PLANNING AND BUDGETING

F.S. Ch. 216

in effect

F.S. 216.011 Definitions.

(1) For the purpose of fiscal affairs of the state, appropriations acts, legislative budgets, and approved budgets, each of the following terms has the meaning indicated: (a) “Activity” means a unit of work that has identifiable starting and ending points, consumes resources, and produces outputs. (b) “Annual salary rate” means the monetary compensation authorized to be paid a position on an annualized basis. The term does not include moneys authorized for benefits associated with the position. (c) “Appropriation” means a legal authorization to make expenditures for specific purposes within the amounts authorized by law. (d) “Appropriations act” means the authorization of the Legislature, based upon legislative budgets or based upon legislative findings of the necessity for an authorization when no legislative budget is filed, for the expenditure of amounts of money by an agency, the judicial branch, or the legislative branch for stated purposes in the performance of the functions it is authorized by law to perform. The categories contained in the appropriations act include, but are not limited to: 1. Data processing services. 2. Expenses. 3. Fixed capital outlay. 4. Food products. 5. Grants and aids. 6. Grants and aids to local governments and nonstate entities-fixed capital outlay. 7. Lump-sum appropriations. 8. Operating capital outlay. 9. Other personal services. 10. Salaries and benefits. 11. Special categories. (e) “Authorized position” means a position included in an approved budget. In counting the number of authorized positions, part-time positions shall be converted to full-time equivalents. (f) “Baseline data” means indicators of a state agency’s current performance level, pursuant to guidelines established by the Executive Office of the Governor, in consultation with legislative appropriations and appropriate substantive committees. (g) “Budget entity” means a unit or function at the lowest level to which funds are specifically appropriated in the appropriations act. “Budget entity” and “service” have the same meaning. (h) “Budget reserve” means the withholding, as authorized by the Legislature, of an appropriation, or portion thereof. The need for a budget reserve may exist until certain conditions set by the Legislature are met by the affected agency, or such need may exist due to financial or program changes that have occurred since, and were unforeseen at the time of, passage of the General Appropriations Act. (i) “Chairs of the legislative appropriations committees” means the chairs of the committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives responsible for producing the General Appropriations Act. (j) “Consultation” means communication to allow government officials and agencies to deliberate and to seek and provide advice in an open and forthright manner. (k) “Continuing appropriation” means an appropriation automatically renewed without further legislative action, period after period, until altered or revoked by the Legislature. (l) “Data processing services” means the appropriation category used to fund electronic data processing services provided by state agencies or the judicial branch, which services include, but are not limited to, systems design, software development, or time-sharing by other governmental units or budget entities. (m) “Disbursement” means the payment of an expenditure. (n) “Disincentive” means a sanction as described in s. 216.163. (o) “Expenditure” means the creation or incurring of a legal obligation to disburse money. (p) “Expense” means the appropriation category used to fund the usual, ordinary, and incidental expenditures by an agency or the judicial branch, including such items as commodities, supplies of a consumable nature, current obligations, and fixed charges, and excluding expenditures classified as operating capital outlay. Payments to other funds or local, state, or federal agencies may be included in this category. (q) “Fiscal year of the state” means a period of time beginning July 1 and ending on the following June 30, both dates inclusive. (r) “Fixed capital outlay” means the appropriation category used to fund real property (land, buildings, including appurtenances, fixtures and fixed equipment, structures, etc.), including additions, replacements, major repairs, and renovations to real property which materially extend its useful life or materially improve or change its functional use and including furniture and equipment necessary to furnish and operate a new or improved facility, when appropriated by the Legislature in the fixed capital outlay appropriation category. (s) “Food products” means the appropriation category used to fund food consumed and purchased in state-run facilities that provide housing to individuals. (t) “Grants and aids” means the appropriation category used to fund contributions to units of government or nonstate entities to be used for one or more specified purposes or activities. Funds appropriated to units of government and nonprofit entities under this category may be advanced. (u) “Grants and aids to local governments and nonstate entities-fixed capital outlay” means the appropriation category used to fund: 1. Grants to local units of governments or nonstate entities for the acquisition of real property (land, buildings, including appurtenances, fixtures and fixed equipment, structures, etc.); additions, replacements, major repairs, and renovations to real property which materially extend its useful life or materially improve or change its functional use; and operating capital outlay necessary to furnish and operate a new or improved facility; and 2. Grants to local units of government for their respective infrastructure and growth management needs related to local government comprehensive plans. Funds appropriated to local units of government and nonprofit organizations under this category may be advanced in part or in whole. (v) “Incentive” means a mechanism, as described in s. 216.163, for recognizing the achievement of performance standards or for motivating performance that exceeds performance standards. (w) “Incurred obligation” means a legal obligation for goods or services that have been contracted for, referred to as an encumbrance in the state’s financial system, or received or incurred by the state and referred to as a payable in the state’s financial system. (x) “Independent judgment” means an evaluation of actual needs made separately and apart from the legislative budget request of any other agency or of the judicial branch, or any assessments by the Governor. Such evaluation shall not be limited by revenue estimates of the Revenue Estimating Conference. (y) “Judicial branch” means all officers, employees, and offices of the Supreme Court, district courts of appeal, circuit courts, county courts, and the Judicial Qualifications Commission. (z) “Lease or lease-purchase of equipment” means the appropriations category used to fund the lease or lease-purchase of equipment, fixtures, and other tangible personal property. (aa) “Legislative branch” means the various officers, committees, and other units of the legislative branch of state government. (bb) “Legislative budget instructions” means the annual set of instructions developed to assist agencies in submitting budget requests to the Legislature and to generate information necessary for budgetary decisionmaking. Such instructions may include program-based performance budget instructions. (cc) “Legislative budget request” means a request to the Legislature, filed pursuant to s. 216.023, or supplemental detailed requests filed with the Legislature, for the amounts of money such agency or branch believes will be needed in the performance of the functions that it is authorized, or which it is requesting authorization by law, to perform. (dd) “Long-range financial outlook” means a document issued by the Legislative Budget Commission based on a 3-year forecast of revenues and expenditures. (ee) “Long-range program plan” means a plan developed pursuant to s. 216.013. (ff) “Lump-sum appropriation” means the appropriation category used to fund a specific activity or project which must be transferred to one or more appropriation categories for expenditure. (gg) “Mandatory reserve” means the reduction of an appropriation by the Governor or the Legislative Budget Commission due to an anticipated deficit in a fund, pursuant to s. 216.221. Action may not be taken to restore a mandatory reserve either directly or indirectly. (hh) “Operating capital outlay” means the appropriation category used to fund equipment, fixtures, and other tangible personal property of a nonconsumable and nonexpendable nature under s. 273.025. (ii) “Original approved budget” means the approved plan of operation of an agency or of the judicial branch consistent with the General Appropriations Act or special appropriations acts. (jj) “Other personal services” means the appropriation category used to fund the compensation for services rendered by a person who is not filling an established position. This definition includes, but is not limited to, services of temporary employees, student or graduate assistants, persons on fellowships, part-time academic employees, board members, and consultants and other services specifically budgeted by each agency, or by the judicial branch, in this category. In distinguishing between payments to be made from salaries and benefits appropriations and other-personal-services appropriations: 1. Those persons filling established positions shall be paid from salaries and benefits appropriations and those persons performing services for a state agency or for the judicial branch, but who are not filling established positions, shall be paid from other-personal-services appropriations. 2. Those persons paid from salaries and benefits appropriations shall be state officers or employees and shall be eligible for membership in a state retirement system and those paid from other-personal-services appropriations shall not be eligible for such membership. (kk) “Outcome” means an indicator of the actual impact or public benefit of a program. (ll) “Output” means the actual service or product delivered by a state agency. (mm) “Performance measure” means a quantitative or qualitative indicator used to assess state agency performance. (nn) “Program” means a set of services and activities undertaken in accordance with a plan of action organized to realize identifiable goals and objectives based on legislative authorization. (oo) “Program component” means an aggregation of generally related objectives which, because of their special character, related workload, and interrelated output, can logically be considered an entity for purposes of organization, management, accounting, reporting, and budgeting. (pp) “Proviso” means language that qualifies or restricts a specific appropriation and which can be logically and directly related to the specific appropriation. (qq) “Qualified expenditure category” means the appropriations category used to fund specific activities and projects which must be transferred to one or more appropriation categories for expenditure upon recommendation by the Governor or Chief Justice, as appropriate, and subject to approval by the Legislative Budget Commission. The Legislature by law may provide that a specific portion of the funds appropriated in this category be transferred to one or more appropriation categories without approval by the commission and may provide that requirements or contingencies be satisfied prior to the transfer. (rr) “Salaries and benefits” means the appropriation category used to fund the monetary or cash-equivalent compensation for work performed by state employees for a specific period of time. Benefits shall be as provided by law. (ss) “Salary” means the cash compensation for services rendered for a specific period of time. (tt) “Salary rate reserve” means the withholding of a portion of the annual salary rate for a specific purpose. (uu) “Special category” means the appropriation category used to fund amounts appropriated for a specific need or classification of expenditures. (vv) “Standard” means the level of performance of an outcome or output. (ww) “State agency” or “agency” means any official, officer, commission, board, authority, council, committee, or department of the executive branch of state government. For purposes of this chapter and chapter 215, “state agency” or “agency” includes, but is not limited to, state attorneys, public defenders, criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, capital collateral regional counsel, the Justice Administrative Commission, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, and the Florida Public Service Commission. Solely for the purposes of implementing s. 19(h), Art. III of the State Constitution, the terms “state agency” or “agency” include the judicial branch. (2) For purposes of this chapter, terms related to personnel affairs of the state shall be defined as set forth in s. 110.107. (3) For purposes of this chapter, the term: (a) “Approved operating budget” or “approved budget” means the plan of operations consisting of the original approved operating budget. (b) “Commission” means the Legislative Budget Commission created in s. 11.90. (c) “Statutorily authorized entity” means any entity primarily acting as an instrumentality of the state, any regulatory or governing body, or any other governmental or quasi-governmental organization that receives, disburses, expends, administers, awards, recommends expenditure of, handles, manages, or has custody or control of funds appropriated by the Legislature and: 1. Is created, organized, or specifically authorized to be created or established by general law; or 2. Assists a department, as defined in s. 20.03(8), or other unit of state government in providing programs or services on a statewide basis with a statewide service area or population.

F.S. 216.012 Long-range financial outlook.

(1) The commission shall develop a long-range 3-year financial outlook and shall update that outlook each year. (2) Each state agency shall provide information to the commission, based on the commission’s direction, which supports the commission’s development and updates of the long-range financial outlook. The commission has the authority to accept, modify, or direct the agency to modify any information received from an agency. (3) By September 15 of each year, the commission shall complete the long-range financial outlook. The commission may subsequently provide any additions or adjustments to the outlook based on information not previously available.

F.S. 216.013 Long-range program plan.

State agencies and the judicial branch shall develop long-range program plans to achieve state goals using an interagency planning process that includes the development of integrated agency program service outcomes. The plans shall be policy based, priority driven, accountable, and developed through careful examination and justification of all agency and judicial branch programs. (1) Long-range program plans shall provide the framework for the development of budget requests and shall identify or update: (a) The mission of the agency or judicial branch. (b) The goals established to accomplish the mission. (c) The objectives developed to achieve state goals. (d) The trends and conditions relevant to the mission, goals, and objectives. (e) The agency or judicial branch programs that will be used to implement state policy and achieve state goals and objectives. (f) The program outcomes and standards to measure progress toward program objectives. (g) Information regarding performance measurement, which includes, but is not limited to, how data is collected, the methodology used to measure a performance indicator, the validity and reliability of a measure, the appropriateness of a measure, and whether, in the case of agencies, the agency inspector general has assessed the reliability and validity of agency performance measures, pursuant to s. 20.055(2). (h) Legislatively approved output and outcome performance measures. Each performance measure must identify the associated activity contributing to the measure from those identified in accordance with s. 216.023(4)(b). (i) Performance standards for each performance measure and justification for the standards and the sources of data to be used for measurement. Performance standards must include standards for each affected activity and be expressed in terms of the associated unit of activity. (j) Prior-year performance data on approved performance measures and an explanation of deviation from expected performance. Performance data must be assessed for reliability in accordance with s. 20.055. (k) Proposed performance incentives and disincentives. (2) Each long-range program plan shall cover a period of 5 fiscal years, be revised annually, and remain in effect until replaced or revised. (3) Long-range program plans or revisions shall be presented by state agencies and the judicial branch in a form, manner, and timeframe prescribed in written instructions prepared by the Executive Office of the Governor in consultation with the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees. (4) Each state executive agency and the judicial branch shall post their long-range program plans on their Internet websites not later than September 30th of each year, and provide written notice to the Governor and the Legislature that the plans have been posted. (5) The state agencies and the judicial branch shall make appropriate adjustments to their long-range program plans, excluding adjustments to performance measures and standards, to be consistent with the appropriations in the General Appropriations Act and legislation implementing the General Appropriations Act. Agencies and the judicial branch have 30 days subsequent to the effective date of the General Appropriations Act and implementing legislation to make adjustments to their plans as posted on their Internet websites. (6) Long-range program plans developed pursuant to this chapter are not rules and, therefore, are not subject to the provisions of chapter 120. 1 (7) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, each state executive agency and the judicial branch are not required to develop or post a long-range program plan by September 30, 2025, for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, except in circumstances outlined in any updated written instructions prepared by the Executive Office of the Governor in consultation with the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees. This subsection expires July 1, 2026.

F.S. 216.015 Capital facilities planning and budgeting process.

(1) Sections 216.015-216.016 may be cited as the “Capital Facilities Planning and Budgeting Act.” (2) The Legislature finds that there is a need to establish a comprehensive capital facilities planning and budgeting process that is fully integrated with the state financial planning and debt management activities and that incorporates the long-range plans of all state agencies and the judicial branch and major public benefit corporations to ensure that projects with the greatest potential for improving the prosperity and well-being of the people of the state receive their proper allocation of limited resources. It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature in enacting this legislation that a comprehensive capital facilities planning and budgeting process be established and maintained to enable the state to better meet the demands for new and properly maintained infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner. (3) The comprehensive capital facilities planning and budgeting process requires integration and coordination by all government agencies and by the judicial branch. The process includes: (a) An inventory of current facilities owned, leased, rented, or otherwise occupied by any agency of the state or the judicial branch; (b) An assessment of current population, economic, social, physical, and environmental trends and conditions that relate to public facilities; (c) A determination of future demographic conditions deemed most appropriate and likely for this state and of a set of goals and objectives; (d) A determination of unmet needs by comparing existing facilities to goals and objectives; (e) A strategic matching of funding options and facility needs to ensure the most effective development strategy; and (f) A management structure that maintains, operates, repairs, renovates, and replaces capital facilities to obtain the maximum value for each public dollar spent. (4) In order to carry out this act, the Executive Office of the Governor is designated as the agency responsible for the coordination, development, direction, monitoring, and evaluation of the comprehensive capital facilities planning and budgeting process, including the plans revised pursuant to that process. The Executive Office of the Governor shall publish an annual report of the progress being made by the state toward meeting the state goals and objectives of the plans. (5) All agencies of government and the judicial branch are directed to extend maximum cooperation and assistance in the furtherance of this program.

F.S. 216.016 Evaluation of plans; determination of financing method.

(1) Pursuant to the requirements of s. 216.044, the Department of Management Services shall evaluate state agency plans and plans of the judicial branch. (2)(a) The Executive Office of the Governor shall develop a finance plan for meeting the state’s infrastructure and fixed capital outlay needs, which shall be incorporated into the Governor’s recommended budget submitted to the Legislature pursuant to s. 216.162. (b) The Division of Bond Finance of the State Board of Administration shall work with the Executive Office of the Governor and all agencies and the judicial branch to determine the most cost-beneficial and effective financing methods for the satisfaction of the capital facility needs described or identified in the state comprehensive plan for facility needs.

F.S. 216.023 Legislative budget requests to be furnished to Legislature by agencies.

(1) The head of each state agency, except as provided in subsection (2), shall submit a final legislative budget request to the Legislature and to the Governor, as chief budget officer of the state, in the form and manner prescribed in the budget instructions and at such time as specified by the Executive Office of the Governor, based on the agency’s independent judgment of its needs. However, a state agency may not submit its complete legislative budget request, including all supporting forms and schedules required by this chapter, later than October 15 of each year unless an alternative date is agreed to be in the best interest of the state by the Governor and the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees. (2) The judicial branch and the Division of Administrative Hearings shall submit their complete legislative budget requests directly to the Legislature with a copy to the Governor, as chief budget officer of the state, in the form and manner as prescribed in the budget instructions. However, the complete legislative budget requests, including all supporting forms and schedules required by this chapter, shall be submitted no later than October 15 of each year unless an alternative date is agreed to be in the best interest of the state by the Governor and the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees. (3) The Executive Office of the Governor and the appropriations committees of the Legislature shall jointly develop legislative budget instructions for preparing the exhibits and schedules that make up the agency budget from which each agency and the judicial branch shall prepare their budget request. The budget instructions shall be consistent with s. 216.141 and shall be transmitted to each agency and to the judicial branch no later than July 15 of each year unless an alternative date is agreed to be in the best interest of the state by the Governor and the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees. In the event that agreement cannot be reached between the Executive Office of the Governor and the appropriations committees of the Legislature regarding legislative budget instructions, the issue shall be resolved by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (4)(a) The legislative budget request for each program must contain: 1. The constitutional or statutory authority for a program, a brief purpose statement, and approved program components. 2. Information on expenditures for 3 fiscal years (actual prior-year expenditures, current-year estimated expenditures, and agency budget requested expenditures for the next fiscal year) by appropriation category. 3. Details on trust funds and fees. 4. The total number of positions (authorized, fixed, and requested). 5. An issue narrative describing and justifying changes in amounts and positions requested for current and proposed programs for the next fiscal year. 6. Information resource requests. 7. Supporting information, including applicable cost-benefit analyses, business case analyses, performance contracting procedures, service comparisons, and impacts on performance standards for any request to outsource or privatize agency functions. The cost-benefit and business case analyses must include an assessment of the impact on each affected activity from those identified in accordance with paragraph (b). Performance standards must include standards for each affected activity and be expressed in terms of the associated unit of activity. 8. An evaluation of major outsourcing and privatization initiatives undertaken during the last 5 fiscal years having aggregate expenditures exceeding $10 million during the term of the contract. The evaluation must include an assessment of contractor performance, a comparison of anticipated service levels to actual service levels, and a comparison of estimated savings to actual savings achieved. Consolidated reports issued by the Department of Management Services may be used to satisfy this requirement. 9. Supporting information for any proposed consolidated financing of deferred-payment commodity contracts including guaranteed energy performance savings contracts. Supporting information must also include narrative describing and justifying the need, baseline for current costs, estimated cost savings, projected equipment purchases, estimated contract costs, and return on investment calculation. 10. For projects that exceed $10 million in total cost, the statutory reference of the existing policy or the proposed substantive policy that establishes and defines the project’s governance structure, planned scope, main business objectives that must be achieved, and estimated completion timeframes. The governance structure for information technology-related projects must incorporate the applicable project management and oversight standards established pursuant to s. 282.0051. Information technology budget requests for the continuance of existing hardware and software maintenance agreements, renewal of existing software licensing agreements, or the replacement of desktop units with new technology that is similar to the technology currently in use are exempt from this requirement. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that total accountability measures, including unit-cost data, serve not only as a budgeting tool but also as a policymaking tool and an accountability tool. Therefore, each state agency and the judicial branch must submit a summary of information for the preceding year in accordance with the legislative budget instructions. Each summary must provide a one-page overview and must contain: 1. The final budget for the agency and the judicial branch. 2. Total funds from the General Appropriations Act. 3. Adjustments to the General Appropriations Act. 4. The line-item listings of all activities. 5. The number of activity units performed or accomplished. 6. Total expenditures for each activity, including amounts paid to contractors and subordinate entities. Expenditures related to administrative activities not aligned with output measures must consistently be allocated to activities with output measures prior to computing unit costs. 7. The cost per unit for each activity, including the costs allocated to contractors and subordinate entities. 8. The total amount of reversions and pass-through expenditures omitted from unit-cost calculations. At the regular session immediately following the submission of the agency unit cost summary, the Legislature shall reduce in the General Appropriations Act for the ensuing fiscal year, by an amount equal to at least 10 percent of the allocation for the fiscal year preceding the current fiscal year, the funding of each state agency that fails to submit the report required under this paragraph. (5) As a part of the legislative budget request, the head of each state agency and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the judicial branch shall include an inventory of all litigation in which the agency is involved that may require additional appropriations to the agency, that may significantly affect revenues received or anticipated to be received by the state, or that may require amendments to the law under which the agency operates. No later than March 1 following the submission of the legislative budget request, the head of the state agency and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall provide an update of any additions or changes to the inventory. Such inventory shall include information specified annually in the legislative budget instructions and, within the discretion of the head of the state agency or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, may contain only information found in the pleadings. (6) As part of the legislative budget request, each state agency must include the following information for each contract in which the consideration to be paid to the agency is a percentage of the vendor revenue and in excess of $10 million under the contract period: (a) The name of the vendor. (b) A brief description of the services provided by the vendor. (c) The term of the contract and the years remaining on the contract. (d) The amount of revenue generated or expected to be generated by the vendor under the contract for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, and the next fiscal year. (e) The amount of revenue remitted or expected to be remitted to the state agency by the vendor for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, and the next fiscal year. (f) The value of capital improvements, if any, on state property which have been funded by the vendor over the term of the contract. (g) The remaining amount of capital improvements, if any, on state property which have not been fully amortized by June 30 of the prior fiscal year. (h) The amount, if any, of state appropriations made to the state agency to pay for services provided by the vendor. 1 (7) As part of the legislative budget request, each state agency and the judicial branch shall include an inventory of all ongoing technology-related projects that have a cumulative estimated or realized cost of more than $1 million. The inventory must, at a minimum, contain all of the following information: (a) The name of the technology system. (b) A brief description of the purpose and function of the system. (c) A brief description of the goals of the project. (d) The initiation date of the project. (e) The key performance indicators for the project. (f) Any other metrics for the project evaluating the health and status of the project. (g) The original and current baseline estimated end dates of the project. (h) The original and current estimated costs of the project. (i) Total funds appropriated or allocated to the project and the current realized cost for the project by fiscal year. For purposes of this subsection, an ongoing technology-related project is one which has been funded or has had or is expected to have expenditures in more than one fiscal year. An ongoing technology-related project does not include the continuance of existing hardware and software maintenance agreements, the renewal of existing software licensing agreements, or the replacement of desktop units with new technology that is substantially similar to the technology being replaced. This subsection expires July 1, 2026. (8) The Executive Office of the Governor shall review the legislative budget request for technical compliance with the budget format provided for in the budget instructions. The Executive Office of the Governor shall notify the agency or the judicial branch of any adjustment required. The agency or judicial branch shall make the appropriate corrections as requested. If the appropriate technical corrections are not made as requested, the Executive Office of the Governor shall adjust the budget request to incorporate the appropriate technical corrections in the format of the request. (9) At any time after the Governor submits his or her recommended budget to the Legislature, the head of the agency or judicial branch may amend his or her request by transmitting to the Governor and the Legislature an amended request in the form and manner prescribed in the legislative budget instructions. (10) The legislative budget request from each agency and from the judicial branch shall be reviewed by the Legislature. The review may allow for the opportunity to have information or testimony by the agency, the judicial branch, the Auditor General, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budgeting, and the public regarding the proper level of funding for the agency in order to carry out its mission. (11) In order to ensure an integrated state planning and budgeting process, the agency long-range plan should be reviewed by the Legislature. The legislative budget request instructions must provide for consistency between the agency’s long-range plan and the agency’s legislative budget request.

F.S. 216.031 Target budget request.

Either chair of a legislative appropriations committee, or the Executive Office of the Governor for state agencies, may require the agency or the Chief Justice to address major issues separate from those outlined in s. 216.023, this section, and s. 216.043 for inclusion in the requests of the agency or of the judicial branch. The issues shall be submitted to the agency no later than July 30 of each year and shall be displayed in its requests as provided in the budget instructions. The Executive Office of the Governor may request an agency, or the chair of an appropriations committee of the Senate or the House of Representatives may request any agency or the judicial branch, to submit a budget plan with respect to targets established by the Governor or either chair. The target budget shall require each entity to establish an order of priorities for its budget issues and may include requests for multiple options for the budget issues. The target budget format shall be compatible with the planning and budgeting system requirements set out in s. 216.141. Such a request shall not influence the agencies’ or judicial branch’s independent judgment in making legislative budget requests, as required by law.

F.S. 216.043 Budgets for fixed capital outlay.

(1) A legislative budget request, reflecting the independent judgment of the head of the agency or of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court with respect to the needs of the agency or of the judicial branch for fixed capital outlay during the next fiscal year, shall be submitted by each head of an agency and by the Chief Justice and shall contain: (a) An estimate in itemized form showing the amounts needed for fixed capital outlay expenditures, to include a detailed statement of program needs, estimated construction costs and square footage, site costs, operating capital necessary to furnish and equip for operating a new or improved facility, and the anticipated sources of funding during the next fiscal year. (b) Proposed fixed capital outlay projects, including proposed operational standards related to programs and utilization, an analysis of continuing operating costs, and such other data as the Executive Office of the Governor deems necessary for state agencies, or the Chief Justice deems necessary for the judicial branch, to analyze the relationship of agency needs and program requirements to construction requirements. The plan shall also include the availability and suitability of privately constructed and owned buildings and facilities to meet the needs and program requirements of the agency or of the judicial branch. (c) For any budget request for fixed capital outlay or operating capital outlay which is to be funded by a proposed state debt or obligation as defined in s. 216.0442, the information set forth in s. 216.0442(2). (2) The legislative budget requests for fixed capital outlay shall be submitted as a product of an ongoing planning process which: (a) Relates to program plans in an anticipatory manner so as to identify facility requirements sufficiently early to provide lead time for planning and construction without deterring the operation of the applicable program. (b) Applies that lead time to the budget process. (3) Each legislative budget request for fixed capital outlay submitted shall contain: (a) A schedule of projects planned to meet the 4-year requirements of the agency or of the judicial branch and a schedule of anticipated funding for the initial fiscal year of the 4-year period. (b) A full explanation of the basis for each project, including a description of the program which requires the facility; an explanation of the inability of existing facilities to meet such requirements; historical background; alternatives; and anticipated changes in operating costs, both initial and continuing. (c) An application of standards and criteria to establish the scope of each project. (d) An application of cost factors to all elements of each project to establish an estimate of funding requirements. (e) A request for legislative appropriation to provide such funding in the appropriate fiscal year, including the need for advance funding of programming and design activities. (f) A priority list of fixed capital outlay projects for which the construction of the project may be deferred for countercyclical purposes for a period not to exceed 12 months. (g) The unamortized cost of tenant improvements under any lease executed after September 30, 2000, which is terminated before the expiration of its term for the purpose of relocating to a state-owned building.

F.S. 216.044 Budget evaluation by Department of Management Services.

(1) Any state agency or judicial branch entity requesting a fixed capital outlay project to be managed by the Department of Management Services shall consult with that department during the budget development process. The Department of Management Services shall provide recommendations regarding construction requirements, cost of the project, and project alternatives to be incorporated in the agency’s or entity’s proposed fixed capital outlay budget request and narrative justification. (2) Concurrently with the submission of the fixed capital outlay legislative budget request to the Executive Office of the Governor or to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the agency or judicial branch shall submit a copy of the legislative budget request to the Department of Management Services for evaluation. (3) The Department of Management Services shall advise the Executive Office of the Governor, the Chief Justice, and the Legislature regarding alternatives to the proposed fixed capital outlay project and make recommendations relating to the construction requirements and cost of the project. These recommendations shall be provided to the Legislature and Executive Office of the Governor at a time specified by the Governor, but not less than 90 days prior to the regular session of the Legislature. When evaluating alternatives, the Department of Management Services shall include information as to whether it would be more cost-efficient to lease private property or facilities, to construct facilities on property presently owned by the state, or to acquire property on which to construct the facilities. In determining the cost to the state of constructing facilities on property presently owned by the state or the cost of acquiring property on which to construct facilities, the Department of Management Services shall include the costs which would be incurred by a private person in acquiring the property and constructing the facilities, including, but not limited to, taxes and return on investment.

F.S. 216.052 Community budget requests; appropriations.

(1) A local, county, or regional governmental entity, private organization, or nonprofit organization may submit a request for a state appropriation for a program, service, or capital outlay initiative that is local or regional in scope, is intended to meet a documented need, addresses a statewide interest, is intended to produce measurable results, and has tangible community support to members of the Legislature, a state agency, or the Governor. (2) For requests submitted to members of the Legislature, community budget requests shall be submitted in the form and manner prescribed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. If the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives do not agree on a form and manner of submission to be used by both houses, each may prescribe a form and manner of submission to be used in his or her house. (3) Community budget requests shall be submitted to the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees in accordance with the schedule established jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. If the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives do not agree on a schedule to be used by both houses, each may prescribe a schedule to be used in his or her house. (4) The Executive Office of the Governor shall prescribe the form and manner of submission of requests to state agencies and to the Governor. (5) The retention of interest earned on state funds or the amount of interest income earned shall be applied against the state entity’s obligation to pay the appropriated amount.

F.S. 216.053 Summary information in the General Appropriations Act; construction of such information.

(1) For informational purposes only, the General Appropriations Act shall contain summary information that covers specific appropriations and summarizes program areas. (2) The purpose of the summary information is to help the public understand those budgetary decisions made by the Legislature and contained in the General Appropriations Act. (3) Summary information does not operate to further change, earmark, or restrict specific appropriations made in the General Appropriations Act, does not constitute specific appropriations, and is not subject to the Governor’s line-item veto. (4) In drafting the General Appropriations Act, the Legislature shall ensure that all specific appropriations are displayed so as not to impede the Governor’s authority under the State Constitution to line-item veto specific appropriations.

F.S. 216.065 Fiscal impact statements on actions affecting the budget.

In addition to the applicable requirements of chapter 120, before the Governor, or Governor and Cabinet as a body, performing any constitutional or statutory duty, or before any state agency or statutorily authorized entity takes any final action that will affect revenues, require a request for an increased or new appropriation in the following 3 fiscal years, or transfer current year funds, it shall first provide the joint Legislative Budget Commission and the legislative appropriations committees with a fiscal impact statement that details the effects of such action on the budget. The fiscal impact statement must specify the estimated budget and revenue impacts for the current year and the 2 subsequent fiscal years at the same level of detail required to support a legislative budget request, including amounts by appropriation category and fund.

F.S. 216.071 Reports of Legislature.

No right to require reports from the Legislature or from any committee thereof is granted by this chapter.

F.S. 216.081 Data on legislative and judicial branch expenses.

(1) In sufficient time to be included in the Governor’s recommended budget, estimates of the financial needs of the legislative branch and the judicial branch during the ensuing fiscal year shall be furnished to the Governor pursuant to chapter 11. (2) All of the data relative to the legislative branch and to the judicial branch shall be for information and guidance in estimating the total financial needs of the state for the ensuing fiscal year; none of these estimates shall be subject to revision or review by the Governor, and they must be included in the Governor’s recommended budget. (3) If the Governor does not receive timely estimates of the financial needs of the legislative branch, the Governor’s recommended budget shall include the amounts appropriated and budget entity structure established in the most recent General Appropriations Act.

F.S. 216.102 Filing of financial information; handling by Chief Financial Officer; penalty for noncompliance.

(1) By September 30 of each year, each agency supported by any form of taxation, licenses, fees, imposts, or exactions, the judicial branch, and, for financial reporting purposes, each component unit of the state as determined by the Chief Financial Officer shall prepare, using generally accepted accounting principles, and file with the Chief Financial Officer the financial and other information necessary for the preparation of annual financial statements for the State of Florida as of June 30. In addition, each such agency and the judicial branch shall prepare financial statements showing the financial position and results of agency or branch operations as of June 30 for internal management purposes. (a) Each state agency and the judicial branch shall record the receipt and disbursement of funds from federal sources in a form and format prescribed by the Chief Financial Officer. The access to federal funds by the administering agencies or the judicial branch may not be authorized until: 1. The deposit has been recorded in the Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem using proper, consistent codes that designate deposits as federal funds. 2. The deposit and appropriate recording required by this paragraph have been verified by the office of the Chief Financial Officer. (b) The Chief Financial Officer shall publish a statewide policy detailing the requirements for recording receipt and disbursement of federal funds into the Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem and provide technical assistance to the agencies and the judicial branch to implement the policy. (2) Financial information must be contained within the Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem. Other information must be submitted in the form and format prescribed by the Chief Financial Officer. (a) Each component unit shall file financial information and other information necessary for the preparation of annual financial statements with the agency or branch designated by the Chief Financial Officer by the date specified by the Chief Financial Officer. (b) The state agency or branch designated by the Chief Financial Officer to receive financial information and other information from component units shall include the financial information in the Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem and shall include the component units’ other information in its submission to the Chief Financial Officer. (3) The Chief Financial Officer shall: (a) Prepare and furnish to the Auditor General annual financial statements for the state on or before December 31 of each year, using generally accepted accounting principles. (b) Prepare and publish an annual comprehensive financial report for the state in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles on or before February 28 of each year. (c) Furnish the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives with a copy of the annual comprehensive financial report prepared pursuant to paragraph (b). (d) Notify each agency and the judicial branch of the data that is required to be recorded to enhance accountability for tracking federal financial assistance. (e) Provide reports, as requested, to executive or judicial branch entities, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the members of the Florida Congressional Delegation, detailing the federal financial assistance received and disbursed by state agencies and the judicial branch. (f) Consult with and elicit comments from the Executive Office of the Governor on changes to the Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem which clearly affect the accounting of federal funds, so as to ensure consistency of information entered into the Federal Aid Tracking System by state executive and judicial branch entities. While efforts shall be made to ensure the compatibility of the Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem and the Federal Aid Tracking System, any successive systems serving identical or similar functions shall preserve such compatibility. The Chief Financial Officer may furnish and publish in electronic form the financial statements and the annual comprehensive financial report required under paragraphs (a), (b), and (c). (4) If any agency or the judicial branch fails to comply with subsection (1) or subsection (2), the Chief Financial Officer may refuse to honor salary claims for agency or branch fiscal and executive staff until the agency or branch corrects its deficiency. (5) The Chief Financial Officer may withhold any funds payable to a component unit that does not comply with subsection (1) or subsection (2) until the component unit corrects its deficiency.

F.S. 216.103 Agencies receiving federal funds; designation of coordinating official; duties.

(1) The intent of the Legislature is that state agencies which receive federal funds take appropriate steps to enhance their level of readiness in preparing for anticipated changes in the Federal Government’s continually changing relationship with the state. (2) Each state agency receiving any federal funds shall: (a) Designate a senior official having a direct reporting relationship to the agency head to be responsible for the internal coordination of the agency’s efforts to maximize the amount of federally derived dollars the agency receives. Such designee shall serve as a point of contact on federal funds issues for the Executive Office of the Governor and shall oversee and coordinate the individual agency’s efforts in acquiring federal funds. When requested, such designee shall notify the Executive Office of the Governor of the award or denial of federal grants to the agency, including reasons for denial if readily discernible. (b) Create and maintain an inventory of all programs which are partially or fully funded from federal sources and provide reports to the Executive Office of the Governor or legislative committees, as requested. Reports based on said inventory shall be consistent with and complement the Federal Aid Tracking System. (c) Develop, document, and implement, in a manner prescribed by the Executive Office of the Governor, an internal process whereby information on all federal funds received, as well as the impact of congressional initiatives on the state, can be collected, assimilated, and evaluated rapidly. (d) Establish and maintain a process to identify and monitor specific opportunities to preserve or enhance the state’s share of federal grant-in-aid programs, improve the delivery of services utilizing federal funds, and realize the benefits of additional flexibility given to the state in federal programs. Such a process should include provisions for interagency cooperation and coordination, which may be required in the event of federal program consolidations or changes in federal funding formulas in any given year.

F.S. 216.0111 State agency contracts; required information to be provided to Department of Financial Services.

