Notable Tech Allocations in Florida’s FY 2023-24 Budget

Earlier this year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state’s Fiscal Year 2023-24 “Framework for Freedom” budget, totaling $116.5 billion. Of those funds, the governor highlighted about $420 million for technology projects across state government.

Here are some highlights:

EDUCATION

• $6.4 million to continue providing school districts access to a mobile panic alert system that can connect multiple first responder agencies
• $5.8 million to procure a statewide transparency tool to support the implementation of new requirements related to instructional and library materials under House Bill 1537
• $3 million to continue providing a centralized, integrated data repository and data analytics resources to improve access to timely, complete and accurate information
• The budget includes an increase of $3.6 million for a total of $24.5 million for the Florida Postsecondary Academic Library Network, which provides essential library services to Florida College System and State University System institutions. Of that total, $11.1 million will go to Florida colleges and $13.5 million to Florida universities to provide students with e-resources, technical support, distance learning and more

WATER

• $20 million for harmful algal blooms mitigation, including implementing water quality treatment technologies to combat harmful algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee
• $12.8 million to increase water quality monitoring, support the Blue-Green Algae Task Force and maintain and improve the water quality public information portal
• $12.5 million for innovative technologies and short-term solutions to aid in the prevention, cleanup and mitigation of harmful algal blooms and pharmaceuticals in wastewater

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

• $100 million to support broadband initiatives to expand high-speed Internet deployment and access
• $13 million for the Digital Capacity Grant Program, which provides resources for the state’s Digital Adoption and Use Plan to achieve statewide digital literacy

ELECTIONS

• $962,969 for live call center services supporting the Statewide Voter Fraud and Assistance Hotline
• $106,650 for cybersecurity awareness training for supervisors of elections
• $100,000 for an elections signature verification training program

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

• $31 million to support expanded access to central receiving systems that provide crisis intervention and assessment and help to connect those with behavioral health challenges to services

PUBLIC SAFETY

• $10 million for security equipment, such as drone detection equipment, thermal fence cameras, drone support for K-9 operations and license plate readers
• $9 million to improve infrastructure, including environmental systems, regional evidence facilities, maintenance, repairs and renovations

CRIME DATABASES

• $8.16 million for the second phase of the modernization of the state’s Biometric Identification System (BIS) database
• $3.58 million for technology enhancement of breath test instrumentation and associated software within the Alcohol Testing Program
• $3 million to increase the state’s Criminal Justice Network bandwidth
• $1.96 million to enhance Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse applications
• $1.1 million to purchase enhanced booking and arrest equipment
• $500,000 for the final year of implementing the statewide Sexual Assault Tracking System

911 SERVICES

• $25 million for distributions and grant awards to local governments for E911 system maintenance, integration with the next-generation 911 (NG911) system and implementation of text-to-911
• $12 million to implement three additional regions of NG911 call routing and mapping solutions
• $6 million in state grant funds to assist local governments in the upgrade of Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) radios to ensure interoperability
• $5.8 million to continue supporting and improving SLERS
• $2.2 million to provide FirstNet to SLERS users, which allows for connectivity to mobile networks to ensure continuous coverage for first responders throughout Florida
• $800,000 for modernization of the Department of Management Services’ operations of the E911 program to increase the efficiency of distributions to local governments and the continued implementation of NG911
• $350,000 for no-cost training for local government public safety telecommunicators, including managing work-related stress, cybersecurity threats and how to use GIS within NG911

CYBERSECURITY

• $60 million will be allocated to various state agencies for security intelligence, modernization, training and resiliency
• $40 million will go to the Local Government Cybersecurity Grant Program administered by the Florida Digital Service
  

More detail can be found in SB 2500, the General Appropriations Act.