The bill establishes a new section, 287.139, in the Florida Statutes, which defines "media reliability and bias monitor" and sets forth restrictions on agency contracts with such monitors. It prohibits agencies from entering into contracts or providing support to media reliability and bias monitors, which are defined as contractors that rate news sources for factual accuracy or provide opinions on misinformation and bias. The bill also stipulates that agencies cannot accept bids or proposals for advertising and marketing services unless the contractor certifies compliance with this section. Additionally, agencies must obtain certification from contractors before extending or modifying existing contracts, ensuring they do not use media reliability and bias monitors.
Certain exceptions are included in the bill, allowing contractors that aggregate news articles or provide analytical information on advertisement performance to be exempt from these restrictions. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.