds that serve as clearing funds or accounts for
3913 the Chief Financial Officer or state agencies; trust funds that
3914 account for assets held by the state in a trustee capacity as an
3915 agent or fiduciary for individuals, private organizations, or
3916 other governmental units; and other trust funds authorized by
3917 the State Constitution.
3918 Section 111. The text of s. 215.32(2)(b), Florida Statutes,
3919 as carried forward from chapter 2011-47, Laws of Florida, by
3920 this act expires July 1, 2026, and the text of that paragraph
3921 shall revert to that in existence on June 30, 2011, except that
3922 any amendments to such text enacted other than by this act shall
3923 be preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such
3924 amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which
3925 expire pursuant to this section.
3926 Section 112. In order to implement appropriations in the
3927 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act for state employee travel,
3928 the funds appropriated to each state agency which may be used
3929 for travel by state employees are limited during the 2025-2026
3930 fiscal year to travel for activities that are critical to each
3931 state agency’s mission. Funds may not be used for travel by
3932 state employees to foreign countries, other states, conferences,
3933 staff training activities, or other administrative functions
3934 unless the agency head has approved, in writing, that such
3935 activities are critical to the agency’s mission. The agency head
3936 shall consider using teleconferencing and other forms of
3937 electronic communication to meet the needs of the proposed
3938 activity before approving mission-critical travel. This section
3939 does not apply to travel for law enforcement purposes, military
3940 purposes, emergency management activities, or public health
3941 activities. This section expires July 1, 2026.
3942 Section 113. In order to implement appropriations in the
3943 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act for state employee travel
3944 and notwithstanding s. 112.061, Florida Statutes, costs for
3945 lodging associated with a meeting, conference, or convention
3946 organized or sponsored in whole or in part by a state agency or
3947 the judicial branch may not exceed $225 per day. An employee may
3948 expend his or her own funds for any lodging expenses in excess
3949 of $225 per day. For purposes of this section, a meeting does
3950 not include travel activities for conducting an audit,
3951 examination, inspection, or investigation or travel activities
3952 related to a litigation or emergency response. This section
3953 expires July 1, 2026.
3954 Section 114. In order to implement the appropriations and
3955 reappropriations authorized in the 2025-2026 General
3956 Appropriations Act, paragraph (d) of subsection (11) of section
3957 216.181, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
3958 216.181 Approved budgets for operations and fixed capital
3959 outlay.—
3960 (11)
3961 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) and paragraph (2)(b), and
3962 for the 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal year only, the Legislative
3963 Budget Commission may approve budget amendments for new fixed
3964 capital outlay projects or increase the amounts appropriated to
3965 state agencies for fixed capital outlay projects. This paragraph
3966 expires July 1, 2026 2025.
3967
3968 The provisions of this subsection are subject to the notice and
3969 objection procedures set forth in s. 216.177.
3970 Section 115. In order to implement the salaries and
3971 benefits, expenses, other personal services, contracted
3972 services, special categories, and operating capital outlay
3973 categories of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
3974 paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 216.292, Florida
3975 Statutes, is amended to read:
3976 216.292 Appropriations nontransferable; exceptions.—
3977 (2) The following transfers are authorized to be made by
3978 the head of each department or the Chief Justice of the Supreme
3979 Court whenever it is deemed necessary by reason of changed
3980 conditions:
3981 (a) The transfer of appropriations funded from identical
3982 funding sources, except appropriations for fixed capital outlay,
3983 and the transfer of amounts included within the total original
3984 approved budget and plans of releases of appropriations as
3985 furnished pursuant to ss. 216.181 and 216.192, as follows:
3986 1. Between categories of appropriations within a budget
3987 entity, if no category of appropriation is increased or
3988 decreased by more than 5 percent of the original approved budget
3989 or $250,000, whichever is greater, by all action taken under
3990 this subsection.
3991 2. Between budget entities within identical categories of
3992 appropriations, if no category of appropriation is increased or
3993 decreased by more than 5 percent of the original approved budget
3994 or $250,000, whichever is greater, by all action taken under
3995 this subsection.
3996 3. Any agency exceeding salary rate established pursuant to
3997 s. 216.181(8) on June 30th of any fiscal year shall not be
3998 authorized to make transfers pursuant to subparagraphs 1. and 2.
3999 in the subsequent fiscal year.
