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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; requiring that a 32
certain levy take effect only upon approval by a 33
majority vote of the electors; requiring the 34
referendum question to include specified information; 35
requiring the resolution to take effect on a specified 36
date; providing requirements for the resolution; 37
providing requirements for certain millage; defining 38
the term "capital improvement projects"; providing the 39
maximum total millage rate for all purposes, rather 40
than for district and basin purposes; reenacting and 41
amending s. 373.535, F.S.; requiring that the 42
preliminary budget for each water management district 43
include a section that contains the district's capital 44
improvement plan for the current fiscal year and the 45
next fiscal year; requiring that the section contain 46
specified information; requiring the South Florida 47
Water Management District to include a section in its 48
preliminary budget for all projects within the 49
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan; requiring 50
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that the section contain specified information; 51
providing that the South Florida Water Management 52
District may only incorporate state revenues up to a 53
specified amount when estimating expenditures for the 54
next fiscal year; providing an exception; amending s. 55
373.536, F.S.; authorizing the Legislative Budget 56
Commission to reject certain district budget 57
proposals; providing an exception; requiring the South 58
Florida Water Management District to include in its 59
budget document certain sections that incorporate the 60
actual amount of state revenues appropriated for the 61
fiscal year; requiring a water management district's 62
tentative budget for its proposed operations and 63
funding requirements to include the district's capital 64
improvement plan for the current fiscal year and the 65
next fiscal year; amending s. 373.6075, F.S.; 66
requiring a water management district to give 67
preference to certain bids, proposals, or replies for 68
the design, engineering, or construction, or any 69
combination thereof, of capital improvement projects 70
in excess of a specified amount; providing 71
requirements for the competitive selection process and 72
procurement procedures; reenacting s. 373.0697, F.S., 73
relating to basin taxes, to incorporate the amendment 74
made to s. 373.503, F.S., in a reference thereto; 75
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reenacting s. 373.026(8)(d), F.S., relating to general 76
powers and duties of the Department of Environmental 77
Protection, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 78
373.536, F.S., in a reference thereto; providing an 79
effective date. 80
81
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 82
83
Section 1. Present paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of 84
subsection (1) of section 112.3261, Florida Statutes, are 85
redesignated as paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), respectively, a 86
new paragraph (b) is added to that subsection, subsection (9) is 87
added to that section, and subse ction (7) of that section is 88
amended, to read: 89
112.3261 Lobbying before water management districts; 90
registration and reporting. — 91
(1) As used in this section, the term: 92
(b) "Expenditure" has the same meaning as in s. 93
112.3215(1). 94
(7) Upon receipt of a sworn complaint alleging that a 95
lobbyist or principal has failed to register with a district , 96
has made a prohibited expenditure, or has knowingly submitted 97
false information in a report or registration required under 98
this section, the commission shall i nvestigate a lobbyist or 99
principal pursuant to the procedures established under s. 100
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112.324. The commission shall provide the Governor with a report 101
of its findings and recommendations in any investigation 102
conducted pursuant to this subsection. The Governor is 103
authorized to enforce the commission's findings and 104
recommendations. 105
(9) Notwithstanding s. 112.3148, s. 112.3149, or any other 106
law, a lobbyist or principal may not make, directly or 107
indirectly, and a district governing board member, executive 108
director, or any district employee who qualifies as a local 109
officer as defined in s. 112.3145(1) may not knowingly accept, 110
directly or indirectly, any expenditure. 111
Section 2. Subsection (7) of section 373.079, Florida 112
Statutes, is amended to read: 113
373.079 Members of governing board; oath of office; 114
staff.— 115
(7) The governing board shall meet at least once a month 116
and upon call of the chair. A quorum is necessary for the 117
governing board to conduct official business. A majority of the 118
members of the governin g board, which includes both appointed 119
members and vacancies, constitutes a quorum. A board member's 120
appearance at a board meeting, whether such appearance is in 121
person or through the use of communications media technology, 122
must be counted for the determin ation of a quorum. Except where 123
otherwise provided by law, action may be taken by the governing 124