(1) Each state agency, as defined in s. 216.011, shall provide the following information to the Department of Financial Services regarding the agency’s contracted activities: (a) The nature of the commodities or services purchased. (b) The term of the contract. (c) The final obligation made by the agency. (d) A summary of any time constraints that apply to the procurement. (e) The justification for not using the competitive solicitation, including any statutory exemption or exception. (f) Other information regarding the contract or the procurement which may be required by the Department of Financial Services. (2) This section applies to any contract executed on or after July 1, 2010, for the purchase of commodities or contractual services in excess of the CATEGORY TWO threshold amount provided in s. 287.017 which is not: (a) Awarded by competitive solicitation pursuant to s. 287.057(1); or (b) Purchased from a purchasing agreement or state term contract pursuant to s. 287.056. (3) An agency must submit the required information to the Department of Financial Services within 3 working days after executing the contract.

F.S. 216.0113 Preferred pricing clauses in state contracts; compliance required.

(1) Each state agency, as defined in s. 216.011, shall review its contracts and, for any contract with a preferred-pricing clause, the agency shall ensure that the contractor complies with such clause. (2) Each contract executed, renewed, extended, or modified on or after July 1, 2010, which includes a preferred-pricing clause, must require an affidavit from an authorized representative of the contractor attesting that the contract is in compliance with the preferred-pricing clause. Such affidavit must be submitted at least annually. A contractor’s failure to comply with a preferred-pricing clause is grounds for terminating the contract at the state agency’s sole discretion. (3) As used in this section, the term “preferred-pricing clause” means a contractual provision under which the state is offered the most favorable price that the contractor offers to any client.

F.S. 216.121 Information to be furnished to the Executive Office of the Governor.

Each state agency, upon request, shall promptly furnish to the Executive Office of the Governor any information in relation to the affairs or activities of such agency in such form as the office may prescribe. The office shall have authority to examine and inspect any and all records and programs of any such state agency.

F.S. 216.131 Public hearings on legislative budgets.

The Governor and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall each provide for at least one public hearing prior to submission of budget recommendations to the Legislature on issues contained in agency legislative budget requests or in the judicial branch budget request and issues that may be included in budget recommendations to the Legislature, which hearing shall be held at such time as the Governor or the Chief Justice may fix. The Governor may require the attendance or participation, or both, at his or her hearings of the heads or responsible representatives of all state agencies supported by any form of taxation or licenses, fees, imposts, or exactions. The Governor and the Chief Justice may provide these hearings simultaneously via electronic format, such as teleconference, Internet, etc., provided that a means for active participation and questions by the audience is accommodated.

F.S. 216.133 Definitions; ss. 216.133-216.138.

As used in ss. 216.133-216.138: (1) “Consensus estimating conference” includes the Economic Estimating Conference, the Demographic Estimating Conference, the Revenue Estimating Conference, the Education Estimating Conference, the Criminal Justice Estimating Conference, the Occupational Forecasting Conference, the Early Learning Programs Estimating Conference, the Self-Insurance Estimating Conference, the Florida Retirement System Actuarial Assumption Conference, and the Social Services Estimating Conference. (2) “Official information” means the data, forecasts, estimates, analyses, studies, and other information which the principals of a consensus estimating conference unanimously adopt for purposes of the state planning and budgeting system. (3) “Consensus” means the unanimous consent of all of the principals of a consensus estimating conference.

F.S. 216.134 Consensus estimating conferences; general provisions.

(1) Each consensus estimating conference shall develop such official information within its area of responsibility as the conference determines, by consensus, is needed for purposes of the state planning and budgeting system. Unless otherwise provided by law or decided by unanimous agreement of the principals of the conference, all official information developed by the conference shall be based on the assumption that current law and current administrative practices will remain in effect throughout the period for which the official information is to be used. The official information developed by each consensus estimating conference shall include forecasts for a period of at least 10 years, unless the principals of the conference unanimously agree otherwise. (2) Whenever an estimating conference is convened, an official estimate does not exist until a new consensus is reached. (3) The official information developed by the Economic Estimating Conference and the official information developed by the Demographic Estimating Conference shall be used by all other consensus estimating conferences in developing their official information. (4) Consensus estimating conferences are within the legislative branch. The membership of each consensus estimating conference consists of principals and participants. (a) A person designated by law as a principal may preside over conference sessions, convene conference sessions, request information, specify topics to be included on the conference agenda, agree or withhold agreement on whether information is to be official information of the conference, release official information of the conference, interpret official information of the conference, and monitor errors in official information of the conference. The responsibility of presiding over sessions of the conference shall be rotated among the principals. (b) A participant is any person who is invited to participate in the consensus estimating conference by a principal. A participant shall, at the request of any principal before or during any session of the conference, develop alternative forecasts, collect and supply data, perform analyses, or provide other information needed by the conference. The conference shall consider information provided by participants in developing its official information. (c) The principals of each conference shall be professional staff of the Executive Office of the Governor designated by the Governor, the coordinator of the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, professional staff of the Senate designated by the President of the Senate, and professional staff of the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The coordinator of the Office of Economic and Demographic Research may designate other professional staff within that office to act as principals on the conferences. (5) All sessions and meetings of a consensus estimating conference shall be open to the public. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, jointly, shall be the sole judge for the interpretation, implementation, and enforcement of this subsection.

F.S. 216.135 Use of official information by state agencies and the judicial branch.

Each state agency and the judicial branch shall use the official information developed by the consensus estimating conferences in carrying out their duties under the state planning and budgeting system. State agencies, including their divisions, bureaus, and statutorily created entities, must ensure that any related work product is consistent with the official information developed by the Economic Estimating Conference, the Demographic Estimating Conference, and the Labor Market Estimating Conference.

F.S. 216.136 Consensus estimating conferences; duties and principals.

(1) ECONOMIC ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — The Economic Estimating Conference shall develop such official information with respect to the national and state economies as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system. The basic, long-term forecasts which are a part of its official information shall be trend forecasts. However, the conference may include cycle forecasts as a part of its official information if the subject matter of the forecast warrants a cycle forecast and if such forecast is developed in a special impact session of the conference. (2) DEMOGRAPHIC ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — The Demographic Estimating Conference shall develop such official information with respect to the population of the nation and state by age, race, and sex as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system. The conference shall use the official population estimates provided under s. 186.901 in developing its official information. (3) REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — The Revenue Estimating Conference shall develop such official information with respect to anticipated state and local government revenues as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system. Any principal may request the conference to review and estimate revenues for any trust fund. (4) EDUCATION ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — (a) The Education Estimating Conference shall develop such official information relating to the state public and private educational system, including forecasts of student enrollments, the national average of tuition and fees at public postsecondary educational institutions, the number of students qualified for state financial aid programs and for the William L. Boyd, IV, Effective Access to Student Education Grant Program and the appropriation required to fund the full award amounts for each program, fixed capital outlay needs, and Florida Education Finance Program formula needs, as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system. The conference’s initial projections of enrollments in public schools shall be forwarded by the conference to each school district no later than 2 months prior to the start of the regular session of the Legislature. Each school district may, in writing, request adjustments to the initial projections. Any adjustment request shall be submitted to the conference no later than 1 month prior to the start of the regular session of the Legislature and shall be considered by the principals of the conference. A school district may amend its adjustment request, in writing, during the first 3 weeks of the legislative session, and such amended adjustment request shall be considered by the principals of the conference. For any adjustment so requested, the district shall indicate and explain, using definitions adopted by the conference, the components of anticipated enrollment changes that correspond to continuation of current programs with workload changes; program improvement; program reduction or elimination; initiation of new programs; and any other information that may be needed by the Legislature. For public schools, the conference shall submit its full-time equivalent student consensus estimate to the Legislature no later than 1 month after the start of the regular session of the Legislature. No conference estimate may be changed without the agreement of the full conference. (b) No later than 2 months prior to the start of the regular session of the Legislature, the conference shall forward to each eligible postsecondary education institution its initial projections of the number of students qualified for state financial aid programs and the appropriation required to fund those students at the full award amount. Each postsecondary education institution may request, in writing, adjustments to the initial projection. Any adjustment request must be submitted to the conference no later than 1 month prior to the start of the regular session of the Legislature and shall be considered by the principals of the conference. For any adjustment so requested, the postsecondary education institution shall indicate and explain, using definitions adopted by the conference, the components of anticipated changes that correspond to continuation of current programs with enrollment changes, program reduction or elimination, initiation of new programs, award amount increases or decreases, and any other information that is considered by the conference. The conference shall submit its consensus estimate to the Legislature no later than 1 month after the start of the regular session of the Legislature. No conference estimate may be changed without the agreement of the full conference. (5) CRIMINAL JUSTICE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — The Criminal Justice Estimating Conference shall: (a) Develop such official information relating to the criminal justice system, including forecasts of prison admissions and population and of supervised felony offender admissions and population, as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system. (b) Develop such official information relating to the number of eligible discharges and the projected number of civil commitments for determining space needs pursuant to the civil proceedings provided under part V of chapter 394. (c) Develop official information relating to the number of sexual offenders and sexual predators who are required by law to be placed on community control, probation, or conditional release who are subject to electronic monitoring. (6) SOCIAL SERVICES ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — (a) The Social Services Estimating Conference shall develop such official information relating to the social services system of the state, including forecasts of social services caseloads, utilization, and expenditures, as the conference determines is needed for the state planning and budgeting system. Such official information shall include, but not be limited to, cash assistance and Medicaid caseloads. (b) The Social Services Estimating Conference shall develop information relating to the Florida Kidcare program, including, but not limited to, outreach impacts, enrollment, caseload, utilization, and expenditure information that the conference determines is needed to plan for and project future budgets and the drawdown of federal matching funds. (7) LABOR MARKET ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — (a) The Labor Market Estimating Conference shall develop such official information with respect to supply and demand in Florida’s statewide and regional labor markets as the conference determines is needed by the state’s near-term and long-term planning and budgeting system. Such information must include labor supply by education level, analyses of labor demand by occupational groups and occupations compared to labor supply, and a ranking of critical areas of concern prioritized by level of statewide or regional shortages. The Office of Economic and Demographic Research is designated as the official lead for the United States Census Bureau’s State Data Center Program or its successor. All state agencies shall provide the Office of Economic and Demographic Research with the necessary data to accomplish the goals of the conference. (b) The Labor Market Estimating Conference, for the purposes described in paragraph (a), shall meet at least twice a year and as necessary to address emerging opportunities for the state’s economy. (8) EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — (a) The Early Learning Programs Estimating Conference shall develop estimates and forecasts of the unduplicated count of children eligible for the school readiness program in accordance with the standards of eligibility established in s. 1002.87 and of children eligible for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program in accordance with s. 1002.53(2), as the conference determines are needed to support the state planning, budgeting, and appropriations processes. (b) The Division of Early Learning shall provide information on needs and waiting lists for school readiness programs, and information on the needs for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program, as requested by the Early Learning Programs Estimating Conference or individual conference principals in a timely manner. (9) SELF-INSURANCE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE. — The Self-Insurance Estimating Conference shall develop such official information on self-insurance related issues as the conference determines is needed by the state planning and budgeting system. (10) FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTION CONFERENCE. — The Florida Retirement System Actuarial Assumption Conference shall develop official information with respect to the economic and noneconomic assumptions and funding methods of the Florida Retirement System necessary to perform the system actuarial study undertaken pursuant to s. 121.031(3). Such information shall include: an analysis of the actuarial assumptions and actuarial methods used in the study and a determination of whether changes to the assumptions or methods need to be made due to experience changes or revised future forecasts.

F.S. 216.137 Sessions of consensus estimating conferences; workpapers.

(1) SESSIONS. — A session of a consensus estimating conference may be convened as follows: (a) For the Governor. — A session may be convened at the call of the Executive Office of the Governor to develop official information on behalf of the Governor for use in preparing his or her legislative budget recommendations. (b) For the Legislature. — A session may be convened at the call of a principal who represents the Legislature or his or her designee to develop official information on behalf of the Legislature for use in its budget deliberations. (c) To review official information. — After adequate notice, a session may be convened at the call of any principal to review and reconsider any official information of the conference that the principal feels is no longer valid. Any participant in the conference may notify a principal in writing if the participant feels that any official information of the conference is no longer valid. The principal shall review the matter and, if he or she feels that a session of the conference is warranted, convene the conference for the purpose of reviewing and reconsidering such official information. (d) To consider special impacts. — After adequate notice, any principal may call a special impact session of the conference to develop official information which reflects specific changes or proposed changes relating to the area of responsibility of the conference. (2) FINAL SESSIONS. — Following each regular session of the Legislature, each consensus estimating conference shall convene to revise its official information to reflect changes made in the law. The official information developed at this final session of the conference shall be published by the conference and shall constitute the official information of the conference until the adjournment of the next estimating conference. The principal who is responsible for presiding over the conference shall prepare a final report relating to the official information of the conference. The report shall be completed within 2 working days after the final session of the conference adjourns. It is the official information developed at this final session of the conference and at each estimating conference that shall be monitored by the principals. (3) WORKPAPERS. — The principal who is responsible for presiding over the session of a consensus estimating conference, or his or her designee, is responsible for preparing and distributing the necessary workpapers prior to the meetings of the conference. Any principal may cancel a meeting of the conference if such workpapers have not been distributed prior to the meeting. The workpapers shall include comparisons between alternative information when such comparisons are warranted.

F.S. 216.138 Authority to request additional analysis of legislative proposals.

(1) The President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives may request special impact estimating conferences to evaluate legislative proposals based on tools and models not generally employed by the consensus estimating conferences, including cost-benefit, return-on-investment, or dynamic scoring techniques, when suitable and appropriate for the legislative proposals being evaluated. (2) Unless exempt from s. 119.07(1), information used to develop the analyses shall be available to the public. In addition, all meetings of a special impact estimating conference shall be open to the public. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, jointly, shall be the sole judge for the interpretation, implementation, and enforcement of this subsection. (3) A special impact estimating conference shall consist of four principals: one person from the Executive Office of the Governor; the coordinator of the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, or his or her designee; one person from the professional staff of the Senate; and one person from the professional staff of the House of Representatives. Each principal shall have appropriate fiscal expertise in the subject matter of the legislative proposal. A separate special impact estimating conference may be appointed for each proposal. (4) After the designation of the four principals, a special impact estimating conference shall convene to adopt official information relating to the proposal. (a) A principal may invite any person to participate in a special impact estimating conference. Such person shall be designated as a participant. A participant shall, at the request of any principal before or during any meeting of a conference, collect and supply data, perform analyses, or provide other information needed by a conference. (b) The principal from the Office of Economic and Demographic Research may convene any of the conferences established in s. 216.136 to reach a consensus on supplemental information required for the analysis of the proposed legislation. (c) All official information of a special impact estimating conference shall be adopted by consensus of all of the principals of the conference. For the purposes of this section, the terms “official information” and “consensus” have the same meanings as provided in s. 216.133.

F.S. 216.141 Budget system procedures; planning and programming by state agencies.

(1) The Executive Office of the Governor, in consultation with the appropriations committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, and by utilizing the Florida Financial Management Information System management data and the Chief Financial Officer’s chart of accounts, shall prescribe a planning and budgeting system, pursuant to s. 215.94(1), to provide for continuous planning and programming and for effective management practices for the efficient operations of all state agencies and the judicial branch. The Legislature may contract with the Executive Office of the Governor to develop the planning and budgeting system and to provide services to the Legislature for the support and use of the legislative appropriations system. The contract shall include the policies and procedures for combining the legislative appropriations system with the planning and budgeting information system established pursuant to s. 215.94(1). At a minimum, the contract shall require the use of common data codes. The combined legislative appropriations and planning and budgeting information subsystem shall support the legislative appropriations and legislative oversight functions without data code conversion or modification. (2) The Florida Management Information Board shall notify the Auditor General of any changes or modifications to the Florida Financial Management Information System and its functional owner information subsystems. (3) The Chief Financial Officer, as chief fiscal officer, shall use the Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem developed pursuant to s. 215.94(2) for account purposes in the performance of and accounting for all of his or her constitutional and statutory duties and responsibilities. However, state agencies and the judicial branch continue to be responsible for maintaining accounting records necessary for effective management of their programs and functions.

F.S. 216.151 Duties of the Executive Office of the Governor.

It shall be the duty of the Executive Office of the Governor to: (1) Make a detailed study, as necessary, of each of the several state agencies, with a view toward ascertaining and determining the needs thereof; whether changes should be made in existing organizations, their activities and methods of operation; what appropriation should be made therefor; whether the operations and activities of different agencies or within the same agencies should be combined, consolidated, or integrated or should be regrouped and rearranged, all to the end of securing greater economy without sacrificing efficiency in the operations of such agencies. In order to accomplish this type of study, the Executive Office of the Governor may request any or all agencies to submit a budget plan with respect to targets established by the Governor. Such a request shall not influence the agencies’ independent judgments in making legislative budget requests, as required by law. (2) Prepare an analysis of the legislative budget requests submitted by state agencies and the judicial branch covering their respective operational and fixed capital outlay requirements. (3) Prepare such other data as will reflect the financial condition of the state and its agencies at the close of the prior fiscal year and an estimate of what that condition will be at the close of the current fiscal year. (4) Prepare a statement of policy to assure that fixed capital outlay appropriations recommended by the Governor will be consistent with recommended operational standards related to programs and utilization. (5) Provide to the Legislature any information used to justify and evaluate the Governor’s recommended balanced budget. (6) Consult with the Office of State-Federal Relations in Washington, D.C., under the Executive Office of the Governor, in order to: (a) Evaluate current levels of federal authorization to determine how the state might obtain a more equitable share of federal funding. (b) Develop a federal-aid formula database in order to catalog all existing federal formulas and identify funding inequities. (c) Establish a federal formula modeling capability, to the extent allowable by resources. Such a modeling component should be designed in a manner which assists the state and its federal representatives in assessing periodic legislation before Congress which disseminates financial assistance to state and local governments based on a formula or set of formulas. (d) Develop and implement a communications network to link the Legislature and the executive branch with Florida’s Congressional Delegation. Such a network should allow for the rapid transmittal of: 1. Data on restructuring formula-based legislation. 2. Information on block grants and the impact of periodic proposals related thereto. 3. Information relating to federal mandate issues. 4. Data pertaining to other matters associated with federally derived funds which have an impact upon the state. The express intent of the endeavors enumerated in this subsection shall be to secure a more equitable share of available federal revenues. (7) Perform such other duties as may be required by law or by the Governor.

