Florida HB 5503: Trust Funds/Re-creation/Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund/EOG

Bill Text

HB 5503, Engrossed 1 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

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to trust funds; re-creating the 2
Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund within the 3
Executive Office of the Governor; amending s. 4
252.3711, F.S.; revising and providing uses of moneys 5
deposited in the fund; providing requirements for the 6
deposit of federal reimbursements of state emergency 7
expenditures; providing reporting requirements; 8
revising provisions relating to the termination of the 9
fund; providing for retroactive application; providing 10
an effective date. 11
12
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
14
Section 1. The Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund 15
within the Executive Office of the Governor, which is to be 16
terminated pursuant to Section 19(f), Article III of the State 17
Constitution on February 17, 2026, is re-created. 18
Section 2. Section 252.3711, Florida Statutes, is amended 19
to read: 20
252.3711 Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund.— 21
(1) The Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund is 22
created within the Executive Office of the Governor. 23
(2) The fund is established for use as a depository for 24
state moneys specifically transferred or appropriated to the 25

HB 5503, Engrossed 1 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

fund by the Legislature. The moneys deposited in the fund are 26
available as a primary funding source for the Governor for 27
purposes of preparing or responding to an emergency as defined 28
in s. 252.34(4) disaster declared by the Governor as a state of 29
emergency that exceeds regularly appropriated funding sources. 30
(a) Moneys in the fund may be used for a state of 31
emergency that is a natural emergency as defined in s. 32
252.34(8). If such state of emergency has been renewed pursuant 33
to s. 252.36, the use of moneys in the fund is subject to the 34
notice, review, and objection procedures set forth in s. 35
216.177. 36
(b) Moneys in the fund may be used for a state of emergency 37
that is a manmade emergency as defined in s. 252.34(7) or a 38
technological emergency as defined in s. 252.34(12), subject to 39
the notice, review, and objection procedures set forth in s. 40
216.177. Notwithstanding s. 216.177(2)(b), either the chair or 41
vice chair of the Legislative Budget Commission or the President 42
of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives may 43
timely advise, in writing, that an action or proposed action 44
exceeds the delegated authority or is contrary to legislative 45
policy and intent. 46
(c) Moneys in the fund may not be used to purchase 47
aircraft, boats, or motor vehicles. 48
(d) Moneys in the fund may not be invested as provided in 49
s. 17.61 but shall be retained in the fund for investment with 50

HB 5503, Engrossed 1 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

interest appropriated to the General Revenue Fund as provided in 51
s. 17.57. 52
(3) Federal reimbursements of state emergency expenditures 53
shall not be deposited in the fund. Federal reimbursements of 54
state emergency expenditures shall be deposited in the General 55
Revenue Fund pursuant to s. 215.32(2)(a). 56
(4) On or before the 15th day of the month following each 57
quarter, the Executive Office of the Governor shall submit a 58
report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the 59
House of Representatives that includes the following: 60
(a) The projected year-end cash balance of the fund; 61
(b) An updated cash flow statement for that fiscal year; 62
(c) An accounting of all inventory and assets purchased, 63
separated by emergency event and agency, for preparing for, 64
responding to, or recovering from a state of emergency and the 65
current status of such assets; and 66
(d) A written attestation, under penalty of perjury, from 67
the director of the Division of Emergency Management that the 68
information in the report is true, accurate, and complete. 69
(5)(3) In accordance with s. 19(f)(2), Art. III of the 70
State Constitution, The Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund 71
shall, unless terminated sooner, be terminated on July 1, 2030 4 72
years after the effective date of this act. Before its scheduled 73
termination, the fund shall be reviewed as provided in s. 74
215.3208 s. 215.3206(1) and (2). 75

HB 5503, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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Section 3. This act shall operate retroactively to 76
February 17, 2026. 77
Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 78