Florida 2023 3rd Special Session

Florida House Bill H0005 Latest Draft

Bill / Enrolled Version Filed 11/08/2023

                                    
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An act relating to scrutinized companies; amending s. 2 
215.473, F.S.; defining terms; revising the definition 3 
of the term "scrutinized company"; requiring the State 4 
Board of Administration to identify and maintain the 5 
Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Iran 6 
Terrorism Sectors List; requiring the board to update 7 
and quarterly make such list publicly available; 8 
requiring the board to adhere to specified procedures 9 
to assemble companies on such list; providing that 10 
companies on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities 11 
in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List as of a 12 
specified date are deemed, beginning on a certain 13 
date, to be on the Scrutinized Companies with 14 
Activities in Iran Terrorism Sectors List until 15 
removed pursuant to specified procedures; requiring 16 
the State Board of Administration to file a certain 17 
report with each member of its Board of Trustees and 18 
the Legislature within a specified timeframe after the 19 
list is created or updated; requiring the board to no 20 
longer scrutinize companies subject to the Scrutinized 21 
Companies with Activities in Iran Terrorism Sectors 22 
List, to no longer assemble companies on the list, and 23 
to cease engagement, investment prohibiti ons, and 24 
divestment actions if two specified actions occur; 25          
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conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 26 
amending s. 287.135, F.S.; providing that certain 27 
entities are ineligible to, and may not, bid on, 28 
submit a proposal for, or enter into or renew c ertain 29 
contracts; requiring that certain contracts entered 30 
into or renewed on or after a specified date with an 31 
agency or a local governmental entity contain a 32 
provision allowing for the termination of such 33 
contract under specified circumstances; revising the 34 
exception allowing an agency or a local governmental 35 
entity to contract with a company on specified lists 36 
or engaged in business operations with certain 37 
countries; providing the circumstances under which an 38 
agency or a local governmental entity may con tract 39 
with a company on the Scrutinized Companies with 40 
Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List or 41 
the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Iran 42 
Terrorism Sectors List; requiring a company to certify 43 
that it is not on certain lists at the ti me the 44 
company submits a bid or proposal for a contract or 45 
before the company enters into or renews a contract 46 
with an agency or a local governmental entity; 47 
conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 48 
amending s. 624.449, F.S.; requiring domestic in surers 49 
to annually provide to the Office of Insurance 50          
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Regulation a list of companies in which they have 51 
investments which are on the Scrutinized Companies 52 
with Activities in Iran Terrorism Sectors List; 53 
reenacting s. 215.47(10)(b), F.S., relating to certai n 54 
investment decisions made by the State Board of 55 
Administration, to incorporate the amendments made to 56 
s. 215.473, F.S., in a reference thereto; providing 57 
severability; providing an effective date. 58 
  59 
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of F lorida: 60 
 61 
 Section 1.  Section 215.473, Florida Statutes, is amended 62 
to read: 63 
 215.473  Divestiture by the State Board of Administration; 64 
Sudan; Iran.— 65 
 (1)  DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 66 
 (a)  "Active business operations" means all busi ness 67 
operations that are not inactive business operations. 68 
 (b)  "Board" means the State Board of Administration. 69 
 (c)  "Business operations" means engaging in commerce in 70 
any form in Sudan or Iran, including, but not limited to, 71 
acquiring, developing, mai ntaining, owning, selling, possessing, 72 
leasing, or operating equipment, facilities, personnel, 73 
products, services, personal property, real property, or any 74 
other apparatus of business or commerce. 75          
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 (d)  "Company" means a sole proprietorship, organization, 76 
association, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited 77 
partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability 78 
company, or other entity or business association, including all 79 
wholly owned subsidiaries, majority -owned subsidiaries, parent 80 
companies, or affiliates of such entities or business 81 
associations, that exists for the purpose of making profit. 82 
 (e)  "Complicit" means taking actions during any preceding 83 
20-month period which have directly supported or promoted the 84 
genocidal campaign in Dar fur, including preventing Darfur's 85 
victimized population from communicating with each other; 86 
encouraging Sudanese citizens to speak out against an 87 
internationally approved security force for Darfur; actively 88 
working to deny, cover up, or alter the record o n human rights 89 
abuses in Darfur; or other similar actions. 90 
 (f)  "Construction sector" means the production, 91 
procurement, devising, framing, or arranging in Iran of parts or 92 
materials to fabricate, shape, or form buildings or structures, 93 
including the onsite development, assembly, or construction of 94 
residential, commercial, or institutional buildings in Iran. 95 
 (g) "Direct holdings" in a company means all securities of 96 
that company that are held directly by the public fund or in an 97 
account or fund in which the public fund owns all shares or 98 
interests. 99 
 (h)  "Energy sector" means those activities involving the 100          
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exploration, extraction, production, refinement, or liquefaction 101 
of petroleum, natural gas, or petroleum products in Iran. 102 
 (i)  "Financial sector" mea ns any entity, including foreign 103 
branches wherever located, organized under the laws of Iran or 104 
any jurisdiction within Iran, or owned or controlled by the 105 
government of Iran, or located in Iran, or owned or controlled 106 
by any such entities, which is engage d in the business, as 107 
principal or agent, of accepting deposits; making, granting, 108 
transferring, holding, or brokering loans or credits; or 109 
purchasing or selling foreign exchange, securities, or commodity 110 
futures or options, or procuring purchasers and sel lers thereof. 111 
Entities that operate in the financial sector of the Iranian 112 