F.S. 216.0152 Inventory of state-owned facilities or state-occupied facilities.

(1) The Department of Management Services shall develop and maintain an automated inventory of all facilities owned, leased, rented, or otherwise occupied or maintained by a state agency, the judicial branch, or the water management districts. The inventory data shall be provided annually by July 1 by the owning or operating agency in a format prescribed by the department and must include the location, occupying agency, ownership, size, condition assessment, valuations, operating costs, maintenance record, age, parking and employee facilities, building uses, full-time equivalent occupancy, known restrictions or historic designations, leases or subleases, associated revenues, and other information as required by rule adopted by the department. The department shall use this data for determining maintenance needs, conducting strategic analyses, including, but not limited to, analyzing and identifying candidates for surplus, valuation, and disposition, and life-cycle cost evaluations of the facility. The inventory need not include a condition assessment or maintenance record of facilities not owned by a state agency, the judicial branch, or a water management district. The term “facility,” as used in this section, means buildings, structures, and building systems, but does not include transportation facilities of the state transportation system. (a) For reporting purposes, the Department of Transportation shall develop and maintain an inventory of the transportation facilities of the state transportation system. The Department of Transportation shall also identify and dispose of surplus property pursuant to ss. 337.25 and 339.04. (b) The Board of Governors of the State University System and the Department of Education, respectively, shall develop and maintain an inventory, in the manner prescribed by the Department of Management Services, of all state university and community college facilities and, by July 1 of each year, provide this inventory data in a format acceptable to the Department of Management Services. (2) The Department of Management Services and the Department of Environmental Protection shall, by October 1 of each year, publish a complete report detailing the inventory of all state-owned facilities, including the inventories of the Board of Governors of the State University System, the Department of Education, and the Department of Transportation, excluding the transportation facilities of the state transportation system. The annual report of state-owned real property recommended for disposition required under s. 216.0153 must be included in this report. (3) The Department of Management Services shall adopt rules to administer this section.

F.S. 216.0153 Comprehensive state-owned real property system.

Whereas, the Legislature finds that it is in the best interest of the state to identify surplus property and dispose of such property owned by the state that is unnecessary to achieving the state’s responsibilities, that may cost more to maintain than the revenue generated, that does not serve any public purpose, or from which the state may derive a substantially similar public purpose under private ownership. (1) The Department of Environmental Protection shall create, administer, and maintain a comprehensive system for all state lands and real property leased, owned, rented, and otherwise occupied or maintained by any state agency, by the judicial branch, and by any water management district. The comprehensive state-owned real property system shall allow the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund to perform its statutory responsibilities and the Division of State Lands in the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct strategic analyses and prepare annual valuation and disposition analyses and recommendations for all state real property assets. (a) The comprehensive state-owned real property system must contain a database that includes an accurate inventory of all real property that is leased, owned, rented, occupied, or managed by the state, the judicial branch, or the water management districts. (b) The Division of State Lands in the Department of Environmental Protection shall be the statewide custodian of the real property information and shall be accountable for its accuracy. (c) All state agencies and water management districts shall enter required real property information in the comprehensive system according to standards published by the Division of State Lands. (2) The comprehensive state-owned real property system must accomplish the following objectives: (a) Eliminate the need for redundant state real property information collection processes and state agency information systems. (b) Reduce the need to lease or acquire additional real property as a result of an annual surplus valuation, utilization, and disposition analysis. (c) Enable regional planning as a tool for cost-effective buy, sell, and lease decisions. (d) Increase state revenues and maximize operational efficiencies by annually identifying those state-owned real properties that are the best candidates for surplus or disposition. (e) Ensure all state real property is identified by collaborating and integrating with the Department of Revenue data as submitted by the county property appraisers. (f) Implement required functionality and processes for state agencies to electronically submit all applicable real property information using a web browser application. (3) By October 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, the Division of State Lands in the Department of Environmental Protection shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report that lists the state-owned real property recommended for disposition, including a report by the Department of Management Services of surplus buildings recommended for disposition. The report shall include specific information that documents the valuation and analysis process used to identify the specific state-owned real property recommended for disposition.

F.S. 216.0158 Assessment of facility needs.

(1) By analyzing the trends and conditions, goals and objectives, and current facilities inventory, each agency and the judicial branch shall determine its unmet and forecasted future needs. (2) On or before September 15 of each year, each state agency, as defined in s. 216.011, shall submit to the Executive Office of the Governor, and each district court of appeal and the Marshal of the Supreme Court shall submit to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in a manner prescribed by the legislative budget instructions, a short-term plan for facility needs covering the next 5-year period. The short-term plan shall list the agency’s or judicial branch’s facility needs in order of priority and shall include preventive maintenance strategies, expected replacement of existing facilities, expected improvements or additions to facilities on a specific project-by-project basis, estimated cost, and other information as prescribed by the legislative budget instructions. The Chief Justice shall certify the final approved plan for the judicial branch to the Executive Office of the Governor which shall include the plan, without modification, in the state comprehensive plan. (3) Based on the plans submitted by each agency or certified by the Chief Justice, the Executive Office of the Governor shall prepare a state comprehensive plan for facility needs and related expenditures. The plan shall provide a 5-year schedule for preventive maintenance, replacement, improvement, or construction of facilities on a specific project-by-project basis. (4) The first year of the plan referred to in subsection (2) shall comport with the requirements of s. 216.043. (5) Each plan for years 2 through 5 shall provide the following information: (a) A full explanation of the basis for each project, including a description of the function which requires the facility; an explanation of the inability of existing facilities to meet such requirements; historical background; alternatives; and anticipated changes in both initial and continuing operating costs. (b) An application of standards and criteria to establish the scope of each project. (c) An application of cost factors to all elements of each project to establish an estimate of funding requirements. (d) A request for a legislative appropriation to provide such funding in the appropriate fiscal year, including the need for advance funding of programming and design activities.

F.S. 216.162 Governor’s recommended budget to be furnished Legislature; copies to members.

(1) At least 30 days before the scheduled annual legislative session, or at a later date if requested by the Governor and approved in writing by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Governor shall furnish each senator and representative a copy of his or her recommended balanced budget for the state, based on the Governor’s own conclusions and judgment. (2) There shall be included in such document the details of the Governor’s recommended balanced budget, including his or her recommended appropriations pursuant to s. 216.163, his or her recommended revenues pursuant to s. 216.165, and a financial schedule showing that his or her estimates of state revenues will be sufficient to fund the Governor’s recommendations pursuant to s. 216.167.

F.S. 216.163 Governor’s recommended budget; form and content; declaration of collective bargaining impasses.

(1) The Governor’s recommended budget shall be referenced to the legislative budget requests prescribed in ss. 216.023 and 216.043 and shall be consistent with the format of the current fiscal year General Appropriations Act. (2) The Governor’s recommended budget shall also include: (a) The Governor’s recommendations for operating each state agency, and those of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for operating the judicial branch, for the next fiscal year. These recommendations shall be displayed by appropriation category within each budget entity and shall also include the legislative budget request of the corresponding agency. In order to present a balanced budget as required by s. 216.162, the Governor’s recommendations for operating appropriations may include an alternative recommendation to that of the Chief Justice. (b)1. The Governor’s recommendations and those of the Chief Justice for fixed capital outlay appropriations for the next fiscal year. These recommendations shall be displayed by budget entity and shall also include the legislative budget request of the corresponding agency. In order to present a balanced budget as required by s. 216.162, the Governor’s recommendations for fixed capital outlay appropriations may include an alternative recommendation to that of the Chief Justice. 2. For each specific fixed capital outlay project or group of projects or operating capital outlay requests recommended to be funded from a proposed state debt or obligation, he or she shall make available pursuant to s. 216.164(1)(a) the documents set forth in s. 216.0442(2). (c) The evaluation of the fixed capital outlay request of each agency and the judicial branch and alternatives to the proposed projects as made by the Department of Management Services pursuant to s. 216.044. (d) A summary statement of the amount of appropriations requested by each state agency and as recommended by the Governor and by the judicial branch. (e) A distinct listing of all nonrecurring appropriations recommended by the Governor or the Chief Justice. (f) Any additional information which the Governor or Chief Justice feels is needed to justify his or her recommendations. (3) The Governor shall provide to the Legislature a performance-based program budget. Information submitted to the Legislature shall be provided in a fashion that will allow comparison of the requested information with the agency request and legislative appropriation by the automated legislative appropriation planning and budgeting system. (4) The Executive Office of the Governor shall review the findings of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, to the extent they are available, request any reports or additional analyses as necessary, and submit a recommendation for executive agencies, which may include a recommendation regarding incentives or disincentives for agency performance. Incentives or disincentives may apply to all or part of a state agency. The Chief Justice shall review the findings of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability regarding judicial branch performance and make appropriate recommendations for the judicial branch. (a) Incentives may include, but are not limited to: 1. Additional flexibility in budget management, such as, but not limited to, the use of lump sums or special categories; consolidation of budget entities or program components; consolidation of appropriation categories; and increased agency transfer authority between appropriation categories or budget entities. 2. Additional flexibility in salary rate and position management. 3. Retention of up to 50 percent of all unencumbered balances of appropriations as of June 30, or undisbursed balances as of December 31, excluding special categories and grants and aids, which may be used for nonrecurring purposes including, but not limited to, lump-sum bonuses, employee training, or productivity enhancements, including technology and other improvements. 4. Additional funds to be used for, but not limited to, lump-sum bonuses, employee training, or productivity enhancements, including technology and other improvements. 5. Additional funds provided pursuant to law to be released to an agency quarterly or incrementally contingent upon the accomplishment of units of output or outcome specified in the General Appropriations Act. (b) Disincentives may include, but are not limited to: 1. Mandatory quarterly reports to the Executive Office of the Governor and the Legislature on the agency’s progress in meeting performance standards. 2. Mandatory quarterly appearances before the Legislature, the Governor, or the Governor and Cabinet to report on the agency’s progress in meeting performance standards. 3. Elimination or restructuring of the program, which may include, but not be limited to, transfer of the program or outsourcing all or a portion of the program. 4. Reduction of total positions for a program. 5. Restriction on or reduction of the spending authority provided in s. 216.292(2)(b). 6. Reduction of managerial salaries. (5) At the same time that the Governor furnishes each senator and representative with a copy of his or her recommended balanced budget under s. 216.162(1), the Executive Office of the Governor shall electronically transmit to the legislative appropriations committees the Governor’s recommended budget, the Exhibit B, Major Issues, and D-3a’s. (6) At the time the Governor is required to furnish copies of his or her recommended budget to each senator and representative under s. 216.162(1), the Governor shall declare an impasse in all collective bargaining negotiations for which he or she is deemed to be the public employer and for which a collective bargaining agreement has not been executed.

F.S. 216.164 Governor’s recommended budget; supporting information.

(1) Not later than 14 days after the Governor submits his or her recommended budget to the Legislature pursuant to ss. 216.162 and 216.163, the Executive Office of the Governor shall make available: (a) To the legislative appropriations committees an appropriations bill as recommended by the Governor, an economic impact statement, and appropriate staff analyses or support materials used to develop the Governor’s budget recommendations. Any proposed changes in the benefits provided under the state employee group health self-insurance plan shall be accompanied by a statement signed by an enrolled actuary indicating the amount by which monthly plan premiums would need to change if the proposed benefit changes were exclusively funded by a change in plan premiums. (b) To the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives any additional legislation in bill form which will be needed to fully implement the Governor’s recommended budget. Upon receipt, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall transmit each such bill to the chair of the appropriate committee. (2) The Governor, upon request, shall promptly furnish to the Legislature any appropriate information relating to the Governor’s recommendations. (3) The Governor may provide to the Legislature a program budget or a performance-based budget for any state agency, in a form prescribed by the Executive Office of the Governor. Information submitted to the Legislature shall be presented in a fashion that will allow comparison of the requested information with the agency request, Governor’s recommendations, and legislative appropriations by the automated legislative appropriation system/planning and budgeting system.

F.S. 216.165 Governor’s recommended revenues.

The Governor shall recommend revenues for the funds provided for in s. 215.32. The recommended revenues shall be sufficient to fund his or her recommended appropriations. Such recommended revenues shall include: (1) The Governor’s estimate of revenues from current revenue sources during the current fiscal year and during the next fiscal year. (2) The Governor’s estimate of the effect of his or her recommended changes in revenue sources on revenues from current sources. (3) The national and state economic assumptions. (4) A delineation of revenues from all sources, which delineation identifies those revenues which are recurring and those revenues which are nonrecurring.

F.S. 216.166 Governor’s recommended revenues; supporting information.

(1) Not later than 14 days after the Governor submits his or her recommended revenues to the Legislature pursuant to s. 216.165, the Executive Office of the Governor shall make available: (a) To the legislative finance and tax committees an economic impact statement and appropriate staff analyses or support materials used to develop the Governor’s revenue recommendations. (b) To the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives any legislation in bill form which will be needed to fully implement the Governor’s recommended revenues. Upon receipt, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall transmit each such bill to the chair of the appropriate committee. (2) The Governor, upon request, shall promptly furnish to the Legislature any appropriate information relating to his or her recommendations.

F.S. 216.167 Governor’s recommendations.

The Governor’s recommendations shall include a financial schedule that provides: (1) The Governor’s estimate of the recommended recurring revenues available in the Budget Stabilization Fund and the General Revenue Fund. (2) The Governor’s estimate of the recommended nonrecurring revenues available in the Budget Stabilization Fund and the General Revenue Fund. (3) The Governor’s recommended recurring and nonrecurring appropriations from the Budget Stabilization Fund and the General Revenue Fund. (4) The Governor’s estimates of any interfund loans or temporary obligations of the Budget Stabilization Fund, the General Revenue Fund, or trust funds, which loans or obligations are needed to implement his or her recommended budget. (5)(a) For any recommendation to be funded by a proposed state debt or obligation as defined in s. 216.0442, the documents set forth in s. 216.0442(2) and a 5-year estimate of the program operational costs associated with any proposed fixed capital outlay project to be funded by the proposed state debt or obligation. (b) The Governor’s estimates of the debt service and reserve requirements for any recommended new bond issues or reissues and his or her recommended debt service appropriations for all outstanding fixed capital outlay bond issues.

F.S. 216.168 Governor’s amended revenue or budget recommendations; optional and mandatory.

(1) At any time following submission of his or her budget recommendations and revenues recommendations, the Governor may amend his or her recommendations. (2) The amended recommendations shall be furnished to the Legislature along with the reasons for the amended recommendations. (3) The amended recommendations shall include the materials required in ss. 216.163 and 216.165; and the Executive Office of the Governor shall provide, within 3 days after the Governor amends his or her recommendations, the supporting information required under ss. 216.164 and 216.166. (4) If the Governor determines, at any time after he or she has furnished the Legislature with his or her recommendations or amended recommendations, that the revenue estimates upon which the Governor’s recommendations were based are insufficient to fund these recommendations, the Governor shall amend his or her revenues or appropriations recommendations to bring the Governor’s recommended budget into balance.

F.S. 216.172 Meetings of legislative appropriations committees.

(1) The appropriations committees of the Senate and of the House of Representatives, being in charge of appropriation measures, shall sit in open sessions while considering the budget. The committees may cause the attendance of agency heads or responsible representatives of the state agencies and the judicial branch to furnish such information and answer such questions as the committees shall require, and to these sessions shall be admitted, with the right to be heard, all persons interested in the estimates. (2) Each member of the Cabinet and each department headed by the Governor and Cabinet, in addition to submitting their budget requests to the Governor, may submit their budget requests directly to the appropriate committees of the Legislature and may make presentations directly to the Legislature pertaining to such requests.

F.S. 216.176 Truth in budgeting.

The Governor’s recommended budget shall contain a “truth in budgeting” statement which shall display in summary form all currently estimated fees, taxes, revenues, or other income which need to be raised to fund the proposed budget and its annualized costs. The “truth in budgeting” statement for the General Appropriations Act shall be completed by the Legislature as soon as practicable but no later than 72 hours prior to the end of the period authorized by law for veto consideration by the Governor.

F.S. 216.177 Appropriations acts, statement of intent, violation, notice, review and objection procedures.

(1) When an appropriations act is delivered to the Governor after the Legislature has adjourned sine die, as soon as practicable, but no later than the 10th day before the end of the period allowed by law for veto consideration in any year in which an appropriation is made, the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees shall jointly transmit: (a) The official list of General Revenue Fund appropriations determined in consultation with the Executive Office of the Governor to be nonrecurring; and (b) The documents set forth in s. 216.0442(2)(a) and (c), to the Executive Office of the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the Auditor General, the director of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and each state agency. A request for additional explanation and direction regarding the legislative intent of the General Appropriations Act during the fiscal year may be made to the chair and vice chair of the Legislative Budget Commission or the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives only by and through the Executive Office of the Governor for state agencies, and by and through the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the judicial branch, as is deemed necessary. However, the Chief Financial Officer may also request further clarification of legislative intent pursuant to the Chief Financial Officer’s responsibilities related to his or her preaudit function of expenditures. (2)(a) Whenever notice of action to be taken by the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is required by law, such notice shall be given to the chair and vice chair of the Legislative Budget Commission in writing, and shall be delivered at least 14 days prior to the action referred to, unless a shorter period is approved in writing by the chair and vice chair or a different period is specified by law. If the action is solely for the release of funds appropriated by the Legislature, the notice shall be delivered at least 3 days before the effective date of the action. Action shall not be taken on any budget item for which this chapter requires notice to the Legislative Budget Commission or the appropriations committees without such notice having been provided, even though there may be good cause for considering such item. (b) If the chair and vice chair of the Legislative Budget Commission or the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives timely advise, in writing, the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court that an action or a proposed action, including any expenditure of funds resulting from the settlement of litigation involving a state agency or officer, whether subject to the notice and review requirements of this chapter or not, exceeds the delegated authority of the Executive Office of the Governor for the executive branch or the Chief Justice for the judicial branch, respectively, or is contrary to legislative policy and intent, the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall void such action and instruct the affected state agency or entity of the judicial branch to change immediately its spending action or spending proposal until the Legislative Budget Commission or the Legislature addresses the issue. The written documentation shall indicate the specific reasons that an action or proposed action exceeds the delegated authority or is contrary to legislative policy and intent. (c) The House of Representatives and the Senate shall provide by rule that any member of the House of Representatives or Senate may request, in writing, of either the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives to initiate the procedures of paragraph (b). (3) The Legislature may annually specify any incentives and disincentives for agencies operating programs under performance-based budgets pursuant to this chapter in the General Appropriations Act or legislation implementing the General Appropriations Act.

