ENROLLED
       2023 Legislature                                          SB 6-B
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                               20236Ber
    1  
    2         An act relating to transportation of inspected
    3         unauthorized aliens; defining the term “inspected
    4         unauthorized alien”; providing legislative findings;
    5         creating the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program
    6         within the Division of Emergency Management to
    7         facilitate the transport of inspected unauthorized
    8         aliens within the United States; authorizing the
    9         division to contract for services to implement the
   10         program; authorizing the division to adopt rules to
   11         implement the program; providing for future
   12         expiration; repealing s. 185 of chapter 2022-156, Laws
   13         of Florida; deeming certain payments approved;
   14         reverting appropriated funds; providing an
   15         appropriation; providing an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. (1) As used in this section, the term “inspected
   20  unauthorized alien” means an individual who has documentation
   21  from the United States Government indicating that the United
   22  States Government processed and released him or her into the
   23  United States without admitting the individual in accordance
   24  with the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. ss.
   25  1101 et seq. The term must be interpreted consistently with any
   26  applicable federal statutes, rules, or regulations.
   27         (2) The Legislature finds that the Federal Government has
   28  failed to secure the nation’s borders and has allowed a surge of
   29  inspected unauthorized aliens to enter the United States. In
   30  January 2023, the Governor issued Executive Order 23-03,
   31  directing state law enforcement agencies and other state
   32  agencies to take necessary actions to protect Floridians from
   33  the impacts of the border crisis. Without such action,
   34  detrimental effects may be experienced in Florida, including
   35  increased crime, diminished economic opportunities and wages for
   36  American workers, and burdens on the education and health care
   37  systems. The Legislature finds that the Federal Government has
   38  proven itself unwilling to address this crisis.
   39         (3) To mitigate the effects of this crisis on the State of
   40  Florida, the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program is created
   41  within the Division of Emergency Management within the Executive
   42  Office of the Governor for the purpose of facilitating the
   43  transport of inspected unauthorized aliens within the United
   44  States, consistent with federal law. Notwithstanding s. 287.057,
   45  Florida Statutes, the division is authorized to contract for
   46  services to implement the program.
   47         (4) The division may adopt rules to implement the program.
   48         (5) This section expires June 30, 2025.
   49         Section 2. Section 185 of chapter 2022-156, Laws of
   50  Florida, is repealed. All payments made pursuant to that section
   51  are deemed approved. Any unexpended balance of funds
   52  appropriated to the Department of Transportation under that
   53  section shall immediately revert. For the 2022-2023 fiscal year,
   54  the nonrecurring sum of $10 million from the General Revenue
   55  Fund is appropriated to the Division of Emergency Management
   56  within the Executive Office of the Governor for the Unauthorized
   57  Alien Transport Program created by this act.
   58         Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.