Florida § 215.18 - Transfers between funds; limitation.

§ 215.18. Transfers between funds; limitation.

(1) Whenever there is a deficiency in any fund provided for by s. 215.32 which would render such fund insufficient to meet its just requirements, and other funds in the State Treasury have moneys which are for the time being or otherwise in excess of the amounts necessary to meet the just requirements of such last-mentioned funds, the Governor may order a temporary transfer of moneys from one fund to another in order to meet temporary deficiencies in a particular fund without resorting to the necessity of borrowing money and paying interest thereon. Any action proposed under this section is subject to the notice and objection procedures set forth in s. 216.177, and the Governor shall provide notice of such action at least 7 days before the effective date of the transfer of funds. Except as otherwise provided in s. 216.222(1)(a)2., the fund from which any money is temporarily transferred must be repaid the amount transferred from it by the end of the fiscal year in which such transfer is made, the date of repayment to be specified in the order of the Governor. 1 (2) The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may receive one or more trust fund loans to ensure that the state court system has funds sufficient to meet its appropriations in the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act. If the Chief Justice accesses the loan, he or she must notify the Governor and the chairs of the legislative appropriations committees in writing. The loan must come from other funds in the State Treasury which are for the time being or otherwise in excess of the amounts necessary to meet the just requirements of such last-mentioned funds. The Governor shall order the transfer of funds within 5 days after the written notification from the Chief Justice. If the Governor does not order the transfer, the Chief Financial Officer shall transfer the requested funds. The loan of funds from which any money is temporarily transferred must be repaid by the end of the 2026-2027 fiscal year. This subsection expires July 1, 2027. 2 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) and only with respect to a land acquisition trust fund in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, whenever there is a deficiency in a land acquisition trust fund which would render that trust fund temporarily insufficient to meet its just requirements, including the timely payment of appropriations from that trust fund, and other trust funds in the State Treasury have moneys that are for the time being or otherwise in excess of the amounts necessary to meet the just requirements, including appropriated obligations, of those other trust funds, the Governor may order a temporary transfer of moneys from one or more of the other trust funds to a land acquisition trust fund in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Any action proposed pursuant to this subsection is subject to the notice, review, and objection procedures of s. 216.177, and the Governor shall provide notice of such action at least 7 days before the effective date of the transfer of trust funds, except that during July 2026, notice of such action shall be provided at least 3 days before the effective date of a transfer unless such 3-day notice is waived by the chair and vice chair of the Legislative Budget Commission. Any transfer of trust funds to a land acquisition trust fund in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission must be repaid to the trust funds from which the moneys were loaned by the end of the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The Legislature has determined that the repayment of the other trust fund moneys temporarily loaned to a land acquisition trust fund in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of State, or the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission pursuant to this subsection is an allowable use of the moneys in a land acquisition trust fund because the moneys from other trust funds temporarily loaned to a land acquisition trust fund shall be expended solely and exclusively in accordance with s. 28, Art. X of the State Constitution. This subsection expires July 1, 2027.