4000 4. Notice of proposed transfers under subparagraphs 1. and
4001 2. shall be provided to the Executive Office of the Governor and
4002 the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees at least
4003 3 days prior to agency implementation in order to provide an
4004 opportunity for review. The review shall be limited to ensuring
4005 that the transfer is in compliance with the requirements of this
4006 paragraph.
4007 5. For the 2025-2026 2024-2025 fiscal year, the review
4008 shall ensure that transfers proposed pursuant to this paragraph
4009 comply with this chapter, maximize the use of available and
4010 appropriate trust funds, and are not contrary to legislative
4011 policy and intent. This subparagraph expires July 1, 2026 2025.
4012 Section 116. In order to implement appropriations in the
4013 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act for the acquisitions of
4014 motor vehicles, and notwithstanding chapter 287, Florida
4015 Statutes, relating to the purchase of motor vehicles from a
4016 state term contract, state agencies may purchase vehicles from
4017 nonstate term contract vendors without prior approval from the
4018 Department of Management Services, provided the cost of the
4019 motor vehicle is equal to or less than the cost of a similar
4020 class of vehicle found on a state term contract and provided the
4021 funds for the purchase have been specifically appropriated. This
4022 section expires July 1, 2026.
4023 Section 117. In order to implement appropriations for state
4024 agencies in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, section
4025 11.52, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
4026 11.52 Implementation of enacted legislation.—Each state
4027 agency shall provide the Legislature and the Executive Office of
4028 the Governor with information about the status of implementation
4029 of recently enacted legislation. The implementation status must
4030 be provided 90 days following the effective date of the
4031 legislation and updated each August 1 thereafter until all
4032 provisions of the legislation have been fully implemented. The
4033 implementation status report must include, at a minimum, for
4034 each enacted legislation, the actions or steps taken to
4035 implement the legislation and planned actions or steps for
4036 implementation, such as any rules proposed for implementation,
4037 any procurements required, any contract executed to assist the
4038 agency in the implementation, any contracts executed to
4039 implement or administer the legislation, programs started,
4040 offices established, or other organization administrative
4041 changes made including personnel changes, or federal waivers
4042 requested; any expenditures made directly related to the
4043 implementation; and any impediments or delays in implementation,
4044 including, but not limited to, challenges of administrative
4045 rules. No later than 14 days prior to the next regular
4046 legislative session, the state agency shall provide an update of
4047 any changes to the implementation status, notify the Legislature
4048 of any protests of rulemaking or other communications regarding
4049 the implementation of the legislation and the status of any
4050 litigation related to the legislation, and identify any policy
4051 issues that need to be resolved by the Legislature to ensure
4052 timely and effective implementation of the legislation. This
4053 section expires July 1, 2026 2025.
4054 Section 118. In order to implement appropriations for state
4055 agencies and the judicial branch in the 2025-2026 General
4056 Appropriations Act, subsection (7) of section 216.013, Florida
4057 Statutes, is amended to read:
4058 216.013 Long-range program plan.—State agencies and the
4059 judicial branch shall develop long-range program plans to
4060 achieve state goals using an interagency planning process that
4061 includes the development of integrated agency program service
4062 outcomes. The plans shall be policy based, priority driven,
4063 accountable, and developed through careful examination and
4064 justification of all agency and judicial branch programs.
4065 (7) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, each
4066 state executive agency and the judicial branch are not required
4067 to develop or post a long-range program plan by September 30,
4068 2025 2024, for the 2026-2027 2025-2026 fiscal year, except in
4069 circumstances outlined in any updated written instructions
4070 prepared by the Executive Office of the Governor in consultation
4071 with the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees.
4072 This subsection expires July 1, 2026 2025.
4073 Section 119. In order to implement appropriations for state
4074 agencies and the judicial branch in the 2025-2026 General
4075 Appropriations Act, subsection (7) of section 216.023, Florida
4076 Statutes, is amended to read:
4077 216.023 Legislative budget requests to be furnished to
4078 Legislature by agencies.—
4079 (7) As part of the legislative budget request, each state
4080 agency and the judicial branch shall include an inventory of all
4081 ongoing technology-related projects that have a cumulative
4082 estimated or realized cost of more than $1 million. The
4083 inventory must, at a minimum, contain all of the following
4084 information:
4085 (a) The name of the technology system.
4086 (b) A brief description of the purpose and function of the
4087 system.
4088 (c) A brief description of the goals of the project.
4089 (d) The initiation date of the project.
4090 (e) The key performance indicators for the project.
4091 (f) Any other metrics for the project evaluating the health
4092 and status of the project.
4093 (g) The original and current baseline estimated end dates
4094 of the project.
4095 (h) The original and current estimated costs of the
4096 project.
4097 (i) Total funds appropriated or allocated to the project
4098 and the current realized cost for the project by fiscal year.
4099
4100 For purposes of this subsection, an ongoing technology-related
4101 project is one which has been funded or has had or is expected
4102 to have expenditures in more than one fiscal year. An ongoing
4103 technology-related project does not include the continuance of
4104 existing hardware and software maintenance agreements, the
4105 renewal of existing software licensing agreements, or the
4106 replacement of desktop units with new technology that is
4107 substantially similar to the technology being replaced. This
4108 subsection expires July 1, 2026 2025.
4109 Section 120. In order to implement appropriations in the
4110 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, the use of state funds
4111 must be consistent with the following principles of individual
4112 freedom:
4113 (1) No person is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive,
4114 whether consciously or unconsciously, solely by virtue of his or
4115 her race or sex.
4116 (2) No race is inherently superior to another race.
4117 (3) No person should be discriminated against or receive
4118 adverse treatment solely or partly on the basis of race, color,
4119 national origin, religion, disability, or sex.
4120 (4) Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are not
4121 racist but fundamental to the right to pursue happiness and be
4122 rewarded for industry.
4123 (5) A person, by virtue of his or her race or sex, does not
4124 bear responsibility for actions committed in the past by other
4125 members of the same race or sex.
4126 (6) A person should not be instructed that he or she must
4127 feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress
4128 for actions, in which he or she played no part, committed in the
4129 past by other members of the same race or sex.
4130
4131 This section expires July 1, 2026.
4132 Section 121. In order to implement appropriations for state
4133 agencies in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, a state
4134 agency may not use state funds to contract with an advertising
4135 agency or other contractor who acts as or uses the services of
4136 media reliability and bias monitors. The term “media reliability
4137 and bias monitor” means any contractor whose primary or
4138 principal function is to rate or rank news and information
4139 services for the factual accuracy of their content, whether the
4140 content is published online, in print, by audio, or digitally,
4141 or by broadcasting via radio, television, cable, streaming
4142 service, or any other way news is delivered to the public; or to
4143 provide ratings or a subjective evaluation of news and
4144 information services regarding misinformation, bias, adherence
4145 to journalistic standards, or ethics. The term includes, but is
4146 not limited to, organizations that engage in fact checking. The
4147 term does not include any contractor that rates media outlets
4148 for audience size, viewership, and demographic information; or
4149 that monitors media outlets for the purpose of compiling press
4150 or video clippings or aggregating news sources for the purpose
4151 of public relations and public awareness. This section expires
4152 July 1, 2026.
4153 Section 122. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
4154 2295 through 2308A of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
4155 paragraph (d) of subsection (12) of section 440.13, Florida
4156 Statutes, is amended to read:
4157 440.13 Medical services and supplies; penalty for
4158 violations; limitations.—
4159 (12) CREATION OF THREE-MEMBER PANEL; GUIDES OF MAXIMUM
4160 REIMBURSEMENT ALLOWANCES.—
4161 (d)1. Outpatient reimbursement for scheduled surgeries
4162 shall be 60 percent of charges.
4163 2. Reimbursement for emergency services and care as defined
4164 in s. 395.002 which have not been assigned which does not
4165 include a maximum reimbursement allowance must be 250 percent of
4166 Medicare, unless there is a contract, in which case the contract
4167 governs reimbursement. Upon this subparagraph taking effect, the
4168 department shall engage with an actuarial services firm to begin
4169 development of maximum reimbursement allowances for services
4170 subject to the reimbursement provisions of this subparagraph.
4171 Until the three-member panel adopts a schedule of maximum
4172 reimbursement allowances, reimbursement for emergency services
4173 and care that have not been assigned a maximum reimbursement
4174 allowance and for which there is no Medicare billing code must
4175 be 75 percent of usual and customary charges, unless there is a
4176 contract, in which case the contract governs reimbursement. This
4177 subparagraph expires June 30, 2026.
