175.091 Creation and maintenance of fund. - Florida Statutes

175.091 Creation and maintenance of fund.

For any municipality, special fire control district, chapter plan, local law municipality, local law special fire control district, or local law plan under this chapter:

   (1) The firefighters’ pension trust fund in each municipality and in each special fire control district shall be created and maintained in the following manner:

   (a) By payment to the fund of the net proceeds of the 1.85-percent excise or other similar tax which may be imposed by the municipality or special fire control district upon fire insurance companies, fire insurance associations, or other property insurers on their gross receipts on premiums from holders of policies, which policies cover real or personal property within the corporate limits of such municipality, in the case of a municipal government, and within the legally defined jurisdiction of the district, in the case of a special fire control district. Whenever a municipality maintains a firefighters’ pension trust fund under the provisions of this chapter but is partially contained within the boundaries of a special fire control district, that portion of the 1.85-percent excise, license, or other similar tax which is collected for insurance policies covering property within the jurisdiction of both the municipality and the special fire control district shall be given to the firefighters’ pension trust fund of the fire service provider. Remaining revenues collected pursuant to this chapter shall be distributed to the municipality or special fire control district according to the location of the insured property.

   (b) Except as reduced or increased contributions are authorized by subsection (2), by the payment to the fund of 5 percent of the salary of each uniformed firefighter who is a member or duly enrolled in the fire department of any municipality or special fire control district, which 5 percent shall be deducted by the municipality or special fire control district from the compensation due to the firefighter and paid over to the board of trustees of the firefighters’ pension trust fund wherein such firefighter is employed. No firefighter shall have any right to the money so paid into the fund except as provided in this chapter.

   (c) By all fines and forfeitures imposed and collected from any firefighter because of the violation of any rule and regulation promulgated by the board of trustees.

   (d) By mandatory payment by the municipality or special fire control district of a sum equal to the normal cost of and the amount required to fund any actuarial deficiency shown by an actuarial valuation as provided in part VII of chapter 112.

   (e) By all gifts, bequests, and devises when donated to the fund.

   (f) By all accretions to the fund by way of interest or dividends on bank deposits, or otherwise.

   (g) By all other sources or income now or hereafter authorized by law for the augmentation of such firefighters’ pension trust fund.

   (2) Member contribution rates may be adjusted as follows:

   (a) The employing municipality or special fire control district, by local ordinance or resolution, may elect to make an employee’s contributions. However, under no circumstances may a municipality or special fire control district reduce the member contribution to less than one-half of 1 percent of salary.

   (b) Firefighter member contributions may be increased by consent of the members’ collective bargaining representative or, if none, by majority consent of firefighter members of the fund to provide greater benefits.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to require adjustment of member contribution rates in effect on the date this act becomes a law, including rates that exceed 5 percent of salary, provided that such rates are at least one-half of 1 percent of salary.

History. s. 1, ch. 63-249; s. 1, ch. 65-58; s. 1, ch. 67-218; s. 5, ch. 81-168; s. 5, ch. 86-41; s. 18, ch. 93-193; s. 7, ch. 97-96; s. 7, ch. 99-1.