HB1251 • 2026

Expenditure of Public Funds by Local Governments

Budget Elections

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Shoaf
Last action: 2026-03-13
Official status: House - Died in Rules & Ethics Committee
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on what happens after a complaint is filed with the Ethics Commission, only that it must be investigated and reported.

Local Government Spending Rules

This law stops local governments from using public money for lobbying and restricts elected officials from spending public funds outside their budget.

What This Bill Does

Prevents local governments from spending public funds on hiring lobbyists or accepting public funds for lobbying activities.
Restricts elected officials in local governments from spending public money outside of their approved budget, except for regular staff work.

Who It Names or Affects

Local government officials
People who might want to lobby local governments

Terms To Know

Elected official: A person chosen by voters or the governing body of a county, municipality, or other political subdivision to work in a local government position.
Public funds: Money that belongs to the community and is used for public services or projects.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass all stages of review, so it may not become a law.
It's unclear how strictly local governments will follow these rules.

Bill History

2026-03-13 House
• Died in Rules & Ethics Committee
2026-02-12 House
• Favorable by Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Reported out of Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Now in Rules & Ethics Committee
2026-02-10 House
• Added to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee agenda
2026-01-15 House
• Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Referred to Rules & Ethics Committee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2026-01-08 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Expenditure of Public Funds by Local Governments; Prohibits local governments from expending public funds for specified purposes; prohibits acceptance of public funds from local governments for lobbying; authorizes filing of complaints with Commission on Ethics alleging violations; requires commission to investigate & provide report of its findings to certain entities; requires commission to adopt rules.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB 1251 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1251-00
Page 1 of 3
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 the expenditure of public funds by 2
local governments; creating s. 11.063, F.S.; providing 3
a short title; providing definitions; prohibiting 4
local governments from expending public funds for 5
specified purposes; prohibiting the acceptance of 6
public funds from local governments for lobbying; 7
providing applicability; authorizing the filing of 8
complaints with the Commission on Ethics alleging 9
violations; requiring the commission to investigate 10
and provide a report of its findings to certain 11
entities; requiring the commission to adopt rules; 12
providing an effective date. 13
14
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
16
Section 1. Section 11.063, Florida Statutes, is created to 17
read: 18
11.063 Use of public funds for lobbying and discretionary 19
expenditure prohibited.— 20
(1) This section may be cited as the "Federalism 21
Protection Act." 22
(2) For purposes of this section, the term: 23
(a) "Elected official" means: 24
1. A member of the governing body of a county, 25

HB 1251 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1251-00
Page 2 of 3
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

municipality, or any other political subdivision of this state; 26
or 27
2. An elected official chosen by the governing body of a 28
county, municipality, or any other political subdivision of this 29
state. 30
(b) "Local government" means: 31
1. A county, municipality, or any other political 32
subdivision of this state. 33
2. Any department, agency, board, bureau, district, 34
commission, authority, or similar body of a county, a 35
municipality, or any other political subdivision of the state. 36
(c) "Public funds" has the same meaning as s. 106.113(1). 37
(3)(a) A local government may not expend public funds to 38
retain a lobbyist for representation before the legislative or 39
executive branch. In addition, a person may not accept public 40
funds from a local government for lobbying. 41
(b) An elected official of a local government may not 42
expend or enter into a contract requiring expenditure of public 43
funds for any purpose not itemized in the budget of the local 44
government. 45
(c) This subsection does not apply to the expenditure of 46
public funds by a local government or an elected official for 47
the purpose of hiring of in-house staff. 48
(4) A person may file a written complaint with the 49
Commission on Ethics alleging a violation of this subsection. 50

HB 1251 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1251-00
Page 3 of 3
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

The commission shall investigate and report its finding to the 51
President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 52
Representatives, and the Governor and Cabinet. The commission 53
shall adopt rules necessary to conduct investigations under this 54
paragraph. 55
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 56