The Local Government Financial Transparency and Accountability Act seeks to improve the financial transparency and accountability of local governments in Florida by amending various sections of the Florida Statutes. Key provisions include new posting requirements for tentative and final budgets on official websites, mandating that tentative budgets be available at least 5 days before public hearings and remain accessible for 45 days, while final budgets must be posted within 30 days of adoption and available for 5 years. Additionally, the bill requires counties to conduct budget workshops to identify potential reductions and publish the results online. It also introduces requirements for quarterly compensation summaries and budget development calendars, which must be published on official websites.

The bill further establishes guidelines for impact fees, including the necessity for local governments to base calculations on recent data and conduct public workshops for fee increases. It specifies that municipalities must prepare and publish a quarterly summary of employee compensation and develop a budget development calendar by January 30 each year. The legislation also amends statutes regarding discretionary sales surtaxes, allowing proceeds to be used for infrastructure and economic development projects. The bill includes a declaration of state interest and sets an effective date of January 1, 2027, for its provisions.

Statutes affected:
S 1566 Filed: 129.03, 129.06
S 1566 c2: 129.06
S 1566 c3: 129.06, 212.055