TO:           Members of the Press
FROM:    Bryan Griffin, Director of Communications, Governor Ron DeSantis
DATE:     Monday, February 24, 2025
RE:          Executive Order Number 25-44 Ensuring Government Efficiency

Please see below and attached EO-25-44.

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 of Florida has a strong record of responsible 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 

     WHEREAS, 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 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, and all other applicable laws, promulgate the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect: 

          Section 1. There shall be established within the Office of Policy and Budget in the Executive Office of the Governor (EO) an EO DOGE Team.  The EO 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 EO DOGE Team shall report any legislative recommendations to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the President of the 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 EO DOGE Team on a monthly basis until this Executive Order expires. 

          Section 3. The Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida and the State Board of Education shall collaborate with the EO 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 innovative technology 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.