State aid to counties, municipalities, and districts for arthropod control; distribution priorities and limitations.

(1) A county, municipality, or district may, without contributing matching funds, receive state funds, supplies, services, or equipment in an amount of no more than $75,000 per year for up to 3 years for any new program for the control of mosquitoes and other arthropods which serves an area not previously served by the county, municipality, or district. These funds may be expended for any and all types of control measures approved by the department.

(2) Every county, municipality, or district budgeting local funds to be used exclusively for the control of mosquitoes and other arthropods, under a plan submitted by the county, municipality, or district and approved by the department, is eligible to receive state funds and supplies, services, and equipment on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis to the amount of local funds budgeted. If state funds appropriated by the Legislature are insufficient to grant each county, municipality, or district state funds on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis to the amount budgeted in local funds, the department must distribute the funds as prescribed by rule. Such rules must provide for up to 80 percent of the funds to be distributed to programs with local funds for mosquito control budgets of less than $1 million, if the county, municipality, or district meets the eligibility requirements. The funds must be distributed as equally as possible within the category of counties pursuant to this section. The remaining funds must be distributed as prescribed by rule among the remaining counties to support mosquito control and to support research, education, and outreach.

(3) Every county shall be limited to receive a total of $120,000 of state funds, exclusive of state funds brought forward, during any one year.

(4) Up to 20 percent of the annual funds appropriated to local governments for arthropod control may be used for arthropod control research or demonstration projects as approved by the department.

(5) If more than one program exists in a county or municipality, the funds must be prorated between the programs based on the population served by each program.

(6) The Commissioner of Agriculture may exempt counties, municipalities, or districts from the requirements in subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (3) when the department determines state funds, supplies, services, or equipment are necessary for the immediate control of mosquitoes and other arthropods that pose a threat to human or animal health.

(7) The department may use state funds appropriated for a county, municipality, or district under subsection (1) or subsection (2) to provide state mosquito or other arthropod control equipment, supplies, or services when requested by a county, municipality, or district eligible to receive state funds under s. 388.271.

(8) The department is authorized to use up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated annually by the Legislature under this section to provide technical assistance to the counties, municipalities, or districts, or to purchase equipment, supplies, or services necessary to administer the provisions of this chapter.