SESSION WATCH
THE BILL ITSELF

SB 998

Department of Commerce

VERSION S 998 Filed · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

Florida Senate - 2026 SB 998 By Senator Yarborough 4-00724C-26 2026998__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Department of Commerce;
3 repealing ss. 290.0401, 290.0411, 290.042, 290.043,
4 290.0455, 290.046, 290.047, 290.0475, and 290.048,
5 F.S., relating to the Florida Small Cities Community
6 Development Block Grant Program Act; amending s.
7 253.025, F.S.; providing an exemption for certain
8 conveyances of state lands to certain federal agencies
9 which revert to the Board of Trustees of the Internal
10 Improvement Trust Fund if such land is not used for
11 its intended purposes as a military installation
12 buffer or if the military installation closes;
13 amending s. 288.0656, F.S.; revising the definition of
14 the term “rural community”; amending s. 290.044, F.S.;
15 defining terms; designating the department as the
16 state agency to receive and administer federal funding
17 from the United States Department of Housing and Urban
18 Development (HUD) to administer the Florida Small
19 Cities Community Development Block Grant Program;
20 authorizing the department to award grants and
21 disburse funds received from HUD; requiring the
22 department to administer additional federal funding
23 through HUD for certain expenses in accordance with
24 the law authorizing such funding; authorizing the
25 department to adopt rules; amending s. 448.095, F.S.;
26 defining the terms “employer” and “noncompliance”;
27 requiring employers who are required to use the E
28 Verify system to verify a new employee’s employment
29 eligibility to maintain an E-Verify case result for
30 each employee which shows that the employee is
31 authorized to work; requiring that the E-Verify case
32 result visibly show the employee’s work authorization
33 status; providing that each failure of an employer to
34 provide documentation within a specified timeframe
35 constitutes noncompliance; requiring the department to
36 issue a notification of noncompliance to an employer
37 before issuing fines or suspending licenses; providing
38 that an employer’s failure to provide copies of any
39 documentation relied upon by the employer constitutes
40 a reasonable basis that the employer failed to use the
41 E-Verify system; requiring the department to notify
42 the employer to comply within a specified timeframe;
43 authorizing the department to grant extensions up to a
44 specified timeframe upon a showing of good cause;
45 requiring the department to issue a final
46 determination of noncompliance if the employer does
47 not timely cure its noncompliance; authorizing an
48 employer found to be noncompliant to request a
49 hearing; providing requirements for such hearings;
50 requiring an employer to repay any economic
51 development incentive if the administrative law judge
52 rules in favor of the department or if the employer
53 loses its appeal; defining the terms “employer” and
54 “unauthorized alien”; revising the fines and penalties
55 that may be imposed on an employer found to be in
56 noncompliance; providing how an employer may cure
57 noncompliance; authorizing the department to adopt
58 rules and procedures; authorizing the department to
59 recover reasonable costs of investigation and
60 prosecution; requiring the department to determine
61 such costs; authorizing the department to contract
62 with a collections agent if such costs are not paid
63 within a specified timeframe; requiring that any
64 amounts recovered be deposited into the State Economic
65 Enhancement and Development Trust Fund; prohibiting
66 the department from investigating complaints based
67 solely on race, color, or national origin; revising an
68 expiration; amending s. 448.09, F.S.; defining the
69 term “knowingly employs”; requiring the department to
70 provide an employer knowingly employing an
71 unauthorized alien with a written determination;
72 providing requirements for hearings; requiring
73 employers placed on probation to submit on a specified
74 date an affidavit to the department; requiring that an
75 affidavit be submitted to the department every
76 quarter; providing when the first and subsequent
77 quarters commence; authorizing the department to
78 enforce compliance by filing a petition with the
79 circuit court of Leon County; providing that venue for
80 actions for such enforcement is in Leon County;
81 requiring the department to provide a hearing for
82 employers who have had their licenses suspended or
83 revoked; providing requirements for such hearings;
84 authorizing the department to adopt rules; reenacting
85 ss. 215.971(1)(h), 288.062(2)(j), 288.0655(2)(b),
86 332.007(10), and 627.6699(14)(d), F.S., relating to
87 agreements funded with federal or state assistance,
88 the Rural Community Investment Program, the Rural
89 Infrastructure Fund, administration and financing of
90 aviation and airport programs and projects, and the
91 Employee Health Care Access Act, respectively, to
92 incorporate the amendment made to s. 288.0656, F.S.,
93 in references thereto; providing an effective date.
