215.44 Board of Administration; powers and duties in relation to investment of trust funds.
215.44 Board of Administration; powers and duties in relation to investment of trust funds.
(1) Except when otherwise specifically provided by the State Constitution and subject to any limitations of the trust agreement relating to a trust fund, the Board of Administration, sometimes referred to in this chapter as “board” or “Trustees of the State Board of Administration,” composed of the Governor as chair, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Attorney General, shall invest all the funds in the System Trust Fund, as defined in s. 121.021(36), and all other funds specifically required by law to be invested by the board pursuant to ss. 215.44-215.53 to the fullest extent that is consistent with the cash requirements, trust agreement, and investment objectives of the fund. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the State Board of Administration may invest any funds of any state agency, any state university or college, any unit of local government, or any direct-support organization thereof pursuant to the terms of a trust agreement with the head of the state agency or the governing body of the state university or college, unit of local government, or direct-support organization thereof, or pursuant to the enrollment requirements stated in s. 218.407, and may invest such funds in the Local Government Surplus Funds Trust Fund created by s. 218.405. The board shall approve the undertaking of investments subject to a trust agreement before execution of such trust agreement by the State Board of Administration. The funds and the earnings therefrom are exempt from the service charge imposed by s. 215.20. As used in this subsection, the term “state agency” has the same meaning as that provided in s. 216.011, and the terms “governing body” and “unit of local government” have the same meaning as that provided in s. 218.403.
(2)(a) The board shall have the power to make purchases, sales, exchanges, investments, and reinvestments for and on behalf of the funds referred to in subsection (1), and it shall be the duty of the board to see that moneys invested under the provisions of ss. 215.44-215.53 are at all times handled in the best interests of the state.
(b) In exercising investment authority pursuant to s. 215.47, the board may retain investment advisers or managers, or both, external to in-house staff, to assist the board in carrying out the power specified in paragraph (a).
(c) The board shall create an audit committee to assist the board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. The committee shall consist of three members appointed by the board. Members shall be appointed for 4-year terms. A vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. The committee shall annually elect a chair and vice chair from its membership. A member may not be elected to consecutive terms as chair or vice chair. Persons appointed to the audit committee must have relevant knowledge and expertise as determined by the board. The audit committee shall serve as an independent and objective party to monitor processes for financial reporting, internal controls and risk assessment, audit processes, and compliance with laws, rules, and regulations. The audit committee shall direct the efforts of the board’s independent external auditors and the board’s internal audit staff. The committee shall periodically, but not less than quarterly, report to the board and the executive director of the board.
(d) The board shall produce a set of financial statements for the Florida Retirement System on an annual basis, which shall be reported to the Legislature and audited by a commercial independent third-party audit firm.
(e) The board shall meet at least quarterly and shall receive reports from the audit committee, the investment advisory committee, the inspector general, the general counsel, the executive director, and such other persons or entities as the board may require about the financial status, operations, and investment activities of the board.
(3) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, all investments made by the State Board of Administration pursuant to ss. 215.44-215.53 shall be subject to the restrictions and limitations contained in s. 215.47.
(4) The board shall prepare and approve an operating budget each fiscal year consistent with the provisions of chapter 216. The approved operating budget shall be submitted to the legislative appropriation committees and the Executive Office of the Governor prior to July 1 of each year.
(5) On or before January 1 of each year, the board shall provide to the Legislature a report including the following items for each fund which, by law, has been entrusted to the board for investment:
(a) A schedule of the annual beginning and ending asset values and changes and sources of changes in the asset value of:
1. Each fund managed by the board; and
2. Each asset class and portfolio within the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund.
(b) A description of the investment policy for each fund, and changes in investment policy for each fund since the previous annual report.
(c) A description of compliance with investment strategy for each fund.
(d) A description of the risks inherent in investing in financial instruments of the major asset classes held in the fund.
(e) A summary of the type and amount of technology and growth investments held by each fund.
(f) Other information deemed of interest by the executive director of the board.
(6) The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall examine the board’s management of investments every 2 years. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall submit such reports to the board, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and their designees.
(7) Investment and debt purchasing procedures and contracts of funds held in trust by the State Board of Administration, whether directly or incidentally related to the investment or debt transactions, are exempt from the provisions of chapter 287.
(8)(a) In order to effectively and efficiently administer the real estate investment program of the State Board of Administration, the Legislature finds a public necessity in protecting specified records of the board. Accordingly, records and information relating to acquiring, hypothecating, or disposing of real property or related personal property or mortgage interests in same, as well as interest in collective real estate investment funds, publicly traded securities, or private placement investments, are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) in order to protect proprietary information requisite to the board’s ability to transact arms length negotiations necessary to successfully compete in the real estate investment market. All reports and documents relating to value, offers, counteroffers, or negotiations are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) until closing is complete and all funds have been disbursed. Reports and documents relating to tenants, leases, contracts, rent rolls, and negotiations in progress are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) until the executive director determines that releasing such information would not be detrimental to the interests of the board and would not cause a conflict with the fiduciary responsibilities of the State Board of Administration.