F.S. 216.178 General Appropriations Act; format; procedure.

(1) Any information contained in a conference committee report on a general or supplemental appropriations bill, on any other bill adopted by the same conference committee to implement a general or supplemental appropriations bill and effective for the same period as such appropriations bill, or on a revenue bill during any regular or special legislative session must be made available to the members of the Legislature and to the public at least 72 hours before the report may be voted on by the Senate or the House of Representatives. (2) The Office of Planning and Budgeting shall develop a final budget report that reflects the net appropriations for each budget item. The report shall reflect actual expenditures for each of the 2 preceding fiscal years and the estimated expenditures for the current fiscal year. In addition, the report must contain the actual revenues and cash balances for the preceding 2 fiscal years and the estimated revenues and cash balances for the current fiscal year. The report may also contain expenditure data, program objectives, and program measures for each state agency program. The report must be produced by the 120th day of each fiscal year. A copy of the report must be made available to each member of the Legislature, to the head of each state agency, to the Auditor General, to the director of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, and to the public.

F.S. 216.179 Reinstatement of vetoed appropriations by administrative means prohibited.

After the Governor has vetoed a specific appropriation for an agency or the judicial branch, neither the Governor, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, nor a state agency, in their various statutory and constitutional roles, may authorize expenditures for or implementation in any manner of the programs that were authorized by the vetoed appropriation.

F.S. 216.181 Approved budgets for operations and fixed capital outlay.

(1) The General Appropriations Act and any other acts containing appropriations shall be considered the original approved operating budgets for operational and fixed capital expenditures. Amendments to the approved operating budgets for operational and fixed capital outlay expenditures from state agencies may be requested only through the Executive Office of the Governor and approved by the Governor and the Legislative Budget Commission as provided in this chapter. Amendments from the judicial branch may be requested only through the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and must be approved by the Chief Justice and the Legislative Budget Commission as provided in this chapter. This includes amendments which are necessary to implement the provisions of s. 216.212 or s. 216.221. (2) Amendments to the original approved operating budgets for operational and fixed capital outlay expenditures must comply with the following guidelines in order to be approved by the Governor and the Legislative Budget Commission for the executive branch and the Chief Justice and the Legislative Budget Commission for the judicial branch: (a) The amendment must be consistent with legislative policy and intent. (b) The amendment may not initiate or commence a new program or a fixed capital outlay project, except as authorized by this chapter, or eliminate an existing program. (c) Except as authorized in s. 216.292 or other provisions of this chapter, the amendment may not provide funding or increased funding for items which were funded by the Legislature in an amount less than that requested by the agency in the legislative budget request or recommended by the Governor, or which were vetoed by the Governor. (d) For amendments that involve trust funds, there must be adequate and appropriate revenues available in the trust fund and the amendment must be consistent with the laws authorizing such trust funds and the laws relating to the use of the trust funds. However, a trust fund shall not be increased in excess of the original approved budget, except as provided in subsection (11). (e) The amendment shall not conflict with any provision of law. (f) The amendment must not provide funding for any issue which was requested by the agency or branch in its legislative budget request and not funded in the General Appropriations Act. (g) The amendment must include a written description of the purpose of the proposed change, an indication of why interim budget action is necessary, and the intended recipient of any funds for contracted services. (h) The amendment must not provide general salary increases which the Legislature has not authorized in the General Appropriations Act or other laws. (3) All amendments to original approved operating budgets, regardless of funding source, are subject to the notice and objection procedures set forth in s. 216.177. (4) To the extent possible, individual members of the Senate and the House of Representatives should be advised of budget amendments requested by the executive branch and judicial branch. (5) An amendment to the original operating budget for an information technology project or initiative that involves more than one agency, has an outcome that impacts another agency, or exceeds $500,000 in total cost over a 1-year period, except for those projects that are a continuation of hardware or software maintenance or software licensing agreements, or that are for desktop replacement that is similar to the technology currently in use must be approved by the Executive Office of the Governor for the executive branch or by the Chief Justice for the judicial branch, and shall be subject to approval by the Legislative Budget Commission as well as the notice and objection procedures set forth in s. 216.177. (6)(a) A detailed plan allocating a lump-sum appropriation to traditional appropriations categories shall be submitted by the affected agency to the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Executive Office of the Governor and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall submit such plan to the chair and vice chair of the Legislative Budget Commission either before or concurrent with the submission of any budget amendment that recommends the transfer and release of the balance of a lump-sum appropriation. (b) The Executive Office of the Governor and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may amend, without approval of the Legislative Budget Commission, state agency and judicial branch entity budgets, respectively, to reflect the transferred funds and to provide the associated increased salary rate based on the approved plans for lump-sum appropriations. Any action proposed pursuant to this paragraph is subject to the procedures set forth in s. 216.177. The Executive Office of the Governor shall transmit to each state agency and the Chief Financial Officer, and the Chief Justice shall transmit to each judicial branch component and the Chief Financial Officer, any approved amendments to the approved operating budgets. (7) The Executive Office of the Governor may, for the purpose of improved contract administration, authorize the consolidation of two or more fixed capital outlay appropriations for an agency, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the judicial branch, except for projects authorized under chapter 1013, provided the original scope and purpose of each project are not changed. (8) As part of the approved operating budget, the Executive Office of the Governor shall furnish to each state agency, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall furnish to the entity of the judicial branch, an approved annual salary rate for each budget entity containing a salary appropriation. This rate shall be based upon the actual salary rate and shall be consistent with the General Appropriations Act or special appropriations acts. The annual salary rate shall be: (a) Determined by the salary rate specified in the General Appropriations Act and adjusted for reorganizations authorized by law, for any other appropriations made by law, and, subject to s. 216.177, for distributions of lump-sum appropriations and administered funds and for actions that require authorization of salary rate from salary rate reserve and placement of salary rate in salary rate reserve. (b) Controlled by department or agency; except for the Department of Education, which shall be controlled by division and for the judicial branch, which shall be controlled at the branch level. (c) Assigned to the number of authorized positions. (9) No agency or the judicial branch may exceed its maximum approved annual salary rate for the fiscal year. However, at any time during the fiscal year, an agency or entity of the judicial branch may exceed its approved rate for all budget entities by no more than 5 percent, provided that, by June 30 of every fiscal year, the agency or entity of the judicial branch has reduced its salary rate so that the salary rate for each department is within the approved rate limit for that department. (10)(a) The Legislative Budget Commission may authorize increases or decreases in the approved salary rate, except as authorized in paragraph (8)(a), for positions pursuant to the request of the agency filed with the Executive Office of the Governor or pursuant to the request of an entity of the judicial branch filed with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, if deemed necessary and in the best interest of the state and consistent with legislative policy and intent. (b) Lump-sum salary bonuses may be provided only if specifically appropriated or provided pursuant to s. 110.1245 or s. 216.1815. (c) The salary rate provisions of subsections (8) and (9) and this subsection do not apply to the general office program of the Executive Office of the Governor. (11)(a) The Executive Office of the Governor and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may approve changes in the amounts appropriated from state trust funds in excess of those in the approved operating budget up to $1 million only pursuant to the federal funds provisions of s. 216.212, when grants and donations are received after April 1, or when deemed necessary due to a set of conditions that were unforeseen at the time the General Appropriations Act was adopted and that are essential to correct in order to continue the operation of government. (b) Changes in the amounts appropriated from state trust funds in excess of those in the approved operating budget which are in excess of $1 million may be approved only by the Legislative Budget Commission pursuant to the request of a state agency filed with the Executive Office of the Governor or pursuant to the request of an entity of the judicial branch filed with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) to the contrary, the Executive Office of the Governor may approve changes in the amounts appropriated to the Department of Military Affairs for fixed capital outlay projects when the department has received federal funds for specific fixed capital outlay projects that do not carry a continuing commitment for future appropriations by the Legislature. 1 (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) and paragraph (2)(b), and for the 2025-2026 fiscal year only, the Legislative Budget Commission may approve budget amendments for new fixed capital outlay projects or increase the amounts appropriated to state agencies for fixed capital outlay projects. This paragraph expires July 1, 2026. The provisions of this subsection are subject to the notice and objection procedures set forth in s. 216.177. (12) There is appropriated nonoperating budget for refunds, payments to the United States Treasury, and payments of the service charge to the General Revenue Fund. Such authorized budget, together with related releases, shall be transmitted by the state agency or by the judicial branch to the Chief Financial Officer for entry in his or her records in the manner and format prescribed by the Executive Office of the Governor in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer. A copy of such authorized budgets shall be furnished to the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice, the chairs of the legislative committees responsible for developing the general appropriations acts, and the Auditor General. Notwithstanding the duty specified for each state agency in s. 17.61(3), the Governor may withhold approval of nonoperating investment authority for certain trust funds when deemed in the best interest of the state. The Governor for the executive branch, and the Chief Justice for the judicial branch, may establish nonoperating budgets, with the approval of the chairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives appropriations committees, for transfers, purchase of investments, special expenses, distributions, transfers of funds specifically required by law, and any other nonoperating budget categories they deem necessary and in the best interest of the state and consistent with legislative intent and policy. For purposes of this section, the term “nonoperating budgets” means nonoperating disbursement authority for purchase of investments, refunds, payments to the United States Treasury, transfers of funds specifically required by law, distributions of assets held by the state in a trustee capacity as an agent of fiduciary, special expenses, and other nonoperating budget categories, as determined necessary by the Executive Office of the Governor and the chairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives appropriations committees, not otherwise appropriated in the General Appropriations Act. The establishment of nonoperating budget authority shall be deemed approved by a chair of a legislative committee if written notice of the objection is not provided to the Governor or Chief Justice, as appropriate, within 14 days of the chair receiving notice of the action pursuant to the provisions of s. 216.177. (13) Each state agency and the judicial branch shall develop the internal management procedures and budgets necessary to assure compliance with the approved operating budget. (14) The Executive Office of the Governor and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall certify the amounts approved for operations and fixed capital outlay, together with any relevant supplementary materials or information, to the Chief Financial Officer; and such certification shall be the Chief Financial Officer’s guide with reference to the expenditures of each state agency pursuant to s. 216.192. (15) The provisions of this section do not apply to the budgets for the legislative branch. (16)(a) Funds provided in any specific appropriation in the General Appropriations Act may be advanced if the General Appropriations Act specifically so provides. (b) Any agency, or the judicial branch, that has been authorized by the General Appropriations Act or expressly authorized by other law to make advances for program startup or advances for contracted services, in total or periodically, shall limit such disbursements to other governmental entities and not-for-profit corporations. The amount that may be advanced shall not exceed the expected cash needs of the contractor or recipient within the initial 3 months. Thereafter, disbursements shall only be made on a reimbursement basis. Any agreement that provides for advancements may contain a clause that permits the contractor or recipient to temporarily invest the proceeds, provided that any interest income shall either be returned to the agency or be applied against the agency’s obligation to pay the contract amount. This paragraph does not constitute lawful authority to make any advance payment not otherwise authorized by laws relating to a particular agency or general laws relating to the expenditure or disbursement of public funds. The Chief Financial Officer may, after consultation with the legislative appropriations committees, advance funds beyond a 3-month requirement if it is determined to be consistent with the intent of the approved operating budget. (17) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter or chapter 339, a change to the approved operating budget may not initiate or commence a fixed capital outlay project.

F.S. 216.182 Approval of fixed capital outlay program plan.

(1) The Executive Office of the Governor shall have the authority to approve the program plan of fixed capital outlay projects to assure that each is consistent with legislative policies for operations, including approved operational standards related to program and utilization and reasonable continuing operating costs. (2) Any department under the direct supervision of a member of the Cabinet or of a board consisting of the Governor and members of the Cabinet which contends that the determination of the program plan by the Executive Office of the Governor pursuant to subsection (1) is contrary to the orderly implementation of legislative authorization shall have the right to have the issue reviewed by the Administration Commission, which shall decide such issue by majority vote. The appropriations committees of the Legislature may advise the Administration Commission on the issue.

F.S. 216.192 Release of appropriations; revision of budgets.

(1) Unless otherwise provided in law, on July 1 of each fiscal year, up to 25 percent of the original approved operating budget of each agency and of the judicial branch may be released until such time as annual plans for quarterly releases for all appropriations have been developed, approved, and furnished to the Chief Financial Officer by the Executive Office of the Governor for state agencies and by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the judicial branch. The plans, including appropriate plans of releases for fixed capital outlay projects that correspond with each project schedule, shall attempt to maximize the use of trust funds and shall be transmitted to the Chief Financial Officer by August 1 of each fiscal year. Such releases shall at no time exceed the total appropriations available to a state agency or to the judicial branch, or the approved budget for such agency or the judicial branch if less. The Chief Financial Officer shall enter such releases in his or her records in accordance with the release plans prescribed by the Executive Office of the Governor and the Chief Justice, unless otherwise amended as provided by law. The Executive Office of the Governor and the Chief Justice shall transmit a copy of the approved annual releases to the head of the state agency, the chair and vice chair of the Legislative Budget Commission, and the Auditor General. The Chief Financial Officer shall authorize all expenditures to be made from the appropriations on the basis of such releases and in accordance with the approved budget, and not otherwise. Expenditures shall be authorized only in accordance with legislative authorizations. Nothing herein precludes periodic reexamination and revision by the Executive Office of the Governor or by the Chief Justice of the annual plans for release of appropriations and the notifications of the parties of all such revisions. (2) Any department under the direct supervision of a member of the Cabinet or of a board consisting of the Governor and members of the Cabinet which contends that the plan for releases of funds appropriated to it is contrary to the approved operating budget shall have the right to have the issue reviewed by the Administration Commission which shall decide such issue by majority vote. (3) The Executive Office of the Governor shall make releases within the amounts appropriated and as requested for all appropriations to the legislative branch, and the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) shall not apply to the legislative branch. (4) The annual plans of releases authorized by this section may be considered by the Revenue Estimating Conference in preparation of the statement of financial outlook. (5) In order to implement directives contained in the General Appropriations Act or to prevent deficits pursuant to s. 216.221, the Executive Office of the Governor for the executive branch and the Chief Justice for the judicial branch may place appropriations in budget reserve or mandatory reserve. (6) All budget actions taken pursuant to the provisions of this section are subject to the notice and review procedures set forth in s. 216.177.

F.S. 216.195 Impoundment of funds; restricted.

The Executive Office of the Governor, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, any member of the Cabinet, or any state agency shall not impound any appropriation except as necessary to avoid or eliminate a deficit pursuant to the provisions of s. 216.221. As used in this section, the term “impoundment” means the omission of any appropriation or part of an appropriation in the approved operating plan prepared pursuant to s. 216.181 or in the schedule of releases prepared pursuant to s. 216.192 or the failure of any state agency or the judicial branch to spend an appropriation for the stated purposes authorized in the approved operating budget. The Governor or either house of the Legislature may seek judicial review of any action or proposed action which violates this section.

F.S. 216.201 Services of Executive Office of the Governor to be available to Legislature.

The services of the Executive Office of the Governor shall be available to the Legislature for procuring such fiscal or other data as the Legislature may require.

F.S. 216.212 Budgets for federal funds; restrictions on expenditure of federal funds.

(1) The Executive Office of the Governor and the office of the Chief Financial Officer shall develop and implement procedures for accelerating the drawdown of, and minimizing the payment of interest on, federal funds. The Executive Office of the Governor shall establish a clearinghouse for federal programs and activities. The clearinghouse shall develop the capacity to respond to federal grant opportunities and to coordinate the use of federal funds in the state. (a) Every state agency, when making a request or preparing a budget to be submitted to the Federal Government for funds, equipment, material, or services, shall submit such request or budget to the Executive Office of the Governor for review before submitting it to the proper federal authority. However, the Executive Office of the Governor may specifically authorize any agency to submit specific types of grant proposals directly to the Federal Government. (b) Every office or court of the judicial branch, when making a request or preparing a budget to be submitted to the Federal Government for funds, equipment, material, or services, shall submit such request or budget to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for approval before submitting it to the proper federal authority. However, the Chief Justice may specifically authorize any court to submit specific types of grant proposals directly to the Federal Government. (2) When such federal authority has approved the request or budget, the state agency or the judicial branch shall submit to the Executive Office of the Governor such documentation showing approval as that office prescribes. The Executive Office of the Governor must acknowledge each approved request or budget by entering that approval into an Automated Grant Management System developed in consultation with the chairs of the House of Representatives and Senate appropriations committees. (3) Federal money appropriated by Congress or received from court settlements to be used for state purposes, whether by itself or in conjunction with moneys appropriated by the Legislature, may not be expended unless appropriated by the Legislature. However, the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may, after consultation with the legislative appropriations committees, approve the receipt and expenditure of funds from federal sources by state agencies or by the judicial branch. Any federal programs requiring state matching funds which funds were eliminated, or were requested and were not approved, by the Legislature may not be implemented during the interim. However, federal and other fund sources for the State University System which do not carry a continuing commitment on future appropriations are hereby appropriated for the purpose received.

F.S. 216.216 Court settlement funds negotiated by the state.

In any court settlement in which a state agency or officer or any other counsel representing the interests of the state negotiates settlement amounts to be expended by the judicial branch or the executive branch, such funds may not be expended unless the Legislature has appropriated funds to the agency in the appropriate category or the Legislative Budget Commission has approved a budget amendment for such funds. In either instance, the funding source identified must be sufficient to cover both the anticipated program costs and the amount of the settlement, the settlement must not be contrary to the intent of the Legislature, and, if the settlement amount is substantial, good reason must exist for entering into the settlement prior to the next legislative session and no significant amount of recurring funding shall be committed. When a state agency or officer settles an action in which the state will receive moneys, the funds shall be placed in the General Revenue Fund or in the trust fund that is associated with the agency’s or officer’s authority to pursue the legal action. The provisions of this section are subject to the notice and review procedures set forth in s. 216.177.

