Title: Agency Agreements Providing Financial Assistance to Special Districts

Summary: Authorizes certain special districts to include a specified provision within agency agreements.

Full Text:
An act relating to agency agreements providing financial assistance to special districts; amending s. 215.971, F.S.; authorizing certain special districts to include a specified provision within agency agreements; revising the intent of such provision; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section 215.971, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 215.971 Agreements funded with federal or state assistance.-(1) An agency agreement that provides state financial assistance to a recipient or subrecipient, as those terms are defined in s. 215.97, or that provides federal financial assistance to a subrecipient, as defined by applicable United States Office of Management and Budget circulars, must include all of the following: (h) If the agency agreement provides federal or state financial assistance to a county or municipality that is a rural community or rural area of opportunity as those terms are defined in s. 288.0656(2), or a special district whose geographic boundaries are contained, in whole or in part, in HB 1369 2025 such county or municipality, a provision allowing the agency to provide for the payment of invoices to the county, municipality, special district, or rural area of opportunity as that term is defined in s. 288.0656(2), for verified and eligible performance that has been completed in accordance with the ter ms and conditions set forth in the agreement. This provision is included to alleviate the financial hardships that such certain rural counties,and municipalities,and special districts encounter when administering agreements, and must be exercised by the agency when a county,or municipality,or special district meeting the aforementioned criteria demonstrates financial hardship, to the extent that federal or state law, rule, or other regulation allows such payments. This paragraph may not be construed to alter or limit any other provisions of federal or state law, rule, or other regulation. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.