A fiscal oversight group is urging Florida lawmakers to adopt a new law called the Florida Government Efficiency Act that would require state agencies to seek and report cost‐saving measures more regularly. The proposal comes from Florida TaxWatch, an independent government watchdog.

What the Proposal Would Do

• The bill would mandate that the governor’s annual budget recommendation include proposals for cost savings and efficiency improvements.
• The Legislature would be required to consider those recommendations.
• State agencies would need to submit quarterly reports on their progress toward implementing any adopted efficiency recommendations.

Why It’s Being Proposed

Jeff Kottkamp, vice president and general counsel at Florida TaxWatch, argues that government tends to repeat the same practices year after year, and that putting efficiency requirements into law would create ongoing pressure to avoid wasteful or redundant spending.

Florida already has some mechanisms intended to address efficiency:

• A Government Efficiency Task Force that issues recommendations every four years.
• A temporary entity called “DOGE” (Department of Government Efficiency) that was created under Governor Ron DeSantis.

Responses from State Leadership

• The governor’s office and House Speaker Daniel Perez have not publicly responded to questions about the proposal as of the article’s publication.
• Senate President Ben Albritton has not yet seen the proposal, according to his office. However, a spokesperson noted that Albritton has previously expressed support for measures aimed at increasing efficiency, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.

Considerations and Next Steps

Supporters of the bill see it as a way to institutionalize efficiency so that cost-saving and accountability efforts happen annually, rather than relying solely on ad hoc or periodic reviews. Critics (though not extensively quoted in the article) may argue these kinds of mandates can increase bureaucratic overhead or reduce flexibility for agencies. Implementation details—such as how savings would be verified, how much flexibility agencies have, and how the legislative review would be structured—would be key to whether the law is effective.

Florida TaxWatch has published annual lists of budget items it deems questionable, pointing to areas where cost savings might be found.

The proposal will likely need to pass through multiple committees and receive input from state agencies and lawmakers before being introduced formally. As of mid-September 2025, discussions are preliminary, and the specifics of legislative support are not yet clear.

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