H 621

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  HB 621  2026
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to states of emergency; amending s.
3252.36, F.S.; providing that a state of emergency
4renewed by the Governor expires within a specified
5timeframe; authorizing the Legislature to extend the
6state of emergency under specified circumstances;
7providing that such extension is valid for a specified
8timeframe; prohibiting such timeframe from exceeding
9the end of the next regular session; requiring the
10Governor to immediately issue a certain executive
11order or proclamation consistent with the
12Legislature's concurrent resolution terminating a
13state of emergency; prohibiting the Governor from
14declaring a substantially similar state of emergency
15under specified conditions; amending s. 252.3611,
16F.S.; requiring the Auditor General to update
17quarterly a specified audit, rather than annually;
18providing an effective date.
19
20Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22Section 1.        Subsection (2) and paragraph (a) of subsection
23(3) of section 252.36, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
24252.36      Emergency management powers of the Governor.—
25(2)     A state of emergency must be declared by executive
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26    order or proclamation of the Governor if she or he finds an
27    emergency has occurred or that the occurrence or the threat
28    thereof is imminent. The state of emergency must continue until
29    the Governor finds that the threat or danger has been dealt with
30    to the extent that the emergency conditions no longer exist and
31    she or he terminates the state of emergency by executive order
32    or proclamation, but no state of emergency may continue for
33    longer than 60 days unless renewed by the Governor, subject to
34    the limitations of subsection (3). All executive orders or
35    proclamations issued under this section must indicate the nature
36    of the emergency, the area or areas threatened, and the
37    conditions which brought the emergency about or which make
38    possible its termination. An executive order or proclamation
39    must be promptly disseminated by means calculated to bring its
40    contents to the attention of the general public; and, unless the
41    circumstances attendant upon the emergency prevent or impede
42    such filing, the order or proclamation must be filed promptly
43    with the Department of State, the President of the Senate and
44    the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the offices of
45    the county commissioners in the counties to which the order or
46    proclamation applies.
47(3)(a)1.  A state of emergency renewed by the Governor
48    expires after 1 year, and any specific order, proclamation, or
49    rule thereunder is terminated, unless the Legislature, by a two-
50    thirds vote of the membership of each house, expressly
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51    authorizes the extension of the state of emergency.
522.      If the Legislature authorizes a continuance of the
53    state of emergency, the Legislature must set the date the state
54    of emergency terminates. Such date may not be later than the
55    scheduled end of the next regular session.
563.      At any time, the Legislature, by concurrent resolution,
57    may terminate a state of emergency or any specific order,
58    proclamation, or rule thereunder. Upon such concurrent
59    resolution, the Governor shall immediately issue an executive
60    order or proclamation consistent with the concurrent resolution.
614.      If the Legislature terminates or allows a state of
62    emergency to expire, the Governor may not declare a
63    substantially similar state of emergency.
64Section 2.        Subsection (3) of section 252.3611, Florida
65    Statutes, is amended to read:
66252.3611  Transparency; audits.—
67(3)      Once an emergency exceeds 1 year, the Auditor General
68    shall conduct a financial audit of all associated expenditures
69    and a compliance audit of all associated contracts entered into
70    during the declared emergency. The Auditor General shall must
71    update the audit quarterly annually until the emergency is
72    declared to be ended.
73Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
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