Florida HB 123: Consumer Finance Loans

Bill Text

HB 123 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb123-00
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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 special districts; abolishing 2
certain soil and water conservation districts in this 3
state; transferring the assets and liabilities of such 4
districts to the Department of Agriculture and 5
Consumer Services; amending s. 171.093, F.S.; 6
prohibiting municipalities from assuming certain 7
services in annexed areas; providing that a fire 8
control district remains the provider of specified 9
services in the annexed area; requiring that the 10
district's geographical boundaries continue to include 11
the annexed area; authorizing the district to continue 12
certain levies and assessments; amending s. 189.03, 13
F.S.; revising the legislative purpose and intent for 14
independent special districts; creating s. 189.0331, 15
F.S.; defining the terms "district lands or water 16
areas" and "outdoor recreational purposes"; providing 17
that an independent special district that grants the 18
public access to district lands or water areas for 19
outdoor recreational purposes owes no duty of care to 20
perform specified actions; providing that an 21
independent special district is not responsible for 22
injury to persons or property caused by an act or 23
omission of such person upon such lands or water 24
areas; providing applicability; providing that 25

HB 123 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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

specified protections, immunities, and limitations of 26
liability apply regardless of whether a person or 27
claimant was engaged in an outdoor recreational 28
purpose at the time of an accident or occurrence; 29
providing certain protection to the owner of private 30
land if an independent special district secures an 31
easement or other access right through such private 32
land to district lands or water areas that the 33
independent special district makes available to the 34
public for outdoor recreational purposes; providing 35
that independent special districts are not relieved of 36
certain liability; amending s. 189.053, F.S.; 37
providing that a special district may purchase 38
commodities and contractual services from the 39
purchasing agreements of this state under certain 40
circumstances; amending s. 189.0695, F.S.; removing a 41
provision requiring the Office of Program Policy 42
Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct 43
performance reviews of independent fire control 44
districts according to a specified schedule; requiring 45
the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government 46
Accountability to conduct a performance review of 47
certain independent special districts by a specified 48
date; removing provisions requiring the Office of 49
Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability 50

HB 123 2026

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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

to submit the final report of performance reviews for 51
certain districts according to a specified schedule; 52
creating s. 189.0699, F.S.; providing that an 53
independent special district may require, by 54
resolution, criminal history screening for certain 55
persons; providing requirements for such resolution; 56
providing construction; amending s. 582.19, F.S.; 57
revising the qualifications of a supervisor of a soil 58
and water conservation district; requiring the 59
Commission on Ethics to investigate whether certain 60
supervisors meet eligibility criteria; amending s. 61
582.20, F.S.; removing provisions subjecting certain 62
powers of a soil and water conservation district to 63
another district's approval; requiring the Department 64
of Agriculture and Consumer Services to monitor 65
specified soil and water conservation districts and 66
ensure that each district is winding up administrative 67
and fiscal matters in a timely manner and using 68
certain practices; reenacting s. 189.074(11), F.S., 69
relating to voluntary merger of independent special 70
districts, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 71
171.093, F.S., in a reference thereto; providing 72
effective dates. 73
74
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 75

HB 123 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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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

76
Section 1. Effective December 31, 2026, and 77
notwithstanding ss. 582.31 and 582.32, Florida Statutes, the 78
following soil and water conservation districts are abolished, 79
and all assets and liabilities of each district are transferred 80
to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: 81
(1) Escambia Soil and Water Conservation District. 82
(2) Yellow River Soil and Water Conservation District.