4178
4179 The department, as requested, shall provide data to the panel,
4180 including, but not limited to, utilization trends in the
4181 workers’ compensation health care delivery system. The
4182 department shall provide the panel with an annual report
4183 regarding the resolution of medical reimbursement disputes and
4184 any actions pursuant to subsection (8). The department shall
4185 provide administrative support and service to the panel to the
4186 extent requested by the panel. The department may adopt rules
4187 pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this
4188 subsection. For prescription medication purchased under the
4189 requirements of this subsection, a dispensing practitioner shall
4190 not possess such medication unless payment has been made by the
4191 practitioner, the practitioner’s professional practice, or the
4192 practitioner’s practice management company or employer to the
4193 supplying manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, or drug
4194 repackager within 60 days of the dispensing practitioner taking
4195 possession of that medication.
4196 Section 123. The amendment to s. 440.13(12)(d), Florida
4197 Statutes, made by this act expires July 1, 2026, and the text of
4198 that paragraph shall revert to that in existence on June 30,
4199 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than
4200 by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
4201 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
4202 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
4203 Section 124. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
4204 2423 and 2424 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act:
4205 (1) The Office of Policy and Budget within the Executive
4206 Office of the Governor may:
4207 (a) Conduct a review of the functions, procedures, and
4208 policies currently in effect for any local governmental entity,
4209 local governing authority, or unit of local general-purpose
4210 government, as those terms are defined in s. 218.31, Florida
4211 Statutes, and any expenditures by such bodies pertaining to
4212 local fiscal years ending on September 30, 2024, and September
4213 30, 2025, to identify:
4214 1. Any use of resources to support diversity, equity, and
4215 inclusion initiatives inconsistent with law.
4216 2. Any evidence of potential gross overspending, waste,
4217 fraud, abuse, or mismanagement of resources.
4218 3. Duplicative or redundant government functions.
4219 (b) For the purpose of these reviews, review the following
4220 records:
4221 1. Any personnel costs, administrative overhead costs,
4222 contracts and subcontracts, programs, grants and subgrants, any
4223 outsourcing with a nongovernment organization, and any other
4224 expenditures.
4225 2. Any financial documents, including, but not limited to,
4226 annual financial audits; annual budgets; millage reports; annual
4227 financial reports; audits of any financial accounts or records,
4228 including reports on compliance, internal controls, and
4229 management letters; and financial statements, audits,
4230 accountability, or status reports for local projects funded by
4231 any source.
4232 3. Any document setting forth personnel standards and
4233 expectations, position responsibilities, and employee training
4234 and development standards and materials.
4235 (2)(a) Each local government that received state funding
4236 during the current or previous fiscal year must, within 7
4237 business days after the request, provide the personnel of the
4238 Office of Policy and Budget access to:
4239 1. Its responsive personnel and subject matter experts.
4240 2. Its physical premises, subject to appropriate security
4241 considerations.
4242 3. Its data systems and related data, subject to
4243 appropriate security considerations.
4244 (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require
4245 access to records that are confidential under federal or state
4246 laws.
4247 (c) Failure to provide access as required in paragraph (a)
4248 may subject the local government to a fine of $1,000 per day for
4249 noncompliance. The Executive Office of the Governor may assess a
4250 fine, if such action is recommended by the Office of Policy and
4251 Budget and approved by a three-fourths vote of the
4252 Administration Commission. The assessment of a fine pursuant to
4253 this section constitutes final agency action pursuant to chapter
4254 120, Florida Statutes. Fines collected under this subsection
4255 must be deposited into the General Revenue Fund. Fines imposed
4256 pursuant to this paragraph shall be enforced against the local
4257 government and not its employees.
4258 (d) Any request for public records by the Office of Policy
4259 and Budget to a local governmental entity, a local governing
4260 authority, or a unit of local general-purpose government shall
4261 be deemed a request to inspect its public records. Enforcement
4262 of these requests shall be subject to ss. 119.11 and 119.12,
4263 Florida Statutes.
4264 (3) The Office of Policy and Budget shall:
4265 (a) Compile and submit an initial report to the Governor,
4266 the Chief Financial Officer, the President of the Senate, and
4267 the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 13, 2026.
4268 The report must, at a minimum:
4269 1. Identify each local government reviewed.
4270 2. Summarize each review.
4271 3. Provide any specific instances of the use of resources
4272 for initiatives supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion
4273 inconsistent with law.