95 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
97 Section 1. Section 290.0401, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
98 Section 2. Section 290.0411, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
99 Section 3. Section 290.042, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
100 Section 4. Section 290.043, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
101 Section 5. Section 290.0455, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
102 Section 6. Section 290.046, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
103 Section 7. Section 290.047, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
104 Section 8. Section 290.0475, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
105 Section 9. Section 290.048, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
106 Section 10. Paragraph (d) of subsection (21) of section
107 253.025, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
108 253.025 Acquisition of state lands.—
109 (21)
110 (d) 1. A conveyance at less than appraised value must state
111 that the land will revert to the board of trustees if the land
112 is not used for its intended purposes as a military installation
113 buffer or if the military installation closes.
114 2. Agencies of the Federal Government, including, but not
115 limited to, the United States Department of Defense and its
116 subordinate Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and
117 the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Coast Guard,
118 are exempt from this paragraph, so long as the general and
119 overarching purpose of remaining as a military installation
120 buffer is still in place even though the specific military
121 purpose, mission, or function of the conveyed land is modified
122 or changes from that present or proposed purpose at the time of
123 the conveyance.
124 Section 11. Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section
125 288.0656, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
126 288.0656 Rural Economic Development Initiative.—
127 (2) As used in this section, the term:
128 (e) “Rural community” means:
129 1. A county with a population of 75,000 or fewer.
130 2. A county with a population of 125,000 or fewer which is
131 contiguous to a county with a population of 75,000 or fewer.
132 3. A municipality within a county described in subparagraph
133 1. or subparagraph 2.
134 4. An unincorporated area recommended by the department and
135 designated by the Governor which has a population of 25,000 or
136 fewer and which meets federal enterprise community or an
137 incorporated rural city with a population of 25,000 or fewer and
138 an employment base focused on traditional agricultural or
139 resource-based industries, located in a county not defined as
140 rural, which has at least three or more of the economic distress
141 factors identified in paragraph (c) and verified by the
142 department.
144 For purposes of this paragraph, population shall be determined
145 in accordance with the most recent official estimate pursuant to
146 s. 186.901.
147 Section 12. Section 290.044, Florida Statutes, is amended
148 to read:
149 (Substantial rewording of section. See
150 s. 290.044, F.S., for present text.)
151 290.044 Florida Small Cities Community Development Block
152 Grant Program Fund; administration; distribution.—
153 (1) As used in this section, the term:
154 (a) “Act” means the Housing and Community Development Act
155 of 1974, as amended, and includes the implementing regulations
156 set forth at 24 C.F.R. part 570, as amended.
157 (b) “Department” means the Department of Commerce.
158 (c) “HUD” means the United States Department of Housing and
159 Urban Development.
160 (d) “Program” means the Florida Small Cities Community
161 Development Block Grant Program.
162 (2) The department is designated as the state agency to
163 receive federal funding from HUD and to administer the program
164 as set forth in the act. The department may award grants under
165 the program in any manner and in any amount, consistent with the
166 purposes and requirements of the act. The department may
167 disburse funds received from HUD consistent with the act.
168 (3) If, in any year, the department receives additional
169 federal funding through HUD for necessary expenses related to
170 disaster recovery, long-term recovery, or restoration of
171 infrastructure in impacted and distressed areas arising from the
172 consequences of a federally declared disaster, the department
173 must administer that funding in accordance with the law
174 authorizing such funding, including any implementing guidance or
175 regulations adopted by HUD.
176 (4) If, in any year, the department receives additional
177 federal funding through HUD for any other purpose not
178 specifically stated in this section, then the department must
179 administer that funding in accordance with the law authorizing
180 such funding, including any implementing guidance or regulations
181 adopted by HUD.
182 (5) The department may adopt rules to administer this
183 section.
