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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to water management districts; 2
amending s. 112.3261, F.S.; defining the term 3
"expenditure"; requiring the Commission on Ethics to 4
investigate a lobbyist or principal who has made a 5
prohibited expenditure and to provide the Governor 6
with a report of its findings and recommendations 7
regarding such investigation; prohibiting certain 8
persons from making or accepting expenditures; 9
amending s. 373.079, F.S.; requiring a quorum for the 10
conduct of official business by the governing board of 11
a water management district; providing requirements 12
for a quorum; requiring an affirmative vote of a 13
majority of the members of the governing board before 14
any action may be taken by the board; amending s. 15
373.470, F.S.; requiring the South Florida Water 16
Management District, in cooperation with the 17
Department of Environmental Protection, to provide a 18
detailed report that includes the total estimated 19
remaining cost of implementation of the Everglades 20
restoration comprehensive plan and the status of all 21
performance indicators; requiring the subdivision of 22
the project components into specified categories based 23
on the project's status; providing legislative 24
findings; requiring recommendations for updates to the 25
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integrated delivery schedule to identify certain 26
funding sources; amending s. 373.501, F.S.; 27
prohibiting a water management district from using 28
state funds for a specified purpose; amending s. 29
373.503, F.S.; authorizing the districts to levy ad 30
valorem taxes on property by resolution adopted by a 31
majority vote of the governing board; authorizing the 32
districts to levy certain ad valorem taxes on 33
specified property; defining the term "capital 34
improvement projects"; requiring a governing board 35
levying ad valorem taxes for certain projects to adopt 36
a resolution approved by a majority vote of the voting 37
electors in the district or basin; providing 38
requirements for such resolution; prohibiting a 39
governing board from levying millage beyond a certain 40
date; providing requirements for such millage; 41
requiring that such resoluti on take effect on a 42
specified date; providing construction for such 43
referenda; providing requirements for the maximum 44
total millage rate for all purposes; providing that 45
the apportionment in the South Florida Water 46
Management District excludes certain mill age; 47
reenacting and amending s. 373.535, F.S.; requiring 48
that the preliminary budget for each water management 49
district include a section that contains the 50
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district's capital improvement plan for the current 51
fiscal year and the next fiscal year; requiring that 52
the section contain specified information; requiring 53
the South Florida Water Management District to include 54
a section in its preliminary budget for all projects 55
within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan; 56
requiring that the section contain s pecified 57
information; providing that the South Florida Water 58
Management District may only incorporate state 59
revenues up to a specified amount when estimating 60
expenditures for the next fiscal year; providing an 61
exception; amending s. 373.536, F.S.; authoriz ing the 62
Legislative Budget Commission to reject certain 63
district budget proposals; providing an exception; 64
requiring the South Florida Water Management District 65
to include in its budget document certain sections 66
that incorporate the actual amount of state revenues 67
appropriated for the fiscal year; requiring a water 68
management district's tentative budget for its 69
proposed operations and funding requirements to 70
include the district's capital improvement plan for 71
the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year ; 72
amending s. 373.6075, F.S.; requiring a water 73
management district to give preference to certain 74
bids, proposals, or replies for the design, 75
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engineering, or construction, or any combination 76
thereof, of capital improvement projects in excess of 77
a specified amount; providing requirements for the 78
competitive selection process and procurement 79
procedures; reenacting s. 373.0697, F.S., relating to 80
basin taxes, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 81
373.503, F.S., in a reference thereto; reenacting s. 82
373.026(8)(d), F.S., relating to general powers and 83
duties of the Department of Environmental Protection, 84
to incorporate the amendment made to s. 373.536, F.S., 85
in a reference thereto; providing an effective date. 86
87
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 88
89
Section 1. Present paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of 90
subsection (1) of section 112.3261, Florida Statutes, are 91
redesignated as paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), respectively, a 92
new paragraph (b) is added to that subsection, subsection (9) is 93
added to that section, and subsection (7) of that section is 94
amended, to read: 95
112.3261 Lobbying before water management districts; 96
registration and reporting. — 97
(1) As used in this section, the term: 98
(b) "Expenditure" has the same meaning as in s. 99
112.3215(1). 100
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(7) Upon receipt of a sworn complaint alleging that a 101
lobbyist or principal has failed to register with a district , 102