F.S. 216.221 Appropriations as maximum appropriations; adjustment of budgets to avoid or eliminate deficits.

(1) All appropriations shall be maximum appropriations, based upon the collection of sufficient revenues to meet and provide for such appropriations. It is the duty of the Governor, as chief budget officer, to ensure that revenues collected will be sufficient to meet the appropriations and that no deficit occurs in any state fund. (2) The Legislature may annually provide direction in the General Appropriations Act regarding use of any state funds to offset General Revenue Fund deficits. (3) For purposes of preventing a deficit in the General Revenue Fund, all branches and agencies of government shall participate in deficit reduction efforts. Absent specific legislative direction, when budget reductions are required in order to prevent a deficit under the provisions of subsection (7), each branch shall reduce its General Revenue Fund appropriations by a proportional amount. (4) For purposes of preventing a deficit in the General Revenue Fund, appropriations to the legislative branch that are voluntarily placed in their reserve by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or by both, may not be reduced, but may be included in any deficit reduction plan. (5)(a) If, in the opinion of the Governor, after consultation with the Revenue Estimating Conference, a deficit will occur in the General Revenue Fund, he or she shall so certify to the commission and to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. No more than 30 days after certifying that a deficit will occur in the General Revenue Fund, the Governor shall develop for the executive branch, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall develop for the judicial branch, and provide to the commission and to the Legislature plans of action to eliminate the deficit. (b) If, in the opinion of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, after consultation with the Revenue Estimating Conference, a deficit will occur in the General Revenue Fund and the Governor has not certified the deficit, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall so certify. Within 30 days after such certification, the Governor shall develop for the executive branch and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall develop for the judicial branch and provide to the commission and to the Legislature plans of action to eliminate the deficit. (c) In developing a plan of action to prevent deficits in accordance with subsection (7), the Governor and Chief Justice shall, to the extent possible, preserve legislative policy and intent, and, absent any specific direction to the contrary in the General Appropriations Act, the Governor and Chief Justice shall comply with the following guidelines for reductions in the approved operating budgets of the executive branch and the judicial branch: 1. Education budgets should not be reduced more than provided for in s. 215.16(2). 2. The use of nonrecurring funds to solve recurring deficits should be minimized. 3. Newly created programs that are not fully implemented and programs with critical audits, evaluations, and reviews should receive first consideration for reductions. 4. No agencies or branches of government receiving appropriations should be exempt from reductions. 5. When reductions in positions are required, the focus should be initially on vacant positions. 6. Reductions that would cause substantial losses of federal funds should be minimized. 7. Reductions to statewide programs should occur only after review of programs that provide only local benefits. 8. Reductions in administrative and support functions should be considered before reductions in direct-support services. 9. Maximum reductions should be considered in budgets for expenses including travel and in budgets for equipment replacement, outside consultants, and contracts. 10. Reductions in salaries for elected state officials should be considered. 11. Reductions that adversely affect the public health, safety, and welfare should be minimized. 12. The Budget Stabilization Fund should not be reduced to a level that would impair the financial stability of this state. 13. Reductions in programs that are traditionally funded by the private sector and that may be assumed by private enterprise should be considered. 14. Reductions in programs that are duplicated among state agencies or branches of government should be considered. (6) If the Revenue Estimating Conference projects a deficit in the General Revenue Fund in excess of 1.5 percent of the moneys appropriated from the General Revenue Fund during a fiscal year or when the cumulative total of a series of projected deficits in the General Revenue Fund exceeds 1.5 percent of the moneys appropriated from the General Revenue Fund, the deficit shall be resolved by the Legislature. (7) Deficits in the General Revenue Fund that do not meet the amounts specified by subsection (6) shall be resolved by the Governor for the executive branch and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the judicial branch. The Governor and Chief Justice shall implement any directions provided in the General Appropriations Act related to eliminating deficits and to reducing agency and judicial branch budgets, including the use of those legislative appropriations voluntarily placed in reserve. In addition, the Governor and Chief Justice shall implement any directions in the General Appropriations Act relating to the resolution of deficit situations. When reducing state agency or judicial branch budgets, the Governor or the Chief Justice, respectively, shall use the guidelines prescribed in subsection (5). The Executive Office of the Governor, and the Chief Justice for the judicial branch, shall implement the deficit reduction plans through amendments to the approved operating budgets in accordance with s. 216.181. (8) The Chief Financial Officer also has the duty to ensure that revenues being collected will be sufficient to meet the appropriations and that no deficit occurs in any fund of the state. (9) If, in the opinion of the Chief Financial Officer, after consultation with the Revenue Estimating Conference, a deficit will occur, he or she shall report his or her opinion to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in writing. In the event the Governor does not certify a deficit, or the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives do not certify a deficit within 10 days after the Chief Financial Officer’s report, the Chief Financial Officer shall report his or her findings and opinion to the commission and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (10) When advised by the Revenue Estimating Conference, the Chief Financial Officer, or any agency responsible for a trust fund that a deficit will occur with respect to the appropriations from a specific trust fund in the current fiscal year, the Governor for the executive branch, or the Chief Justice for the judicial branch, shall develop a plan of action to eliminate the deficit. Before implementing the plan of action, the Governor or the Chief Justice must comply with the provisions of s. 216.177(2), and actions to resolve deficits in excess of $1 million must be approved by the Legislative Budget Commission. In developing the plan of action, the Governor or the Chief Justice shall, to the extent possible, preserve legislative policy and intent. (11) Once a deficit is determined to have occurred and action is taken to reduce approved operating budgets and release authority, no action may be taken to restore the reductions, either directly or indirectly.

F.S. 216.222 Budget Stabilization Fund; criteria for withdrawing moneys.

(1) Moneys in the Budget Stabilization Fund may be transferred to the General Revenue Fund for: (a)1. Offsetting a deficit in the General Revenue Fund. A deficit is deemed to occur when the official estimate of funds available in the General Revenue Fund for a fiscal year falls below the total amount appropriated from the General Revenue Fund for that fiscal year. Such a transfer must be made pursuant to s. 216.221, or pursuant to an appropriation by law. 2. Notwithstanding the requirements of s. 216.221, if, after consultation with the Revenue Estimating Conference, the Chief Financial Officer believes that a deficit will occur in the General Revenue Fund and if: a. Fewer than 30 but more than 4 days are left in the fiscal year, the Legislature is not in session, and neither the Legislature nor the Legislative Budget Commission is scheduled to meet before the end of the fiscal year, or b. Fewer than 5 days are left in the fiscal year and the Governor and the Chief Justice, the Legislature, or the Legislative Budget Commission have not implemented measures to resolve the deficit, the Chief Financial Officer shall certify the deficit to the Governor, the Chief Justice, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and may thereafter withdraw funds from the Budget Stabilization Fund to offset the projected deficit in the General Revenue Fund. The Chief Financial Officer shall consult with the Governor and the chair and vice chair of the Legislative Budget Commission before any funds may be withdrawn from the Budget Stabilization Fund. At the beginning of the next fiscal year, the Chief Financial Officer shall promptly determine the General Revenue Fund balance to be carried forward. The Chief Financial Officer shall immediately repay the Budget Stabilization Fund for the withdrawn amount, up to the amount of the balance. If the General Revenue Fund balance carried forward is not sufficient to fully repay the Budget Stabilization Fund, the repayment of the remainder of the withdrawn funds shall be as provided in s. 215.32(2)(c)3. (b) Providing funding for an emergency as defined in s. 252.34. The emergency must have been declared by the Governor pursuant to s. 252.36 or declared by law. Such a transfer must be made pursuant to s. 252.37, subject to the conditions in that section, or pursuant to an appropriation by law. (c) Providing temporary transfers to the General Revenue Fund pursuant to s. 215.18. (2)(a) Moneys in the Budget Stabilization Fund may be transferred to the State Risk Management Trust Fund to provide funding for an emergency. For purposes of this subsection, an emergency exists when uninsured losses to state property exceed $2 million per occurrence or $5 million annual aggregate, as this constitutes an unanticipated financial need that the Legislature has found must be funded to serve an essential state responsibility. (b) At such time that the Division of Risk Management certifies that uninsured property losses exceed $2 million per occurrence or $5 million annual aggregate, the division shall request a budget amendment through the procedures set out in s. 216.181. Transfers into the State Risk Management Trust Fund pursuant to this paragraph may not exceed $38 million in any fiscal year.

F.S. 216.231 Release of certain classified appropriations.

(1)(a) Any appropriation to the Executive Office of the Governor which is classified as an emergency, as defined in s. 252.34, may be released only with the approval of the Governor. The state agency, or the judicial branch, desiring the use of the emergency appropriation shall submit to the Executive Office of the Governor application in writing setting forth the facts from which the alleged need arises. The Executive Office of the Governor shall, at a public hearing, review such application promptly and approve or disapprove the applications as the circumstances may warrant. All actions of the Executive Office of the Governor shall be reported to the legislative appropriations committees, and the committees may advise the Executive Office of the Governor relative to the release of such funds. (b) The release of appropriated funds classified as “emergency” shall be approved only if an act or circumstance caused by an act of God, civil disturbance, natural disaster, or other circumstance of an emergency nature threatens, endangers, or damages the property, safety, health, or welfare of the state or its residents, which condition has not been provided for in appropriation acts of the Legislature. Funds allocated for this purpose may be used to pay overtime pay to personnel of agencies called upon to perform extra duty because of any civil disturbance or other emergency as defined in s. 252.34 and to provide the required state match for federal grants under the federal Disaster Relief Act. (2) The release of appropriated funds classified as “deficiency” shall be approved only when a General Revenue Fund appropriation for operations of a state agency or of the judicial branch is inadequate because the workload or cost of the operation exceeds that anticipated by the Legislature and a determination has been made by the Governor that the deficiency will result in an impairment of the activities of an agency or of the judicial branch to the extent that the agency is unable to carry out its program as provided by the Legislature in the general appropriations acts. These funds may not be used for creation of any new agency or program, for increases of salary, or for the construction or equipping of additional buildings. (3) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, moneys appropriated in any appropriations act to the Governor for discretionary contingencies may be expended at his or her discretion to promote general government and intergovernmental cooperation and to enhance the image of the state. All funds expended for such purposes shall be accounted for, and a report showing the amounts expended, the names of the persons receiving the amounts expended, and the purpose of each expenditure shall be annually reported to the Auditor General and the legislative appropriations committees.

F.S. 216.0236 Agency fees for regulatory services or oversight; criteria.

(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that all costs of providing a regulatory service or regulating a profession or business be borne solely by those who receive the service or who are subject to regulation. It is also the intent of the Legislature that the fees charged for providing a regulatory service or regulating a profession or business be reasonable and take into account the differences between the types of professions or businesses being regulated. Moreover, it is the intent of the Legislature that state agencies operate as efficiently as possible and regularly report to the Legislature additional methods by which to streamline their operational costs. (2) In accordance with the instructions for legislative budget requests, each state agency shall examine the fees it charges for providing regulatory services and oversight to businesses or professions. The annual examination shall determine whether operational efficiencies can be achieved in the underlying program, whether the regulatory activity is an appropriate function that the agency should continue at its current level, and whether the fees charged for each regulatory program are: (a) Based on revenue projections that are prepared using generally accepted governmental accounting procedures or official estimates by the Revenue Estimating Conference, if applicable; (b) Adequate to cover both the direct and indirect costs of providing the regulatory service or oversight; and (c) Reasonable and take into account differences between the types of professions or businesses that are regulated. (3) If the agency determines that the fees charged for regulatory services or oversight to businesses or professions are not adequate to cover program costs and that an appropriation from other state funds is necessary to supplement the direct or indirect costs of providing a regulatory service or regulating a program, the agency shall present to the Governor and the Legislature as part of its legislative budget request information regarding alternatives for realigning revenues or costs to make the regulatory service or program totally self-sufficient or shall demonstrate that the service or program provides substantial benefits to the public which justify a partial subsidy from other state funds. The Legislature shall review the alternatives during the next regular session. (4) The Legislature shall review the regulatory fee structure for all businesses and professions at least once every 5 years. The schedule for such review may be included in the legislative budget instructions developed pursuant to the requirements of s. 216.023.

F.S. 216.241 Initiation or commencement of new programs; approval; expenditure of certain revenues.

(1) A state agency or the judicial branch may not initiate or commence any new program, including any new federal program or initiative, or make changes in its current programs, as provided for in the appropriations act, that require additional financing unless funds have been specifically appropriated by the Legislature or unless the Legislative Budget Commission expressly approves such new program or changes. (2) Changes that are inconsistent with the approved budget may not be made to existing programs unless such changes are recommended to the Legislative Budget Commission by the Governor or the Chief Justice and the Legislative Budget Commission expressly approves such program changes. This subsection is subject to the notice, review, and objection procedures set forth in s. 216.177. (3) Any revenues generated by any tax or fee imposed by amendment to the State Constitution after October 1, 1999, shall not be expended by any agency, as defined in s. 120.52(1), except pursuant to appropriation by the Legislature.

F.S. 216.251 Salary appropriations; limitations.

(1) The annual rate of salary of any officer or employee filling the position specifically named in an item in the appropriations acts shall be as provided in one of the following paragraphs: (a) In the amount appropriated for such position; (b) The amount appropriated in an item for the named positions in that item, shall be divided by the indicated number of such positions, and the resulting quotient shall be the annual rate of salary of each such position; or (c) Within the amounts appropriated where such salary may be otherwise fixed pursuant to law. (2)(a) The salary for each position not specifically indicated in the appropriations acts shall be as provided in one of the following subparagraphs: 1. Within the classification and pay plans provided for in chapter 110. 2. Within the classification and pay plans established by the Board of Trustees for the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind of the Department of Education and approved by the State Board of Education for academic and academic administrative personnel. 3. Within the classification and pay plan approved and administered by the Board of Governors or the designee of the board for those positions in the State University System. 4. Within the classification and pay plan approved by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, for employees of the Legislature. 5. Within the approved classification and pay plan for the judicial branch. (b) Salary payments shall be made only to employees filling established positions included in the agency’s or in the judicial branch’s approved budgets and amendments thereto as may be provided by law; provided, however: 1. Reclassification of established positions may be accomplished when justified in accordance with the established procedures for reclassifying positions; or 2. When the Division of Risk Management of the Department of Financial Services has determined that an employee is entitled to receive a temporary partial disability benefit or a temporary total disability benefit pursuant to the provisions of s. 440.15 and there is medical certification that the employee cannot perform the duties of the employee’s regular position, but the employee can perform some type of work beneficial to the agency, the agency may return the employee to the payroll, at his or her regular rate of pay, to perform such duties as the employee is capable of performing, even if there is not an established position in which the employee can be placed. Nothing in this subparagraph shall abrogate an employee’s rights under chapter 440 or chapter 447, nor shall it adversely affect the retirement credit of a member of the Florida Retirement System in the membership class he or she was in at the time of, and during, the member’s disability. (3) An agency may not provide general salary increases or pay additives for a cohort of positions sharing the same job classification or job occupations which the Legislature has not authorized in the General Appropriations Act or other laws.

F.S. 216.262 Authorized positions.