economy include, but are not limited to, depository 113 
institutions, banks, savings banks, money service businesses, 114 
trust companies, insurance companies, securities brokers and 115 
dealers, commodity futures and options brokers and dealers, 116 
forward contract and foreign exchange merchants, securities and 117 
commodities exchanges, clearing corporations, investment 118 
companies, employee benefit plans, dealers in precious metals, 119 
stones, or jewels, and holding companies, affiliates, or 120 
subsidiaries of any such entities. 121 
 (j)(g) "Government of Iran" means the government of Iran, 122 
its instrumentalities, and companies owned or controlled by the 123 
government of Iran. 124 
 (k)(h) "Government of South Sudan" means the Republic of 125          
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South Sudan, that has its capital in Juba, South Sudan. 126 
 (l)(i) "Government of Sudan" means the Republic of the 127 
Sudan that has its capital in Khartoum, Sudan. 128 
 (m)(j) "Inactive business operations" mean s the mere 129 
continued holding or renewal of rights to property previously 130 
operated for the purpose of generating revenues but not 131 
presently deployed for such purpose. 132 
 (n)(k) "Indirect holdings" in a company means all 133 
securities of that company that are he ld in a commingled fund or 134 
other collective investment, such as a mutual fund, in which the 135 
public fund owns shares or interests together with other 136 
investors not subject to this section. 137 
 (o)(l) "Iran" means the Islamic Republic of Iran. 138 
 (p)  "Manufacturing sector" means the creation of goods in 139 
Iran by manual labor or machinery which are for export from Iran 140 
or for sale within Iran. 141 
 (q)(m) "Marginalized populations of Sudan" include, but 142 
are not limited to, the portion of the population in the Darfur 143 
region that has been genocidally victimized; the portion of the 144 
population of South Sudan victimized by Sudan's north -south 145 
civil war; the Beja, Rashidiya, and other similarly underserved 146 
groups of eastern Sudan; the Nubian and other similarly 147 
underserved groups in Sudan's Abyei, Southern Blue Nile, and 148 
Nuba Mountain regions; and the Amri, Hamadab, Manasir, and other 149 
similarly underserved groups of northern Sudan. 150          
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 (r)  "Metals sector" means the sale, supply, or transfer, 151 
directly or indirectly, to or from Iran of raw or semifinished 152 
metals, including, but not limited to, the following types of 153 
such materials and all alloys or compounds containing such 154 
materials: aluminum, americium, antimony, barium, beryllium, 155 
bismuth, boron, cadmium, calcium, cerium, cesi um, chromium, 156 
cobalt, copper, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, 157 
gallium, germanium, gold, hafnium, hastelloy, inconel, indium, 158 
iridium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, lutetium, magnesium, 159 
manganese, mercury, molybdenum, monel, neodymium, neptunium , 160 
nickel, niobium, osmium, palladium, platinum, plutonium, 161 
polonium, potassium, praseodymium, promethium, radium, rhenium, 162 
rhodium, ruthenium, samarium, scandium, silicon, silver, sodium, 163 
steels, strontium, tantalum, technetium, tellurium, terbium, 164 
thallium, thorium, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, 165 
ytterbium, yttrium, zinc, and zirconium. 166 
 (s)(n) "Military equipment" means weapons, arms, military 167 
supplies, and equipment that may readily be used for military 168 
purposes, including, but not limited to, radar systems, 169 
military-grade transport vehicles, or supplies or services sold 170 
or provided directly or indirectly to any force actively 171 
participating in armed conflict in Sudan. 172 
 (t)(o) "Mineral-extraction activities" include the 173 
exploring, extracting , processing, transporting, or wholesale 174 
selling or trading of elemental minerals or associated metal 175          
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alloys or oxides (ore), including gold, copper, chromium, 176 
chromite, diamonds, iron, iron ore, silver, tungsten, uranium, 177 
and zinc, as well as facilitating such activities, including 178 
providing supplies or services in support of such activities. 179 
 (u)  "Mining sector" means any act, process, or industry of 180 
extracting, at the surface or underground, ores, coal, precious 181 
stones, or any other minerals or geologic al materials from the 182 
earth in Iran. 183 
 (v)(p) "Oil-related activities" include, but are not 184 
limited to, owning rights to oil blocks; exporting, extracting, 185 
producing, refining, processing, exploring for, transporting, 186 
selling, or trading of oil; constructi ng, maintaining, or 187 
operating a pipeline, refinery, or other oil -field 188 
infrastructure; and facilitating such activities, including 189 
providing supplies or services in support of such activities, 190 
except that the mere retail sale of gasoline and related 191 
consumer products is not considered an oil -related activity. 192 
 (w)  "Petrochemical sector" means those activities 193 
involving any aromatic, olefin, or synthesis gas, or any of 194 
their derivatives, including ethylene, propylene, butadiene, 195 
benzene, toluene, xylene, am monia, methanol, and urea. 196 
 (x)(q) "Petroleum resources" means petroleum, petroleum 197 
byproducts, or natural gas. 198 
 (y)  "Port sector" means those activities involving the 199 
loading and unloading of cargo and passengers or the 200          
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transporting of goods and raw mat erials. 201 
 (z)(r) "Power-production activities" means a business 202 
operation that involves a project commissioned by the National 203 
Electricity Corporation (NEC) of Sudan or other similar entity 204 
of the government of Sudan whose purpose is to facilitate power 205 
generation and delivery, including, but not limited to, 206 
establishing power-generating plants or hydroelectric dams, 207 
selling or installing components for the project, providing 208 
service contracts related to the installation or maintenance of 209 
the project, as well as facilitating such activities, including 210 
providing supplies or services in support of such activities. 211 
 (aa)(s) "Public fund" means all assets of the Florida 212 
Retirement System held by the State Board of Administration in 213 
its capacity as a fiduciary p ursuant to chapter 121. 214 
 (bb)(t) "Scrutinized active business operations" means 215 
active business operations that result in a company becoming a 216 
scrutinized company. 217 
 (cc)(u) "Scrutinized business operations" means business 218 
operations that result in a comp any becoming a scrutinized 219 
company. 220 
 (dd)(v) "Scrutinized company" means a company that meets 221 
any of the following criteria: 222 
 1.  The company has business operations that involve 223 
contracts with or provision of supplies or services to the 224 
government of Sudan, companies in which the government of Sudan 225          
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has a direct or indirect equity share, consortiums or projects 226 
commissioned by the government of Sudan, or companies involved 227 
in consortiums or projects commissioned by the government of 228 
Sudan, and: 229 
 a.  More than 10 percent of the company's revenues or 230 
assets linked to Sudan involve oil -related activities or 231 
mineral-extraction activities; less than 75 percent of the 232 
company's revenues or assets linked to Sudan involve contracts 233 
with or provision of oil -related or mineral-extracting products 234 
or services to the government of South Sudan; and the company 235 
has failed to take substantial action; or 236 
 b.  More than 10 percent of the company's revenues or 237 
assets linked to Sudan involve power -production activities; less 238 
than 75 percent of the company's power -production activities 239 
include projects whose intent is to provide power or electricity 240 
to the marginalized populations of Sudan; and the company has 241 
failed to take substantial action. 242 
 2.  The company is complicit in the Darfur genocide. 243 
 3.  The company supplies military equipment within Sudan, 244 
unless it clearly shows that the military equipment cannot be 245 
used to facilitate offensive military actions in Sudan or the 246 
company implements rigorous and verifiable safeguard s to prevent 247 
use of that equipment by forces actively participating in armed 248 
conflict. Examples of safeguards include post -sale tracking of 249 
such equipment by the company, certification from a reputable 250          
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and objective third party that such equipment is not b eing used 251 
by a party participating in armed conflict in Sudan, or sale of 252 
such equipment solely to the government of South Sudan or any 253 
internationally recognized peacekeeping force or humanitarian 254 
organization. 255 
 4.  The company has business operations tha t involve 256 
contracts with or provision of supplies or services to the 257 
government of Iran, companies in which the government of Iran 258 
has any direct or indirect equity share, consortiums, or 259 
projects commissioned by the government of Iran, or companies 260 
involved in consortiums or projects commissioned by the 261 
government of Iran and: 262 
 a.  More than 10 percent of the company's total revenues or 263 
assets are linked to Iran and involve oil -related activities or 264 
mineral-extraction activities, and the company has failed to 265 
take substantial action; or 266 
 b.  On or after January 10, 2024, more than 10 percent of 267 
the company's total revenues or assets are linked to Iran and 268 
involve the energy, petrochemical, financial, construction, 269 
manufacturing, textile, mining, metals, shipping, shipbuilding, 270 
or port sectors of Iran, and the company has failed to take 271 
substantial action; 272 
 c.b. The company has, with actual knowledge, on or after 273 
August 5, 1996, made an investment of $20 million or more, or 274 
any combination of investments of at least $10 million each, 275          
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which in the aggregate equals or exceeds $20 million in any 12 -276 
month period, and which directly or significantly contributes to 277 
the enhancement of Iran's ability to develop the petroleum 278 
resources of Iran; or 279 
 d.  The company has, with actual knowledge, on or after 280 
January 10, 2024, an investment of $20 million or more, or any 281 
combination of investments of at least $10 million each, which 282 
in the aggregate equals or exceeds $20 million in any 12 -month 283 
period and involves oil -related activities in Iran, mineral -284 
extraction activities in Iran, or the energy, petrochemical, 285 
financial, construction, manufacturing, textile, mining, metals, 286 
shipping, shipbuilding, or port sectors of Iran . 287 
 (ee)  "Shipbuilding sector" means those activities 288 
involving the construction of seagoing vessels, including oil 289 
tankers and cargo vessels, in Iran. 290 
 (ff)  "Shipping sector" means those activities involving 291 
the transportation of goods by seagoing vessels, including oil 292 
tankers and cargo vessels, flying the flag of Iran or owned, 293 
controlled, chartered, or operated directly or indirectly by the 294 
government of Iran. 295 
 (gg)(w) "Social-development company" means a compan y whose 296 
primary purpose in Sudan is to provide humanitarian goods or 297 
services, including medicine or medical equipment; agricultural 298 
supplies or infrastructure; educational opportunities; 299 
journalism-related activities; information or information 300          
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materials; spiritual-related activities; services of a purely 301 
clerical or reporting nature; food, clothing, or general 302 
consumer goods that are unrelated to oil -related activities; 303 
mineral-extraction activities; or power -production activities. 304 
 (hh)(x) "Substantial action specific to Iran" means 305 
adopting, publicizing, and implementing a formal plan to cease 306 
scrutinized business operations within 1 year and to refrain 307 
from such new business operations. 308 
 (ii)(y) "Substantial action specific to Sudan" means 309 
adopting, publicizing, and implementing a formal plan to cease 310 
scrutinized business operations within 1 year and to refrain 311 
from such new business operations; undertaking humanitarian 312 
efforts in conjunction with an international organization, the 313 
government of Sudan, the government of South Sudan, or a 314 
nonprofit entity evaluated and certified by an independent third 315 
party to be substantially in a relationship to the company's 316 
Sudan business operations and of benefit to one or more 317 
marginalized populations of Sudan; or , through engagement with 318 
the government of Sudan, materially improving conditions for the 319 
genocidally victimized population in Darfur. 320 
 (jj)  "Textile sector" means the fiber synthesis, dyeing, 321 
weaving, knitting, or felting in Iran of textiles, including 322 
apparel, carpets, cloths, fabric, or related goods, which are 323 
for export from Iran. 324 
 (2)  IDENTIFICATION OF COMPANIES. — 325          
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 (a)  The board shall make its best efforts to identify all 326 