has made a prohibited expenditure, or has knowingly submitted 103
false information in a report or registration required under 104
this section, the commission shall investigate a lobbyist or 105
principal pursuant to the procedures established under s. 106
112.324. The commission shall provide the Governor with a report 107
of its findings and recommendations in any investigation 108
conducted pursuant to this subsection. The Governor is 109
authorized to enforce the commission's findings and 110
recommendations. 111
(9) Notwithstanding s. 112.3148, s. 112.3149, or any other 112
law, a lobbyist or principal may not make, directly or 113
indirectly, and a district governing board member, executive 114
director, or any district employee who qualifies as a local 115
officer as defined in s. 112.3145(1) may not knowingly accept, 116
directly or indirectly, any expenditure. 117
Section 2. Subsection (7) of section 373.079, Florida 118
Statutes, is amended to read: 119
373.079 Members of governing board; oath of office; 120
staff.— 121
(7) The governing board shall meet at least once a month 122
and upon call of the chair. A quorum is necessary for the 123
governing board to conduct official business. A majority of the 124
members of the governing board, which includes both appointed 125
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members and vacancies, constitutes a quorum. A board member's 126
appearance at a board meeting, whether such appearance is in 127
person or through the use of communications media technology, 128
must be counted for the determination of a quorum. Except where 129
otherwise provided by law, action may be taken by the governing 130
board only upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the members 131
of the governing board. The governing board, a basin board, a 132
committee, or an advisory board may conduct meetings by means of 133
communications media technology in accordance with rules adopted 134
pursuant to s. 120.54(5)(b) s. 120.54. 135
Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (7) of section 136
373.470, Florida Statutes, is am ended, and subsection (8) is 137
added to that section, to read: 138
373.470 Everglades restoration. — 139
(7) ANNUAL REPORT.—To provide enhanced oversight of and 140
accountability for the financial commitments established under 141
this section and the progress made in t he implementation of the 142
comprehensive plan, the following information must be prepared 143
annually as part of the consolidated annual report required by 144
s. 373.036(7): 145
(c) The district, in cooperation with the department, 146
shall provide a detailed report on progress made in the 147
implementation of the comprehensive plan, including the total 148
estimated remaining cost of implementation of the comprehensive 149
plan. The report must also include the status of and applicable 150
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performance indicators for all project components . The project 151
components must be subdivided into the following categories 152
based on the project's status: 153
1. Planning and design phase. 154
2. Construction phase, for which the performance 155
indicators must include, but are not limited to, whether the 156
project is on time and on budget based on a schedule performance 157
index. 158
3. Operational phase, for which the performance indicators 159
must include, but are not limited to , whether the project is 160
operating in accordance with the draft operating manual included 161
in the project implementation report, and an explanation of any 162
significant modification to the final project operating manual. 163
4. Pending projects phase, which inc ludes project 164
components that have not yet entered the planning or design 165
phase initiated after the effective date of this act or the date 166
of the last report prepared under this subsection, whichever is 167
later. 168
169
The information required in paragraphs (a), ( b), and (c) shall 170
be provided as part of the consolidated annual report required 171
by s. 373.036(7). Each annual report is due by March 1. 172
(8) INTEGRATED DELIVERY SCHEDULE. —The Legislature 173
recognizes the value of the integrated delivery schedule as a 174
forward-looking snapshot of upcoming planning, design, and 175
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construction schedules for the comprehensive plan and as a tool 176
that provides information to decisionmakers and facilitates the 177
achievement of the goals and purposes of the comprehensive plan 178
at the earliest possible time to the extent practical given 179
funding, engineering, and other contractual constraints. The 180
Legislature further recognizes that the integrated delivery 181
schedule acts as a planning document and does not represent a 182
budgetary or financial commitment on behalf of any of the 183
members of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. 184
Therefore, when making recommendations for any update to the 185
integrated delivery schedule, state and local members of the 186
task force must identify project fun ding sources to reflect 187
whether the project will be funded with recurring state funds 188
provided pursuant to s. 375.041(3)(b)1., 4., and 5. or with 189
nonrecurring state funds. 190
Section 4. Subsection (3) is added to section 373.501, 191
Florida Statutes, to read : 192
373.501 Appropriation of funds to water management 193
districts.— 194
(3) A water management district may not use state funds as 195
a local match for any state grant program unless such funds have 196
been specifically appropriated to the district for such purpose . 197
Section 5. Subsection (3) of section 373.503, Florida 198
Statutes, is amended to read: 199
373.503 Manner of taxation. — 200
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(3)(a)1. The districts may, by resolution adopted by a 201
majority vote of the governing board, levy ad valorem taxes on 202
property within the district solely for the purposes of this 203
chapter and of chapter 25270, 1949, Laws of Florida, as amended, 204
and chapter 61-691, Laws of Florida, as amended. If appropriate, 205
taxes levied by each governing board may be separated by the 206
governing board into a millage necessary for the purposes of the 207
district and a millage necessary for financing basin functions 208
specified in s. 373.0695. 209
2.a. The districts may, by referendum, levy separate ad 210
valorem taxes on property within the district or basin for the 211
purposes of the construction of capital improvement projects. 212
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "capital improvement 213
projects" means projects related to water supply, including 214
alternative water supply and water resource development projects 215
identified in the district's regional water supply plans, water 216
quality, flood protection and floodplain management, and natural 217
systems. 218
b. A governing board exercising the option to levy 219
separate ad valorem taxes for the purposes of the construction 220
of capital improvement projects pursuant to this subparagraph 221
shall adopt a resolution to be approved by a majority vote of 222
the electors in the district or basin voting in a referendum 223
held at a general election as defined in s. 97.021. The 224
resolution must inclu de the millage to be levied, a description 225
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of the capital improvement projects, such projects' expected 226
dates of completion, and the date when the millage levied under 227
this subparagraph shall expire. No millage may be levied beyond 228
the date of a project's expected date of completion. Such 229
millage levied may be up to an amount that, when combined with 230
millage levied under subparagraph 1., does not exceed the 231
maximum total millage rate under paragraph (b). The resolution 232
must take effect on the January 1 imme diately succeeding 233
approval. The referendum must be conducted consistent with the 234
laws governing bond referenda as provided in ss. 100.201 -235
100.351. 236
(b)(a) Notwithstanding any other general or special law, 237
and subject to subsection (4), the maximum total millage rate 238
for all district and basin purposes authorized under this 239
section shall be: 240
1. Northwest Florida Water Management District: 0.05 mill. 241
2. Suwannee River Water Management District: 0.75 mill. 242
3. St. Johns River Water Management District: 0.6 mill. 243
4. Southwest Florida Water Management District: 1.0 mill. 244
5. South Florida Water Management District: 0.80 mill. 245
(c)(b) The apportionment in the South Florida Water 246
Management District shall be a maximum of 40 percent for 247
district purposes and a maximum of 60 percent for basin 248
purposes, respectively. This calculation excludes millage raised 249
pursuant to subparagraph (a)2. 250
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(d)(c) Within the Southwest Florida Water Management 251
District, the maximum millage assessed for district purposes may 252
not exceed 50 percent of the total authorized millage if there 253
are one or more basins in the district, and the maximum millage 254
assessed for basin purposes may not exceed 50 percent of the 255
total authorized millage. 256
Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 373 .535, Florida 257
Statutes, is amended, and subsections (2) and (3) of that 258
section are reenacted, to read: 259
373.535 Preliminary district budgets. — 260
(1) BUDGET DEVELOPMENT. — 261
(a) By January 15 of each year, each water management 262
district shall submit a preliminary budget for the next fiscal 263
year for legislative review to the President of the Senate, the 264
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of each 265
legislative committee and subcommittee having substantive or 266
fiscal jurisdiction over wat er management districts, as 267
determined by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the 268
House of Representatives, as applicable, in the form and manner 269
prescribed in s. 373.536(5)(e). 270
(b) Each preliminary budget must also include: 271
1. A section that clearly identifies and provides 272
justification for each proposed expenditure listed in s. 273
373.536(5)(e)4.e. and f. and identifies the source of funds for 274
each proposed expenditure. 275
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2. A section identifying the justification for proposed 276
expenditures by core mission area of responsibility and the 277
source of funds needed for activities related to water supply, 278
including alternative water supply and water resource 279
development projects identified in the district's regional water 280
supply plans, water quality, fl ood protection and floodplain 281
management, and natural systems. 282
3. A section that includes the district's capital 283
improvement plan for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal 284
year, which will be incorporated as part of the district's 5 -285
year capital improvement plan. The following information must be 286
included for each project contained in the capital improvement 287
plan: 288
