Bill > S1498

Introduced Session

An act relating to services to noncitizens; amending s. 125.0167, F.S.; authorizing a county to require proof that certain borrowers are lawfully present in the United States; creating s. 420.0007, F.S.; defining the terms “down payment assistance” and “silent second mortgage”; prohibiting state and local governmental entities and private corporations from providing down payment assistance to a person who is not lawfully in the United States; requiring immediate repayment of downpayment assistance and the initiation of foreclosure proceedings in certain circumstances; prohibiting certain persons from receiving down payment assistance in the future; amending ss. 420.5088 and 420.5096, F.S.; restricting eligibility for the Florida Homeownership Assistance Program and the Florida Hometown Hero Program, respectively, to persons who are lawfully present in the United States; amending s. 448.09, F.S.; revising penalties, including suspension of certain licenses and the imposition of fines, for violating provisions related to employing unauthorized aliens; requiring that such fines be deposited into a specified trust fund; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; providing increased penalties, including suspension and revocation of certain licenses and the imposition of fines, for violating provisions related to employing unauthorized aliens where specified injury or death occurs; requiring that such fines be deposited into a specified trust fund; providing that persons injured or the next of kin of persons killed have a cause of action against employers found to be in violation of a specified provision; amending s. 448.095, F.S.; requiring that all private employers, rather than only those employing a specified number or more of employees, use the E-Verify system to verify a new employee’s employment eligibility; amending s. 560.208, F.S.; prohibiting money services business’ licensees from initiating foreign remittance transfers unless they have verified that the sender is not an unauthorized alien; defining the term “foreign remittance transfer”; requiring the Financial Services Commission to adopt rules; requiring licensees to submit certain forms to the Office of Financial Regulation within a specified timeframe; requiring licensees to pay specified penalties for any foreign remittance transferred in violation of specified provisions; requiring quarterly penalty remittances; requiring licensees to submit certain forms and penalties to the office within a specified timeframe; requiring the office to deposit such penalties into a certain fund; amending s. 560.211, F.S.; requiring that licensees make, keep, and preserve for 5 years records of certain documentation and penalties paid; creating s. 560.2115, F.S.; authorizing the office to request, and requiring licensees to provide, records of certain documentation; authorizing the filing of complaints; providing criminal penalties for knowingly filing false or frivolous complaints; imposing requirements on the office upon receipt of a valid complaint substantiated by evidence of a violation; requiring the office to conduct random quarterly audits of licensees to ensure compliance with specified provisions; specifying that failure to comply with certain provisions constitutes grounds for the suspension of all licenses issued by the office; prohibiting the office from auditing a licensee more than a specified number of times within a specified timeframe; providing an exception; authorizing the office to adopt emergency rules; providing for severability; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

Blaise Ingoglia (R)*, 

Died in Commerce and Tourism (on 06/16/2025)

Official Document