184 Section 13. Present paragraphs (c), (d), (e), and (f) of
185 subsection (1) of section 448.095, Florida Statutes, are
186 redesignated as paragraphs (d), (f), (g), and (h), respectively,
187 new paragraphs (c) and (e) are added to that subsection, and
188 paragraph (b) of subsection (2), subsection (6), paragraphs (a)
189 and (c) of subsection (7) of that section are amended, and a new
190 paragraph (c) is added to subsection (3) of that section, and
191 subsection (4) of that section is reenacted, to read:
192 448.095 Employment eligibility.—
193 (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
194 (c) “Employer” means any person, firm, company,
195 corporation, association, joint stock company, partnership,
196 organization, or other legal entity, or any agent thereof, that
197 engages one or more individuals to perform labor or services in
198 this state in exchange for salary, wages, or other remuneration.
199 The term does not include an occupant or owner of a private
200 residence with respect to an individual hired for casual labor
201 as defined in s. 443.036, which is performed entirely within
202 that private residence. The term does not include a person or
203 entity solely with respect to its engagement of an independent
204 contractor as defined in federal laws or regulations.
205 (e) “Noncompliance” means the failure of an employer to
206 verify a new employee’s employment eligibility through the E
207 Verify system, or an employer’s failure to timely provide copies
208 of any documentation requested by an entity or a person listed
209 in paragraph (3)(a).
210 (2) EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION.—
211 (b)1. A public agency shall use the E-Verify system to
212 verify a new employee’s employment eligibility as required under
213 paragraph (a).
214 2. An Beginning on July 1, 2023, A private employer with 25
215 or more employees shall use the E-Verify system to verify a new
216 employee’s employment eligibility as required under paragraph
217 (a). Such employer shall maintain an E-Verify case result for
218 each employee which shows that the employee is authorized to
219 work. The E-Verify case result must visibly show the employee’s
220 work authorization status.
221 3. Each employer required to use the E-Verify system under
222 this paragraph must certify on its first return each calendar
223 year to the tax service provider that it is in compliance with
224 this section when making contributions to or reimbursing the
225 state’s unemployment compensation or reemployment assistance
226 system. An employer that voluntarily uses the E-Verify system
227 may also make such a certification on its first return each
228 calendar year in order to document such use.
229 (3) ENFORCEMENT.—
230 (c) Failure by an employer to provide the requested
231 documentation within 30 days after a written request made under
232 paragraph (a) constitutes noncompliance. Each failure to timely
233 provide the documentation will count as a noncompliance event
234 for the application of fines under paragraph (6)(b).
235 (4) DEFENSES.—
236 (a) An employer that uses the E-Verify system or, if that
237 system is unavailable, the Employment Eligibility Verification
238 form (Form I-9) as provided in paragraph (2)(c), with respect to
239 the employment of an unauthorized alien has established a
240 rebuttable presumption that the employer has not violated s.
241 448.09 with respect to such employment.
242 (b) An employer that uses the same documentation that is
243 required by the United States Citizenship and Immigration
244 Services on its Employment Eligibility Verification form (Form
245 I-9) with respect to the employment of an unauthorized alien,
246 has established an affirmative defense that the employer has not
247 violated s. 448.09 with respect to such employment.
248 (6) COMPLIANCE.—
249 (a) In addition to the requirements under s. 288.061(6),
250 beginning on July 1, 2024, if the Department of Commerce has a
251 reasonable basis to believe determines that an employer failed
252 to use the E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility
253 of employees as required under this section, the department
254 must , before the imposition of a fine or suspension of licenses,
255 issue an initial notification of noncompliance to the employer.
256 An employer’s failure to provide copies of any documentation
257 relied upon by the employer for the verification of a new
258 employee’s employment eligibility to a person or entity listed
259 in paragraph (3)(a) constitutes a reasonable basis that the
260 employer failed to use the E-Verify system. The Department of
261 Commerce shall notify the employer that it has 30 days after the
262 date of the department’s initial notification to cure the
263 noncompliance. Extensions to the 30-day timeframe may be granted
264 by the department only upon a showing of good cause by the
265 employer for a period not to exceed 30 days. If the employer
266 does not timely cure its noncompliance, the department must
267 issue a final determination of noncompliance to the employer
268 pursuant to chapter 120. If the employer requests a hearing, the
269 hearing must be held pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57(1),
270 except that the order of the administrative law judge is a final
271 order and is appealable pursuant to s. 120.68 notify the
272 employer of the department’s determination of noncompliance and
273 provide the employer with 30 days to cure the noncompliance .