a. Estimated beginning and ending dates. 289
b. Current status, such as planning, construction, or 290
operations. 291
c. Funding distribution, broken down by federal, state, 292
local, or other. 293
d. Total cost of the project. 294
e. Whether the project is funded from reserves. 295
f. Total expenditures made to date, by fiscal year. 296
g. Current year estimated expenditures. 297
h. Annual budget, including future budget requests, until 298
project completion, by funding source. 299
i. Project description. 300
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j. State program code, such as operations and maintenance 301
or ecosystems restoration. 302
4.3. A section reviewing the adopted and proposed budget 303
allocations by program area and the performance metrics for the 304
prior year. 305
5.4. An analysis of each preliminary budget to determine 306
the adequacy of fiscal resources available to the district and 307
the adequacy of proposed district expenditures related to the 308
core mission areas of responsibility for water supply, including 309
alternative water supply and water resource development projects 310
identified in the district's regional water supply plans, water 311
quality, flood protection and floodplain management, and natural 312
systems. The analysis must be based on the particular needs 313
within each district for core mission areas of responsibility. 314
The water supply analysis must specifically include a 315
determination of the adequacy of each district's fiscal 316
resources provided in the dist rict's preliminary budget to 317
achieve appropriate progress toward meeting the districtwide 20 -318
year projected water supply demands, including funding for 319
alternative water supply development and conservation projects. 320
(c)(b) If applicable, the preliminary budget for each 321
district must specify that the district's first obligation for 322
payment is the debt service on bonds and certificates of 323
participation. 324
(d) In addition to the information that must be included 325
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for projects carried out pursuant to the capit al improvement 326
plan in subparagraph (b)3., the South Florida Water Management 327
District must include a separate section in its preliminary 328
budget for all projects within the Comprehensive Everglades 329
Restoration Plan. The information for the separate section must 330
be provided on a project -by-project basis and include the source 331
of funds. For each project, all of the following information 332
must be included: 333
1. The project title and a brief description. 334
2. The total estimated cost of the project, broken down by 335
federal and nonfederal sponsor obligations. The local sponsor 336
obligations must be further broken down by state and district 337
obligations. 338
3. The timeline for the project. 339
4. The total expenditures to date and estimated remaining 340
expenditures needed f or project completion. 341
5. The estimate of expenditures for the current year. 342
6. The estimate of expenditures for the next fiscal year. 343
(e) For expenditures funded by state appropriations, the 344
South Florida Water Management District must indicate whic h 345
fiscal year the appropriation is from. In estimating 346
expenditures for the next fiscal year, the district may only 347
incorporate state revenues in an amount up to the amount of 348
funds specifically provided in s. 375.041(3)(b)1., 4., and 5., 349
unless the district commits district revenues on a dollar -for-350
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dollar basis for any amount over such amount specifically 351
provided. 352
(2) LEGISLATIVE REVIEW. — 353
(a) The Legislature may annually review the preliminary 354
budget for each district, including, but not limited to, t hose 355
items listed in s. 373.536(5)(e)4.d. -f., specific to regulation, 356
outreach, management, and administration program areas. 357
(b) On or before March 1 of each year, the President of 358
the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may 359
submit comments regarding the preliminary budget to the 360
districts, and provide a copy of the comments to the Executive 361
Office of the Governor. Each district shall respond to the 362
comments in writing on or before March 15 of each year to the 363
President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 364
Representatives, and the Executive Office of the Governor. 365
(c) If, following such review, the Legislature does not 366
take any action pursuant to s. 373.503 on or before July 1 of 367
each year, a water management district may procee d with budget 368
development as provided in subsection (3) and s. 373.536. 369
(3) FUNDING AUTHORITY GRANTED. —Each district shall use the 370
preliminary budget as submitted pursuant to subsection (1), and 371
as may be amended by the district in response to review by the 372
Legislature pursuant to this section and s. 373.503, as the 373
basis for developing the tentative budget for the next fiscal 374
year as provided in s. 373.536(5). 375
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Section 7. Paragraphs (c) and (e) of subsection (5) of 376
section 373.536, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 377
373.536 District budget and hearing thereon. — 378
(5) TENTATIVE BUDGET CONTENTS AND SUBMISSION; REVIEW AND 379
APPROVAL.— 380
(c) The Legislative Budget Commission may reject any of 381
the following district budget proposals unless specifically 382
appropriated by the Legislature : 383
1. A single purchase of land in excess of $10 million, 384
