INDIAN RESERVATIONS AND AFFAIRS

F.S. Ch. 285
in effect

F.S. 285.01 Lands set aside; description.

The following described lands in the County of Monroe, are set aside and given to the Seminole Indians of Florida as a reservation, to wit: (1) All of the lands now belonging to the state in township fifty-six south of range thirty-two east, being all of sections seven to fifteen, inclusive, and seventeen to thirty-six, inclusive, containing 18,560 acres, more or less. (2) Also, all of sections one to four, inclusive; ten to fifteen, inclusive; twenty-two to twenty-four, inclusive, and sections thirty-five and thirty-six, in township fifty-seven south of range thirty-two east, containing 9,600 acres, more or less. (3) Also, all of sections one to three, inclusive; ten to fourteen, inclusive; twenty-four, twenty-five, thirty-five and thirty-six, of township fifty-eight south of range thirty-two east, containing 7,680 acres, more or less. (4) Also, all of sections seven to fifteen, inclusive, and seventeen to thirty-six, inclusive, of township fifty-six south of range thirty-three east, containing 18,560 acres, more or less. (5) Also, all of sections one to fifteen, inclusive, and seventeen to thirty-six, inclusive, of township fifty-seven south of range thirty-three east, containing 22,400 acres, more or less. (6) Also, all of sections one to fifteen, inclusive, and seventeen to thirty-six, inclusive, of township fifty-eight south of range thirty-three east, containing 22,400 acres, more or less.

F.S. 285.03 Grant of Florida lands to Seminole Indians.

(1)(a) A grant is made, for use of the Seminole Indians of Florida, of a tract of land situated in Broward County, described as follows: (b) Beginning 330 feet west of the northeast corner of lot fourteen, of section thirty-six, township fifty south, range forty-one east; thence west 495 feet; thence south 1,320 feet, thence east 495 feet, thence north 1,320 feet to point of beginning, being 15 acres, more or less. (2) The said described lands shall become a part of the Seminole Indian Reservation, reserved by Act of Legislature, 1931, to use of the Seminole Indians of Florida. (3) If, at any time, said lands should be abandoned or not used for the purpose for which granted, such lands would revert to the State of Florida.

F.S. 285.04 Board of Trustees of Internal Improvement Trust Fund authorized to exchange state lands for United States lands.

To provide more adequately for the needs of the Seminole Indians in Florida, and for cooperating with the United States therein, the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund may, in its discretion, exchange state lands with the United States for lands owned by the United States.

F.S. 285.05 Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund authorized to exchange lands with individuals.

The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund may, in its discretion, exchange state lands with private landowners, and, in turn, exchange any lands so acquired with the United States for government-owned lands, to facilitate the carrying out of the purpose described in s. 285.04.

F.S. 285.06 State Indian Reservation.

When, as the result of the exchanges provided for in ss. 285.04 and 285.05, there shall have been established a reservation for the Indians by the United States in Florida, the State Seminole Indian Reservation in Monroe County, created by chapter 7310, Acts of 1917, shall be withdrawn and returned to the board of trustees; and thereupon the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund shall set aside a tract of land of approximately equal size and of suitable character, adjacently located, as nearly as may be, to the reservation to be established by the United States; and said lands, when so set aside, shall constitute the State Indian Reservation and shall be held in trust by the Department of Management Services for the perpetual benefit of the Indians and as a reservation for them.

F.S. 285.07 Purpose of law.

The purpose of ss. 285.07-285.13 is to protect the Seminole Indians of Florida against undue and unnecessary hardships during these difficult years of transition from their ancestral culture to the culture of the white person’s civilization and to aid said Indians to obtain economic independence as a tribe and as individuals.

F.S. 285.08 Definitions.

For the purpose of ss. 285.09-285.13: (1) “Tribe” means the Seminole Tribe in the state composed of bands of Indians known and referred to as Miccosukee and Muskogee or Cow Creek. (2) “Indian” or “Indians” means one or more members of a tribe. (3) “Trustee” means the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund. (4) “Reservation” means that tract of land of approximately 104,800 acres located in Palm Beach and Broward Counties set aside for the perpetual use and benefit of Seminole Indians by Legislative Acts of 1917 and 1935, known as the Seminole Indian Reservation. (5) “Flood control project” means the Central and South Florida Flood Control Program.