4274 4. Provide any specific evidence of potential gross
4275 overspending, waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement of
4276 resources.
4277 5. Identify duplicative or redundant government functions.
4278 6. Recommend any opportunities for good governance and
4279 methods to improve fiscal responsibility and streamline
4280 government services.
4281 (b) Provide the Legislative Auditing Committee any
4282 information described in subparagraph (a)4.
4283
4284 Nothing shall preclude the Office of Policy and Budget from
4285 engaging in additional activities in support of its duties under
4286 this section, including encouraging or receiving cooperation
4287 from a local government. This section expires July 1, 2026.
4288 Section 125. In order to implement Specific Appropriation
4289 1311 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act, subsection (2)
4290 of section 551.118, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
4291 551.118 Compulsive or addictive gambling prevention
4292 program.—
4293 (2)(a) The commission shall, subject to competitive
4294 bidding, contract for provision of services related to the
4295 prevention of compulsive and addictive gambling. The contract
4296 shall provide for an advertising program to encourage
4297 responsible gaming practices and to publicize a gambling
4298 telephone help line. Such advertisements must be made both
4299 publicly and inside the designated slot machine gaming areas of
4300 the licensee’s facilities. The terms of any contract for the
4301 provision of such services shall include accountability
4302 standards that must be met by any private provider. The failure
4303 of any private provider to meet any material terms of the
4304 contract, including the accountability standards, shall
4305 constitute a breach of contract or grounds for nonrenewal. The
4306 commission may consult with the Department of the Lottery in the
4307 development of the program and the development and analysis of
4308 any procurement for contractual services for the compulsive or
4309 addictive gambling prevention program.
4310 (b) For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the commission’s
4311 contract for the provision of services related to the prevention
4312 of compulsive and addictive gambling shall be for 1 year. This
4313 paragraph expires July 1, 2026.
4314 Section 126. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
4315 1325 through 1329B of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
4316 paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 373.0421, Florida
4317 Statutes, is amended to read:
4318 373.0421 Establishment and implementation of minimum flows
4319 and minimum water levels.—
4320 (2) If, at the time a minimum flow or minimum water level
4321 is initially established for a water body pursuant to s. 373.042
4322 or is revised, the existing flow or water level in the water
4323 body is below, or is projected to fall within 20 years below,
4324 the applicable minimum flow or minimum water level, the
4325 department or governing board, as part of the regional water
4326 supply plan described in s. 373.709, shall concurrently adopt or
4327 modify and implement a recovery or prevention strategy. If a
4328 minimum flow or minimum water level has been established for a
4329 water body pursuant to s. 373.042, and the existing flow or
4330 water level in the water body falls below, or is projected to
4331 fall within 20 years below, the applicable minimum flow or
4332 minimum water level, the department or governing board shall
4333 expeditiously adopt a recovery or prevention strategy. A
4334 recovery or prevention strategy shall include the development of
4335 additional water supplies and other actions, consistent with the
4336 authority granted by this chapter, to:
4337 (b) Prevent the existing flow or water level from falling
4338 below the established minimum flow or minimum water level.
4339
4340 The recovery or prevention strategy must include a phased-in
4341 approach or a timetable which will allow for the provision of
4342 sufficient water supplies for all existing and projected
4343 reasonable-beneficial uses, including development of additional
4344 water supplies and implementation of conservation and other
4345 efficiency measures concurrent with and, to the maximum extent
4346 practical, to offset reductions in permitted withdrawals,
4347 consistent with this chapter. The recovery or prevention
4348 strategy may not depend solely on water shortage restrictions
4349 declared pursuant to s. 373.175 or s. 373.246. Agricultural
4350 producers who implement best management practices adopted in s.
4351 403.067(7)(c)2. shall be presumed to be in compliance with the
4352 recovery or prevention strategy.
4353 Section 127. The amendment to s. 373.0421(2)(b), Florida
4354 Statutes, made by this act expires July 1, 2026, and the text of
4355 that paragraph shall revert to that in existence on June 30,
4356 2025, except that any amendments to such text enacted other than
4357 by this act shall be preserved and continue to operate to the
4358 extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions
4359 of text which expire pursuant to this section.
