It's our money.
STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 25-44
(Ensuring Government Efficiency)
WHEREAS, state and local governments should be efficient, effective, transparent, and
responsive and should be held accountable for achieving these goals; and
WHEREAS, fiscal accountability is necessary to ensure good government and to minimize
financial burdens on the taxpayer; ·and
WHEREAS, all levels of government should continue to work to eliminate unnecessary
and inappropriate spending; and
WHEREAS, the State ofFlorida has a strong record ofresponsible fiscal management and
stewardship; and
WHEREAS, in addition to balancing the budget each year, my Administration has
consistently strived toward streamlining government; and
WHEREAS, for example, the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 "Focus on Florida's Future" Budget
saved Florida taxpayers $3.5 billion; and
WHEREAS, Florida has paid down 41 % of the State's total historic tax-supported debt
since 2019; and
WHEREAS, Florida's debt per capita is estimated to have decreased by 54% from $1,457
in Fiscal Year 2010-2011 to $664 in Fiscal Year 2023-2024; and
WHEREAS, the State has maintained a triple-A credit rating, has one of the lowest tax
burdens in the country, and has increased rainy-day reserves by over $9.4 billion; and
1WHEREAS, my Administration's proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 "Focus on Fiscal
Responsibility" Budget will lower spending even further, saving Florida taxpayers $3 billion
compared to the current year budget; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget eliminates over 740 state
government positions, recommends $2.2 billion in tax relief, and requires a thorough review of
federal grant funding received and expended in the State; and
WHEREAS, Florida has the lowest ratio of state government workers to population; and
WHEREAS, because of Florida's low regulatory footprint, Florida has consistently been
ranked one of the top states in which to conduct business; and
WHEREAS, notwithstanding Florida's history of prudent fiscal management relative to
many states in the country, the State should nevertheless endeavor to explore opportunities for
even better stewardship of state and local resources; and
WHEREAS, for example, the Trump Administration has created the Department of
Government Efficiency ("DOGE") to employ innovative technology to identify and eliminate
unnecessary and oftentimes frivolous spending, to maximize governmental efficiency and
productivity, and to reform the federal workforce; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida should leverage cutting edge technology to identify
further spending reductions and reforms in state agencies, university bureaucracies, and local
governments that have increased their spending, to include identifying and returning unnecessary
federal grant funding.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RON DESANTIS, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the
authority vested in me by Article IV, Section l(a) of the Florida Constitution, and all other
applicable laws, promulgate the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:
2Section 1. There shall be established within the Office of Policy and Budget in the
Executive Office of the Governor (EOG) an EOG DOGE Team. The EOG DOGE Team shall be
responsible for (1) ensuring compliance with this Executive Order; (2) using publicly available
information to identify and report unnecessary spending within county and municipal
governments; (3) coordinating with the Board of Governors of the State University System of
Florida and the State Board .of Education to identify and eliminate unnecessary spending,
programs, courses, staff, and any other inefficiencies within the State University System and the
Florida College System; and (4) recommending legislative reforms to promote efficiency,
maximize productivity, and eliminate waste in state and local government. The EOG DOGE Team
shall report any legislative recommendations to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the
President ofthe Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than September
30, 2025.
Section • 2. Each state agency shall establish an Agency DOGE Team that shall be
responsible for (1) utilizing advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence, as part of ongoing
efforts to identify and eliminate unnecessary spending, programs, or contracts within the agency;
(2) identifying any pending or funded federal grant awards that are inconsistent with the policies
of this State and should be returned to the American taxpayer in furtherance of the President's
DOGE efforts; and (3) recommending administrative or legislative reforms to promote efficiency,
maximize productivity, and . eliminate waste in state and local government, including
recommendations to leverage modern technology and to eliminate the duplication of services,
reduce fees, and cut overhead. Each Agency DOGE Team shall report its progress on the foregoing
responsibilities to the EOG DOGE Team on a monthly basis until this Executive Order expires.
3Section 3. The Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida and the State
Board of Education shall collaborate with the EOG DOGE Team to identify and eliminate
unnecessary spending, programs, courses, staff, and any other inefficiencies within the State
University System and the Florida College System.
Section 4. This Executive Order shall be implemented in accordance with state and federal
law and with existing staff and funding. To the maximum extent possible, agencies should employ
the most i1movative teclmology feasible to carry out the responsibilities assigned in this Executive
Order.
Section 5. This Executive Order is effective immediately and shall expire on March 31,
2026.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set
my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of
Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, this 24th day of
February, 2025.
ATTEST:
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