F.S. 285.09 Rights of Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes with respect to hunting, fishing, and frogging.

(1) It is lawful for members of the Miccosukee Tribe and members of the Seminole Tribe to take wild game and fish at any time within the boundaries of their respective reservations and in the exercise of hunting, fishing, and trapping rights within the Big Cypress Preserve under Pub. L. No. 93-440 and under s. 380.055(8), provided that game may be taken only for food for the Indians themselves. (2) In addition, members of the Miccosukee Tribe may take wild game and fish for subsistence purposes and take frogs for personal consumption as food or for commercial purposes at any time within their reservation and the area leased to the Miccosukee Tribe pursuant to the actions of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund on April 8, 1981. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission may restrict, for wildlife management purposes, the exercise of these rights in the area leased. Prior to placing restrictions upon hunting, fishing, and frogging for subsistence purposes, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall totally restrict nonsubsistence uses for the particular species.

F.S. 285.10 No license or permit fees required; identification card required.

Indians may exercise the hunting, fishing, and frogging rights granted to them in those areas specified by s. 285.09 without payment of licensing or permitting fees. Each Indian exercising such rights shall be required to have an identification card issued without cost by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission through the chairs of the Miccosukee Tribe and Seminole Tribe. Each Indian is required to have the identification card on his or her person at all times when exercising such rights and shall exhibit it to officers of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission upon the request of such officers.

F.S. 285.011 Seminole Indian lands; trustee.

The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund shall hereafter serve as the trustee of all Seminole Indian lands, and title to all such lands shall be vested in said board to be held in trust for the perpetual use and benefit of the Seminole Indians and as a reservation for them.

F.S. 285.11 Reservation; improvement leases.

The trustee shall have the right to lease any part or parts of the reservation to any person willing to enter into an improvement lease. Such lease shall not exceed 15 years, unless such a lease is entered into with a Florida Indian, in which case it may be for a term not to exceed 25 years, and may include an option on the part of the lessee to renew such lease for an additional term of 25 years or less. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such lease is entered into with a Florida Indian for housing development and residential purposes, it may be for a term not to exceed 50 years. The lessee shall be required to make such improvements to or on the property as are agreed upon in the lease. The improvements shall become a part of the lands of the reservation thereby accruing to the benefit of the tribe upon expiration of the lease. For the purposes of this section a “Florida Indian” is defined as a member of either the Seminole Tribe of Florida or the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida or an Indian who is eligible for enrollment as a member of either of the foregoing tribes.

F.S. 285.12 Reservation; mineral deposits.

The tribe shall benefit from the discovery and development of all mineral deposits on the lands of the reservation the same as if the title to said lands were vested in the tribe and any law relating to the use of public lands shall not apply.

F.S. 285.13 Campsites; flood control.

Indians living in camps settled prior to the passage of ss. 285.07-285.13 within the boundaries of the flood control project shall be permitted to continue to live in such campsites. When any such campsite is threatened with floodwaters as a result of the building of the flood control project, the trustee shall cause such campsites to be relocated to a level above dangers resulting from said floodwaters or shall otherwise protect such campsites from said floodwaters.

F.S. 285.14 Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund as trustee to accept donations of and acquire property for Indians.

(1) The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, as the trustee defined in s. 285.08, may accept donations of real and personal property from any source whatsoever, and may include the same in the corpus of the trust created under this chapter. (2) The board, as trustee, may acquire lands in the name of the state and devote the same to the exclusive use, occupancy, and benefit of said Indians for the purpose of promoting the health, general welfare, safety, and best interest of said Indians. (3) All funds accruing to the trustee of the trust granted under this chapter, may be expended by said trustee for such purposes as in the judgment and discretion of the board will best promote the safety, health, general welfare and best interest of said Indians. (4) The Department of Management Services, the State Board of Education, and any other state board or agency having title to lands or having lands under their jurisdiction, management, or control, may in their discretion convey and transfer to the board of trustees the title to any of said lands in trust for the use and benefit of said Indians.

F.S. 285.15 Grant of hunting, fishing, and frogging privileges by Board of Trustees of Internal Improvement Trust Fund; access to and use of land.