board only upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the members 125
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of the governing board. The governing board, a basin board, a 126
committee, or an advisory board m ay conduct meetings by means of 127
communications media technology in accordance with rules adopted 128
pursuant to s. 120.54(5)(b) s. 120.54. 129
Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (7) of section 130
373.470, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (8) is 131
added to that section, to read: 132
373.470 Everglades restoration. — 133
(7) ANNUAL REPORT.—To provide enhanced oversight of and 134
accountability for the financial commitments established under 135
this section and the progress made in the implementation of the 136
comprehensive plan, the following information must be prepared 137
annually as part of the consolidated annual report required by 138
s. 373.036(7): 139
(c) The district, in cooperation with the department, 140
shall provide a detailed report on progress made in the 141
implementation of the comprehensive plan, including the total 142
estimated remaining cost of implementation of the comprehensive 143
plan. The report must also include the status of and applicable 144
performance indicators for all project components . The project 145
components must be subdivided into the following categories 146
based on the project's status: 147
1. Planning and design phase. 148
2. Construction phase, for which the performance 149
indicators must include, but are not limited to, whether the 150
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project is on time and on budget based on a schedule performance 151
index. 152
3. Operational phase, for which the performance indicators 153
must include, but are not limited to, whether the project is 154
operating in accordance with the draft operating manual included 155
in the project implementation report, and an explanation of any 156
significant modification to the final project operating manual. 157
4. Pending projects phase, which includes project 158
components that have not yet entered the planning or design 159
phase initiated after the effective date of t his act or the date 160
of the last report prepared under this subsection, whichever is 161
later. 162
163
The information required in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) shall 164
be provided as part of the consolidated annual report required 165
by s. 373.036(7). Each annual report i s due by March 1. 166
(8) INTEGRATED DELIVERY SCHEDULE. —The Legislature 167
recognizes the value of the integrated delivery schedule as a 168
forward-looking snapshot of upcoming planning, design, and 169
construction schedules for the comprehensive plan and as a tool 170
that provides information to decisionmakers and facilitates the 171
achievement of the goals and purposes of the comprehensive plan 172
at the earliest possible time to the extent practical given 173
funding, engineering, and other contractual constraints. The 174
Legislature further recognizes that the integrated delivery 175
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schedule acts as a planning document and does not represent a 176
budgetary or financial commitment on behalf of any of the 177
members of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. 178
Therefore, when makin g recommendations for any update to the 179
integrated delivery schedule, state and local members of the 180
task force must identify project funding sources to reflect 181
whether the project will be funded with recurring state funds 182
provided pursuant to s. 375.041(3 )(b)1., 4., and 5. or with 183
nonrecurring state funds. 184
Section 4. Subsection (3) is added to section 373.501, 185
Florida Statutes, to read: 186
373.501 Appropriation of funds to water management 187
districts.— 188
(3) A water management district may not use state funds as 189
a local match for any state grant program unless such funds have 190
been specifically appropriated to the district for such purpose. 191
Section 5. Subsection (3) of section 373.503, Florida 192
Statutes, is amended to read: 193
373.503 Manner of taxation. — 194
(3)(a)1. The districts may, by resolution adopted by a 195
majority vote of the governing board, levy ad valorem taxes on 196
property within the district solely for the purposes of this 197
chapter and of chapter 25270, 1949, Laws of Florida, as amended, 198
and chapter 61-691, Laws of Florida, as amended. If appropriate, 199
taxes levied by each governing board may be separated by the 200
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governing board into a millage necessary for the purposes of the 201
district and a millage necessary for financing basin functions 202
specified in s. 373.0695. 203
2.a. The districts may levy separate ad valorem taxes on 204
property within the district or basin for the purposes of the 205
construction of capital improvement projects. Such levy must be 206
by resolution adopted by a majority vote of the governi ng board 207
and conditioned to take effect only upon approval by a majority 208
vote of the electors in the district or basin, as applicable, 209
voting in a referendum held at a general election as defined in 210
s. 97.021. The referendum question on the ballot must spe cify a 211
