SB 1522 — Department of Financial Services

• Establishes the Florida Firefighter Recruitment Bonus Payment Program, providing one-time bonus payments of up to $5,000 to newly employed firefighters who maintain continuous full-time employment for at least 2 years, contingent upon legislative appropriation; the program expires July 1, 2028.

• Begins closing the Special Disability Trust Fund by prohibiting the Division of Workers' Compensation from accepting new notices or proofs of claim after July 1, 2026, barring claims without an offer letter by December 31, 2026, and requiring final reimbursements calculated from a 2028 actuarial report discounted at 4 percent present value.

• Creates a criminal disqualification framework for funeral, cemetery, and consumer services licensure (ch. 497), permanently barring applicants convicted of first-degree felonies or felonies related to the industry, and imposing 5- or 10-year disqualification periods for other felonies and related misdemeanors.

• Renames the Florida Accounting Information Resource (FLAIR) Subsystem as the "Financial Management Subsystem," consolidates its functions under the Department of Financial Services, and authorizes deferred compensation plans to offer both pretax and after-tax Roth contributions under IRC Section 402A.

• Strengthens insurance regulatory enforcement by requiring licensees to respond within 14 days to investigation document requests (with penalties up to $5,000 per violation), authorizing the department to require licensee reexamination for cause, and requiring title agencies to disclose all closing fees to consumers before closing.