(1) The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, in its discretion, may grant hunting and fishing privileges and rights to the Miccosukee and Seminole Indian Tribes and to any other Indians who are not members of the Miccosukee Tribe or Seminole Tribe but who are eligible for membership therein, covering lands under its administration, management, control, and supervision. The rights granted under this section extend only to game taken by the said Indians for personal consumption, and no other license or permit shall be required, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law. (2) The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, in its discretion, may grant to the Miccosukee and Seminole Indian Tribes and to any other Indians who are not members of the Miccosukee Tribe or Seminole Tribe but who are eligible for membership therein the right to take frogs for personal consumption and for commercial purposes, covering lands under its administration, management, control, and supervision. (3) The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund, in its discretion, may grant to the Miccosukee and Seminole Tribes and to any other Indians who are not members of the Miccosukee Tribe or Seminole Tribe but who are eligible for membership therein the right of access to and use of lands under its administration, management, control, and supervision.

F.S. 285.16 Civil and criminal jurisdiction; Indian reservation.

(1) The State of Florida hereby assumes jurisdiction over criminal offenses committed by or against Indians or other persons within Indian reservations and over civil causes of actions between Indians or other persons or to which Indians or other persons are parties rising within Indian reservations. (2) The civil and criminal laws of Florida shall obtain on all Indian reservations in this state and shall be enforced in the same manner as elsewhere throughout the state.

F.S. 285.17 Special improvement districts; Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes.

There is hereby created a special improvement district for each of the areas contained within the reservations set aside for the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes, respectively, and also within the area leased to the Miccosukee Tribe pursuant to the actions of the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund on April 8, 1981.

F.S. 285.18 Tribal council as governing body; powers and duties.

(1) The respective governing bodies of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians recognized by the United States and organized pursuant to the provisions of the Act of June 18, 1934, 48 Stat. 987, 25 U.S.C. s. 476 shall be the respective governing bodies of the special improvement districts created by s. 285.17. (2) The governing bodies of the special improvement districts shall have the duty and power: (a) To plan, contract for, and implement programs for the benefit of their members in law enforcement, education, housing, health care, and other social services, which shall include, without limitation, delivery of health services, workforce training, child services, and other programs to improve the health, economic, and educational opportunities of its members. (b) To contract with the district school board of any district adjoining the local school district, when deemed necessary by the tribal council, to provide public education and educational programs for their members, notwithstanding the provisions of s. 1001.42 that authorize school boards to establish attendance areas for their districts or approve plans for attendance in other districts. (c) To employ personnel to exercise law enforcement powers, including the investigation of violations of any of the criminal laws of the state occurring on reservations over which the state has assumed jurisdiction pursuant to s. 285.16. 1. All law enforcement personnel employed shall be considered peace officers for all purposes and shall have the authority to bear arms, make arrests, and apply for, serve, and execute search warrants, arrest warrants, capias, and other process of the court, and to enforce criminal and noncriminal traffic offenses, within their respective special improvement districts. 2. All law enforcement personnel shall be entitled to the privileges, protection, and benefits of ss. 112.19 and 870.05. (d) To employ such personnel as necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the special improvement districts and to prescribe all terms and conditions for the employment of such personnel, including, but not limited to, the fixing of their compensation, benefits, the filing of performance and fidelity bonds, and such policies of insurance as they may deem advisable, and apply for coverage of their employees under the state retirement system subject to necessary action by the districts to pay employer contributions into the state retirement fund. However, any law enforcement officer employed must meet the standards required pursuant to ss. 943.085-943.25. (e) To execute any and all instruments, and do and perform any and all acts for things necessary, convenient, or desirable for its purposes or to carry out the powers expressly given in this section. (f) To borrow money, accept gifts, and apply for and use grants or loans of money or other property from the United States, the state, a local unit of government or any person, for any district purpose and may enter into agreements required in connection therewith, and may hold, use, and dispose of such moneys or property in accordance with the terms of the gift, grant, loan, or agreement relating thereto. (3) The law enforcement agencies of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida shall have the authority of “criminal justice agencies” as defined in s. 943.045(11)(e) and shall have the specific authority to negotiate agreements with the Department of Law Enforcement, the United States Department of Justice, and other federal law enforcement agencies for access to criminal history records for the purpose of conducting ongoing criminal investigations and for the following governmental purposes: (a) Background investigations, which are required for employment by a tribal education program, tribal Head Start program, or tribal day care program as may be required by state or federal law. (b) Background investigations, which are required for employment by tribal law enforcement agencies. (c) Background investigations, which are required for employment by a tribal government. (d) Background investigations with respect to all employees, primary management officials, and all persons having a financial interest in a class II Indian tribal gaming enterprise to ensure eligibility as provided in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. ss. 2701 et seq. With regard to those investigations authorized in paragraphs (a), (c), and (d), each such individual shall file a complete set of his or her fingerprints that have been taken by an authorized law enforcement officer, which set of fingerprints shall be submitted to the Department of Law Enforcement for state processing and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for federal processing. The cost of processing shall be borne by the applicant.

