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Bill Summary · SB 446

Summary of SB 446: Large-scale County Destination Marketing Organizations

Bill Information:
- Bill Number: SB 446
- Title: Large-scale County Destination Marketing Organizations
- Status: Filed
- Introduced: November 12, 2025
- Effective Date: July 1, 2026
- Classification: Bill
- Subject: Public Business

Purpose and Intent

SB 446 aims to establish a regulatory framework for large-scale county destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in Florida. The bill seeks to enhance accountability and transparency in how these organizations operate and are funded, ensuring that public contributions are matched by private funding.

Key Provisions

  1. Definition of Large-scale County DMOs:

    • The bill defines a "large-scale county destination marketing organization" as one with an annual operating budget of $5 million or more.

  2. Registration Requirement:

    • All large-scale county DMOs must register with the Department of State. The department will maintain a publicly accessible directory of these organizations on its website.

  3. Matching Contribution Requirements:

    • A one-to-one match of private to public contributions is mandated for funding large-scale county DMOs. Public contributions include all state and local appropriations.
    • Private contributions can be categorized into four types:
      • Direct Cash Contributions: Cash from private sources, including stocks and bonds.
      • Fees for Services: Payments for event participation, research, and promotional placements.
      • Cooperative Advertising: Partner expenditures for media placements and collateral distribution.
      • In-kind Contributions: Non-cash contributions that have a market value, such as promotional materials and media space.

  4. Exclusions from Private Contributions:

    • Contributions from governmental entities or organizations that derive over 50% of their revenue from public sources do not count as private contributions for the matching requirement.

  5. Reversion of Unmatched Contributions:

    • If a large-scale county DMO fails to meet the matching requirement, it must revert all unmatched public contributions to the respective counties or municipalities by June 30 of each fiscal year.

Impact

  • Who is Affected:

    • Large-scale county DMOs operating in Florida will be directly impacted by the registration and funding requirements.
    • Local governments and municipalities will also be affected, as they will need to monitor the contributions and ensure compliance with the matching requirements.

  • Potential Benefits:

    • The bill aims to promote greater financial accountability and encourage private investment in tourism marketing, which could enhance the effectiveness of destination marketing efforts.

Procedural Aspects

  • The bill was filed on November 12, 2025, and is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. This timeline allows for the necessary preparations for compliance by the affected organizations.

In summary, SB 446 establishes a structured approach to funding and regulating large-scale county destination marketing organizations in Florida, promoting accountability and encouraging private sector involvement in tourism marketing efforts.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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