HB1065 • 2026

Public Employee Housing Benefits

Housing Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Grow
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Government Operations Subcommittee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The summary text does not provide detailed information on how the Department of Management Services will implement rules for this program.

Public Employee Housing Benefits

This bill allows public employers to offer a one-time payout of accrued sick or annual leave to help employees buy their primary residence, with certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new section in Florida Statutes allowing public employers to provide a one-time payment of accrued sick or annual leave for the purchase of an employee's primary residence.
Requires that the payout is used to assist with the purchase of a primary residence and be evidenced by a fully executed purchase-and-sale agreement and final closing disclosure from a licensed closing or escrow agent.
Specifies that the employee must retain at least 21 days of accrued sick leave after receiving the payout.
Allows employees to redeem any amount of annual leave without a maximum cap, provided they meet other requirements.
Requires public employers to provide written confirmation of the nonrefundable nature of the payout.
Limits the use of this benefit so it does not affect other leave programs or retirement calculations.
Authorizes employers to send payment directly to a closing agent if requested by the employee.

Who It Names or Affects

Public employees who are full-time and have permanent, benefits-eligible positions.
Public employers who choose to offer this benefit to their employees.
Closing or escrow agents involved in home purchases where an employee uses leave payout funds.

Terms To Know

Primary residence: The main and permanent home of the employee that they intend to live in.
Public employer: An organization or agency that employs public workers, as defined by Florida law.

Limits and Unknowns

Details on how the Department of Management Services will implement rules for this program are not specified in the summary text.
The bill does not require public employers to offer this benefit; it is voluntary.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Government Operations Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2026-01-12 House
• Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee • Referred to Budget Committee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Government Operations Subcommittee
2026-01-06 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Public Employee Housing Benefits; Provides requirements for receipt of Heroes Reward benefit; authorizes accrued sick leave & annual leave balances be combined in certain circumstances; provides that leave balances for Heroes Reward benefit are counted separately from other programs & leave balances are updated at time of payment; requires that payments be made using employee's current base pay; authorizes public employer to make payment directly to specified person; requires payments to be made within specified timeframe; requires DMS to adopt rules, authorizing political subdivisions to take certain actions to implement specified provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 1065 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to public employee housing benefits; 2
creating s. 112.049, F.S.; providing definitions; 3
authorizing specified public employers to provide a 4
one-time payout of sick leave and annual leave to 5
certain employees for a specified purpose; providing 6
requirements for the payout; requiring the Department 7
of Management Services to adopt rules; authorizing 8
political subdivisions to take certain actions to 9
implement specified provisions; providing 10
construction; providing an effective date. 11
12
WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the importance of 13
home ownership in promoting family stability, responsible 14
citizenship, and long-term investment in communities, and 15
WHEREAS, the Legislature intends to authorize public 16
employers to offer a voluntary, one-time payout of accrued 17
sick and annual leave to assist employees with the purchase 18
of a primary residence, NOW, THEREFORE, 19
20
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 21
22
Section 1. Section 112.049, Florida Statutes, is created 23
to read: 24
112.049 Heroes Reward Program.— 25

HB 1065 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(1) As used in this section, the term: 26
(a) "Employee" means any individual employed by a public 27
employer on a full-time, active basis in a permanent, benefits-28
eligible position. 29
(b) "Primary residence" means the dwelling the employee 30
intends to occupy as his or her principal and permanent 31
residence. 32
(c) "Public employer" has the same meaning as in s. 33
447.203(2). 34
(2) Notwithstanding s. 110.219, a public employer may 35
provide an employee a one-time payout of his or her sick or 36
annual leave, or a combination thereof, for the purchase of a 37
primary residence if: 38
(a) The payout is used to assist with the purchase of a 39
primary residence and such purchase is evidenced by: 40
1. A fully executed purchase-and-sale agreement. 41
2. A final closing disclosure or settlement statement, 42
issued by a licensed closing or escrow agent. This does not 43
include estimated, preliminary, or unsigned documents. 44
(b) The employee retains a balance of at least 21 days of 45
accrued sick leave following the payout. 46
(c) The employee is able to redeem any requested amount of 47
accrued annual leave, with no maximum cap, provided the employee 48
otherwise meets the requirements of this section. 49
(d) The public employer provides the employee with a 50

HB 1065 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

written statement confirming the one-time, nonrefundable nature 51
of the payout. 52
(3) A payout under this section is separate from and in 53
addition to the number of hours of accrued annual leave that may 54
be used for purposes of the Deferred Retirement Option Program 55
under s. 121.091. 56
(a) Leave paid out under this section must be deducted 57
from the employee's accrued leave balances at the time of 58
payment and may not later be counted toward any terminal leave 59
payout or other leave conversion program. 60
(b) All payments must be made at the employee's current 61
base rate of pay and are subject to applicable taxes. A payout 62
under this section is not terminal pay, severance pay, or 63
compensation for purposes of retirement calculations under 64
chapter 121. 65
(c) At the employee's written request, the employer shall 66
remit the approved payout directly to a licensed closing or 67
escrow agent identified in the final closing disclosure or 68
settlement statement. 69
(d) Upon receipt of a complete and compliant request from 70
the employee, including a fully executed purchase-and-sale 71
agreement and a final closing disclosure, the employer shall 72
disburse funds by electronic wire transfer to the designated 73
closing or escrow agent no later than 3 business working days 74
after the scheduled closing date. 75

HB 1065 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(e) Funds deposited under this section shall be disbursed 76
solely for allowable home purchase costs at closing. If the 77
transaction does not close, the escrow agent shall return the 78
funds to the employer with 5 business days, and the employee's 79
leave balances shall be restored accordingly. 80
(4)(a) The Department of Management Services shall adopt 81
rules to implement this section. 82
(b) A political subdivision may implement this program by 83
ordinance, resolution, written policy, or collective bargaining 84
agreement. 85
(c) The program does not require any public employer to 86
establish or maintain the benefit authorized in this section. 87
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 88