F.S. 285.20 Tribal Secured Transactions Filing Offices.

(1) If the governing body of the Seminole Tribe of Florida or the governing body of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians adopts or enacts a law or ordinance governing secured transactions arising within or relating to the reservation of such tribe in this state, and if such tribal law or ordinance authorizes financing statements and other records relating to secured transactions to be filed: (a) With the Department of State or such other central filing office as may be established from time to time under the Uniform Commercial Code of this state, then the Department of State or other central filing office, including any private secured transaction registry that may be designated as such in this state, shall accept and process such filings made under the tribal secured transactions law in accordance with this section and the provisions of chapter 679; or (b) With the office of the clerk of circuit court in any county of this state in which the tribal secured transactions law requires a local filing, then such county filing office shall accept and process such filings made under such tribal law in accordance with this section and the provisions of chapter 28. (2) The filing office shall not be required to accept any financing statements or other records communicated for filing under a tribal secured transactions law unless they satisfy the same filing requirements then applicable to financing statements and other records communicated to that filing office under the Uniform Commercial Code of this state, including the payment of the same filing, processing, or recording charges or fees then charged by that filing office for filing or recording comparable financing statements and other records under the Uniform Commercial Code of this state. (3) The filing office shall maintain and index its records of all financing statements or other records filing with that filing office under the tribal secured transactions law together with and in the same manner as its records of financing statements and other records filed under the Uniform Commercial Code of this state. The filing office shall not be required to record or index separately, or otherwise segregate in any manner, any such filings made under the tribal secured transactions law from other filings made under the Uniform Commercial Code of this state. In all respects, the filing office shall have the same duties and responsibilities with respect to filings made under the tribal secured transactions law as with respect to filings made under the Uniform Commercial Code of this state.

F.S. 285.061 Transfer of land to United States in trust for Seminole and Miccosukee Indian Tribes.

(1) The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund of state Indian reservation lands is authorized in its discretion, to transfer to the United States to be held in trust for the use and benefit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida the following described lands: Beginning in the southwest corner of Section 31, Township 48 South, Range 35 East; thence easterly along the south border of Sections 31, 32, and 33 in Township 48 South, Range 35 East, to the westernmost boundary of the Levee-28 works in Section 33, Township 48 South, Range 35 East; thence continuing north along the westernmost boundary of the Levee-28 works to the point at which the westernmost boundary of the Levee-28 works intersects the southernmost boundary of the Levee-4 works in Section 9, Township 48 South, Range 35 East; thence continuing westerly along the southernmost boundary of the Levee-4 works to the point at which the southernmost boundary of the Levee-4 works intersects the dividing line between Township 48 South, Range 35 East and Township 48 South, Range 34 East at the Broward County and Hendry County line; and thence continuing south along said line to the point of beginning; said lands situate, lying, and being in Broward County, Florida; and the said board is further authorized to transfer to the United States to be held in trust for the use and benefit of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida the following described lands: Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31, 32, Township 49 South, Range 36 East, and Township 49 South, Range 35 East, Township 50 South, Range 35 East, and Township 51 South, Range 35 East, said lands situate, lying and being in Broward County, Florida. All of the aforesaid lands having been set aside as a reservation for the Seminole Indians of Florida by Legislative Acts of 1917 and 1935, and the purpose of this section is to divide the described reservation into two reservations for the use of and benefit of the two tribes named herein. (2) For the purpose of this subsection: “Other Florida Indians” means Indian residents of the state who are not members of either the Seminole Tribe of Florida or the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, who are qualified to meet the enrollment requirements of either the Seminole Tribe of Florida or the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. Other Florida Indians shall be permitted to use, occupy and enjoy the Seminole Reservation or the Miccosukee Reservation on the same terms and conditions, and subject to the same limitations as are applicable to, or may be imposed upon, tribal members by its constitution, bylaws, or tribal regulations; provided, however, that if either of said tribes shall maintain its membership roll open to all other Florida Indians for a period of 3 years from the effective date of this act, then such Indians who, upon the expiration of said period, have not become enrolled members of either of said tribes, shall have no further right to the use, occupancy or enjoyment of either of said reservations. (3) All the provisions of this chapter, not in conflict with this section, remain in full force and effect. The state reserves both civil and criminal jurisdiction over said reservations in accordance with ss. 285.16 and 285.165 and applicable federal law. The transfer of lands in trust for the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida made pursuant to the authority of this section remains subject to all of the rights, easements, and reservations in favor of the South Florida Water Management District provided in the transfer.