274 (b) If the Department of Commerce determines that an
275 employer failed to use the E-Verify system as required under
276 this section and the employer failed to cure the noncompliance
277 according to paragraph (a) three times in any 24-month period ,
278 the department must impose a fine of $1,000 for each employee
279 not verified pursuant to this section per day until the employer
280 provides sufficient proof to the department that the
281 noncompliance is cured . Any subsequent noncompliance by the
282 employer after the final determination of noncompliance
283 constitutes grounds for the suspension of all licenses issued by
284 a licensing agency subject to chapter 120 until the
285 noncompliance is cured.
286 (c) To cure noncompliance, the employer must do all of the
287 following:
288 1. Register with the E-Verify system, if not already
289 enrolled.
290 2. Properly verify the employment eligibility of employees
291 by using the E-Verify system or Form I-9, as applicable under
292 this section.
293 3. Provide an E-Verify case result and closure description
294 for each employee which shows that the employee is authorized to
295 work.
296 4. Provide an affidavit to the department, under penalty of
297 perjury, that all instances of noncompliance have been corrected
298 and that the employer is in full compliance with this section.
299 (d) Fines collected under this subsection must be deposited
300 into the State Economic Enhancement and Development Trust Fund
301 for use by the department for employer outreach and public
302 notice of the state’s employment verification laws.
303 (e) The Department of Commerce may adopt rules necessary to
304 implement this section. The department may establish procedures
305 for reporting, enforcement, compliance, noncompliance, license
306 suspension, and the application of fines, as well as any other
307 administrative rules required for effective enforcement and
308 administration.
309 (f) In addition to any penalties imposed under this
310 section, the Department of Commerce may recover the reasonable
311 costs of investigation and prosecution if an employer is found
312 to have violated this section. Such costs include, but are not
313 limited to, salaries and benefits of personnel, costs related to
314 the time spent by attorneys and other personnel on the
315 investigation and prosecution, and any other expenses incurred
316 by the department for such investigation and prosecution. The
317 department shall determine the amount of costs to be assessed
318 after its consideration of an affidavit of itemized costs and
319 any written objections thereto. If the assessed costs are not
320 paid within 60 days after the assessment, the department may
321 contract for the collection of such costs, in which case any
322 fees charged by the collection agent may be added to the amount
323 recovered from the employer, or may bring a civil action to
324 recover such costs, in which case the department is, if it is
325 the prevailing party, also entitled to recover its reasonable
326 attorney fees and costs incurred in such collection action. All
327 recovered costs, including additional amounts recovered for
328 collection efforts, must be deposited into the State Economic
329 Enhancement and Development Trust Fund.
330 (7) CONSTRUCTION.—
331 (a) This section must be enforced without regard to race,
332 color, or national origin and must be construed in a manner so
333 as to be fully consistent with any applicable federal laws or
334 regulations. The Department of Commerce may not investigate
335 complaints that are based solely on race, color, or national
336 origin.
337 (c) This section expires shall expire 60 days after the E
338 Verify system is no longer provided or maintained by the Federal
339 Government, or when a pilot program, and the Federal Government
340 requires the use of the E-Verify system by all employers in the
341 United States.
342 Section 14. Section 448.09, Florida Statutes, is amended to
343 read:
344 448.09 Unauthorized aliens; employment prohibited.—
345 (1) It is unlawful for any person to knowingly employ,
346 hire, recruit, or refer, either for herself or himself or on
347 behalf of another, for private or public employment within this
348 state, an alien who is not duly authorized to work by the
349 immigration laws of the United States, the Attorney General of
350 the United States, or the United States Secretary of the
351 Department of Homeland Security. For purposes of this section,
352 the term “knowingly employs” means an employer is aware of an
353 unauthorized individual alien’s unauthorized status or fails to
354 take reasonable steps to verify their employment eligibility
355 after being made aware of potential violations.
356 (2) If the Department of Commerce finds or is notified by
357 an entity specified in s. 448.095(3)(a) that an employer has
358 knowingly employed an unauthorized alien , the department must
359 provide the employer with a written determination subject to
360 chapter 120. If the employer requests a hearing, the hearing
361 must be held pursuant to ss. 120.569 and 120.57(1), except that
362 the order of the administrative law judge is a final order and
363 is appealable pursuant to s. 120.68. If the administrative law
364 judge rules in favor of the department, or the employer loses
365 its appeal, the employer must repay without verifying the
366 employment eligibility of such person, the department must enter
367 an order pursuant to chapter 120 making such determination and
368 require repayment of any economic development incentive pursuant
369 to s. 288.061(6). For purposes of this section, the terms
370 “employer” and “unauthorized alien” have the same meanings as in
371 s. 448.095(1).