scrutinized companies in which the public fund has direct or 327 
indirect holdings or could possibly have such holdings in the 328 
future. Such efforts include: 329 
 1.  Reviewing and relying, as appropriate in the board's 330 
judgment, on publicly available information regarding companies 331 
having business operations in Sudan, including informatio n 332 
provided by nonprofit organizations, research firms, 333 
international organizations, and government entities; 334 
 2.  Contacting asset managers contracted by the board which 335 
invest in companies having business operations in Sudan; 336 
 3.  Contacting other institu tional investors that have 337 
divested from or engaged with companies that have business 338 
operations in Sudan; or 339 
 4.  Reviewing the laws of the United States regarding the 340 
levels of business activity that would cause application of 341 
sanctions for companies con ducting business or investing in 342 
countries that are designated state sponsors of terror. 343 
 (b)  The board shall maintain a list of all scrutinized 344 
companies that fit criteria specified in subparagraphs 345 
(1)(dd)1., 2., and 3. (1)(v)1., 2., and 3. labeled the 346 
"Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List" and a list 347 
of all scrutinized companies that fit criteria specified in 348 
subparagraph (1)(dd)4. (1)(v)4. labeled the "Scrutinized 349 
Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism Sectors 350          
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Petroleum Energy Sector List." 351 
 (c)  The board shall update and make publicly available 352 
quarterly the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan 353 
List and the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran 354 
Terrorism Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List based on evolvi ng 355 
information from, among other sources, those listed in paragraph 356 
(a). 357 
 (d)  Notwithstanding this section, a social -development 358 
company that is not complicit in the Darfur genocide is not 359 
considered a scrutinized company under subparagraph (1)(dd)1. 360 
(1)(v)1., subparagraph (1)(dd)2. (1)(v)2., or subparagraph 361 
(1)(dd)3. (1)(v)3. 362 
 (3)  REQUIRED ACTIONS. —The board shall adhere to the 363 
following procedure for assembling companies on the Scrutinized 364 
Companies with Activities in Sudan List and the Scrutinized 365 
Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism Sectors 366 
Petroleum Energy Sector List: 367 
 (a)  Engagement.— 368 
 1.  The board shall immediately determine the companies on 369 
the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List and the 370 
Scrutinized Companies with Acti vities in the Iran Terrorism 371 
Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List in which the public fund 372 
owns direct or indirect holdings. Any company on the Scrutinized 373 
Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector 374 
List as of November 6, 2023, is deemed to be on the Scrutinized 375          
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Companies with Activities in Iran Terrorism Sectors List, 376 
effective November 10, 2023, until the company is subsequently 377 
removed pursuant to this section. 378 
 2.  For each company identified in this paragraph that has 379 
only inactive business operations, the board shall send a 380 
written notice informing the company of this act and encouraging 381 
it to continue to refrain from initiating active business 382 
operations in Sudan or Iran until it is able to avoid 383 
scrutinized business operations. The board shall continue such 384 
correspondence semiannually. 385 
 3.  For each company newly identified under this paragraph 386 
which has active business operations, the board shall send a 387 
written notice informing the company of its scrutinized company 388 
status and that it may become subject to divestment by the 389 
public fund. The notice must inform the company of the 390 
opportunity to clarify its Sudan -related or Iran-related 391 
activities and encourage the company to cease its scrutinized 392 
business operations or convert such op erations to inactive 393 
business operations within 90 days in order to avoid qualifying 394 
for divestment by the public fund. 395 
 4.  If, within 90 days after the board's first engagement 396 
with a company pursuant to this paragraph, that company ceases 397 
scrutinized business operations, the company shall be removed 398 
from the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List and 399 
the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism 400          
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Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List, and the provisions of this 401 
act shall cease to apply to that company unless that company 402 
resumes scrutinized business operations. If, within 90 days 403 
after the board's first engagement, the company converts its 404 
scrutinized active business operations to inactive business 405 
operations, the company is s ubject to all provisions relating to 406 
inactive business operations. A company may be removed from one 407 
list but remain on the other list, in which case the company 408 
shall be subject to the provisions applicable to the list on 409 
which the company remains. 410 
 (b)  Divestment.— 411 
 1.  If, after 90 days following the board's first 412 
engagement with a company pursuant to paragraph (a), the company 413 
continues to have scrutinized active business operations, and 414 
only while such company continues to have scrutinized active 415 
business operations, the board shall sell, redeem, divest, or 416 
withdraw all publicly traded securities of the company, except 417 
as provided in paragraph (d), from the public fund within 12 418 
months after the company's most recent appearance on the 419 
Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or on the 420 
Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism 421 
Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List. 422 
 2.  If a company that ceased scrutinized active business 423 
operations following engagement pursuant to paragraph ( a) 424 
resumes such operations, this paragraph immediately applies, and 425          
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the board shall send a written notice to the company. The 426 
company shall also be immediately reintroduced onto the 427 
Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or on the 428 
Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism 429 
Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List, as applicable. 430 
 (c)  Prohibition.—The board may not acquire, on behalf of 431 
the public fund, securities of companies on the Scrutinized 432 
Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized 433 
Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism Sectors 434 
Petroleum Energy Sector List that have active business 435 
operations, except as provided in paragraph (d). 436 
 (d)  Exemption.—A company that the U nited States Government 437 
affirmatively declares to be excluded from its present or any 438 
future federal sanctions regime relating to Sudan or Iran is not 439 
subject to divestment or the investment prohibition pursuant to 440 
paragraphs (b) and (c). 441 
 (e)  Excluded securities.— 442 
 1.  Notwithstanding this section, paragraphs (b) and (c) do 443 
not apply to indirect holdings in actively managed investment 444 
funds. However, the board shall submit letters to the managers 445 
of such investment funds containing companies that have 446 
scrutinized active business operations requesting that they 447 
consider removing such companies from the fund or create a 448 
similar actively managed fund having indirect holdings devoid of 449 
such companies. If the manager creates a similar fund, the 450          
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board, on behalf of the public fund, shall replace all 451 
applicable investments with investments in the similar fund in 452 
an expedited timeframe consistent with prudent investing 453 
standards. For the purposes of this section, a private equity 454 
fund is deemed to be an actively ma naged investment fund. 455 
 2.  Notwithstanding this section, paragraphs (b) and (c) do 456 
not apply to exchange -traded funds. 457 
 (f)  Further exclusions.—Notwithstanding any other 458 
provision of this act, the board, when discharging its 459 
responsibility for operation of a defined contribution plan, 460 
shall engage the manager of the investment offerings in such 461 
plans requesting that they consider removing scrutinized 462 
companies from the investment offerings or create an alternative 463 
investment offering devoid of scrutinized companies. If the 464 
manager creates an alternative investment offering and the 465 
offering is deemed by the board to be consistent with prudent 466 
investor standards, the board shall consider including such 467 
investment offering in the plan. 468 
 (4)  REPORTING.— 469 
 (a)  The board shall file a report with each member of its 470 
Board of Trustees, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker 471 
of the House of Representatives which includes the Scrutinized 472 
Companies with Activities in Sudan List and t he Scrutinized 473 
Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism Sectors 474 
Petroleum Energy Sector List within 30 days after the list is 475          
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created or updated. This report must shall be made available to 476 
the public. 477 
 (b)  At each quarterly meeting of the Board of Trustees 478 
thereafter, the board shall file a report regarding the public 479 
fund, which must shall be made available to the public and to 480 
each member of its Board of Trustees, the President of the 481 
Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 482 
shall send a copy of that report to the United States 483 
Presidential Special Envoy to Sudan and the United States 484 
Presidential Special Envoy to Iran, or an appropriate designee 485 
or successor, which includes: 486 
 1.  A summary of correspondence with companies enga ged by 487 
the board on behalf of the public fund under subparagraphs 488 
(3)(a)2. and 3.; 489 
 2.  All investments sold, redeemed, divested, or withdrawn 490 
in compliance with paragraph (3)(b); 491 
 3.  All prohibited investments under paragraph (3)(c); 492 
 4.  Any progress made under paragraph (3)(e); and 493 
 5.  A list of all publicly traded securities held directly 494 
by the public fund. 495 
 (5)  EXPIRATION.—This section expires upon the occurrence 496 
of all of the following: 497 
 (a)  If any of the following occurs, the board may no 498 
longer scrutinize companies according to subparagraphs 499 
(1)(dd)1., 2. , and 3. (1)(v)1., 2., and 3. and may no longer 500          
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assemble the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan 501 
List, shall cease engagement and divestment of such companies, 502 
and may reinvest in su ch companies if such companies do not 503 
satisfy the criteria for inclusion in the Scrutinized Companies 504 
with Activities in the Iran Terrorism Sectors Petroleum Energy 505 
Sector List: 506 
 1.  The Congress or President of the United States 507 
affirmatively and unambigu ously states, by means including, but 508 
not limited to, legislation, executive order, or written 509 
certification from the President to Congress, that the Darfur 510 
genocide has been halted for at least 12 months; 511 
 2.  The United States revokes all sanctions impos ed against 512 
the government of Sudan; 513 
 3.  The Congress or President of the United States 514 
affirmatively and unambiguously states, by means including, but 515 
not limited to, legislation, executive order, or written 516 
certification from the President to Congress, t hat the 517 
government of Sudan has honored its commitments to cease attacks 518 
on civilians, demobilize and demilitarize the Janjaweed and 519 
associated militias, grant free and unfettered access for 520 
deliveries of humanitarian assistance, and allow for the safe 521 
and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced 522 
persons; or 523 
 4.  The Congress or President of the United States 524 
affirmatively and unambiguously states, by means including, but 525          
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not limited to, legislation, executive order, or written 526 
certification from the President to Congress, that mandatory 527 
divestment of the type provided for in this section interferes 528 
with the conduct of United States foreign policy. 529 
 (b)  If both either of the following occur occurs, the 530 
board may no longer scrutinize companies a ccording to 531 
subparagraph (1)(dd)4. (1)(v)4., may no longer assemble the 532 
Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism 533 
Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List, and shall cease 534 
engagement, investment prohibitions, and divestment: 535 
 1.  The Congress and or President of the United States 536 
affirmatively and unambiguously state states, by means 537 
including, but not limited to, legislation, executive order, or 538 
written certification from the President to Congress, that the 539 
government of Iran has ceased to ac quire weapons of mass 540 
destruction and support international terrorism; and or 541 
 2.  The United States revokes all sanctions imposed against 542 
the government of Iran. 543 