except for land exchanges. 385
2. Any cumulative purchase of land during a single fiscal 386
year in excess of $50 million. 387
3. Any issuance of debt on or after July 1, 2 012. 388
4. Any program expenditure expenditures as described in 389
sub-subparagraphs (e)4.e. and f. in excess of 15 percent of a 390
district's total annual budget. 391
5. Any individual variance variances in a district's 392
tentative budget which is in excess of 25 percent from a 393
district's preliminary budget. 394
6. Any individual portion of a district's tentative budget 395
funded with state appropriations. 396
7. Any individual project in the district's 5 -year capital 397
improvement plan. 398
399
Written disapproval of any provision in the tentative budget 400
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must be received by the district at least 5 business days before 401
the final district budget adoption hearing conducted under s. 402
200.065(2)(d). If written disapproval is not received at least 5 403
business days before the final budget ad option hearing, the 404
governing board may proceed with final adoption. Any provision 405
rejected by the Executive Office of the Governor or the 406
Legislative Budget Commission may not be included in a 407
district's final budget and may not be acted upon through any 408
other means without the prior approval of the entity rejecting 409
the provision. 410
(e) The tentative budget must be based on the preliminary 411
budget as submitted to the Legislature, and as may be amended by 412
the district in response to review by the Legislature pursuant 413
to ss. 373.503 and 373.535, as the basis for developing the 414
tentative budget for the next fiscal year as provided in this 415
subsection, and must set forth the proposed expenditures of the 416
district, to which may be added an amount to be held as rese rve. 417
The tentative budget must include, but is not limited to, the 418
following information for the preceding fiscal year and the 419
current fiscal year, and the proposed amounts for the upcoming 420
fiscal year, in a standard format prescribed by the Executive 421
Office of the Governor, in consultation with the Legislature: 422
1. The estimated amount of funds remaining at the 423
beginning of the fiscal year which have been obligated for the 424
payment of outstanding commitments not yet completed. 425
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2. The estimated amount of unobligated funds or net cash 426
balance on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year; an 427
accounting of the source, balance, and projected future use of 428
the unobligated funds; and the estimated amount of funds to be 429
raised by district taxes or received from ot her sources to meet 430
the requirements of the district. 431
3. The millage rates and the percentage increase above the 432
rolled-back rate, together with a summary of the reasons the 433
increase is required, and the percentage increase in taxable 434
value resulting from new construction within the district. 435
4. The salaries and benefits, expenses, operating capital 436
outlay, number of authorized positions, and other personal 437
services for the following program areas of the district: 438
a. Water resource planning and monito ring; 439
b. Land acquisition, restoration, and public works; 440
c. Operation and maintenance of works and lands; 441
d. Regulation; 442
e. Outreach for which the information provided must 443
contain a full description and accounting of expenditures for 444
water resources education; public information and public 445
relations, including public service announcements and 446
advertising in any media; and lobbying activities related to 447
local, regional, state and federal governmental affairs, whether 448
incurred by district staff or t hrough contractual services; and 449
f. Management and administration. 450
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451
In addition to the program areas reported by all water 452
management districts, the South Florida Water Management 453
District shall include in its budget document separate sections 454
on all costs associated with the Everglades Construction Project 455
and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan , incorporating 456
the amount of state revenues appropriated for the fiscal year . 457
5. The total estimated amount in the district budget for 458
each area of responsibility listed in subparagraph 4. and for 459
water resource, water supply, and alternative water supply 460
development projects identified in the district's regional water 461
supply plans. 462
6. A description of each new, expanded, reduced, or 463
eliminated program. 464
7. The funding sources, including, but not limited to, ad 465
valorem taxes, Surface Water Improvement and Management Program 466
funds, other state funds, federal funds, and user fees and 467
permit fees for each program area. 468
8. The water management district's capital improvement 469
plan for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year, in 470
the same format as required in the preliminary budget. 471
Section 8. Section 373.6075, Florida Statutes, is amended 472
to read: 473
373.6075 Purchases from contracts o f other entities.— 474
(1) A water management district may purchase commodities 475
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and contractual services, excluding services subject to s. 476
287.055, from the purchasing contracts of special districts, 477
municipalities, counties, other political subdivisions, 478
educational institutions, other states, nonprofit entities, 479