brief and general description of the purpose for the levy and 212
the maximum length of time the millage may be imposed. The 213
resolution must take effect on the January 1 immediately 214
following voter approval of the referendum. The resolution must 215
include the millage to be levied, a detailed description of the 216
capital improvement projects to be funded by the millage, the 217
expected dates of completion of the capital improvement 218
projects, and the maximum duration for the levy of the millage, 219
which may not extend beyond the date that the capital 220
improvement projects are expected to be complete. The millage 221
levied under this subparagraph may be up to an amount that, when 222
combined with the millage levied under subparagraph 1., does not 223
exceed the maximum total mi llage rate authorized under paragraph 224
(b). 225
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b. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "capital 226
improvement projects" means projects related to water supply, 227
including alternative water supply and water resource 228
development projects identified in the district's regional water 229
supply plans, water quality, flood protection and floodplain 230
management, and natural systems. 231
(b)(a) Notwithstanding any other general or special law, 232
and subject to subsection (4), the maximum total millage rate 233
for all district and basin purposes authorized under this 234
section shall be: 235
1. Northwest Florida Water Management District: 0.05 mill. 236
2. Suwannee River Water Management District: 0.75 mill. 237
3. St. Johns River Water Management District: 0.6 mill. 238
4. Southwest Florida Water Management District: 1.0 mill. 239
5. South Florida Water Management District: 0.80 mill. 240
(c)(b) The apportionment of millages levied under 241
subparagraph (a)1. in the South Florida Water Management 242
District shall be a maximum of 40 percent for di strict purposes 243
and a maximum of 60 percent for basin purposes, respectively. 244
(d)(c) Within the Southwest Florida Water Management 245
District, the maximum millage assessed for district purposes may 246
not exceed 50 percent of the total authorized millage if t here 247
are one or more basins in the district, and the maximum millage 248
assessed for basin purposes may not exceed 50 percent of the 249
total authorized millage. 250
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Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 373.535, Florida 251
Statutes, is amended, and subsections (2) and (3) of that 252
section are reenacted, to read: 253
373.535 Preliminary district budgets. — 254
(1) BUDGET DEVELOPMENT. — 255
(a) By January 15 of each year, each water management 256
district shall submit a preliminary budget for the next fiscal 257
year for legislative review to the President of the Senate, the 258
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of each 259
legislative committee and subcommittee having substantive or 260
fiscal jurisdiction over water management districts, as 261
determined by the President of t he Senate or the Speaker of the 262
House of Representatives, as applicable, in the form and manner 263
prescribed in s. 373.536(5)(e). 264
(b) Each preliminary budget must also include: 265
1. A section that clearly identifies and provides 266
justification for each prop osed expenditure listed in s. 267
373.536(5)(e)4.e. and f. and identifies the source of funds for 268
each proposed expenditure. 269
2. A section identifying the justification for proposed 270
expenditures by core mission area of responsibility and the 271
source of funds needed for activities related to water supply, 272
including alternative water supply and water resource 273
development projects i dentified in the district's regional water 274
supply plans, water quality, flood protection and floodplain 275
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management, and natural systems. 276
3. A section that includes the district's capital 277
improvement plan for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal 278
year, which will be incorporated as part of the district's 5 -279
year capital improvement plan. The following information must be 280
included for each project contained in the capital improvement 281
plan: 282
a. Estimated beginning and ending dates. 283
b. Current status, such as planning, construction, or 284
operations. 285
c. Funding distribution, broken down by federal, state, 286
local, or other. 287
d. Total cost of the project. 288
e. Whether the project is funded from reserves. 289
f. Total expenditures made to date, by fiscal yea r. 290
g. Current year estimated expenditures. 291
h. Annual budget, including future budget requests, until 292
project completion, by funding source. 293
i. Project description. 294
j. State program code, such as operations and maintenance 295
or ecosystems restoration. 296
4.3. A section reviewing the adopted and proposed budget 297
allocations by program area and the performance metrics for the 298
prior year. 299
5.4. An analysis of each preliminary budget to determine 300
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the adequacy of fiscal resources available to the district an d 301
the adequacy of proposed district expenditures related to the 302
