THE BILL ITSELF
HB 1065
Public Employee Housing Benefits
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to public employee housing benefits;
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creating s. 112.049, F.S.; providing definitions;
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authorizing specified public employers to provide a
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one-time payout of sick leave and annual leave to
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certain employees for a specified purpose; providing
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requirements for the payout; requiring the Department
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of Management Services to adopt rules; authorizing
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political subdivisions to take certain actions to
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implement specified provisions; providing
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construction; providing an effective date.
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WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the importance of
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home ownership in promoting family stability, responsible
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citizenship, and long-term investment in communities, and
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WHEREAS, the Legislature intends to authorize public
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employers to offer a voluntary, one-time payout of accrued
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sick and annual leave to assist employees with the purchase
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of a primary residence, NOW, THEREFORE,
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 112.049, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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112.049 Heroes Reward Program.—
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(1) As used in this section, the term:
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(a) "Employee" means any individual employed by a public
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employer on a full-time, active basis in a permanent, benefits-
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eligible position.
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(b) "Primary residence" means the dwelling the employee
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intends to occupy as his or her principal and permanent
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residence.
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(c) "Public employer" has the same meaning as in s.
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447.203(2).
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(2) Notwithstanding s. 110.219, a public employer may
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provide an employee a one-time payout of his or her sick or
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annual leave, or a combination thereof, for the purchase of a
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primary residence if:
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(a) The payout is used to assist with the purchase of a
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primary residence and such purchase is evidenced by:
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1. A fully executed purchase-and-sale agreement.
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2. A final closing disclosure or settlement statement,
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issued by a licensed closing or escrow agent. This does not
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include estimated, preliminary, or unsigned documents.
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(b) The employee retains a balance of at least 21 days of
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accrued sick leave following the payout.
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(c) The employee is able to redeem any requested amount of
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accrued annual leave, with no maximum cap, provided the employee
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otherwise meets the requirements of this section.
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(d) The public employer provides the employee with a
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written statement confirming the one-time, nonrefundable nature
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of the payout.
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(3) A payout under this section is separate from and in
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addition to the number of hours of accrued annual leave that may
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be used for purposes of the Deferred Retirement Option Program
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under s. 121.091.
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(a) Leave paid out under this section must be deducted
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from the employee's accrued leave balances at the time of
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payment and may not later be counted toward any terminal leave
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payout or other leave conversion program.
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(b) All payments must be made at the employee's current
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base rate of pay and are subject to applicable taxes. A payout
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under this section is not terminal pay, severance pay, or
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compensation for purposes of retirement calculations under
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chapter 121.
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(c) At the employee's written request, the employer shall
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remit the approved payout directly to a licensed closing or
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escrow agent identified in the final closing disclosure or
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settlement statement.
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(d) Upon receipt of a complete and compliant request from
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the employee, including a fully executed purchase-and-sale
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agreement and a final closing disclosure, the employer shall
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disburse funds by electronic wire transfer to the designated
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closing or escrow agent no later than 3 business working days
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after the scheduled closing date.
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(e) Funds deposited under this section shall be disbursed
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solely for allowable home purchase costs at closing. If the
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transaction does not close, the escrow agent shall return the
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funds to the employer with 5 business days, and the employee's
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leave balances shall be restored accordingly.
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(4)(a) The Department of Management Services shall adopt
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rules to implement this section.
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(b) A political subdivision may implement this program by
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ordinance, resolution, written policy, or collective bargaining
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agreement.
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(c) The program does not require any public employer to
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establish or maintain the benefit authorized in this section.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.