 544 
The board, on behalf of the public fund, may reinvest in such 545 
companies if such companies do not satisfy the criteria for 546 
inclusion in the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan 547 
List. The board, acting as a fiduciary in accordance with s. 548 
215.47(10), shall monitor events relating to subparagraphs 1. 549 
and 2., and, upon finding that the cond itions in subparagraph 1. 550          
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or subparagraph 2. have occurred, the board shall report such 551 
finding at a quarterly meeting of its trustees. At each 552 
quarterly meeting of the trustees, the board shall report on the 553 
status of events relating to subparagraphs 1. a nd 2. 554 
 (6)  INVESTMENT POLICY STATEMENT OBLIGATIONS. —The board's 555 
actions taken in compliance with this act, including all good 556 
faith determinations regarding companies as required by this 557 
act, shall be adopted and incorporated into the public fund's 558 
investment policy statement as provided in s. 215.475. 559 
 (7)  REINVESTMENT IN CERTAIN COMPANIES HAVING SCRUTINIZED 560 
ACTIVE BUSINESS OPERATIONS. —Notwithstanding any other provision 561 
of this act to the contrary, the public fund may cease divesting 562 
from certain scrutinized companies pursuant to paragraph (3)(b) 563 
or reinvest in certain scrutinized companies from which it 564 
divested pursuant to paragraph (3)(b) if clear and convincing 565 
evidence shows that the value of all assets of the public fund 566 
becomes equal to or less th an 99.50 percent, or 50 basis points, 567 
of the hypothetical value of all assets of the public fund 568 
assuming no divestment for any company had occurred under 569 
paragraph (3)(b). Cessation of divestment, reinvestment, or any 570 
subsequent ongoing investment authori zed by this act is limited 571 
to the minimum steps necessary to avoid the contingency set 572 
forth in this subsection or that no divestment of any company is 573 
required for less than fair value. For any cessation of 574 
divestment, reinvestment, or subsequent ongoing investment 575          
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authorized by this act, the board shall provide a written report 576 
to each member of its Board of Trustees, the President of the 577 
Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 578 
advance of initial reinvestment, updated semiannually there after 579 
as applicable, setting forth the reasons and justification, 580 
supported by clear and convincing evidence, for its decisions to 581 
cease divestment, reinvest, or remain invested in companies 582 
having scrutinized active business operations. This act does not 583 
apply to reinvestment in companies on the grounds that they have 584 
ceased to have scrutinized active business operations. 585 
 Section 2.  Section 287.135, Florida Statutes, is amended 586 
to read: 587 
 287.135  Prohibition against contracting with scrutinized 588 
companies.— 589 
 (1)  In addition to the terms defined in ss. 287.012 and 590 
215.473, as used in this section, the term: 591 
 (a)  "Awarding body" means, for purposes of state 592 
contracts, an agency or the department, and for purposes of 593 
local contracts, the governing body of the local governmental 594 
entity. 595 
 (b)  "Boycott of Israel" has the same meaning as defined in 596 
s. 215.4725. 597 
 (c)  "Business operations" means, for purposes specifically 598 
related to Cuba or Syria, engaging in commerce in any form in 599 
Cuba or Syria, including, b ut not limited to, acquiring, 600          
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developing, maintaining, owning, selling, possessing, leasing, 601 
or operating equipment, facilities, personnel, products, 602 
services, personal property, real property, military equipment, 603 
or any other apparatus of business or comm erce. 604 
 (d)  "Local governmental entity" means a county, 605 
municipality, special district, or other political subdivision 606 
of the state. 607 
 (2)  A company is ineligible to, and may not, bid on, 608 
submit a proposal for, or enter into or renew a contract with an 609 
agency or local governmental entity for goods or services of: 610 
 (a)  Any amount if, at the time of bidding on, submitting a 611 
proposal for, or entering into or renewing such contract, the 612 
company is on the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel 613 
List, created pursuant to s. 215.4725, or is engaged in a 614 
boycott of Israel; or 615 
 (b)  One million dollars or more if, at the time of bidding 616 
on, submitting a proposal for, or entering into or renewing such 617 
contract, the company: 618 
 1.  Is on the Scrutinized Companies w ith Activities in 619 
Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the 620 
Iran Terrorism Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List, created 621 
pursuant to s. 215.473; or 622 
 2.  Is engaged in business operations in Cuba or Syria. 623 
 (3)(a)  Any contract with an agency or local governmental 624 
entity for goods or services of $1 million or more entered into 625          
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or renewed on or after: 626 
 1.  July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012, must contain a 627 
provision that allows for the termination of such contract at 628 
the option of the aw arding body if the company is found to have 629 
submitted a false certification as provided under subsection (5) 630 
or been placed on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in 631 
Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the 632 
Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List. 633 
 2.  July 1, 2012, through September 30, 2016, must contain 634 
a provision that allows for the termination of such contract at 635 
the option of the awarding body if the company is found to have 636 
submitted a false certification as provided under subs ection 637 
(5), been placed on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in 638 
Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the 639 
Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List, or been engaged in business 640 
operations in Cuba or Syria. 641 
 3.  October 1, 2016, through June 30, 2018, must contain a 642 
provision that allows for the termination of such contract at 643 
the option of the awarding body if the company: 644 
 a.  Is found to have submitted a false certification as 645 
provided under subsection (5); 646 
 b.  Has been placed on the Scrutinized Companies that 647 
Boycott Israel List, or is engaged in a boycott of Israel; 648 
 c.  Has been placed on the Scrutinized Companies with 649 
Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with 650          
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Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List; or 651 
 d.  Has been engaged in business operations in Cuba or 652 
Syria. 653 
 4.  July 1, 2018, must contain a provision that allows for 654 
the termination of such contract at the option of the awarding 655 
body if the company is found to have submitted a false 656 
certification as provided under subsection (5), been placed on 657 
the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the 658 
Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum 659 
Energy Sector List, or been engaged in business operations in 660 
Cuba or Syria. 661 
 5.  July 1, 2018, must contain a provision that allows for 662 
the termination of such contract at the option of the awarding 663 
body if the company is found to have submitted a false 664 
certification as provided under subsection (5) or has been 665 
placed on a list created p ursuant to s. 215.473, relating to 666 
scrutinized active business operations in Iran. 667 
 (b)  Any contract with an agency or local governmental 668 
entity for goods or services of any amount entered into or 669 
renewed on or after July 1, 2018, must contain a provision that 670 
allows for the termination of such contract at the option of the 671 
awarding body if the company is found to have been placed on the 672 
Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List or is engaged i n 673 
a boycott of Israel. 674 
 (4)  Notwithstanding subsection (2) or subsection (3), an 675          
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agency or local governmental entity, on a case -by-case basis, 676 
may allow permit a company on the Scrutinized Companies with 677 
Activities in Sudan List , or the Scrutinized Compan ies with 678 
Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List, or the 679 
Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Iran Terrorism Sectors 680 
List, or a company engaged in business operations in Cuba or 681 
Syria, to be eligible for, bid on, submit a proposal for, or 682 
enter into or renew a contract for goods or services of $1 683 
million or more, or may allow permit a company on the 684 
Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List to be eligible 685 
for, bid on, submit a proposal for, or enter into or renew a 686 
contract for goods or services of any amount, under the 687 
conditions set forth in paragraph (a) or the conditions set 688 
forth in paragraph (b): 689 
 (a)1.  With respect to a company on the Scrutinized 690 
Companies with Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized 691 
Companies with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector 692 
List, all of the following occur: 693 
 a.  The scrutinized business operations were made before 694 
July 1, 2011. 695 
 b.  The scrutinized business operations have not been 696 
expanded or renewed after July 1, 2011. 697 
 c.  The agency or local governmental entity determines that 698 
it is in the best interest of the state or local community to 699 
contract with the company. 700          
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 d.  The company has adopted, has publicized, and is 701 
implementing a formal plan to cease scrutinized business 702 
operations and to refrain from engaging in any new scrutinized 703 
business operations. 704 
 2.  With respect to a company engaged in business 705 
operations in Cuba or Syria, all of the following occur: 706 
 a.  The business operations were made before July 1, 2012. 707 
 b.  The business operations have not been expanded or 708 
renewed after July 1, 2012. 709 
 c.  The agency or local governmental entity determines that 710 
it is in the best interest of the state or local community to 711 
contract with the company. 712 
 d.  The company has adopted, has publici zed, and is 713 
implementing a formal plan to cease business operations and to 714 
refrain from engaging in any new business operations. 715 
 3.  With respect to a company on the Scrutinized Companies 716 
that Boycott Israel List, all of the following occur: 717 
 a.  The boycott of Israel was initiated before October 1, 718 
2016. 719 
 b.  The company certifies in writing that it has ceased its 720 
boycott of Israel. 721 
 c.  The agency or local governmental entity determines that 722 
it is in the best interest of the state or local co mmunity to 723 
contract with the company. 724 
 d.  The company has adopted, has publicized, and is 725          
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implementing a formal plan to cease scrutinized business 726 
operations and to refrain from engaging in any new scrutinized 727 
business operations. 728 
 4.  With respect to a c ompany on the Scrutinized Companies 729 
with Activities in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List as of 730 
November 6, 2023, all of the following occur: 731 
 a.  The scrutinized business operations were made before 732 
July 1, 2011. 733 
 b.  The scrutinized business operation s have not been 734 
expanded or renewed after July 1, 2011. 735 
 c.  The agency or local governmental entity determines that 736 
it is in the best interest of the state or local community to 737 
contract with the company. 738 
 d.  The company has adopted, has publicized, and is 739 
implementing a formal plan to cease scrutinized business 740 
operations and to refrain from engaging in any new scrutinized 741 
business operations. 742 
 5.  With respect to a company on the Scrutinized Companies 743 
with Activities in Iran Terrorism Sectors List other than those 744 
companies included on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities 745 
in the Iran Petroleum Energy Sector List as of November 6, 2023, 746 
all of the following occur: 747 
 a.  The scrutinized business operations were made before 748 
January 10, 2024. 749 
 b.  The scrutinized business operations have not been 750          
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expanded or renewed on or after January 10, 2024. 751 
 c.  The agency or local governmental entity determines that 752 
it is in the best interest of the state or local community to 753 
contract with the company. 754 
 d.  The company has adopted, has publicized, and is 755 
implementing a formal plan to cease those scrutinized business 756 
operations and to refrain from engaging in any new scrutinized 757 
business operations. 758 
 (b)  One of the following occurs: 759 
 1.  The local governmental entit y makes a public finding 760 
that, absent such an exemption, the local governmental entity 761 
would be unable to obtain the goods or services for which the 762 
contract is offered. 763 
 2.  For a contract with an executive agency, the Governor 764 
makes a public finding that , absent such an exemption, the 765 
