Bill > S0998

Introduced Session

An act relating to the Department of Commerce; repealing ss. 290.0401, 290.0411, 290.042, 290.043, 290.0455, 290.046, 290.047, 290.0475, and 290.048, F.S., relating to the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program Act; amending s. 253.025, F.S.; providing an exemption for certain conveyances of state lands to certain federal agencies which revert to the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund if such land is not used for its intended purposes as a military installation buffer or if the military installation closes; amending s. 288.0656, F.S.; revising the definition of the term “rural community”; amending s. 290.044, F.S.; defining terms; designating the department as the state agency to receive and administer federal funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program; authorizing the department to award grants and disburse funds received from HUD; requiring the department to administer additional federal funding through HUD for certain expenses in accordance with the law authorizing such funding; authorizing the department to adopt rules; amending s. 448.095, F.S.; defining the terms “employer” and “noncompliance”; requiring employers who are required to use the E Verify system to verify a new employee’s employment eligibility to maintain an E-Verify case result for each employee which shows that the employee is authorized to work; requiring that the E-Verify case result visibly show the employee’s work authorization status; providing that each failure of an employer to provide documentation within a specified timeframe constitutes noncompliance; requiring the department to issue a notification of noncompliance to an employer before issuing fines or suspending licenses; providing that an employer’s failure to provide copies of any documentation relied upon by the employer constitutes a reasonable basis that the employer failed to use the E-Verify system; requiring the department to notify the employer to comply within a specified timeframe; authorizing the department to grant extensions up to a specified timeframe upon a showing of good cause; requiring the department to issue a final determination of noncompliance if the employer does not timely cure its noncompliance; authorizing an employer found to be noncompliant to request a hearing; providing requirements for such hearings; requiring an employer to repay any economic development incentive if the administrative law judge rules in favor of the department or if the employer loses its appeal; defining the terms “employer” and “unauthorized alien”; revising the fines and penalties that may be imposed on an employer found to be in noncompliance; providing how an employer may cure noncompliance; authorizing the department to adopt rules and procedures; authorizing the department to recover reasonable costs of investigation and prosecution; requiring the department to determine such costs; authorizing the department to contract with a collections agent if such costs are not paid within a specified timeframe; requiring that any amounts recovered be deposited into the State Economic Enhancement and Development Trust Fund; prohibiting the department from investigating complaints based solely on race, color, or national origin; revising an expiration; amending s. 448.09, F.S.; defining the term “knowingly employs”; requiring the department to provide an employer knowingly employing an unauthorized alien with a written determination; providing requirements for hearings; requiring employers placed on probation to submit on a specified date an affidavit to the department; requiring that an affidavit be submitted to the department every quarter; providing when the first and subsequent quarters commence; authorizing the department to enforce compliance by filing a petition with the circuit court of Leon County; providing that venue for actions for such enforcement is in Leon County; requiring the department to provide a hearing for employers who have had their licenses suspended or revoked; providing requirements for such hearings; authorizing the department to adopt rules; reenacting ss. 215.971(1)(h), 288.062(2)(j), 288.0655(2)(b), 332.007(10), and 627.6699(14)(d), F.S., relating to agreements funded with federal or state assistance, the Rural Community Investment Program, the Rural Infrastructure Fund, administration and financing of aviation and airport programs and projects, and the Employee Health Care Access Act, respectively, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 288.0656, F.S., in references thereto; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

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Clay Yarborough (R)*, 

Now in Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development (on 01/21/2026)

Official Document