4360 Section 128. In order to implement Specific Appropriations
4361 2576 through 2596 of the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act,
4362 and notwithstanding any other law:
4363 (1)(a) The Governor, the Cabinet officers, and the
4364 Legislature are permanent tenants of the Capitol Complex. The
4365 interior space allocated to each tenant on June 1, 2025, may not
4366 be reduced or moved without express consent of the tenant. For
4367 purposes of determining the interior space allocated to the
4368 House of Representatives, the total square footage shall include
4369 the contiguous office space described in paragraph (b). If
4370 additional interior space becomes vacant, the Legislature has
4371 the first right of refusal for use of the space.
4372 (b) No later than November 1, 2025, the Department of
4373 Management Services must offer for lease to the House of
4374 Representatives a minimum of 886 square feet of contiguous
4375 office space acceptable to the House of Representatives located
4376 on any floor from the Lower Level to the 21st floor of the
4377 Capitol Building. The space must be available for occupancy by
4378 the House of Representatives no later than December 1, 2025.
4379 (2)(a) Before the Department of Management Services may
4380 plan for or schedule any project in the Capitol Center that
4381 impacts space occupied by a permanent tenant of the Capitol
4382 Complex other than the Governor, the Department of Management
4383 Services must coordinate with the tenant and receive the
4384 tenant’s approval on the scope, design, and timeline of the
4385 project. For purposes of space in which the Legislature is the
4386 tenant, the Department of Management Services must coordinate
4387 with and receive approval from the President of the Senate for
4388 space allocated to the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
4389 Representatives for space allocated to the House of
4390 Representatives, or both the President and the Speaker for space
4391 allocated jointly to both chambers. For any project that impacts
4392 space in which the Legislature is the tenant, the Department of
4393 Management Services must consider the schedule and time
4394 constraints of the Legislature, as well as the Legislature’s
4395 needs.
4396 (b) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
4397 House of Representatives may design, redesign, renovate, or
4398 upgrade any space allocated to their respective chambers in
4399 which the Senate or the House of Representatives is the tenant
4400 without approval by the Department of Management Services.
4401 (c) The Department of Management Services must consult with
4402 and receive approval from the President of the Senate for space
4403 allocated to the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
4404 Representatives for space allocated to the House of
4405 Representatives, or both the President and the Speaker for space
4406 allocated jointly to both chambers before including in the
4407 report required under s. 272.09(3), Florida Statutes, any
4408 project that impacts any space in the Capitol Complex in which
4409 the Legislature is the tenant.
4410 (3) In carrying out the provisions of the Capitol Center
4411 long-range planning specified in s. 272.121, Florida Statutes,
4412 the Department of Management Services must solicit feedback from
4413 all permanent tenants of the Capitol Center, including the
4414 Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the Attorney General, the
4415 Commissioner of Agriculture, the President of the Senate, and
4416 the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
4417 (4) The parking spaces within the Capitol Center area
4418 allocated to the Legislature on June 1, 2025, may not be reduced
4419 or reassigned without the express consent of the Legislature. If
4420 additional parking spaces become available for assignment, the
4421 Legislature has the first right of refusal for the use of the
4422 parking spaces.
4423 (5) This section expires July 1, 2026.
4424 Section 129. Any section of this act which implements a
4425 specific appropriation or specifically identified proviso
4426 language in the 2025-2026 General Appropriations Act is void if
4427 the specific appropriation or specifically identified proviso
4428 language is vetoed. Any section of this act which implements
4429 more than one specific appropriation or more than one portion of
4430 specifically identified proviso language in the 2025-2026
4431 General Appropriations Act is void if all the specific
4432 appropriations or portions of specifically identified proviso
4433 language are vetoed.
4434 Section 130. If any other act passed during the 2025
4435 Regular Session of the Legislature contains a provision that is
4436 substantively the same as a provision in this act, but that
4437 removes or is otherwise not subject to the future repeal applied
4438 to such provision by this act, the Legislature intends that the
4439 provision in the other act takes precedence and continues to
4440 operate, notwithstanding the future repeal provided by this act.
4441 Section 131. If any provision of this act or its
4442 application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
4443 invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of
4444 the act which can be given effect without the invalid provision
4445 or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are
4446 severable.
4447 Section 132. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
4448 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon
4449 this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1,
4450 2025, or, if this act fails to become a law until after that
4451 date, it shall take effect upon becoming a law and shall operate
4452 retroactively to July 1, 2025.