Senate Bill 1512 (2020) — Local government reporting
SB 1512
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1512 By Senator Diaz 36-01765-20 20201512__ Page 1 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to local government reporting; 2 amending ss. 129.03 and 166.241, F.S.; deleting an 3 annual requirement for county budget officers and 4 municipal budget officers, respectively, to report 5 specified budget information to the Office of Economic 6 and Demographic Research; creating s. 218.323, F.S.; 7 providing legislative intent; requiring each county 8 and municipality to annually report specified fiscal 9 and economic information to the Department of 10 Financial Services; requiring the department to adopt 11 rules; requiring the department to establish a certain 12 website by a specified date; requiring the department 13 to annually generate and distribute to residents a 14 specified local government report; specifying 15 requirements for preparing and distributing the 16 report; specifying required information in the report; 17 specifying required information on the department’s 18 website; authorizing the department to select 19 contractors for certain purposes; providing a 20 procurement requirement; providing an effective date. 21 22 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 23 24
Section 1. Paragraph (
d) of subsection (3) of
section 25 129.03, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 26 129.03 Preparation and adoption of budget.— 27
(3) The county budget officer, after tentatively 28 ascertaining the proposed fiscal policies of the board for the 29
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1512 36-01765-20 20201512__ Page 2 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. next fiscal year, shall prepare and present to the board a 30 tentative budget for the next fiscal year for each of the funds 31 provided in this chapter, including all estimated receipts, 32 taxes to be levied, and balances expected to be brought forward 33 and all estimated expenditures, reserves, and balances to be 34 carried over at the end of the year. 35 (
d) By October 15, 2019, and each October 15 annually 36 thereafter, the county budget officer shall electronically 37 submit the following information regarding the final budget and 38 the county’s economic status to the Office of Economic and 39 Demographic Research in the format specified by the office: 40 1. Government spending per resident, including, at a 41 minimum, the spending per resident for the previous 5 fiscal 42 years. 43 2. Government debt per resident, including, at a minimum, 44 the debt per resident for the previous 5 fiscal years. 45 3. Median income within the county. 46 4.
The average county employee salary. 47 5. Percent of budget spent on salaries and benefits for 48 county employees. 49 6. Number of special taxing districts, wholly or partially, 50 within the county. 51
Section 2. Subsections (4) and (6) of
section 166.241, 52 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 53 166.241 Fiscal years, budgets, and budget amendments.— 54
(4) Beginning October 15, 2019, and each October 15 55 thereafter, the municipal budget officer shall electronically 56 submit the following information regarding the final budget and 57 the municipality’s economic status to the Office of Economic and 58
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1512 36-01765-20 20201512__ Page 3 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Demographic Research in the format specified by the office: 59 (
a) Government spending per resident, including, at a 60 minimum, the spending per resident for the previous 5 fiscal 61 years. 62 (
b) Government debt per resident, including, at a minimum, 63 the debt per resident for the previous 5 fiscal years. 64 (
c) Average municipal employee salary. 65 (
d) Median income within the municipality. 66 (
e) Number of special taxing districts wholly or partially 67 within the municipality. 68 (
f) Percent of budget spent on salaries and benefits for 69 municipal employees. 70 (5)
(6) If the governing body of a municipality amends the 71 budget pursuant to paragraph (4)(c) (5)(c), the adopted 72 amendment must be posted on the official website of the 73 municipality within 5 days after adoption and must remain on the 74 website for at least 2 years. If the municipality does not 75 operate an official website, the municipality must, within a 76 reasonable period of time as established by the county or 77 counties in which the municipality is located, transmit the 78 adopted amendment to the manager or administrator of such county 79 or counties who shall post the adopted amendment on the county’s 80 website. 81
Section
Section 218.323, Florida Statutes, is created to 82 read: 83 218.323 County and municipal fiscal and economic 84 information; reporting requirement.— 85
(1) The Legislature intends to create an interactive 86 repository for county and municipal financial information and to 87
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1512 36-01765-20 20201512__ Page 4 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. distribute a report that enables residents to compare the final 88 budget and economic status of counties and municipalities. 89
(2) By October 15, 2020, and each October 15 thereafter, 90 each county and each municipality shall electronically submit 91 the information required under subsection (3) to the department 92 in the method and format established by department rule. 93 (3)(
a) By January 15, 2021, the department must establish 94 an interactive website that allows residents to compare certain 95 information about counties and municipalities. By January 15, 96 2021, and each January 15 thereafter, the department must 97 generate and distribute a local government report depicting the 98 fiscal and economic status of each county and municipality and 99 providing a comparative ranking with all other counties and 100 municipalities in this state. 101 (
b) The local government report must be mailed to each 102 household with a registered voter at the address. The local 103 government report must be specific to the household’s 104 municipality and county. Each household not residing within a 105 municipality must receive a local government report specific to 106 the household’s county. The local government report must assist 107 the household in making direct comparisons of fiscal and 108 economic metrics, must be a single page and use colorful 109 graphics, and must provide the following information in an easy 110 to understand format: 111 1.
The government spending per resident, including the per-112 resident spending for the past 5 fiscal years. The local 113 government report must depict the total per-resident spent and 114 the rank for the municipality compared to all municipalities. 115 For each county, such report must depict the total per-resident 116
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1512 36-01765-20 20201512__ Page 5 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. spent and the rank for the county compared to all counties. 117 2. The government debt per resident, including the per-118 resident debt for the previous 5 fiscal years. The local 119 government report must depict the total debt and the rank for 120 the municipality compared to all municipalities. For each 121 county, such report must depict the total debt and the rank for 122 the county compared to all counties. 123 3.
The average county or municipal employee salary, as 124 applicable. The local government report must depict the average 125 county or municipal employee salary, as applicable, and the rank 126 for the county or municipality compared to all counties or 127 municipalities, as applicable. 128 4. The median income. The local government report must 129 depict the median income for the county or municipality, as 130 applicable, and the rank for the county or municipality compared 131 to all counties or municipalities, as applicable. 132 5.
The average school grade for the county or municipality, 133 as applicable. 134 6. The crime rate for the county and the rank for the 135 county compared to all counties. 136 (
c) In addition to the information included in the local 137 government report required under paragraph (b), the interactive 138 website must, at a minimum, include the following information: 139 1. The population of the county or municipality, as 140 applicable. 141 2. The unemployment rate for the county or municipality, as 142 applicable. 143 3. The percent of budget spent on salaries and benefits for 144 county or municipal employees, as applicable. The website must 145
Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1512 36-01765-20 20201512__ Page 6 of 6 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. depict the percent of budget spent on salaries and benefits for 146 the county or municipality, as applicable, and the rank for the 147 county or municipality compared to all counties or 148 municipalities, as applicable. 149 4. The number of special taxing districts, wholly or 150 partially, within the county or municipality, as applicable. 151 5. The government revenue per resident for the county or 152 municipality, as applicable, and the rank for the county or 153 municipality compared to all counties or municipalities, as 154 applicable. 155
(4) The department may choose one or more contractors to 156 design and distribute the local government report to enable 157 residents to compare the final budget and economic status data 158 reported by each county and municipality, and to create the 159 interactive website. The department must select contractors 160 through an open request for proposal process pursuant to
chapter 161 287. 162