core mission areas of responsibility for water supply, including 303
alternative water supply and water resource development projects 304
identified in the district's regional water supply plans, wate r 305
quality, flood protection and floodplain management, and natural 306
systems. The analysis must be based on the particular needs 307
within each district for core mission areas of responsibility. 308
The water supply analysis must specifically include a 309
determination of the adequacy of each district's fiscal 310
resources provided in the district's preliminary budget to 311
achieve appropriate progress toward meeting the districtwide 20 -312
year projected water supply demands, including funding for 313
alternative water supply devel opment and conservation projects. 314
(c)(b) If applicable, the preliminary budget for each 315
district must specify that the district's first obligation for 316
payment is the debt service on bonds and certificates of 317
participation. 318
(d) In addition to the inform ation that must be included 319
for projects carried out pursuant to the capital improvement 320
plan in subparagraph (b)3., the South Florida Water Management 321
District must include a separate section in its preliminary 322
budget for all projects within the Comprehen sive Everglades 323
Restoration Plan. The information for the separate section must 324
be provided on a project -by-project basis and include the source 325
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of funds. For each project, all of the following information 326
must be included: 327
1. The project title and a bri ef description. 328
2. The total estimated cost of the project, broken down by 329
federal and nonfederal sponsor obligations. The local sponsor 330
obligations must be further broken down by state and district 331
obligations. 332
3. The timeline for the project. 333
4. The total expenditures to date and estimated remaining 334
expenditures needed for project completion. 335
5. The estimate of expenditures for the current year. 336
6. The estimate of expenditures for the next fiscal year. 337
(e) For expenditures funded by state appr opriations, the 338
South Florida Water Management District must indicate which 339
fiscal year the appropriation is from. In estimating 340
expenditures for the next fiscal year, the district may only 341
incorporate state revenues in an amount up to the amount of 342
funds specifically provided in s. 375.041(3)(b)1., 4., and 5., 343
unless the district commits district revenues on a dollar -for-344
dollar basis for any amount over such amount specifically 345
provided. 346
(2) LEGISLATIVE REVIEW. — 347
(a) The Legislature may annually review the preliminary 348
budget for each district, including, but not limited to, those 349
items listed in s. 373.536(5)(e)4.d. -f., specific to regulation, 350
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outreach, management, and administration program areas. 351
(b) On or before March 1 of each year, the President o f 352
the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may 353
submit comments regarding the preliminary budget to the 354
districts, and provide a copy of the comments to the Executive 355
Office of the Governor. Each district shall respond to the 356
comments in writing on or before March 15 of each year to the 357
President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 358
Representatives, and the Executive Office of the Governor. 359
(c) If, following such review, the Legislature does not 360
take any action pursuant to s. 373.50 3 on or before July 1 of 361
each year, a water management district may proceed with budget 362
development as provided in subsection (3) and s. 373.536. 363
(3) FUNDING AUTHORITY GRANTED. —Each district shall use the 364
preliminary budget as submitted pursuant to subse ction (1), and 365
as may be amended by the district in response to review by the 366
Legislature pursuant to this section and s. 373.503, as the 367
basis for developing the tentative budget for the next fiscal 368
year as provided in s. 373.536(5). 369
Section 7. Paragraphs (c) and (e) of subsection (5) of 370
section 373.536, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 371
373.536 District budget and hearing thereon. — 372
(5) TENTATIVE BUDGET CONTENTS AND SUBMISSION; REVIEW AND 373
APPROVAL.— 374
(c) The Legislative Budget Commission may reject any of 375
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the following district budget proposals unless specifically 376
appropriated by the Legislature : 377
1. A single purchase of land in excess of $10 million, 378
except for land exchanges. 379
2. Any cumulative pu rchase of land during a single fiscal 380
year in excess of $50 million. 381
3. Any issuance of debt on or after July 1, 2012. 382
4. Any program expenditure expenditures as described in 383
sub-subparagraphs (e)4.e. and f. in excess of 15 percent of a 384
district's total annual budget. 385
5. Any individual variance variances in a district's 386
tentative budget which is in excess of 25 percent from a 387
district's preliminary budget. 388
6. Any individual portion of a district's tentative budget 389
funded with state appropriations. 390
7. Any individual project in the district's 5 -year capital 391
