THE BILL ITSELF
SB 854
Small Independent Special Fire Control Districts
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 854 By Senator DiCeglie 18-00468-26 2026854__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to small independent special fire
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control districts; amending s. 110.1228, F.S.;
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defining the term “small independent special fire
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control district”; authorizing the governing body of a
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small independent special fire control district to
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apply for participation in the state group health
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insurance and prescription drug programs; revising
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eligibility requirements to include such districts;
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requiring the Department of Management Services to
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conduct a certain actuarial analysis; requiring that
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such analysis be paid for by the small independent
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special fire control district; providing that if such
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a district issued a request for proposals within a
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specified timeframe, such request satisfies specified
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requirements; requiring the department to conduct an
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actuarial analysis by a specified date under certain
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conditions; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 110.1228, Florida Statutes, is amended
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to read:
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110.1228 Participation by small counties, small
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municipalities, and district school boards located in small
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counties , and small independent special fire control districts .—
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(1) As used in this section, the term:
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(a) “District school board” means a district school board
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located in a small county or a district school board that
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receives funding pursuant to s. 1011.62(1)(f).
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(b) “Small county” means a county that has a population of
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100,000 or fewer according to the most recent decennial census.
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(c) “Small independent special fire control district” means
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an independent special fire control district as defined in s.
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191.003 which has fewer than 100 employees and is located within
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a county in which there is a countywide emergency medical
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services authority created by special act.
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(d) “Small municipality” means an incorporated municipality
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that has a population of 12,500 or fewer according to the most
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recent decennial census.
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(c) “Small county” means a county that has a population of
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100,000 or fewer according to the most recent decennial census.
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(2) The governing body of a small county , or small
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municipality , or a district school board , or small independent
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special fire control district may apply for participation in the
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state group health insurance program authorized in s. 110.123
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and the prescription drug coverage program authorized by s.
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110.12315 by submitting an application along with a $500
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nonrefundable fee to the department.
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(3) Any costs or savings to the state group health
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insurance program or the prescription drug coverage program
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resulting from such participation must shall be passed on to the
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local government participants and their employees. Such costs or
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savings must shall be delineated based on the impact to the
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state, state officers and employees, and local government
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employers and their employees.
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(4) As a prerequisite to the adoption of an ordinance or
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resolution for participation in the state group health insurance
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program and prescription drug coverage program, a small county,
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small municipality, or district school board , or small
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independent special fire control district shall issue a request
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for proposals to provide health insurance and prescription drug
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coverage. Such request for proposals must shall seek coverages
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equivalent to those offered currently by the small county, small
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municipality, or district school board , or small independent
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special fire control district and coverages equivalent to the
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state group health insurance program and prescription drug
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coverage program. Such request for proposals must provide an
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opportunity for the receipt of competitive proposals from all
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interested parties without restriction. The small county, small
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municipality, and district school board , and small independent
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special fire control district shall review and consider all
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responsive proposals before prior to the adoption of any
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ordinance or resolution for participation in the state group
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health insurance program and prescription drug coverage program.
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(5) If the department determines that a small county, small
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municipality, or district school board , or small independent
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special fire control district is eligible to enroll, the small
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county, small municipality, or district school board , or small
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independent special fire control district must agree to the
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following terms and conditions:
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(a) The minimum enrollment or contractual period will be 3
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years.
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(b) The small county, small municipality, or district
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school board , or small independent special fire control district
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must pay to the department an initial administrative fee of not
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less than $2.61 per enrollee per month, or such other amount
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established annually to fully reimburse the department for its
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costs.
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(c) Termination of participation of a small county, small
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municipality, or district school board , or small independent
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special fire control district requires written notice 1 year
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before the termination date.
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(d) If participation is terminated, a small county, small
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municipality, or district school board , or small independent
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special fire control district may not reapply for participation
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for a period of 2 years.
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(e) Small counties, small municipalities, and district
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school boards , and small independent special fire control
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districts shall reimburse the state for 100 percent of its
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costs, including administrative costs.
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(f) If a small county, small municipality, or district
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school board , or small independent special fire control district
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employer fails to make the payments required by this section to
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fully reimburse the state, the Department of Revenue or the
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Department of Financial Services shall, upon the request of the
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Department of Management Services, deduct the amount owed by the
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employer from any funds not pledged to bond debt service
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satisfaction that are to be distributed by it to the small
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county, small municipality, or district school board , or small
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independent special fire control district . The amounts so
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deducted must shall be transferred to the Department of
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Management Services for further distribution to the trust funds
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in accordance with this chapter.
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(g) The small county, small municipality, or district
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school board , or small independent special fire control district
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shall furnish the department any information requested by the
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department which the department considers necessary to
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administer the state group health insurance program and the
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prescription drug coverage program.
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(h) The small county, small municipality, or district
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school board , or small independent special fire control district
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shall adopt the state’s eligibility rules.
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(i) The small county, small municipality, or district
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school board , or small independent special fire control district
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may not participate in the state’s cafeteria plan that allows
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for pretax treatment of premium contributions. If pretax
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treatment is desirable for employees of these participating
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employers, each employee of a participating employer shall
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execute a salary reduction agreement with that employer, and
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each participating employer shall establish its own cafeteria
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plan.
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(j) The small county, small municipality, or district
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school board , or small independent special fire control district
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shall pay monthly premiums in amounts sufficient to cover claims
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costs, department administrative costs, and third-party
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administrative costs and provide for adequate reserves and cash
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flow by contributing 3 months’ premiums and costs in advance of
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the coverage effective date.
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(6) If a small independent special fire control district
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elects to participate in the state group health insurance
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program authorized in s. 110.123 and the prescription drug
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program authorized by s. 110.12315, the department must conduct
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an actuarial analysis to determine the small independent special
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fire control district’s health insurance premiums. Such analysis
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must be paid for by the small independent special fire control
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district.
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(7) The provisions of ss. 624.436-624.446 do not apply to
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the State Group Insurance Program or to this section.
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Section 2. Due to the potential cost savings to small
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independent special fire control districts which may be realized
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if such districts participate in open enrollment for the 2026
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2027 fiscal year for the state group health insurance and
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prescription drug programs, a request for proposals to provide
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health insurance and prescription drug coverage issued by such
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district no more than 1 year before the effective date of this
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act, satisfies the requirements of s. 110.1228(4), Florida
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Statutes, for such district.
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Section 3. To allow small independent special fire control
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districts to participate in the 2026-2027 fiscal year open
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enrollment for the state group health insurance program and
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prescription drug program, the Department of Management Services
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must conduct the applicable actuarial analysis for an eligible
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small independent special fire control district no later than
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June 1, 2026, if such district notifies the department of its
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choice to participate in the programs no later than May 5, 2026.
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Section 4. This act shall take effect May 1, 2026.