purchasing cooperatives, or the Federal Government, which have 480
been procured pursuant to competitive bid, request for proposal, 481
request for qualification, competitive selection, or competitive 482
negotiation, and which are otherwise in compliance with general 483
law if the purchasing contract of the other entity is procured 484
by a process that meets the procurement requirements of the 485
water management district. 486
(2) For contractual services for the design, engineering, 487
or construction, or for any combination of the design, 488
engineering, or construction, of capital improvement projects 489
with a total estimated project cost of $20 million or more, a 490
water management district shall give preference to the lowest 491
responsible and responsive bid, proposal, or reply that includes 492
proof of district-defined acceptable minimum work experience 493
within this state, project -specific payment and performance 494
bonds in amounts appropriate for the project contract amount, 495
and a minimum warranty of 2 years beginning at substantial 496
completion of the project or that provides proof of a comparable 497
financial assurance mechanism, as defined by district rule. 498
(3) For the purpose of the competitive selection process 499
in s. 287.055(4) or the procurement procedures in s. 255.065(3), 500
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a water management district shall consider whether a bid, 501
proposal, or reply includes appropriate payment and performance 502
bonds; proof of a comparable financial assurance mechanism, as 503
defined by district rule; or documentation of any and all bond 504
faults or bond claims within the last 10 years, including all 505
open and closed claims and agreed -upon amounts with a 506
description of the claim and any resolution. 507
Section 9. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 508
made by this act to section 373.503, Florida Statutes, in a 509
reference thereto, section 373.0697, Florida Statutes, is 510
reenacted to read: 511
373.0697 Basin taxes. —The respective basins may, pursuant 512
to s. 9(b), Art. VII of the State Constitution, by resolut ion 513
request the governing board of the district to levy ad valorem 514
taxes within such basin. Upon receipt of such request, a basin 515
tax levy shall be made by the governing board of the district to 516
finance basin functions enumerated in s. 373.0695, 517
notwithstanding the provisions of any other general or special 518
law to the contrary, and subject to the provisions of s. 519
373.503(3). 520
(1) The amount of money to be raised by said tax levy 521
shall be determined by the adoption of an annual budget by the 522
district board of governors, and the average millage for the 523
basin shall be that amount required to raise the amount called 524
for by the annual budget when applied to the total assessment of 525
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the basin as determined for county taxing purposes. However, no 526
such tax shall be levied within the basin unless and until the 527
annual budget and required tax levy shall have been approved by 528
formal action of the basin board, and no county in the district 529
shall be taxed under this provision at a rate to exceed 1 mill. 530
(2) The taxes provided for in this section shall be 531
extended by the county property appraiser on the county tax roll 532
in each county within, or partly within, the basin and shall be 533
collected by the tax collector in the same manner and time as 534
county taxes, and the proceeds therefrom paid to the district 535
for basin purposes. Said taxes shall be a lien, until paid, on 536
the property against which assessed and enforceable in like 537
manner as county taxes. The property appraisers, tax collectors, 538
and clerks of the circuit court of t he respective counties shall 539
be entitled to compensation for services performed in connection 540
with such taxes at the same rates as apply to county taxes. 541
(3) It is hereby determined that the taxes authorized by 542
this subsection are in proportion to the be nefits to be derived 543
by the several parcels of real estate within the basin from the 544
works authorized herein. 545
Section 10. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 546
made by this act to section 373.536, Florida Statutes, in a 547
reference thereto, paragraph (d) of subsection (8) of section 548
373.026, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 549
373.026 General powers and duties of the department. —The 550
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department, or its successor agency, shall be responsible for 551
the administration of this chapter at the s tate level. However, 552
it is the policy of the state that, to the greatest extent 553
possible, the department may enter into interagency or 554
interlocal agreements with any other state agency, any water 555
management district, or any local government conducting prog rams 556
related to or materially affecting the water resources of the 557
state. All such agreements shall be subject to the provisions of 558
s. 373.046. In addition to its other powers and duties, the 559
department shall, to the greatest extent possible: 560
(8) 561
(d) The Executive Office of the Governor, pursuant to its 562
duties under s. 373.536(5) to approve or disapprove, in whole or 563
in part, the budget of each water management district, shall 564
review all proposed expenditures for project components in the 565
district's budget. 566
Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 567