Bill

Bill > H0687


FL H0687

FL H0687
Government Waste and Misconduct


summary

Introduced
12/08/2025
In Committee
12/16/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

An act relating to government waste and misconduct; requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, the Auditor General, and the Government Efficiency Task Force to prepare a specified report; requiring that specified subjects be investigated and evaluated, and certain funds identified, as part of the report; requiring that the report be submitted to specified parties; requiring the Attorney General to take certain actions to recover specified funds; requiring such recovered funds be used for a certain purpose; requiring that specified funds be transferred and used for a certain purpose; creating s. 409.1466, F.S.; creating the Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program within the Department of Commerce for a certain purpose; requiring that the program be funded in a specified manner; defining the term "waste"; granting certain state funds to people and households that received the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and meet certain criteria; specifying the calculation of the rebate and procedures for disbursing the funds within a certain timeframe; requiring the department to submit to the Governor, the Cabinet, and the Legislature a certain report by a specified date; prohibiting receipt of the hb687-00 rebate from being used in certain program eligibility determinations; authorizing the department to adopt emergency rules; providing applicability; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

This bill establishes the Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program within the Department of Commerce, designed to provide financial relief to low- and moderate-income residents who have received the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The program will offer eligible individuals and households a state rebate equal to 20 percent of their federal EITC, with recipients required to maintain a Florida residence and apply by June 30th of the year they received the federal credit. The program will be funded exclusively through moneys identified as being at risk of or recovered from "waste," which is defined as fraud, malfeasance, mismanagement, and misconduct. By December 31, 2027, the Department of Commerce must submit a report to state leadership exploring the possibility of creating an automatic rebate program that would eliminate the need for annual applications. The bill specifically prohibits the rebate from being considered when determining eligibility for programs like Medicaid, Florida Kidcare, and food assistance. The program is set to begin with federal EITC credits granted on or after January 1, 2027, with the act taking effect on July 1, 2026. The department is authorized to adopt emergency rules to implement the program, with such rules being effective for six months and renewable during permanent rule-making processes.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (16)

Last Action

1st Reading (Original Filed Version) (on 01/13/2026)

bill text


bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...
Loading...