ST.AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed CS/HB 925: Clerks of the Court into law on May 26 in St. Augustine, Fla. The new legislation strengthens long-term funding for Clerks’ Offices throughout Florida by allowing them to retain more of the court-related revenues they collect locally.
The legislation addresses a longstanding challenge where court-related fees and fines collected locally were pooled and then redistributed statewide under Florida’s court funding structure. This change helps bridge an approximately $75 million funding gap that exists between the operating costs of Clerks’ Offices statewide and the revenues available to support them.
For St. Johns County, the legislation will reduce the amount of locally generated court revenues the Clerk’s Office is required to return to the state. This will allow more of those dollars to remain within the county to support local court operations.
The change is projected to provide an estimated $79,098 in additional funding for St. Johns County during Fiscal Year 2027–2028. For Fiscal Year 2028–2029, an estimated $189,836 in additional funding is projected.
This additional funding flexibility will also help reduce reliance on local court subsidy funding provided by St. Johns County. It aims to strengthen the Clerk’s Office’s ability to operate more sustainably over time.
Brandon J. Patty, the St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, has taken an increasingly active role within the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers (FCCC) association. Patty described the passage of the bill as a collaborative effort. “This was truly a collective effort by Clerks across Florida who share a commitment to ensuring our offices have the resources necessary to continue serving the public,” Patty said. “I deeply appreciate the leadership and advocacy of the FCCC and their role in helping move this bill through the Legislature and ultimately to the Governor’s desk.”
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