Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 25-44 on Monday, establishing the Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) program to identify and eliminate unnecessary spending, streamline government operations, and promote fiscal responsibility across state and local agencies.
“Florida has set the standard for fiscally conservative governance, and our new Florida DOGE task force will do even more to serve the people of Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “It will eliminate redundant boards and commissions, review state university and college operations and spending, utilize artificial intelligence to further examine state agencies to uncover hidden waste, and even audit the spending habits of local entities to shine the light on waste and bloat.”
The initiative, modeled after the federal DOGE program created under the Trump administration, aims to build on Florida’s strong record of fiscal stewardship while leveraging cutting-edge technology to maximize efficiency.
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In the executive order, DeSantis highlighted Florida’s history of prudent fiscal management, including balancing the state budget, reducing debt, and maintaining a triple-A credit rating. The governor noted that Florida has paid down 41% of its historic tax-supported debt since 2019 and decreased per capita debt by 54% since 2010. Additionally, the state has increased its rainy-day reserves by over $9.4 billion and maintained one of the lowest tax burdens in the nation.
The executive order establishes the following initiatives:
- EO DOGE Team: A dedicated team within the Office of Policy and Budget will oversee the program’s implementation. This team will:
- Identify and report unnecessary spending in county and municipal governments.
- Collaborate with the State University System and Florida College System to eliminate inefficiencies in programs, courses, and staffing.
- Recommend legislative reforms to promote efficiency and productivity.
- Agency DOGE Teams: Each state agency will create its own DOGE team to:
- Use advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence, to identify and eliminate unnecessary spending, programs, and contracts.
- Review federal grant awards and return any funding inconsistent with state policies.
- Recommend administrative or legislative reforms to reduce duplication of services, cut fees, and lower overhead costs.
- Collaboration with Education Systems: The Board of Governors of the State University System and the State Board of Education will work with the EO DOGE Team to identify and eliminate inefficiencies in higher education institutions.
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The executive order builds on the DeSantis administration’s ongoing efforts to streamline government and reduce spending. The Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget saved taxpayers $3.5 billion, while the proposed Fiscal Year 2025−2026 budget aims to save an additional $3 billion.
The proposed budget also eliminates over 740 state government positions and recommends $2.2 billion in tax relief.
The Florida DOGE program mirrors the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) established under President Donald Trump, which focuses on identifying and eliminating wasteful spending across federal agencies. DeSantis emphasized the importance of aligning state and federal efforts to maximize efficiency and protect taxpayer dollars.
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The executive order is effective immediately and will expire on March 31, 2026. Agency DOGE Teams are required to report their progress to the EO DOGE Team on a monthly basis, with legislative recommendations due to the governor and state leaders by September 30, 2025.
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