improvement plan. 392
393
Written disapproval of any provision in the tentative budget 394
must be received by the district at least 5 business days before 395
the final district budget adoption hearing conducte d under s. 396
200.065(2)(d). If written disapproval is not received at least 5 397
business days before the final budget adoption hearing, the 398
governing board may proceed with final adoption. Any provision 399
rejected by the Executive Office of the Governor or the 400
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Legislative Budget Commission may not be included in a 401
district's final budget and may not be acted upon through any 402
other means without the prior approval of the entity rejecting 403
the provision. 404
(e) The tentative budget must be based on the preliminary 405
budget as submitted to the Legislature, and as may be amended by 406
the district in response to review by the Legislature pursuant 407
to ss. 373.503 and 373.535, as the basis for developing the 408
tentative budget for the next fiscal year as provided in this 409
subsection, and must set forth the proposed expenditures of the 410
district, to which may be added an amount to be held as reserve. 411
The tentative budget must include, but is not limited to, the 412
following information for the preceding fiscal year and the 413
current fiscal year, and the proposed amounts for the upcoming 414
fiscal year, in a standard format prescribed by the Executive 415
Office of the Governor, in consultation with the Legislature: 416
1. The estimated amount of funds remaining at the 417
beginning of the fiscal year w hich have been obligated for the 418
payment of outstanding commitments not yet completed. 419
2. The estimated amount of unobligated funds or net cash 420
balance on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year; an 421
accounting of the source, balance, and projected futur e use of 422
the unobligated funds; and the estimated amount of funds to be 423
raised by district taxes or received from other sources to meet 424
the requirements of the district. 425
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3. The millage rates and the percentage increase above the 426
rolled-back rate, together with a summary of the reasons the 427
increase is required, and the percentage increase in taxable 428
value resulting from new construction within the district. 429
4. The salaries and benefits, expenses, operating capital 430
outlay, number of authorized positions, and other personal 431
services for the following program areas of the district: 432
a. Water resource planning and monitoring; 433
b. Land acquisition, restoration, and public works; 434
c. Operation and maintenance of works and lands; 435
d. Regulation; 436
e. Outreach for which the information provided must 437
contain a full description and accounting of expenditures for 438
water resources education; public information and public 439
relations, including public service announcements and 440
advertising in any media; and lobbying ac tivities related to 441
local, regional, state and federal governmental affairs, whether 442
incurred by district staff or through contractual services; and 443
f. Management and administration. 444
445
In addition to the program areas reported by all water 446
management districts, the South Florida Water Management 447
District shall include in its budget document separate sections 448
on all costs associated with the Everglades Construction Project 449
and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan , incorporating 450
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the amount of state revenues appropriated for the fiscal year . 451
5. The total estimated amount in the district budget for 452
each area of responsibility listed in subparagraph 4. and for 453
water resource, water supply, and alternative water supply 454
development projects identified i n the district's regional water 455
supply plans. 456
6. A description of each new, expanded, reduced, or 457
eliminated program. 458
7. The funding sources, including, but not limited to, ad 459
valorem taxes, Surface Water Improvement and Management Program 460
funds, other state funds, federal funds, and user fees and 461
permit fees for each program area. 462
8. The water management district's capital improvement 463
plan for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year, in 464
the same format as required in the preliminary budget. 465
Section 8. Section 373.6075, Florida Statutes, is amended 466
to read: 467
373.6075 Purchases from contracts of other entities. — 468
(1) A water management district may purchase commodities 469
and contractual services, excluding services subject to s. 470
287.055, from the purchasing contracts of special districts, 471
municipalities, counties, other political subdivisions, 472
educational institutions, other states, nonprofit entities, 473
purchasing cooperatives, or the Federal Government, which have 474
been procured pursuant to competitive bid, request for proposal, 475
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request for qualification, competitive selection, or competitive 476
negotiation, and which are o therwise in compliance with general 477
law if the purchasing contract of the other entity is procured 478