372 (3) For a violation of this section, the department shall
373 place the employer on probation for a 1-year period and require
374 that the employer report quarterly to the department to
375 demonstrate compliance with the requirements of subsection (1)
376 and s. 448.095. On or before the last day of each quarter, the
377 employer shall submit an affidavit to the department that
378 affirms that the employer is not employing any unauthorized
379 aliens and is in compliance with s. 448.095. The first quarter
380 will commence from the issuance date of the final order. Each
381 subsequent quarter will commence 90 days after the previous
382 quarter. The Department of Commerce may enforce compliance with
383 this subsection by filing a petition for enforcement with the
384 circuit court in and for Leon County. Venue for all actions
385 pursuant to this subsection is in Leon County.
386 (4) Any violation of this section which takes place within
387 24 months after a previous violation constitutes grounds for the
388 suspension or revocation of all licenses issued by a licensing
389 agency subject to chapter 120. The Department of Commerce must
390 provide the employer with a written determination subject to
391 chapter 120. The hearing must be held pursuant to ss. 120.569
392 and 120.57(1), except that the order of the administrative law
393 judge is a final order and is appealable pursuant to s. 120.68.
394 The department shall take the following actions for a violation
395 involving:
396 (a) One to ten unauthorized aliens, suspension of all
397 applicable licenses held by a private employer for up to 30 days
398 by the respective agencies that issued them.
399 (b) Eleven to fifty unauthorized aliens, suspension of all
400 applicable licenses held by a private employer for up to 60 days
401 by the respective agencies that issued them.
402 (c) More than fifty unauthorized aliens, revocation of all
403 applicable licenses held by a private employer by the respective
404 agencies that issued them.
405 (5) An alien who is not duly authorized to work by the
406 immigration laws of the United States, the Attorney General of
407 the United States, or the United States Secretary of the
408 Department of Homeland Security and who knowingly uses a false
409 identification document or who fraudulently uses an
410 identification document of another person for the purpose of
411 obtaining employment commits a felony of the third degree,
412 punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
413 (6) The Department of Commerce may adopt rules to implement
414 this section.
415 Section 15. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
416 made by this act to section 288.0656, Florida Statutes, in a
417 reference thereto, paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section
418 215.971, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
419 215.971 Agreements funded with federal or state
420 assistance.—
421 (1) An agency agreement that provides state financial
422 assistance to a recipient or subrecipient, as those terms are
423 defined in s. 215.97, or that provides federal financial
424 assistance to a subrecipient, as defined by applicable United
425 States Office of Management and Budget circulars, must include
426 all of the following:
427 (h) If the agency agreement provides federal or state
428 financial assistance to a county or municipality that is a rural
429 community or rural area of opportunity as those terms are
430 defined in s. 288.0656(2), a provision allowing the agency to
431 provide for the payment of invoices to the county, municipality,
432 or rural area of opportunity as that term is defined in s.
433 288.0656(2), for verified and eligible performance that has been
434 completed in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth
435 in the agreement. This provision is included to alleviate the
436 financial hardships that certain rural counties and
437 municipalities encounter when administering agreements, and must
438 be exercised by the agency when a county or municipality
439 demonstrates financial hardship, to the extent that federal or
440 state law, rule, or other regulation allows such payments. This
441 paragraph may not be construed to alter or limit any other
442 provisions of federal or state law, rule, or other regulation.
443 Section 16. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
444 made by this act to section 288.0656, Florida Statutes, in a
445 reference thereto, paragraph (j) of subsection (2) of section
446 288.062, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
447 288.062 Rural Community Investment Program.—
448 (2) As used in this section, the term:
449 (j) “Rural community” means a rural community as defined in
450 s. 288.0656 or a designated rural area of opportunity as defined
451 in s. 288.0656(2).
