Bill Text: FL S1616 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Local Government Financial Reporting

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-02 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see HB 861 (Ch. 2019-56), CS/SB 7014 (Ch. 2019-15) [S1616 Detail]

Download: Florida-2019-S1616-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2019                                    SB 1616
       
       
        
       By Senator Baxley
       
       
       
       
       
       12-01393-19                                           20191616__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to local government financial
    3         reporting; amending ss. 129.03 and 166.241, F.S.;
    4         requiring county and municipal budget officers,
    5         respectively, to submit certain information to the
    6         Office of Economic and Demographic Research within a
    7         specified timeframe; requiring adopted budget
    8         amendments and final budgets to remain posted on each
    9         entity’s official website for a specified period of
   10         time; requiring the Office of Economic and Demographic
   11         Research to create a form for certain purposes by a
   12         specified date; providing an effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
   17  129.03, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (d) is added
   18  to that subsection, to read:
   19         129.03 Preparation and adoption of budget.—
   20         (3) The county budget officer, after tentatively
   21  ascertaining the proposed fiscal policies of the board for the
   22  next fiscal year, shall prepare and present to the board a
   23  tentative budget for the next fiscal year for each of the funds
   24  provided in this chapter, including all estimated receipts,
   25  taxes to be levied, and balances expected to be brought forward
   26  and all estimated expenditures, reserves, and balances to be
   27  carried over at the end of the year.
   28         (c) The board shall hold public hearings to adopt tentative
   29  and final budgets pursuant to s. 200.065. The hearings shall be
   30  primarily for the purpose of hearing requests and complaints
   31  from the public regarding the budgets and the proposed tax
   32  levies and for explaining the budget and any proposed or adopted
   33  amendments. The tentative budget must be posted on the county’s
   34  official website at least 2 days before the public hearing to
   35  consider such budget and must remain on the website for at least
   36  45 days. The final budget must be posted on the website within
   37  30 days after adoption and must remain on the website for at
   38  least 2 years. The tentative budgets, adopted tentative budgets,
   39  and final budgets shall be filed in the office of the county
   40  auditor as a public record. Sufficient reference in words and
   41  figures to identify the particular transactions must shall be
   42  made in the minutes of the board to record its actions with
   43  reference to the budgets.
   44         (d) By October 15, 2019, and each October 15 annually
   45  thereafter, the county budget officer shall electronically
   46  submit the following information regarding the final budget and
   47  the county’s economic status to the Office of Economic and
   48  Demographic Research in the format specified by the office:
   49         1. Government spending per resident, including, at a
   50  minimum, the spending per resident for the previous 5 fiscal
   51  years.
   52         2. Government debt per resident, including, at a minimum,
   53  the debt per resident for the previous 5 fiscal years.
   54         3. Median income within the county.
   55         4. The average county employee salary.
   56         5. Percent of budget spent on salaries and benefits for
   57  county employees.
   58         6. Number of special taxing districts, wholly or partially,
   59  within the county.
   60         Section 2. Present subsections (4) and (5) of section
   61  166.241, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
   62  and (6), respectively, subsection (3) and present subsection (5)
   63  are amended, and a new subsection (4) is added to that section,
   64  to read:
   65         166.241 Fiscal years, budgets, and budget amendments.—
   66         (3) The tentative budget must be posted on the
   67  municipality’s official website at least 2 days before the
   68  budget hearing, held pursuant to s. 200.065 or other law, to
   69  consider such budget and must remain on the website for at least
   70  45 days. The final adopted budget must be posted on the
   71  municipality’s official website within 30 days after adoption
   72  and must remain on the website for at least 2 years. If the
   73  municipality does not operate an official website, the
   74  municipality must, within a reasonable period of time as
   75  established by the county or counties in which the municipality
   76  is located, transmit the tentative budget and final budget to
   77  the manager or administrator of such county or counties who
   78  shall post the budgets on the county’s website.
   79         (4) Beginning October 15, 2019, and each October 15
   80  thereafter, the municipal budget officer shall electronically
   81  submit the following information regarding the final budget and
   82  the municipality’s economic status to the Office of Economic and
   83  Demographic Research in the format specified by the office:
   84         (a) Government spending per resident, including, at a
   85  minimum, the spending per resident for the previous 5 fiscal
   86  years.
   87         (b) Government debt per resident, including, at a minimum,
   88  the debt per resident for the previous 5 fiscal years.
   89         (c) Average municipal employee salary.
   90         (d) Median income within the municipality.
   91         (e) Number of special taxing districts, wholly or
   92  partially, within the municipality.
   93         (f) Percent of budget spent on salaries and benefits for
   94  municipal employees.
   95         (6)(5) If the governing body of a municipality amends the
   96  budget pursuant to paragraph (5)(c) (4)(c), the adopted
   97  amendment must be posted on the official website of the
   98  municipality within 5 days after adoption and must remain on the
   99  website for at least 2 years. If the municipality does not
  100  operate an official website, the municipality must, within a
  101  reasonable period of time as established by the county or
  102  counties in which the municipality is located, transmit the
  103  adopted amendment to the manager or administrator of such county
  104  or counties who shall post the adopted amendment on the county’s
  105  website.
  106         Section 3. By July 15, 2019, the Office of Economic and
  107  Demographic Research shall establish the format and forms for
  108  use by counties and municipalities for purposes of submitting
  109  the information required by this act.
  110         Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.