(1)(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided by law, the total number of authorized positions may not exceed the total provided in the appropriations acts. In the event any state agency or entity of the judicial branch finds that the number of positions so provided is not sufficient to administer its authorized programs, it may file an application with the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice; and, if the Executive Office of the Governor or Chief Justice certifies that there are no authorized positions available for addition, deletion, or transfer within the agency as provided in paragraph (c) and recommends an increase in the number of positions, the Governor or the Chief Justice may recommend an increase in the number of positions for the following reasons only: 1. To implement or provide for continuing federal grants or changes in grants not previously anticipated. 2. To meet emergencies pursuant to s. 252.36. 3. To satisfy new federal regulations or changes therein. 4. To take advantage of opportunities to reduce operating expenditures or to increase the revenues of the state or local government. 5. To authorize positions that were not fixed by the Legislature through error in drafting the appropriations acts. Actions recommended pursuant to this paragraph are subject to approval by the Legislative Budget Commission. The certification and the final authorization shall be provided to the Legislative Budget Commission, the appropriations committees, and the Auditor General. (b) The Governor and the Chief Justice may, after a public hearing, delete supervisory or managerial positions within a department and establish direct service delivery positions in excess of the number of supervisory or managerial positions deleted. The salary rate for all positions authorized under this paragraph may not exceed the salary rate for all positions deleted under this paragraph. Positions affected by changes made under this paragraph may be funded only from identical funding sources. (c)1. The Executive Office of the Governor, under such procedures and qualifications as it deems appropriate, shall, upon agency request, delegate to any state agency authority to add and delete authorized positions or transfer authorized positions from one budget entity to another budget entity within the same division, and may approve additions and deletions of authorized positions or transfers of authorized positions within the state agency when such changes would enable the agency to administer more effectively its authorized and approved programs. The additions or deletions must be consistent with the intent of the approved operating budget, must be consistent with legislative policy and intent, and must not conflict with specific spending policies specified in the General Appropriations Act. 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall have the authority to establish procedures for the judicial branch to add and delete authorized positions or transfer authorized positions from one budget entity to another budget entity, and to add and delete authorized positions within the same budget entity, when such changes are consistent with legislative policy and intent and do not conflict with spending policies specified in the General Appropriations Act. (d) An individual employed by a state agency or by the judicial branch may not hold more than one employment during his or her normal working hours with the state, such working hours to be determined by the head of the state agency affected, unless approved by the Department of Management Services, or otherwise delegated to the agency head, or by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, respectively. (e) An individual employed by a state agency or by the judicial branch may not fill more than a total of one full-time equivalent established position, receive compensation simultaneously from any appropriation other than appropriations for salaries, or receive compensation simultaneously from more than one state agency unless approved by the Department of Management Services, or otherwise delegated to the agency head, or by the Chief Justice, respectively, during each fiscal year. The Department of Management Services may adopt uniform rules applicable to the executive branch agencies to implement its responsibilities under this paragraph. (f) Perquisites may not be furnished by a state agency or by the judicial branch unless approved by the Department of Management Services, or otherwise delegated to the agency head, or by the Chief Justice, respectively, during each fiscal year. Whenever a state agency or the judicial branch is to furnish perquisites, the Department of Management Services or the agency head to which the approval has been delegated or the Chief Justice, respectively, must approve the kind and monetary value of such perquisites before they may be furnished. Perquisites may be furnished only when in the best interest of the state due to the exceptional or unique requirements of the position. The value of a perquisite may not be used to compute an employee’s base rate of pay or regular rate of pay unless required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Permissible perquisites include, but are not limited to, moving expenses, clothing, use of vehicles and other transportation, domestic services, groundskeeping services, telephone services, medical services, housing, utilities, and meals. The Department of Management Services may adopt uniform rules applicable to the executive branch agencies to implement its responsibilities under this paragraph, which rules may specify additional perquisites, establish additional criteria for each kind of perquisite, provide the procedure to be used by executive agencies in applying for approvals, and establish the required justification. As used in this section, the term “perquisites” means those things, or the use thereof, or services of a kind that confer on the officers or employees receiving them some benefit that is in the nature of additional compensation, or that reduce to some extent the normal personal expenses of the officer or employee receiving them. The term includes, but is not limited to, such things as quarters, subsistence, utilities, laundry services, medical service, use of state-owned vehicles for other than state purposes, and servants paid by the state. (g) If goods and services are to be sold to officers and employees of a state agency or of the judicial branch rather than being furnished as perquisites, the kind and selling price thereof shall be approved by the Department of Management Services, unless otherwise delegated to the agency head, or by the Chief Justice, respectively, during each fiscal year before such sales are made. The selling price may be deducted from any amounts due by the state to any person receiving such things. The amount of cash so deducted shall be faithfully accounted for. This paragraph does not apply to sales to officers or employees of items generally sold to the public and does not apply to meals which may be provided without charge to volunteers under a volunteer service program approved by the Department of Management Services. The goods and services may include, but are not limited to, medical services, long-term and short-term rental housing, and laundry and transportation services. The Department of Management Services may adopt uniform rules applicable to the executive branch agencies to implement its responsibilities under this paragraph, which rules may specify other items that may be approved, the required justification for proposed sales, and the manner in which agencies will apply for approvals. (2) The provisions of paragraphs (1)(d) and (e) do not apply to an individual filling a position the salary of which has been specifically fixed or limited by law. Unless specifically authorized by law, an individual filling or performing the duties of a position the salary of which has been specifically fixed or limited by law may not receive compensation from more than one appropriation, or in excess of the amount so fixed or limited by law, regardless of any additional duties performed by that individual in any capacity or position. However, this subsection does not prohibit additional compensation from an educational appropriation to any person holding a position the salary of which is specifically fixed or limited by law, provided such compensation does not exceed payment for more than one course of instruction during any one academic term and that such compensation is approved as provided in paragraphs (1)(d) and (e). Any compensation received by any person pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall not be computed as a part of average final compensation for retirement purposes under the provisions of chapter 121. (3) No full-time position shall be filled by more than the equivalent of one full-time officer or employee, except when extenuating circumstances exist. Extenuating circumstances will be provided for in rules to be adopted by the Department of Management Services or by the Chief Justice, respectively. 1 (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter relating to increasing the number of authorized positions, and for the 2025-2026 fiscal year only, if the actual inmate population of the Department of Corrections exceeds the inmate population projections of the February 21, 2025, Criminal Justice Estimating Conference by 1 percent for 2 consecutive months or 2 percent for any month, the Executive Office of the Governor, with the approval of the Legislative Budget Commission, shall immediately notify the Criminal Justice Estimating Conference, which shall convene as soon as possible to revise the estimates. The Department of Corrections may then submit a budget amendment requesting the establishment of positions in excess of the number authorized by the Legislature and additional appropriations from unallocated general revenue sufficient to provide for essential staff, fixed capital improvements, and other resources to provide classification, security, food services, health services, and other variable expenses within the institutions to accommodate the estimated increase in the inmate population. All actions taken pursuant to this subsection are subject to review and approval by the Legislative Budget Commission. This subsection expires July 1, 2026.

F.S. 216.271 Revolving funds.

(1) No revolving fund may be established or increased in amount pursuant to s. 17.58(2), unless approved by the Chief Financial Officer. The purpose and uses of a revolving fund may not be changed without the prior approval of the Chief Financial Officer. As used in this section, the term “revolving fund” means a cash fund maintained within or outside the State Treasury and established from an appropriation, to be used by an agency or the judicial branch in making authorized expenditures. (2) When the Chief Financial Officer approves a revolving or petty cash fund for making refunds or other payments, such fund shall be established from an account within the appropriate fund to be known as “payments for revolving funds from funds not otherwise appropriated.” Reimbursements made from revolving or petty cash funds shall be made in strict accordance with the provisions of s. 215.26(2). The Chief Financial Officer may restrict the types of uses of any revolving fund established pursuant to this section. (3) Vouchers for reimbursement of expenditures from revolving funds established under this section shall be presented in a routine manner to the Chief Financial Officer for approval and payment, the proceeds of which shall be returned to the revolving or petty cash fund involved. (4) The revolving or petty cash fund authorized herein shall be properly maintained and accounted for by the agency or by the judicial branch requesting the fund and, upon the expiration of the need therefor, shall be returned in the amount originally established to the appropriate fund for credit to the payments for revolving funds account therein. (5) Reimbursement to the revolving fund for uninsured losses and theft may be made from the fund in which the responsible operating department is budgeted. Such reimbursement shall be submitted consistent with procedures specified by the Chief Financial Officer.

F.S. 216.272 Working Capital Trust Funds.

(1) There are hereby created Working Capital Trust Funds for the purpose of providing sufficient funds for the operation of data processing centers, which may include the creation of a reserve account within the Working Capital Trust Fund to pay for future information technology resource acquisitions as appropriated by the Legislature. Such funds shall be created from moneys budgeted for data processing services and equipment by those agencies to be served by the data processing center. (2) The funds so allocated shall be in an amount sufficient to finance the center’s operation; however, each agency served by the center shall contribute an amount equal to its proportionate share of cost of operating such data processing center. Each agency utilizing the services of the data processing center shall pay such moneys into the appropriate Working Capital Trust Fund on a quarterly basis or such other basis as may be determined by the Executive Office of the Governor.

F.S. 216.273 Administered Funds Trust Fund.

(1) The Administered Funds Trust Fund is created within the Executive Office of the Governor. (2) The trust fund shall be used for the purpose of allocating to various agencies those appropriations that are made under the administered funds budget entity. The trust fund is a clearing account to be used solely for the distribution of budget authority and is not intended to receive or distribute cash. (3) Pursuant to the provisions of s. 19(f)(3), Art. III of the State Constitution, the trust fund, as a clearing account, is exempt from the automatic termination provisions of s. 19(f)(2), Art. III of the State Constitution.

F.S. 216.275 Clearing accounts.

No clearing account may be established outside the State Treasury pursuant to s. 17.58(2) unless approved by the Chief Financial Officer during the fiscal year. Each agency, or the judicial branch, desiring to maintain a clearing account outside the State Treasury shall submit a written request to do so to the Chief Financial Officer in accordance with the format and manner prescribed by the Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall maintain a listing of all clearing accounts approved during the fiscal year.

F.S. 216.292 Appropriations nontransferable; exceptions.

(1)(a) Funds provided in the General Appropriations Act or as otherwise expressly provided by law shall be expended only for the purpose for which appropriated, except that such moneys may be transferred as provided in this section when it is determined to be in the best interest of the state. Appropriations for fixed capital outlay may not be expended for any other purpose. Appropriations may not be transferred between state agencies, or between a state agency and the judicial branch, unless specifically authorized by law. (b)1. Authorized revisions of the original approved operating budget, together with related changes in the plan for release of appropriations, if any, shall be transmitted by the state agency or by the judicial branch to the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice, respectively, the chairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives appropriations committees, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, and the Auditor General. Such authorized revisions shall be consistent with the intent of the approved operating budget, shall be consistent with legislative policy and intent, and may not conflict with specific spending policies specified in the General Appropriations Act. 2. Authorized revisions, together with related changes, if any, in the plan for release of appropriations shall be transmitted by the state agency or by the judicial branch to the Chief Financial Officer for entry in the Chief Financial Officer’s records in the manner and format prescribed by the Executive Office of the Governor in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer. 3. The Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice shall forward a copy of the revisions within 7 working days to the Chief Financial Officer for entry in his or her records in the manner and format prescribed by the Executive Office of the Governor in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer. (2) The following transfers are authorized to be made by the head of each department or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court whenever it is deemed necessary by reason of changed conditions: 1 (a) The transfer of appropriations funded from identical funding sources, except appropriations for fixed capital outlay, and the transfer of amounts included within the total original approved budget and plans of releases of appropriations as furnished pursuant to ss. 216.181 and 216.192, as follows: 1. Between categories of appropriations within a budget entity, if no category of appropriation is increased or decreased by more than 5 percent of the original approved budget or $250,000, whichever is greater, by all action taken under this subsection. 2. Between budget entities within identical categories of appropriations, if no category of appropriation is increased or decreased by more than 5 percent of the original approved budget or $250,000, whichever is greater, by all action taken under this subsection. 3. Any agency exceeding salary rate established pursuant to s. 216.181(8) on June 30th of any fiscal year shall not be authorized to make transfers pursuant to subparagraphs 1. and 2. in the subsequent fiscal year. 4. Notice of proposed transfers under subparagraphs 1. and 2. shall be provided to the Executive Office of the Governor and the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees at least 3 days prior to agency implementation in order to provide an opportunity for review. The review shall be limited to ensuring that the transfer is in compliance with the requirements of this paragraph. 5. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the review shall ensure that transfers proposed pursuant to this paragraph comply with this chapter, maximize the use of available and appropriate trust funds, and are not contrary to legislative policy and intent. This subparagraph expires July 1, 2026. (b) After providing notice at least 5 working days prior to implementation: 1. The transfer of funds within programs identified in the General Appropriations Act from identical funding sources between the following appropriation categories without limitation so long as such a transfer does not result in an increase, to the total recurring general revenue or trust fund cost of the agency or entity of the judicial branch in the subsequent fiscal year: other personal services, expenses, operating capital outlay, food products, state attorney and public defender operations, data processing services, operating and maintenance of patrol vehicles, overtime payments, salary incentive payments, compensation to retired judges, law libraries, and juror and witness payments. 2. The transfer of funds and positions from identical funding sources between salaries and benefits appropriation categories within programs identified in the General Appropriations Act. Such transfers must be consistent with legislative policy and intent and may not adversely affect achievement of approved performance outcomes or outputs in any program. (c) The transfer of funds appropriated to accounts established for disbursement purposes upon release of such appropriation upon request of a department and approval by the Chief Financial Officer. Such transfer may only be made to the same appropriation category and the same funding source from which the funds are transferred. (3) The following transfers are authorized with the approval of the Executive Office of the Governor for the executive branch or the Chief Justice for the judicial branch, subject to the notice and objection provisions of s. 216.177: (a) The transfer of appropriations for operations from trust funds in excess of those provided in subsection (2), up to $1 million. (b) The transfer of positions between budget entities. (4) The following transfers are authorized with the approval of the Legislative Budget Commission. Unless waived by the chair and vice chair of the commission, notice of such transfers must be provided 14 days before the commission meeting: (a) The transfer of appropriations for operations from the General Revenue Fund in excess of those provided in this section but within a state agency or within the judicial branch, as recommended by the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (b) The transfer of appropriations for operations from trust funds in excess of those authorized in subsection (2) or subsection (3), as recommended by the Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. (c) The transfer of the portion of an appropriation for a named fixed capital outlay project found to be in excess of that needed to complete the project to another project for which there has been an appropriation in the same fiscal year from the same fund and within the same department where a deficiency is found to exist, at the request of the Executive Office of the Governor for state agencies or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the judicial branch. The scope of a fixed capital outlay project may not be changed by any transfer of funds made pursuant to this subsection. (d) The transfers necessary to accomplish the purposes of reorganization within state agencies or the judicial branch authorized by the Legislature when the necessary adjustments of appropriations and positions have not been provided in the General Appropriations Act. (5) A transfer of funds may not result in the initiation of a fixed capital outlay project that has not received a specific legislative appropriation. (6) The Chief Financial Officer shall transfer from any available funds of an agency or the judicial branch the following amounts and shall report all such transfers and the reasons therefor to the legislative appropriations committees and the Executive Office of the Governor: (a) The amount due to the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund which is more than 90 days delinquent on reimbursements due to the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund. The amount transferred shall be that certified by the state agency providing reemployment assistance tax collection services under contract with the Department of Commerce through an interagency agreement pursuant to s. 443.1316. (b) The amount due to the Division of Risk Management which is more than 90 days delinquent in payment to the Division of Risk Management of the Department of Financial Services for insurance coverage. The amount transferred shall be that certified by the division. (c) The amount due to the Communications Working Capital Trust Fund from moneys appropriated in the General Appropriations Act for the purpose of paying for services provided by the state communications system in the Department of Management Services which is unpaid 45 days after the billing date. The amount transferred shall be that billed by the department. (7) The provisions of this section do not apply to the budgets for the legislative branch.

F.S. 216.301 Appropriations; undisbursed balances.

(1)(a) As of June 30th of each year, for appropriations for operations only, each department and the judicial branch shall identify in the state’s financial system any incurred obligation which has not been disbursed, showing in detail the commitment or to whom obligated and the amounts of such commitments or obligations. Any appropriation not identified as an incurred obligation effective June 30th shall revert to the fund from which it was appropriated and shall be available for reappropriation by the Legislature. (b) The undisbursed release balance of any authorized appropriation, except an appropriation for fixed capital outlay, for any given fiscal year remaining on June 30 of the fiscal year shall be carried forward in an amount equal to the incurred obligations identified in paragraph (a). Any such incurred obligations remaining undisbursed on September 30 shall revert to the fund from which appropriated and shall be available for reappropriation by the Legislature. The Chief Financial Officer will monitor changes made to incurred obligations prior to the September 30 reversion to ensure generally accepted accounting principles and legislative intent are followed. (c) In the event an appropriate identification of an incurred obligation is not made and an incurred obligation is proven to be legal, due, and unpaid, then the incurred obligation shall be paid and charged to the appropriation for the current fiscal year of the state agency or judicial branch affected. (d) Each department and the judicial branch shall maintain the integrity of the General Revenue Fund. Appropriations from the General Revenue Fund contained in the original approved budget may be transferred to the proper trust fund for disbursement. Any reversion of appropriation balances from programs which receive funding from the General Revenue Fund and trust funds shall be transferred to the General Revenue Fund within 15 days after such reversion, unless otherwise provided by federal or state law, including the General Appropriations Act. The Executive Office of the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall determine the state agency or judicial branch programs which are subject to this paragraph. This determination shall be subject to the legislative consultation and objection process in this chapter. The Education Enhancement Trust Fund shall not be subject to the provisions of this section. (2)(a) The balance of any appropriation for fixed capital outlay which is not disbursed but expended, contracted, or committed to be expended prior to February 1 of the second fiscal year of the appropriation, or the third fiscal year if it is for an educational facility as defined in chapter 1013 or for a construction project of a state university, shall be certified by the head of the affected state agency or judicial branch on February 1 to the Executive Office of the Governor, showing in detail the commitment or to whom obligated and the amount of the commitment or obligation. The Executive Office of the Governor for the executive branch and the Chief Justice for the judicial branch shall review and approve or disapprove, consistent with criteria jointly developed by the Executive Office of the Governor and the legislative appropriations committees, the continuation of such unexpended balances. The Executive Office of the Governor shall, no later than February 28 of each year, furnish the Chief Financial Officer, the legislative appropriations committees, and the Auditor General a report listing in detail the items and amounts reverting under the authority of this subsection, including the fund to which reverted and the agency affected. (b) The certification required in this subsection shall be in the form and on the date approved by the Executive Office of the Governor. Any balance that is not certified shall revert to the fund from which it was appropriated and be available for reappropriation. (c) The balance of any appropriation for fixed capital outlay certified forward under paragraph (a) which is not disbursed but expended, contracted, or committed to be expended prior to the end of the second fiscal year of the appropriation, or the third fiscal year if it is for an educational facility as defined in chapter 1013 or for a construction project of a state university, and any subsequent fiscal year, shall be certified by the head of the affected state agency or the legislative or judicial branch on or before August 1 of each year to the Executive Office of the Governor, showing in detail the commitment or to whom obligated and the amount of such commitment or obligation. On or before September 1 of each year, the Executive Office of the Governor shall review and approve or disapprove, consistent with legislative policy and intent, any or all of the items and amounts certified by the head of the affected state agency and shall approve all items and amounts certified by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and by the legislative branch and shall furnish the Chief Financial Officer, the legislative appropriations committees, and the Auditor General a detailed listing of the items and amounts approved as legal encumbrances against the undisbursed balances of such appropriations. If such certification is not made and the balance of the appropriation has reverted and the obligation is proven to be legal, due, and unpaid, the obligation shall be presented to the Legislature for its consideration.

F.S. 216.311 Unauthorized contracts in excess of appropriations; penalty.

(1) No agency or branch of state government shall contract to spend, or enter into any agreement to spend, any moneys in excess of the amount appropriated to such agency or branch unless specifically authorized by law, and any contract or agreement in violation of this chapter shall be null and void. (2) Any person who willfully contracts to spend, or enters into an agreement to spend, any money in excess of the amount appropriated to the agency or branch for whom the contract or agreement is executed is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

F.S. 216.313 Contract appropriation; requirements.

An executive or judicial branch public officer or employee may not enter into any contract or agreement on behalf of the state or judicial branch which binds the state or its executive agencies or the judicial branch for the purchase of services or tangible personal property in excess of $5 million unless the contract identifies the specific appropriation of state funds from which the state will make payment under the contract in the first year of the contract, unless the Legislature expressly authorizes the agency or the judicial branch to enter into such contract absent a specific appropriation of funds.

F.S. 216.321 Construction of chapter 216 as unauthorized expenditures and disbursements.

Nothing contained in any legislative budget or operating budget shall be construed to be an administrative or legislative construction affirming the existence then of the lawful authority to make an expenditure or disbursement for any purpose not otherwise authorized by laws of the particular agency, judicial branch, or legislative branch and the general laws relating to the expenditure or disbursement of public funds.

F.S. 216.345 Professional or other organization membership dues; payment.

(1) A state department, agency, bureau, commission, or other component of state government, or the judicial branch, upon approval by the head or the designated agent thereof, may utilize state funds for the purpose of paying dues for membership in a professional or other organization only when such membership is essential to the statutory duties and responsibilities of the state agency. (2) Upon certification by a professional or other organization that it does not accept institutional memberships, the agency or branch may authorize the use of state funds for the payment of individual membership dues when such membership is essential to the statutory duties and responsibilities of the state agency or judicial branch by which the individual is employed. However, approval shall not be granted to pay membership dues for maintenance of an individual’s professional or trade status in any association or organization, except in those instances where agency or branch membership is necessary and purchase of an individual membership is more economical. (3) Each agency and the judicial branch shall promulgate specific criteria to be used to determine justification for payment of such membership dues. (4) Payments for membership dues are exempt from the provisions of part I of chapter 287.

F.S. 216.347 Disbursement of grants and aids appropriations for lobbying prohibited.

A state agency, a water management district, or the judicial branch may not authorize or make any disbursement of grants and aids appropriations pursuant to a contract or grant to any person or organization unless the terms of the grant or contract prohibit the expenditure of funds for the purpose of lobbying the Legislature, the judicial branch, or a state agency. The provisions of this section are supplemental to the provisions of s. 11.062 and any other law prohibiting the use of state funds for lobbying purposes. However, for the purposes of this section and s. 11.062, the payment of funds for the purpose of registering as a lobbyist shall not be considered a lobbying purpose.

F.S. 216.348 Fixed capital outlay grants and aids appropriations to certain nonprofit entities.

If a bill appropriating a fixed capital outlay grants and aids appropriation requires compliance with this section, the following conditions shall apply, except to the extent that such bill modifies these conditions: (1) As used in this section, the term: (a) “Administering agency” means the governmental agency or entity which is charged by the bill appropriating the fixed capital outlay grants and aids appropriation to a grantee with administering that appropriation. (b) “Grant” means a fixed capital outlay grants and aids appropriation to a nonprofit entity other than a governmental entity. (c) “Grantee” means a nonprofit entity, other than a governmental entity, to which the Legislature has appropriated over $50,000 pursuant to a fixed capital outlay grants and aids appropriation. (2) Prior to the receipt of any grant money from the administering agency, a grantee must provide the administering agency with an affidavit by an officer or director of the grantee certifying under oath that the grantee is a nonprofit entity and must execute a written agreement with the administering agency, in a form approved by the administering agency, pursuant to subsection (3). (3)(a) If the grantee is acquiring real property with the grant, or if the grantee owns the real property upon which an improvement is being constructed, renovated, altered, modified, or maintained with the grant, the grantee must execute, deliver, and record in the county in which the subject property is located an agreement that: 1. States a correct legal description of the real property. 2. Sets forth with specificity the buildings, appurtenances, fixtures, fixed equipment, structures, improvements, renovations, and personalty to be purchased pursuant to the grant. 3. During the term of the agreement, prohibits the grantee from selling, transferring, mortgaging, or assigning the grantee’s interest in the real property, unless the administering agency approves the sale, transfer, mortgage, or assignment; and, in the case of sale, transfer, or assignment, the purchaser, transferor, or assignee must fully assume, in writing, all of the terms and conditions of the agreement required by this subsection. The administering agency may not agree to subordinate a mortgage. (b) If the grantee is not acquiring real property, or does not own the real property being improved, the agreement shall: 1. Specify the leasehold or other real property interest the grantee has in the real property. 2. State the name of the owner of the real property. 3. Describe the relationship between the owner of the real property and the grantee. 4. Set forth with specificity the improvements, renovations, and personalty to be purchased pursuant to the grant. 5. During the term of the agreement, prohibit the grantee from selling, transferring, mortgaging, or assigning the grantee’s interest in the leasehold, improvements, renovations, or personalty, unless the administering agency approves the sale, transfer, mortgage, or assignment; and, in the case of sale, transfer, or assignment, the purchaser, transferor, or assignee must fully assume, in writing, all of the terms and conditions of the agreement required by this subsection. Additionally, the grantee shall execute and deliver a security instrument, financing statement, or other appropriate document securing the interest of the administering agency in the improvements, renovations, and personalty associated with the grant. The administering agency may not subordinate or modify a security interest. (c) All agreements required by this subsection shall: 1. Require the grantee to continue the operation, maintenance, repair, and administration of the property in accordance with the purposes for which the funds were originally appropriated and for the period of time expressly specified by the bill appropriating the grant. If the bill appropriating the grant does not specify a time period, the administering agency shall determine a reasonable period of time. 2. Provide that if the grantee fails, during the term of the agreement, to operate, maintain, repair, and administer the property in accordance with the purposes for which the funds were originally granted, the grantee shall return to the administering agency, no later than upon demand by the administering agency, an amount calculated as follows: a. If the bill appropriating the grant states a specific repayment formula, that formula shall be used; b. If the bill appropriating the grant states a specific period of time but does not specify a repayment formula, the amount to be returned shall be calculated on a pro rata basis for that period of time; or c. If the bill appropriating the grant does not state a specific period of time or formula, the amount to be returned shall be specified by the administering agency, which shall be no less than the full amount of the grant less $100,000 or 10 percent of the grant, whichever is more, for each full year for which the property was used for such purposes. The administering agency shall deposit all funds returned by the grantee into the state fund from which the grant was originally made. 3. Require that the grantee adopt an accounting system, in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, which shall provide for a complete record of the use of the grant money. In addition, the provisions of s. 215.97 shall apply. 4. Provide that the grantee shall indemnify, defend, and hold the administering agency harmless from and against any and all claims or demands for damages resulting from personal injury, including death or damage to property, arising out of or relating to the subject property or the use of the grant money. The agreement shall require the grantee to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of directors, officers, and employees of the grantee against any personal liability or accountability by reason of actions taken while acting within the scope of their authority. The administering agency shall be immune from civil or criminal liability resulting from acts or omissions of the grantee and the grantee’s agents, employees, or assigns. 5. Require the grantee to return any portion of the grant money received that is not necessary to the purchase of the land, or to the cost of the improvements, renovations, and personalty, for which the grant was awarded. (d) The administering agency may: 1. Require that, during any term or period of construction, or until such time as the grant money is fully and properly spent according to the bill appropriating the grant, the grantee obtain a blanket fidelity bond, in the amount of the grant, issued by a company authorized and licensed to do business in this state, which will reimburse the administering agency in the event that anyone handling the grant moneys either misappropriates or absconds with the grant moneys. All employees handling the grant moneys must be covered by the bond. 2. Include any other term or condition the administering agency deems reasonable and necessary for the effective and efficient administration of the grant. 3. Modify any condition required by this subsection, provided the administering agency deems that such modification is necessary in order to best effectuate the purpose of the grant and provided the bill appropriating the grant, or applicable law, does not otherwise require. (e) The agreement must provide that the administering agency shall execute a satisfaction of the agreement in recordable form upon full compliance by the grantee with the terms of the agreement.

F.S. 216.351 Subsequent inconsistent laws.

Subsequent inconsistent laws shall supersede this chapter only to the extent that they do so by express reference to this section.

F.S. 216.0442 Truth in bonding; definitions; summary of state debt; statement of proposed financing; truth-in-bonding statement.

(1) As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) “Costs of issuance” means all of those costs and expenses directly incurred by or on behalf of any state agency or the judicial branch in the process of issuing or incurring a debt or obligation. Such costs of issuance shall include, but shall not be limited to, the costs of rating the debt or obligation, the costs of retaining professional services such as bond counsel or financial advisers, the amount of underwriter’s discount, printing costs, and the costs of the entity responsible for issuing or incurring the debt or obligation. (b) “Debt” means a bond, certificate, note, or other evidence of indebtedness, including, but not limited to, an agreement to pay principal and any interest thereon, whether in the form of a contract to repay borrowed money or otherwise, and includes a share or other interest in any such agreement. (c) “Debt service” means the amounts due on any state debt or obligation for interest, any maturing principal, any required contributions to an amortization or sinking fund for a term debt or obligation, and any other continuing payments necessary or incidental to the repayment of a state debt or obligation. (d) “Interest” means the compensation for the use or detention of money or its equivalent. (e) “Interest rate” means the annual percentage of the outstanding state debt or obligation payable as interest. (f) “Obligation” means an agreement to pay principal and interest thereon, other than a debt, whether in the form of a lease, lease-purchase, installment purchase, or otherwise, and includes a share, participation, or other interest in any such agreement. However, the term “obligation” does not include an agreement having a term of less than 5 years, unless the principal is more than $5 million and the term is more than 2 years. (g) “Outstanding state debt” means any state debt or obligation of which the principal has not been paid or for which an amount sufficient to provide for the payment of such state debt or obligation and the interest on such state debt or obligation to the maturity or early redemption of such state debt or obligation has not been set aside for the benefit of the holders of such state debt or obligation. (h) “Principal” means the face value of the debt or obligation. (i) “Proposed state debt or obligation” means any state debt or obligation proposed to be issued or incurred. (j) “State debt or obligation” means a debt or obligation incurred or issued by or on behalf of the state or any state agency or the judicial branch. (2) When required by statute to support the proposed debt financing of fixed capital outlay projects or operating capital outlay requests or to explain the issuance of a debt or obligation, one or more of the following documents shall be developed: (a) A summary of outstanding state debt as furnished by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to s. 216.102. (b) A statement of proposed financing, which shall include the following items: 1. A listing of the purpose of the debt or obligation. 2. The source of repayment of the debt or obligation. 3. The principal amount of the debt or obligation. 4. The interest rate on the debt or obligation, which shall be as forecasted by the Economic Estimating Conference, as provided in s. 216.136, for the period during which the debt or obligation is to be sold. 5. A schedule of annual debt service payments for each proposed state debt or obligation. 6. The method of sale of the debt or obligation. 7. The costs of issuance of the debt or obligation, including a detailed listing of the amounts of the major costs of issuance. (c) A truth-in-bonding statement, developed from the information compiled pursuant to this section, in substantially the following form: The State of Florida is proposing to issue $ (insert principal) of debt or obligation for the purpose of (insert purpose) . This debt or obligation is expected to be repaid over a period of (insert term of issue from subparagraph (b)5.) years. At a forecasted interest rate of (insert rate of interest from subparagraph (b)4.) , total interest paid over the life of the debt or obligation will be $ (insert sum of interest payments) . (3) The failure of any state agency or the judicial branch to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of any state debt or obligation. (4) The documents prepared pursuant to this section are for illustrative purposes only and shall not affect or control the actual terms and conditions of the debt or obligation.

F.S. 216.1366 Contract terms.

(1) In order to preserve the interest of the state in the prudent expenditure of state funds, each public agency contract for services entered into or amended on or after July 1, 2020, shall authorize the public agency to inspect the: (a) Financial records, papers, and documents of the contractor that are directly related to the performance of the contract or the expenditure of state funds. (b) Programmatic records, papers, and documents of the contractor which the public agency determines are necessary to monitor the performance of the contract or to ensure that the terms of the contract are being met. (2) The contract shall require the contractor to provide such records, papers, and documents requested by the public agency within 10 business days after the request is made. (3)(a) For any contract for services executed, amended, or extended on or after July 1, 2023, with a nonprofit organization as defined in s. 215.97(2)(m), the contract must require the contractor to provide documentation that indicates the amount of state funds: 1. Allocated to be used during the full term of the contract for remuneration to any member of the board of directors or an officer of the contractor. 2. Allocated under each payment by the public agency to be used for remuneration of any member of the board of directors or an officer of the contractor. The documentation must indicate the amounts and recipients of the remuneration. Such information must be included in the contract tracking system maintained pursuant to s. 215.985 and must be posted on the contractor’s website, if the contractor maintains a website. (b) As used in this subsection, the term: 1. “Officer” means a chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief operating officer, or any other position performing an equivalent function. 2. “Remuneration” means all compensation earned by or awarded to personnel, whether paid or accrued, regardless of contingency, including bonuses, accrued paid time off, severance payments, incentive payments, contributions to a retirement plan, or in-kind payments, reimbursements, or allowances for moving expenses, vehicles and other transportation, telephone services, medical services, housing, and meals. 3. “State funds” means funds paid from the General Revenue Fund or any state trust fund, funds allocated by the Federal Government and distributed by the state, or funds appropriated by the state for distribution through any grant program. The term does not include funds used for the state Medicaid program.

F.S. 216.1811 Approved operating budgets and appropriations for the legislative branch.

(1) The Governor and the Chief Financial Officer shall each make changes to the original approved operating budgets for operational and fixed capital expenditures relating to the legislative branch as directed by the presiding officers of the legislative branch. (2) The Governor and the Chief Financial Officer shall each ensure that any balances of appropriations made to the legislative branch are carried forward as directed by the presiding officers of the legislative branch.

F.S. 216.1815 Agency incentive and savings program.

(1) In order to provide an incentive for agencies and the judicial branch to re-engineer business processes and otherwise increase operating efficiency, it is the intent of the Legislature to allow agencies and the judicial branch to retain a portion of the savings produced by internally generated agency or judicial branch program efficiencies and cost reductions. (2) To be eligible to retain funds, an agency or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court must submit a plan and an associated request to amend its approved operating budget to the Legislative Budget Commission specifying: (a) The modifications to approved programs resulting in efficiencies and cost savings; (b) The amount and source of the funds and positions saved; (c) The specific positions, rate, amounts, and sources of funds the agency or the judicial branch wishes to include in its incentive expenditures; (d) How the agency or the judicial branch will meet the goals and objectives established in its long-range program plan; (e) How the agency or the judicial branch will meet performance standards, including those in its long-range program plan; and (f) Any other incentive expenditures which the agency or the judicial branch believes will enhance its performance. (3) Notwithstanding the 14-day notice requirement contained in s. 216.177(2)(a), all plans and budget amendments submitted to the Legislative Budget Commission pursuant to this section shall be delivered at least 30 days prior to the date of the commission meeting at which the request will be considered. (4) In determining the amount the agency or the judicial branch will be allowed to retain, the commission shall consider the actual savings projected for the current budget year and the annualized savings. (5) The amount to be retained by the agency or the judicial branch shall be no less than 5 percent and no more than 25 percent of the annual savings and may be used by the agency or the judicial branch for salary increases or other expenditures specified in the agency’s or the judicial branch’s plan if the salary increases or other expenditures do not create a recurring cost to the state in excess of the recurring savings achieved by the agency or the judicial branch in the plan. (6) Each agency or judicial branch allowed to retain funds pursuant to this section shall submit in its next legislative budget request a schedule showing how it used such funds.

F.S. 216.1826 Activity-based planning and budgeting.

Agencies are directed to work in consultation with the Executive Office of the Governor and the appropriations and appropriate substantive committees of the Legislature, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is directed to work with the appropriations and appropriate substantive committees of the Legislature, to identify and reach consensus on the appropriate services and activities for activity-based budgeting. It is the intent of the Legislature that all dollars within an agency or the judicial branch be allocated to the appropriate activity for budgeting purposes. Additionally, agencies or the judicial branch shall examine approved performance measures and recommend any changes so that outcomes are clearly delineated for each service or program, as appropriate, and outputs are aligned with activities. Output measures should be capable of being used to generate a unit cost for each activity resulting in a true accounting of what the state should spend on each activity it provides and what the state should expect to accomplish with those funds.

F.S. 216.1827 Requirements for performance measures and standards.

(1) Agencies and the judicial branch shall maintain a comprehensive performance accountability system containing, at a minimum, a list of performance measures and standards that are adopted by the Legislature and subsequently amended pursuant to this section. (2)(a) Agencies and the judicial branch shall submit output and outcome measures and standards, as well as historical baseline and performance data pursuant to s. 216.013. (b) Agencies and the judicial branch shall also submit performance data, measures, and standards to the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability upon request for review of the adequacy of the legislatively approved measures and standards. (3)(a) An agency may submit requests to delete or amend its existing approved performance measures and standards or activities, including alignment of activities to performance measures, or submit requests to create additional performance measures and standards or activities to the Executive Office of the Governor for review and approval. The request shall document the justification for the change and ensure that the revision, deletion, or addition is consistent with legislative intent. Revisions or deletions to or additions of performance measures and standards approved by the Executive Office of the Governor are subject to the review and objection procedure set forth in s. 216.177. (b) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may submit deletions or amendments of the judicial branch’s existing approved performance measures and standards or may submit additional performance measures and standards to the Legislature accompanied with justification for the change and ensure that the revision, deletion, or addition is consistent with legislative intent. Revisions or deletions to, or additions of performance measures and standards submitted by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court are subject to the review and objection procedure set forth in s. 216.177. (4)(a) The Legislature may create, amend, and delete performance measures and standards. The Legislature may confer with the Executive Office of the Governor for state agencies and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the judicial branch prior to any such action. (b) The Legislature may require state agencies to submit requests for revisions, additions, or deletions to approved performance measures and standards to the Executive Office of the Governor for review and approval, subject to the review and objection procedure set forth in s. 216.177. (c) The Legislature may require the judicial branch to submit revisions, additions, or deletions to approved performance measures and standards to the Legislature, subject to the review and objection procedure set forth in s. 216.177. (d) Any new agency created by the Legislature is subject to the initial performance measures and standards established by the Legislature. The Legislature may require state agencies and the judicial branch to provide any information necessary to create initial performance measures and standards.

F.S. 216.3475 Maximum rate of payment for services funded under General Appropriations Act or awarded on a noncompetitive basis.

A person or entity that is designated by the General Appropriations Act, or that is awarded funding on a noncompetitive basis, to provide services for which funds are appropriated by that act may not receive a rate of payment in excess of the competitive prevailing rate for those services unless expressly authorized in the General Appropriations Act. Each agency shall maintain records to support a cost analysis, which includes a detailed budget submitted by the person or entity awarded funding and the agency’s documented review of individual cost elements from the submitted budget for allowability, reasonableness, and necessity.

Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter216/AllFetched: 7/8/2026