The bill establishes the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight within the Department of Financial Services to improve fiscal management and oversight of local governments. It requires local governments to notify the agency when they authorize certain tax-related referenda and mandates audits of these governments. Noncompliance with information requests can result in administrative fines and the withholding of state funds, although the agency has the discretion to waive fines under certain conditions. Additionally, local governments must submit an annual efficiency report, and new training requirements on financial ethics are introduced for agency employees, elected officials, and volunteers, along with protections for whistle-blowers.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing laws regarding the management and posting of contracts and procurement documents by state entities and counties. It mandates that confidential information be redacted before posting on the contract tracking system, with penalties for failure to comply. The Chief Financial Officer is tasked with implementing a secure contract tracking system and ensuring transparency in government spending. The bill clarifies that posting information does not exempt entities from public records requests and allows for regulation of records that may pose identity theft risks. The amendments will not be enforced until the contract tracking system is operational, with a deadline of July 1, 2027, for implementation, and the act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 1572 Filed: 215.985