FL H0593

Requires lobbying firms to file monthly activity reports with each house of the Legislature and, effective January 1, 2017, with the Commission on Ethics for lobbying the Governor on bill approvals, vetoes, or specific appropriations; late filing fines of $50/day up to $5,000 per report, with automatic suspension of registration for unpaid fines.

Expands lobbyist registration requirements beyond water management districts to include hospital districts, children's services districts, expressway and port authorities, counties/municipalities without existing registration systems, and independent special districts with annual revenues exceeding $5 million exercising ad valorem taxing authority, with registration fees capped at $40 annually per principal.

Mandates that all state agencies, local governmental entities, school districts, charter schools, state universities, Florida College System institutions, and Justice Administrative Commission entities establish internal controls to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse, promote legal compliance, support efficient operations, ensure reliable financial reporting, and safeguard assets.

Requires all elected municipal officers receiving any salary, payment, stipend, or financial remuneration to file full public financial disclosure (rather than a limited statement of financial interests), applying to disclosures for the 2016 calendar year forward.

Expands Auditor General authority to audit tourist development councils and county tourism promotion agencies, raises the Florida Single Audit Act threshold from $500,000 to $750,000, and requires 18-month follow-up procedures on audit findings; governing bodies must publicly address unresolved audit recommendations within 60 days.

Caps severance pay at 20 weeks of compensation from public funds, prohibits severance when an employee is fired for misconduct, bars confidentiality provisions in settlement or extra compensation agreements, and imposes joint and several liability on willful violators with suspension/removal authority for responsible officers.

Imposes a 2-year post-service lobbying ban on officers and board members of Enterprise Florida, the Florida Development Finance Corporation, and Department of Economic Opportunity-associated corporations, extended to 10 years if removed for cause or misconduct; subjects these individuals to Code of Ethics provisions.

Prohibits legislators and candidates from accepting employment with private entities directly receiving state appropriations if the position is offered to gain influence, unless the position pre-existed, was open to other applicants, and the legislator went through the same hiring process and meets or exceeds qualifications.

Replaces the "corruptly" or "with corrupt intent" standard in bribery, unlawful compensation, official misconduct, and bid tampering statutes with "knowingly and intentionally," and expands official misconduct and bid tampering provisions to cover public contractors in addition to public servants.

Repeals the existing Florida State Employees' Charitable Campaign (s. 110.181) and requires the Department of Management Services to report by November 1, 2016 on establishing a new single campaign with administrative costs not exceeding 10% of gross pledges, including alternatives for department administration or competitive solicitation of a provider. The act takes effect October 1, 2016.