452 Section 17. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
453 made by this act to section 288.0656, Florida Statutes, in a
454 reference thereto, paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
455 288.0655, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
456 288.0655 Rural Infrastructure Fund.—
457 (2)
458 (b) To facilitate access of rural communities and rural
459 areas of opportunity as defined by the Rural Economic
460 Development Initiative to infrastructure funding programs of the
461 Federal Government, such as those offered by the United States
462 Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of
463 Commerce, and state programs, including those offered by Rural
464 Economic Development Initiative agencies, and to facilitate
465 local government or private infrastructure funding efforts, the
466 department may award grants for up to 75 percent of the total
467 infrastructure project cost, or up to 100 percent of the total
468 infrastructure project cost for a project located in a rural
469 community as defined in s. 288.0656(2) which is also located in
470 a fiscally constrained county as defined in s. 218.67(1) or a
471 rural area of opportunity as defined in s. 288.0656(2). Eligible
472 uses of funds may include improving any inadequate
473 infrastructure that has resulted in regulatory action that
474 prohibits economic or community growth and reducing the costs to
475 community users of proposed infrastructure improvements that
476 exceed such costs in comparable communities. Eligible uses of
477 funds include improvements to public infrastructure for
478 industrial or commercial sites and upgrades to or development of
479 public tourism infrastructure. Authorized infrastructure may
480 include the following public or public-private partnership
481 facilities: storm water systems; telecommunications facilities;
482 roads or other remedies to transportation impediments; nature
483 based tourism facilities; or other physical requirements
484 necessary to facilitate tourism, trade, and economic development
485 activities in the community. Authorized infrastructure may also
486 include publicly or privately owned self-powered nature-based
487 tourism facilities, publicly owned telecommunications
488 facilities, and additions to the distribution facilities of the
489 existing natural gas utility as defined in s. 366.04(3)(c), the
490 existing electric utility as defined in s. 366.02, or the
491 existing water or wastewater utility as defined in s.
492 367.021(12), or any other existing water or wastewater facility,
493 which owns a gas or electric distribution system or a water or
494 wastewater system in this state when:
495 1. A contribution-in-aid of construction is required to
496 serve public or public-private partnership facilities under the
497 tariffs of any natural gas, electric, water, or wastewater
498 utility as defined herein; and
499 2. Such utilities as defined herein are willing and able to
500 provide such service.
501 Section 18. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
502 made by this act to section 288.0656, Florida Statutes, in a
503 reference thereto, subsection (10) of section 332.007, Florida
504 Statutes, is reenacted to read:
505 332.007 Administration and financing of aviation and
506 airport programs and projects; state plan.—
507 (10) Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, and
508 unless otherwise provided in the General Appropriations Act or
509 the substantive bill implementing the General Appropriations
510 Act, the department may fund up to 100 percent of eligible
511 project costs of all of the following at a public-use airport
512 located in a rural community as defined in s. 288.0656 which
513 does not have any scheduled commercial service:
514 (a) The capital cost of runway and taxiway projects that
515 add capacity. Such projects must be prioritized based on the
516 amount of available nonstate matching funds.
517 (b) Economic development transportation projects pursuant
518 to s. 339.2821.
520 Any remaining funds must be allocated for projects specified in
521 subsection (6).
522 Section 19. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
523 made by this act to section 288.0656, Florida Statutes, in a
524 reference thereto, paragraph (d) of subsection (14) of section
525 627.6699, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
526 627.6699 Employee Health Care Access Act.—
527 (14) SMALL EMPLOYERS ACCESS PROGRAM.—
528 (d) Eligibility.—
529 1. Any small employer that is actively engaged in business,
530 has its principal place of business in this state, employs up to
531 25 eligible employees on business days during the preceding
532 calendar year, employs at least 2 employees on the first day of
533 the plan year, and has had no prior coverage for the last 6
534 months may participate.
535 2. Any municipality, county, school district, or hospital
536 employer located in a rural community as defined in s.
537 288.0656(2) may participate.
538 3. Nursing home employers may participate.
539 4. Each dependent of a person eligible for coverage is also
540 eligible to participate.
542 Any employer participating in the program must do so until the
543 end of the term for which the carrier providing the coverage is
544 obligated to provide such coverage to the program. Coverage for
545 a small employer group that ceases to meet the eligibility
546 requirements of this section may be terminated at the end of the
547 policy period for which the necessary premiums have been paid.
548 Section 20. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.