by a process that meets the procurement requirements of the 479
water management district. 480
(2) For contractual services for the design, engineering, 481
or construction, or for any combination of the design, 482
engineering, or construction, of capital improvement projects 483
with a total estimated project cost of $20 million or more, a 484
water management district shall give preference to the lowest 485
responsible and responsiv e bid, proposal, or reply that includes 486
proof of district-defined acceptable minimum work experience 487
within this state, project -specific payment and performance 488
bonds in amounts appropriate for the project contract amount, 489
and a minimum warranty of 2 years beginning at substantial 490
completion of the project or that provides proof of a comparable 491
financial assurance mechanism, as defined by district rule. 492
(3) For the purpose of the competitive selection process 493
in s. 287.055(4) or the procurement procedures in s. 255.065(3), 494
a water management district shall consider whether a bid, 495
proposal, or reply includes appropriate payment and performance 496
bonds; proof of a comparable financial assurance mechanism, as 497
defined by district rule; or documentation of any an d all bond 498
faults or bond claims within the last 10 years, including all 499
open and closed claims and agreed -upon amounts with a 500
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description of the claim and any resolution. 501
Section 9. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 502
made by this act to se ction 373.503, Florida Statutes, in a 503
reference thereto, section 373.0697, Florida Statutes, is 504
reenacted to read: 505
373.0697 Basin taxes. —The respective basins may, pursuant 506
to s. 9(b), Art. VII of the State Constitution, by resolution 507
request the governing board of the district to levy ad valorem 508
taxes within such basin. Upon receipt of such request, a basin 509
tax levy shall be made by the governing board of the district to 510
finance basin functions enumerated in s. 373.0695, 511
notwithstanding the provisions of any other general or special 512
law to the contrary, and subject to the provisions of s. 513
373.503(3). 514
(1) The amount of money to be raised by said tax levy 515
shall be determined by the adoption of an annual budget by the 516
district board of governors, and the a verage millage for the 517
basin shall be that amount required to raise the amount called 518
for by the annual budget when applied to the total assessment of 519
the basin as determined for county taxing purposes. However, no 520
such tax shall be levied within the basin unless and until the 521
annual budget and required tax levy shall have been approved by 522
formal action of the basin board, and no county in the district 523
shall be taxed under this provision at a rate to exceed 1 mill. 524
(2) The taxes provided for in this secti on shall be 525
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extended by the county property appraiser on the county tax roll 526
in each county within, or partly within, the basin and shall be 527
collected by the tax collector in the same manner and time as 528
county taxes, and the proceeds therefrom paid to the district 529
for basin purposes. Said taxes shall be a lien, until paid, on 530
the property against which assessed and enforceable in like 531
manner as county taxes. The property appraisers, tax collectors, 532
and clerks of the circuit court of the respective counties shall 533
be entitled to compensation for services performed in connection 534
with such taxes at the same rates as apply to county taxes. 535
(3) It is hereby determined that the taxes authorized by 536
this subsection are in proportion to the benefits to be derived 537
by the several parcels of real estate within the basin from the 538
works authorized herein. 539
Section 10. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 540
made by this act to section 373.536, Florida Statutes, in a 541
reference thereto, paragraph (d) of subsection (8) of section 542
373.026, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read: 543
373.026 General powers and duties of the department. —The 544
department, or its successor agency, shall be responsible for 545
the administration of this chapter at the state level. However, 546
it is the policy of the state that, to the greatest extent 547
possible, the department may enter into interagency or 548
interlocal agreements with any other state agency, any water 549
management district, or any local government conducting programs 550
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related to or material ly affecting the water resources of the 551
state. All such agreements shall be subject to the provisions of 552
s. 373.046. In addition to its other powers and duties, the 553
department shall, to the greatest extent possible: 554
(8) 555
(d) The Executive Office of the G overnor, pursuant to its 556
duties under s. 373.536(5) to approve or disapprove, in whole or 557
in part, the budget of each water management district, shall 558
review all proposed expenditures for project components in the 559
district's budget. 560
Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 561