agency would be unable to obtain the goods or services for which 766 
the contract is offered. 767 
 3.  For a contract with an office of a state constitutional 768 
officer other than the Governor, the state constitutional 769 
officer makes a public finding that, absent such an exemption, 770 
the office would be unable to obtain the goods or services for 771 
which the contract is offered. 772 
 (5)  At the time a company submits a bid or proposal for a 773 
contract or before the company enters into or renews a contract 774 
with an agency or local governmental entity for goods or 775          
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services of $1 million or more, the company must certify that 776 
the company is not on the Scrutinized Companies with Activities 777 
in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with Activities in 778 
the Iran Terrorism Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List and that 779 
it does not have business operations in Cuba or Syria. At the 780 
time a company submits a bid or proposal for a contract or 781 
before the company enters into or renews a contract with an 782 
agency or local governmental entity for goods or services of any 783 
amount, the company must certify that the company is not 784 
participating in a boycott of Israel. 785 
 (a)  If, after the agency or the local governmental entity 786 
determines, using credible information availabl e to the public, 787 
that the company has submitted a false certification, the agency 788 
or local governmental entity shall provide the company with 789 
written notice of its determination. The company shall have 90 790 
days following receipt of the notice to respond in writing and 791 
to demonstrate that the determination of false certification was 792 
made in error. If the company does not make such demonstration 793 
within 90 days after receipt of the notice, the agency or the 794 
local governmental entity shall bring a civil action a gainst the 795 
company. If a civil action is brought and the court determines 796 
that the company submitted a false certification, the company 797 
shall pay the penalty described in subparagraph 1. and all 798 
reasonable attorney fees and costs, including any costs for 799 
investigations that led to the finding of false certification. 800          
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 1.  A civil penalty equal to the greater of $2 million or 801 
twice the amount of the contract for which the false 802 
certification was submitted shall be imposed. 803 
 2.  The company is ineligible to bi d on any contract with 804 
an agency or local governmental entity for 3 years after the 805 
date the agency or local governmental entity determined that the 806 
company submitted a false certification. 807 
 (b)  A civil action to collect the penalties described in 808 
paragraph (a) must commence within 3 years after the date the 809 
false certification is submitted. 810 
 (6)  Only the agency or local governmental entity that is a 811 
party to the contract may cause a civil action to be brought 812 
under this section. This section does not cre ate or authorize a 813 
private right of action or enforcement of the penalties provided 814 
in this section. An unsuccessful bidder, or any other person 815 
other than the agency or local governmental entity, may not 816 
protest the award of a contract or contract renewal on the basis 817 
of a false certification. 818 
 (7)  This section preempts any ordinance or rule of any 819 
agency or local governmental entity involving public contracts 820 
for goods or services of: 821 
 (a)  One million dollars or more with a company engaged in 822 
scrutinized business operations. 823 
 (b)  Any amount with a company that has been placed on the 824 
Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List or is engaged in 825          
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a boycott of Israel. 826 
 (8)  The contracting prohibitions in this section 827 
applicable to companies on the Scruti nized Companies with 828 
Activities in Sudan List or the Scrutinized Companies with 829 
Activities in the Iran Terrorism Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector 830 
List or to companies engaged in business operations in Cuba or 831 
Syria become inoperative on the date that federa l law ceases to 832 
authorize the states to adopt and enforce such contracting 833 
prohibitions. 834 
 Section 3.  Section 624.449, Florida Statutes, is amended 835 
to read: 836 
 624.449  Insurer investment in foreign companies. —A 837 
domestic insurer shall provide to the office on an annual basis 838 
a list of investments that the insurer has in companies included 839 
on the "Scrutinized Companies with Activities in Sudan List " and 840 
the "Scrutinized Companies with Activities in the Iran Terrorism 841 
Sectors Petroleum Energy Sector List" compiled by the State 842 
Board of Administration pursuant to s. 215.473(2). The insurer's 843 
list must include the name of the issuer and the stock, bond, 844 
security, and other evidence of indebtedness. 845 
 Section 4.  For the purpose of incorporating the amendments 846 
made by this act to section 215.473, Florida Statutes, in a 847 
reference thereto, paragraph (b) of subsection (10) of section 848 
215.47, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 849 
 215.47  Investments; authorized securitie s; loan of 850          
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securities.—Subject to the limitations and conditions of the 851 
State Constitution or of the trust agreement relating to a trust 852 
fund, moneys available for investments under ss. 215.44 -215.53 853 
may be invested as follows: 854 
 (10) 855 
 (b)  Notwithstanding any other law except for ss. 215.471, 856 
215.4725, and 215.473, when deciding whether to invest and when 857 
investing the assets of any fund, the State Board of 858 
Administration must make decisions based solely on pecuniary 859 
factors and may not subordinate the inte rests of the 860 
participants and beneficiaries of the fund to other objectives, 861 
including sacrificing investment return or undertaking 862 
additional investment risk to promote any nonpecuniary factor. 863 
The weight given to any pecuniary factor must appropriately 864 
reflect a prudent assessment of its impact on risk or returns. 865 
 Section 5.  If any provision of this act or its application 866 
to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity 867 
does not affect other provisions or applications of this act 868 
which can be given effect without the invalid provision or 869 
application, and to this end the provisions of this act are 870 
severable. 871 
 Section 6.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 872