F.S. 285.165 Water rights compact with Seminole Tribe.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 285.16, the water rights compact among the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the State of Florida, and the South Florida Water Management District as approved by the governing board of the South Florida Water Management District at its May 15, 1987, governing board meeting is hereby ratified and approved. The compact shall not be effective until approved in appropriate federal legislation. Upon congressional approval, the compact shall become the sole source of regulation of water use and the management and storage of surface water and groundwater on reservation and Tribal Trust lands. (2) All agencies of the state are authorized and directed to provide such technical assistance as the South Florida Water Management District may require in implementing the terms of the water rights compact to be entered with the Seminole Tribe of Indians of Florida pursuant to subsection (1).

F.S. 285.710 Compact authorization.

(1) As used in this section, the term: (a) “Compact” means the most recent ratified and approved gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State of Florida. (b) “Covered games” means the games authorized for the Seminole Tribe of Florida under the compact. (c) “Documents” means books, records, electronic, magnetic and computer media documents, and other writings and materials, copies thereof, and information contained therein. (d) “Indian Gaming Regulatory Act” or “IGRA” means the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, Pub. L. No. 100-497, Oct. 17, 1988, 102 Stat. 2467, codified at 25 U.S.C. ss. 2701 et seq., and 18 U.S.C. ss. 1166-1168. (e) “State” means the State of Florida. (f) “State compliance agency” means the Florida Gaming Control Commission which is designated as the state agency having the authority to carry out the state’s oversight responsibilities under the compact. (g) “Tribe” means the Seminole Tribe of Florida or any affiliate thereof conducting activities pursuant to the compact under the authority of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. (2)(a) The agreement executed by the Governor and the Tribe on November 14, 2007, published in the Federal Register on January 7, 2008, and subsequently invalidated by the Florida Supreme Court in the case of Florida House of Representatives v. The Honorable Charles J. Crist , No. SC07-2154, (2008), is not ratified or approved by the Legislature, is void, and is not in effect. (b) The agreement executed by the Governor and the Tribe on August 28, 2009, and August 31, 2009, respectively, and transmitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, is not ratified or approved by the Legislature, is void, and is not in effect. (3)(a) The gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State of Florida, executed by the Governor and the Tribe on April 7, 2010, was ratified and approved by chapter 2010-29, Laws of Florida. (b) The gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State of Florida, executed by the Governor and the Tribe on April 23, 2021, as amended on May 17, 2021, is ratified and approved. The Governor shall cooperate with the Tribe in seeking approval of such compact ratified and approved under this paragraph from the United States Secretary of the Interior. Upon becoming effective, such compact supersedes the gaming compact ratified and approved under paragraph (a). If the gaming compact ratified and approved under this paragraph is not approved by the United States Secretary of the Interior or is invalidated by court action or change in federal law, the gaming compact ratified and approved under paragraph (a) shall remain in effect. (4) The Governor shall preserve all documents, if any, which relate to the intent or interpretation of the compact and maintain such documents for at least the term of the compact. (5) If any provision of the compact relating to covered games, revenue-sharing payments, suspension or reduction in payments, or exclusivity is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or by the Department of the Interior to be invalid, the compact is void. (6) If a subsequent change to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, or to an implementing regulation thereof, mandates the retroactive application of such change without the respective consent of the state or Tribe, the compact is void if the change materially alters any provision in the compact relating to covered games, revenue-sharing payments, suspension or reduction of payments, or exclusivity. (7) The Florida Gaming Control Commission is designated as the state compliance agency having the authority to carry out the state’s oversight responsibilities under the compact authorized by this section. (8)(a) The Governor is authorized to execute an agreement on behalf of the state with the Indian tribes in this