FL S1834

Revises maximum millage rates for water management districts' core mission areas (water supply, water quality, flood protection, natural systems), reducing rates for Northwest Florida (0.05 to 0.04 mill), Suwannee River (0.75 to 0.80 mill), St. Johns River (0.6 to 0.80 mill), and Southwest Florida (1.0 to 0.80 mill) districts.

Requires Legislature to annually review water management district preliminary budgets and separately set maximum millage rates for regulation, outreach, management, and administration programs, with no funding allowed if rates are not set.

Establishes new preliminary budget development process requiring districts to use zero-based budgeting principles, submit budgets to Governor's office for analysis 30 days before legislative session, and separately identify expenditures by core mission areas.

Grants Legislature authority to approve, limit, or disapprove budget portions and requires districts to obtain prior legislative approval before incurring additional bonded indebtedness; restricts districts from funding any programs without legislative authorization.

Requires prior Executive Office of the Governor approval for budget transfers, allows unanticipated funds to be added upon notice to Legislative Budget Commission, and mandates districts notify the Governor and Legislative Budget Commission of emergency expenditures within 30 days.