Florida HB 261: Mobilization of the Florida National Guard

Bill Text

HB 261 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb261-00
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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 restrictions on employer-owned life 2
insurance policies; creating s. 627.4635, F.S.; 3
providing definitions; authorizing employer-owned life 4
insurance policies covering certain key persons of 5
business entities, organizations, companies, and 6
corporations under specified circumstances; requiring 7
certain disclosures to such key persons; prohibiting 8
employer-owned life insurance policies covering 9
certain employees; providing that policies covering 10
such employees are void as against public policy; 11
requiring insurer notice to the Office of Insurance 12
Regulation of employer-owned life insurance policies; 13
requiring the office to maintain a registry and to 14
publish an annual report; requiring certain employer 15
disclosures relating to employer-owned life insurance 16
policies; providing that premiums, loan interests, and 17
expenses related to employer-owned life insurance are 18
not tax deductible; subjecting death benefits received 19
by employers to corporate income tax; providing an 20
exception; providing penalties; requiring the office 21
to adopt certain standard forms by a specified date; 22
providing applicability and retroactive applicability; 23
providing an effective date. 24
25

HB 261 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb261-00
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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

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 26
27
Section 1. Section 627.4635, Florida Statutes, is created 28
to read: 29
627.4635 Restrictions on employer-owned life insurance 30
policies.— 31
(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term: 32
(a) "Employer-owned life insurance" means a life insurance 33
policy owned by, or payable to, an employer on the life of a 34
current or former employee. The term also includes company-owned 35
life insurance or corporate-owned life insurance, a life 36
insurance policy owned by, or payable, to a company or 37
corporation, rather than an individual, on the life of a current 38
or former employee. 39
(b) "Key person" means an owner, senior executive, 40
director, officer, partner, or manager of a business entity, 41
organization, company, or corporation whose death would cause 42
direct, material financial harm to the business entity, 43
organization, company, or corporation. 44
(c) "Rank-and-file employee" means any employee who is not 45
a key person. 46
(2) EMPLOYER-OWNED LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES COVERING KEY 47
PERSONS.— 48
(a) An employer may purchase, maintain, or be a 49
beneficiary of an employer-owned life insurance policy covering 50

HB 261 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb261-00
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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 key person only if all the following conditions are met: 51
1. The employer has obtained the key person's informed, 52
written, and revocable consent before purchasing the policy. 53
2. The employer has provided written notice of the policy 54
to the key person's spouse, next of kin, or estate 55
representative within 30 days after issuance of the policy. 56
3. The employer does not maintain more than five key 57
person policies at any one time without prior approval of the 58
office. The five key persons must be the five highest ranking 59
persons in the employer's business, organization, company, or 60
corporation, based on their seniority, salaries, and benefits. 61
4. The death benefit of any key person's policy does not 62
exceed five times that key person's average annual compensation 63
for the 3 years immediately preceding issuance. 64
5. Upon the key person's termination of employment, the 65
employer either cancels the policy or, with the key person's 66
written consent, transfers ownership to the key person or his or 67
her family. 68
(b)1. If an employer-owner life insurance policy is issued 69
before July 1, 2026, and all the conditions in paragraph (a) are 70
met, the employer must, by January 1, 2027, provide to the key 71
person whose life is covered by the employer-owner life 72
insurance policy the standard form described in subsection (7), 73
which informs the key person that the policy does not benefit 74
the key person, but fully benefits the employer, and that the 75

HB 261 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb261-00
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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

key person has the option to opt out of the policy. 76
2. If an employer-owner life insurance policy is issued on 77
or after July 1, 2026, and before October 1, 2026, the employer 78
must, before purchasing the policy, inform the key person whose 79
life is covered by the employer-owner life insurance policy that 80
the policy does no