state, acting on a government-to-government basis, to develop and implement a fair and workable arrangement to apply state taxes on persons and transactions on Indian lands. Such agreements shall address the imposition of specific taxes, including sales taxes and exemptions from those taxes. (b) The agreement shall address the Tribe’s collection and remittance of sales taxes imposed by chapter 212 to the Department of Revenue. The sales taxes collected and remitted by the Tribe shall be based on all sales to non-tribal members, except those non-tribal members who hold valid exemption certificates issued by the Department of Revenue, exempting the sales from taxes imposed by chapter 212. (c) The agreement shall require the Tribe to register with the Department of Revenue and remit to the Department of Revenue the taxes collected. (d) The agreement shall require the Tribe to retain for at least a period of 5 years records of all sales to non-tribal members which are subject to taxation under chapter 212. The agreement shall permit the Department of Revenue to conduct an audit not more often than annually in order to verify such collections. The agreement shall require the Tribe to provide reasonable access during normal operating hours to records of transactions subject to the taxes collected. (e) The agreement shall provide a procedure for the resolution of any disputes about the amounts collected pursuant to the agreement. For purposes of the agreement for the collection and remittance of sales taxes, the agreement must provide that the Tribe agrees to waive its immunity, except that the state may seek monetary damages limited to the amount of taxes owed. (f) An agreement executed by the Governor pursuant to the authority granted in this section shall not take effect unless ratified by the Legislature. (9) The moneys paid by the Tribe to the state for the benefit of exclusivity under the compact ratified by this section shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund. Three percent of the amount paid by the Tribe to the state shall be designated as the local government share and shall be distributed as provided in subsections (10) and (11). (10) The calculations necessary to determine the local government share distributions shall be made by the state compliance agency based upon the net win per facility as provided by the Tribe. The local government share attributable to each casino shall be distributed as follows: (a) Broward County shall receive 22.5 percent, the City of Coconut Creek shall receive 55 percent, the City of Coral Springs shall receive 12 percent, the City of Margate shall receive 8.5 percent, and the City of Parkland shall receive 2 percent of the local government share derived from the Seminole Indian Casino-Coconut Creek. (b) Broward County shall receive 25 percent, the City of Hollywood shall receive 42.5 percent, the Town of Davie shall receive 22.5 percent, and the City of Dania Beach shall receive 10 percent of the local government share derived from the Seminole Indian Casino-Hollywood. (c) Broward County shall receive 25 percent, the City of Hollywood shall receive 42.5 percent, the Town of Davie shall receive 22.5 percent, and the City of Dania Beach shall receive 10 percent of the local government share derived from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino-Hollywood. (d) Collier County shall receive 75 percent and the Immokalee Fire Control District shall receive 25 percent of the local government share derived from the Seminole Indian Casino-Immokalee. (e) Glades County shall receive 100 percent of the local government share derived from the Seminole Indian Casino-Brighton. (f) Hendry County shall receive 100 percent of the local government share derived from the Seminole Indian Casino-Big Cypress. (g) Hillsborough County shall receive 100 percent of the local government share derived from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino-Tampa. (h) Broward County shall receive 25 percent, the City of Hollywood shall receive 35 percent, the Town of Davie shall receive 30 percent, and the City of Dania Beach shall receive 10 percent of the local government share derived from the additional facilities authorized to be added to the Tribe’s Hollywood Reservation under the gaming compact ratified, approved, and described in subsection (3). (11) Upon receipt of the annual audited revenue figures from the Tribe and completion of the calculations as provided in subsection (10), the state compliance agency shall certify the results to the Chief Financial Officer and shall request the distributions to be paid from the General Revenue Fund within 30 days after authorization of nonoperating budget authority pursuant to s. 216.181(12). (12) Any moneys remitted by the Tribe before the effective date of the compact shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund and are released to the state