FL H5003

Incorporates by reference the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) calculations and school readiness reimbursement rates for FY 2024-2025, and requires a Classification of Instructional Program code for Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Programs by August 31, 2024.

Authorizes the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to realign Medicaid, Florida Kidcare, and Children's Medical Services program funding to address projected surpluses and deficits, maximize trust fund use, and submit budget amendments for multiple federally approved hospital payment programs including the Directed Payment Program, Low Income Pool, Disproportionate Share Hospital Program, Indirect Medical Education Program, and emergency medical transportation certified expenditure program—all expiring July 1, 2025.

Requires AHCA to replace the Florida Medicaid Management Information System (FMMIS) with the modular Florida Health Care Connection (FX) system, governed by a six-member executive steering committee, with prohibitions on duplicative functionality and non-deliverables-based contracts; extends the existing fiscal agent contract from December 31, 2024, through December 31, 2027.

Authorizes multiple agencies—including DCF, DOH, and the Department of Elderly Affairs—to increase budget authority for federal programs such as SNAP, WIC, HIV/AIDS prevention, refugee resettlement, Summer EBT, opioid response grants, mental health block grants, and COVID-19 relief funds; requires DCF to submit quarterly refugee reports to the Governor and legislative leaders.

Extends medical marijuana emergency rulemaking authority and rulemaking exemptions through July 1, 2025, and requires AHCA to competitively procure a vendor to negotiate drug prices—including for insulin and epinephrine—with compensation on a contingency basis from achieved savings.

Establishes a Hurricane Restoration Reimbursement Grant Program for 16 coastal counties affected by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, providing 100% reimbursement for sand placement and up to $300,000–$600,000 in cost-share funding for armoring; beginning July 1, 2024, allows local governments to apply for large-scale sand placement projects capped at 50% of remaining funds.

Dedicates at least $25 million for priority water quality projects in the Indian River Lagoon and directs DEP to negotiate willing-seller land acquisitions in the Caloosahatchee Big Cypress Corridor (~75,000 acres) and Ocala-to-Osceola Wildlife Corridor (~1.6 million acres) with agricultural leaseback provisions.

Increases court-appointed counsel compensation caps—raising misdemeanor/juvenile flat fees from $1,000 to $2,000, setting noncapital/life felony caps at $15,000, and capital case caps at $25,000—while maintaining hourly rate limits of $75 (noncapital) and $100 (capital) for extraordinary circumstances.

Imposes fiscal controls including restricting state employee travel to mission-critical activities with conference lodging capped at $225/day, prohibiting transfers from data processing to non-data processing categories, limiting appropriation transfers to 5% or $250,000, and creating a new monthly health insurance assessment on vacant state positions beginning July 1, 2024.

Requires each state agency to report to the Legislature and Governor on implementation status of recently enacted legislation within 90 days of effective date with annual updates, and mandates all agencies review statutorily required reports and submit modification or repeal recommendations by October 15, 2024.