SESSION WATCH
Vetoed by the Governor HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 893

Trust Fund Interest for Purposes Approved by Supreme Court
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SPONSOR
Koster
FILED BY
Traci Koster — District 66, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026

Filed under Taxes & Budget.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Trust Fund Interest for Purposes Approved by Supreme Court; Authorizes financial institutions to hold funds in specified trust accounts used for specified purposes expressly authorized by Supreme Court rule; requires certain entities to use interest & dividends for specified purposes; requires certain financial institutions to pay specified interest or dividends.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Mandates banks pay a specific interest rate on lawyer trust accounts.

Banks must pay interest on lawyer trust accounts at the Wall Street Journal prime rate minus 300 basis points. This rate is capped at 1.5 percent and floored at 0.25 percent.

The collected interest must be remitted to a Supreme Court-established entity. That entity is required to use the funds to provide free legal services to low-income individuals.

The bill authorizes financial institutions to hold these specific interest-bearing trust accounts. It creates a new statutory section, 655.98, to govern these account requirements.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Permits IOLTA Account Holding majors. 655.98(1)

AIAllows banks to hold lawyer trust funds in interest-bearing accounts that pay interest to a Supreme Court entity.

“A financial institution may hold funds in an interest-bearing trust account of a lawyer or law firm in which the institution remits interest or dividends on the balance of the” bill text, line 16 →
§ 2 Mandates Use of Interest for Legal Aid majors. 655.98(2)

AIRequires the receiving entity to use collected interest to provide free legal services to low-income individuals or other Supreme Court-authorized purposes.

“Such entity shall use the interest or dividends to provide or facilitate the provision of free legal services to low-income individuals or for such other purposes as may be” bill text, line 20 →
§ 3 Sets Minimum Interest Rate majors. 655.98(3)

AIRequires financial institutions to pay interest at the Wall Street Journal prime rate minus 300 basis points, with a floor of 0.25 percent and a ceiling of 1.5 percent.

“it must pay, net of all fees and charges assessed by the financial institution, interest or dividends at the Wall Street Journal prime rate in effect on the first business day of” bill text, line 25 →
TIMELINE
6/30/2026
Vetoed by Governor
6/15/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
2/19/2026
Ordered enrolled
2/19/2026
In Messages
2/19/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 356
2/19/2026
Passed; YEAS 38 NAYS 0 -SJ 347
2/19/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 347
2/19/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 347
2/19/2026
Substituted for SB 1000 -SJ 347
2/19/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/19/2026
Withdrawn from Rules -SJ 347
2/18/2026
Received
2/12/2026
Referred to Rules
2/12/2026
In Messages
2/11/2026
Passed; YEAS 112, NAYS 0
2/11/2026
Read 3rd time
2/11/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
2/11/2026
Read 2nd time
2/5/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (2/11/2026)
2/3/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/3/2026
Bill released to House Calendar
2/3/2026
Reported out of Commerce Committee
2/3/2026
Favorable by Commerce Committee
1/30/2026
Added to Commerce Committee agenda
1/27/2026
Now in Commerce Committee
1/27/2026
Reported out of Judiciary Committee
1/27/2026
Favorable by Judiciary Committee
1/23/2026
Added to Judiciary Committee agenda
1/22/2026
Now in Judiciary Committee
1/22/2026
Reported out of Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
1/21/2026
Favorable by Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
1/16/2026
Added to Insurance & Banking Subcommittee agenda
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
1/5/2026
Now in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
1/5/2026
Referred to Commerce Committee
1/5/2026
Referred to Judiciary Committee
1/5/2026
Referred to Insurance & Banking Subcommittee
12/23/2025
Filed
32 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 655.98
+0 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES