Bill Text: FL S1738 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Trust Funds/Defending Freedom Fighters Trust Fund/Department of Financial Services
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-25 - Withdrawn from further consideration [S1738 Detail]
Download: Florida-2024-S1738-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 1738
By Senator Garcia
36-01767A-24 20241738__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to trust funds; creating s. 17.69,
3 F.S.; creating the Defending Freedom Fighters Trust
4 Fund within the Department of Financial Services;
5 providing for funding sources and specifying the
6 purpose of the trust fund; providing for future review
7 and termination or re-creation of the trust fund;
8 providing for carryover of certain funds; amending s.
9 322.08, F.S.; requiring certain application forms to
10 include an option to contribute to the Defending
11 Freedom Fighters Trust Fund; providing an
12 appropriation; providing an effective date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Section 17.69, Florida Statutes, is created to
17 read:
18 17.69 Defending Freedom Fighters Trust Fund.—
19 (1) The Defending Freedom Fighters Trust Fund is created
20 within the department.
21 (2) The trust fund shall consist of funds obtained from
22 voluntary contributions under s. 322.08(8)(v). Additional funds
23 may be provided from legislative appropriations.
24 (3) The trust fund shall use its funds for the purpose
25 specified in s. 17.691.
26 (4) In accordance with s. 19(f)(2), Art. III of the State
27 Constitution, the Defending Freedom Fighters Trust Fund shall,
28 unless terminated sooner, be terminated on July 1, 2028. Before
29 its scheduled termination, the trust fund shall be reviewed as
30 provided in s. 215.3206(1) and (2).
31 (5) Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s. 216.351,
32 any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year
33 shall remain in the trust fund at the end of the year and shall
34 be available for carrying out the purpose of the trust fund.
35 This subsection is repealed July 1, 2030.
36 Section 2. Subsection (8) of section 322.08, Florida
37 Statutes, is amended to read:
38 322.08 Application for license; requirements for license
39 and identification card forms.—
40 (8) The application form for an original, renewal, or
41 replacement driver license or identification card must include
42 language permitting the following:
43 (a) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant, which
44 contribution shall be deposited into the Health Care Trust Fund
45 for organ and tissue donor education and for maintaining the
46 organ and tissue donor registry.
47 (b) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant, which
48 shall be distributed to the Florida Council of the Blind.
49 (c) A voluntary contribution of $2 per applicant, which
50 shall be distributed to the Hearing Research Institute,
51 Incorporated.
52 (d) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant, which
53 shall be distributed to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
54 International.
55 (e) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant, which
56 shall be distributed to the Children’s Hearing Help Fund.
57 (f) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant, which
58 shall be distributed to Family First, a nonprofit organization.
59 (g) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant to Stop
60 Heart Disease, which shall be distributed to the Florida Heart
61 Research Institute, a nonprofit organization.
62 (h) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant to Senior
63 Vision Services, which shall be distributed to the Florida
64 Association of Agencies Serving the Blind, Inc., a not-for
65 profit organization.
66 (i) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant for
67 services for persons with developmental disabilities, which
68 shall be distributed to The Arc of Florida.
69 (j) A voluntary contribution of $1 to the Ronald McDonald
70 House, which shall be distributed each month to Ronald McDonald
71 House Charities of Tampa Bay, Inc.
72 (k) Notwithstanding s. 322.081, a voluntary contribution of
73 $1 per applicant, which shall be distributed to the League
74 Against Cancer/La Liga Contra el Cancer, a not-for-profit
75 organization.
76 (l) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant to Prevent
77 Child Sexual Abuse, which shall be distributed to Lauren’s Kids,
78 Inc., a nonprofit organization.
79 (m) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant, which
80 shall be distributed to Prevent Blindness Florida, a not-for
81 profit organization, to prevent blindness and preserve the sight
82 of the residents of this state.
83 (n) Notwithstanding s. 322.081, a voluntary contribution of
84 $1 per applicant to the state homes for veterans, to be
85 distributed on a quarterly basis by the department to the
86 Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund within the Department of
87 Veterans’ Affairs.
88 (o) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant to the
89 Disabled American Veterans, Department of Florida, which shall
90 be distributed quarterly to Disabled American Veterans,
91 Department of Florida, a nonprofit organization.
92 (p) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant for Autism
93 Services and Supports, which shall be distributed to Achievement
94 and Rehabilitation Centers, Inc., Autism Services Fund.
95 (q) A voluntary contribution of $1 per applicant to Support
96 Our Troops, which shall be distributed to Support Our Troops,
97 Inc., a Florida not-for-profit organization.
98 (r) Notwithstanding s. 322.081, a voluntary contribution of
99 $1 per applicant to aid the homeless. Contributions made
100 pursuant to this paragraph shall be deposited into the Grants
101 and Donations Trust Fund of the Department of Children and
102 Families and used by the State Office on Homelessness to
103 supplement grants made under s. 420.622(4) and (5), provide
104 information to the public about homelessness in the state, and
105 provide literature for homeless persons seeking assistance.
106 (s) A voluntary contribution of $1 or more per applicant to
107 End Breast Cancer, which shall be distributed to the Florida
108 Breast Cancer Foundation.
109 (t) Notwithstanding s. 322.081(1), a voluntary contribution
110 of $1 or more per applicant to Childhood Cancer Care, which
111 shall be distributed to the Live Like Bella Childhood Cancer
112 Foundation.
113 (u) A voluntary contribution of $1 or more per applicant to
114 Best Buddies International, Inc., which shall be distributed
115 monthly to Best Buddies International, Inc., a corporation not
116 for profit under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
117 (v) Notwithstanding s. 322.081, a voluntary contribution of
118 $1 or more per applicant, which shall be deposited into the
119 Defending Freedom Fighters Trust Fund.
120
121 A statement providing an explanation of the purpose of the trust
122 funds shall also be included. For the purpose of applying the
123 service charge provided under s. 215.20, contributions received
124 under paragraphs (b)-(v) (b)-(u) are not income of a revenue
125 nature.
126 Section 3. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the sum of $5
127 million in nonrecurring funds otherwise allocated to the
128 Department of State for purposes of administering the Florida
129 Election Campaign Financing Act is reappropriated to the
130 Department of Financial Services to be deposited into the
131 Defending Freedom Fighters Trust Fund.
132 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
