The Local Spending Transparency Act (Draft)
Overview
Floridians deserve to know exactly where their tax dollars go — every dollar, every department, every day.
The Local Spending Transparency Act is a landmark proposal to make every level of Florida government — state, county, municipal, and district — fully accountable to the people they serve. By creating a real-time, searchable transparency portal, this bill ensures citizens can see how public funds are spent, by whom, and for what purpose.
It’s about one simple principle: if the government spends it, the people should be able to see it.
Core Principles
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Real-Time Transparency:
Establishes a single, standardized online platform — Transparency Florida Local Checkbook — displaying every state and local government expenditure in real time or near-real time. -
Citizen Access:
Guarantees free, public access to all spending data without the need for a records request or registration. Every Floridian will have the power to search, view, and download detailed transaction-level data. -
Accountability Through Sunlight:
Exposes inefficiency, redundancy, and waste by making financial decisions visible to taxpayers. Sunshine is the best disinfectant. -
Uniform Reporting Requirements:
Mandates all agencies, counties, municipalities, school districts, and special districts to report expenditures, contracts, and transfers of public funds — including vendor name, amount, date, description, and authorizing department — within 24 hours of authorization or within five business days of execution. -
Enforcement and Oversight:
Authorizes the Department of Financial Services to monitor compliance, withhold a portion of state-shared revenues from noncompliant entities, and impose administrative penalties for willful violations. -
Independent Auditing:
Requires the Auditor General to conduct annual audits of the portal to verify accuracy, completeness, and timeliness — with all results publicly posted.
Why It Matters
Government transparency is the cornerstone of public trust. Yet today, Floridians often struggle to trace how their tax dollars are spent at the local level. This bill modernizes Florida’s legendary Sunshine Laws for the digital age — putting real-time accountability at your fingertips.
When spending is transparent, waste declines, efficiency improves, and citizens regain confidence in the institutions meant to serve them. The Local Spending Transparency Act ensures every taxpayer can hold government accountable — from Tallahassee to the smallest local board.
Together, we can make Florida the national model for open, honest, and accountable governance.