Bill > H0063

This bill, titled "Public-Private Partnerships," aims to revise existing Florida statutes governing how government entities, referred to as "responsible public entities" (which now include school districts, Florida College System institutions, and state universities, in addition to counties and municipalities), can partner with private companies to develop and operate public projects. Key changes include the elimination of the Public-Private Partnership Guidelines Task Force, which previously recommended guidelines for these partnerships. The bill also modifies rules for how private entities submit unsolicited proposals for "qualifying projects" (which are defined broadly to include various public facilities and infrastructure like transportation, educational, and utility projects), including new requirements for application fees and how those fees are handled. It also revises provisions related to comprehensive agreements, which are the contracts between public and private entities, and removes the requirement for responsible public entities to notify affected local jurisdictions about proposed projects. Additionally, the bill clarifies financial obligations for responsible public entities and outlines new duties for the Department of Management Services (DMS) regarding the collection and sharing of comprehensive agreements between public entities.