without further obligation or encumbrance. The Legislature further finds that acceptance and appropriation of such funds does not legitimize, validate, or otherwise ratify any previously proposed compact or the operation of class III games by the Tribe for any period prior to the effective date of the compact. (13)(a) For the purpose of satisfying the requirement in 25 U.S.C. s. 2710(d)(1)(B) that the gaming activities authorized under an Indian gaming compact must be permitted in the state for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity, the following class III games or other games specified in this section are hereby authorized to be conducted by the Tribe pursuant to the compact described in paragraph (3)(a), if the compact described in paragraph (3)(b) is not effective: 1. Slot machines, as defined in s. 551.102(9). 2. Banking or banked card games, including baccarat, chemin de fer, and blackjack or 21 at the tribal facilities in Broward County, Collier County, and Hillsborough County. 3. Raffles and drawings. (b) For the purpose of satisfying the requirement in 25 U.S.C. s. 2710(d)(1)(B) that the gaming activities authorized under an Indian gaming compact must be permitted in the state for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity, the following class III games or other games specified in this section are hereby authorized to be conducted by the Tribe pursuant to the compact described in paragraph (3)(b), when such compact has been approved by the United States Secretary of the Interior, has not been invalidated by court action or change in federal law, and is effective: 1. Slot machines, as defined in s. 551.102(9). 2. Banking or banked card games, including baccarat, chemin de fer, and blackjack (21), and card games banked by the house, by a bank established by the house, or by a player. 3. Raffles and drawings. 4. Craps, including dice games such as sic-bo and any similar variations thereof. 5. Roulette, including big six and any similar variations thereof. 6. Fantasy sports contests. The acceptance of entry fees for fantasy sports contests conducted by the Tribe, including the receipt of entry fees paid by players physically located within the state using a mobile or other electronic device, shall be deemed to be exclusively conducted by the Tribe where the servers or other devices used to conduct such contests on the Tribe’s Indian lands are located. A person must be 21 years of age or older to pay an entry fee for fantasy sports contests. 7. Sports betting. Wagers on sports betting, including wagers made by players physically located within the state using a mobile or other electronic device, shall be deemed to be exclusively conducted by the Tribe where the servers or other devices used to conduct such wagering activity on the Tribe’s Indian lands are located. A person must be 21 years of age or older to wager on sports betting. Games and gaming activities authorized under this subsection and conducted pursuant to a gaming compact ratified and approved under subsection (3) do not violate the laws of this state. (14) Notwithstanding any other provision of state law, it is not a crime for a person to participate in the games specified in subsection (13) at a tribal facility operating under the compact entered into pursuant to this section.

F.S. 285.712 Tribal-state gaming compacts.

(1) The Governor is the designated state officer responsible for negotiating and executing, on behalf of the state, tribal-state gaming compacts with federally recognized Indian tribes located within the state pursuant to the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, 18 U.S.C. ss. 1166-1168 and 25 U.S.C. ss. 2701 et seq., for the purpose of authorizing class III gaming, as defined in that act, on Indian lands within the state. (2) Any tribal-state compact relating to gaming activities which is entered into by an Indian tribe in this state and the Governor pursuant to subsection (1) must be conditioned upon ratification by the Legislature. (3) Following completion of negotiations and execution of a compact, the Governor shall submit a copy of the executed tribal-state compact to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as soon as it is executed. To be effective, the compact must be ratified by both houses of the Legislature by a majority vote of the members present. The Governor shall file the executed compact with the Secretary of State pursuant to s. 15.01. (4) Upon receipt of an act ratifying a tribal-state compact, the Secretary of State shall coordinate with the parties to the compact to formally submit a copy of the executed compact and the ratifying act to the United States Secretary of the Interior for his or her review and approval, in accordance with 25 U.S.C. s. 2710(d)(8).
Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter285/AllFetched: 7/8/2026

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