(TALLAHASSEE, FL.) – In 2022, Florida approved the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund, a fund that the House believes has been misused by the state governor.
The fund was made to give the governor discretionary and quick spending in times of emergency, enabling the state to take quick and appropriate action.
The fund expired Feb 16, meaning a new bill to establish a new fund would have to be passed to maintain the status quo of spending.
Non-identical bills to recreate the fund are passing through the house and senate, with the house version expected to have more restrictions and provisions.
Before the EPRF, the governor was still able to spend swiftly under different circumstances.
Instead of a dedicated fund, the governor (under a state of emergency,) was able to redistribute funds allocated to other programs to make ends meet. Doing so created a state debt to the agencies that lost funds.
Essentially, the governor had spending ability, with full authority to take money that would have to be paid back later.
In 2022, the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund gave the governor close to $500 million to spend on emergencies.
The fund also came with parameters. Instead of the governors' almost free ability to declare an emergency and borrow funds, the governor was now limited to his emergency fund.
If Governor Ron DeSantis wanted to request more money, he would have to ask the Legislative Budget Commission, a new check on the governor's spending.
Now in 2026, the governor’s spending no longer has an operational balance. Having spent nearly five billion dollars and Florida in a constant state of emergency, DeSantis has had very few restrictions on emergency spending.
It is also worth noting that FEMA reimburses the emergency fund, not the general state treasury, for natural disaster-related spending.
The fund that started as an allotment meant to control DeSantis’ spending now has given him billions of dollars. Florida has been in a state of emergency since Jan 6 2023, giving the governor 24/7 access to the fund over the past 3 years. The governor has to ‘renew’ the state of emergency every 60 days, and has continued to cite illegal immigration.
The fund has drawn criticism, as it has been used to fund I.C.E. detention centers in Florida, a sharp contrast from the seemingly intended hurricane relief.
$92 million has also come out of the fund to pay ‘Doodie Calls’ (a portable toilet firm), among other private companies.
Instead of the normal bidding and selection process to get a state contract, the fund is able to hand-pick its suppliers without oversight.
Photo Credit: Florida Senate / Senator Lori Berman [Democrat, (FL.)]
"We all know that the fund has been used for purposes it shouldn't be used for and that we need to have oversight,” says Senator Laurie Berman.
Several Democrats have spoken against DeSantis' spending, specifically the beneficiaries. Carlos Duart and Tina Vidal-Duart are allied with Governor DeSantis and are CEO of Doodie Calls and CDR Health, respectively.
While some oppose the governor's spending, the governor cites the self-replenishing nature of the fund as smart spending.
Photo Credit: Executive Office of The Governor / Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
"We’re helping because if we don’t do it, you’re going to have a lot of illegal aliens, including criminal aliens, that are going to be released into our communities because DHS has no place to be able to put them. Florida is not going to sit by and let the federal government's lack of capacity become our public safety crisis."
While DeSantis is yet to comment on his supplier hirings, he has affirmed his emergency spending on I.C.E facilities.
Thank you for reading, if you have any questions or concerns please comment, and email me at jason.f@lead4earth.org.
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