(b) In order to effectively and efficiently administer the investment programs of the board, the Legislature finds a public necessity in protecting records other than those described in paragraph (a). Accordingly, records and other information relating to investments made by the board pursuant to its constitutional and statutory investment duties and responsibilities are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) until 30 days after completion of an investment transaction. However, if in the opinion of the executive director of the board it would be detrimental to the financial interests of the board or would cause a conflict with the fiduciary responsibilities of the board, information concerning service provider fees may be maintained as confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) until 6 months after negotiations relating to such fees have been terminated. This exemption prevents the use of confidential internal investment decisions of the State Board of Administration for improper personal gain.
(c)1. As used in this paragraph, the term:
a. “Alternative investment” means an investment by the State Board of Administration in a private equity fund, venture fund, hedge fund, or distress fund or a direct investment in a portfolio company through an investment manager.
b. “Alternative investment vehicle” means the limited partnership, limited liability company, or similar legal structure or investment manager through which the State Board of Administration invests in a portfolio company.
c. “Portfolio company” means a corporation or other issuer, any of whose securities are owned by an alternative investment vehicle or the State Board of Administration and any subsidiary of such corporation or other issuer.
d. “Portfolio positions” means individual investments in portfolio companies which are made by the alternative investment vehicles, including information or specific investment terms associated with any portfolio company investment.
e. “Proprietor” means an alternative investment vehicle, a portfolio company in which the alternative investment vehicle is invested, or an outside consultant, including the respective authorized officers, employees, agents, or successors in interest, which controls or owns information provided to the State Board of Administration.
f. “Proprietary confidential business information” means information that has been designated by the proprietor when provided to the State Board of Administration as information that is owned or controlled by a proprietor; that is intended to be and is treated by the proprietor as private, the disclosure of which would harm the business operations of the proprietor and has not been intentionally disclosed by the proprietor unless pursuant to a private agreement that provides that the information will not be released to the public except as required by law or legal process, or pursuant to law or an order of a court or administrative body; and that concerns:
(I) Trade secrets as defined in s. 688.002.
(II) Information provided to the State Board of Administration regarding a prospective investment in a private equity fund, venture fund, hedge fund, distress fund, or portfolio company which is proprietary to the provider of the information.
(III) Financial statements and auditor reports of an alternative investment vehicle.
(IV) Meeting materials of an alternative investment vehicle relating to financial, operating, or marketing information of the alternative investment vehicle.
(V) Information regarding the portfolio positions in which the alternative investment vehicles invest.
(VI) Capital call and distribution notices to investors of an alternative investment vehicle.
(VII) Alternative investment agreements and related records.
(VIII) Information concerning investors, other than the State Board of Administration, in an alternative investment vehicle.
g. “Proprietary confidential business information” does not include:
(I) The name, address, and vintage year of an alternative investment vehicle and the identity of the principals involved in the management of the alternative investment vehicle.
(II) The dollar amount of the commitment made by the State Board of Administration to each alternative investment vehicle since inception.
(III) The dollar amount and date of cash contributions made by the State Board of Administration to each alternative investment vehicle since inception.
(IV) The dollar amount, on a fiscal-year-end basis, of cash distributions received by the State Board of Administration from each alternative investment vehicle.
(V) The dollar amount, on a fiscal-year-end basis, of cash distributions received by the State Board of Administration plus the remaining value of alternative-vehicle assets that are attributable to the State Board of Administration’s investment in each alternative investment vehicle.
(VI) The net internal rate of return of each alternative investment vehicle since inception.
(VII) The investment multiple of each alternative investment vehicle since inception.
(VIII) The dollar amount of the total management fees and costs paid on an annual fiscal-year-end basis by the State Board of Administration to each alternative investment vehicle.
(IX) The dollar amount of cash profit received by the State Board of Administration from each alternative investment vehicle on a fiscal-year-end basis.
2. Proprietary confidential business information held by the State Board of Administration regarding alternative investments is confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution for 10 years after the termination of the alternative investment. This exemption applies to proprietary confidential business information held by the State Board of Administration before, on, or after October 1, 2006.
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph 2., a request to inspect or copy a record under s. 119.07(1) which contains proprietary confidential business information shall be granted if the proprietor of the information fails, within a reasonable period of time after the request is received by the State Board of Administration, to verify the following to the State Board of Administration through a written declaration in the manner provided by s. 92.525:
a. That the requested record contains proprietary confidential business information and the specific location of such information within the record;
b. If the proprietary confidential business information is a trade secret, a verification that it is a trade secret as defined in s. 688.002;
c. That the proprietary confidential business information is intended to be and is treated by the proprietor as private, is the subject of efforts of the proprietor to maintain its privacy, and is not readily ascertainable or publicly available from any other source; and
d. That the disclosure of the proprietary confidential business information to the public would harm the business operations of the proprietor.
4. Any person may petition a court of competent jurisdiction for an order for the public release of those portions of any record made confidential and exempt by subparagraph 2. Any action under this subparagraph must be brought in Leon County, Florida, and the petition or other initial pleading shall be served on the State Board of Administration and, if determinable upon diligent inquiry, on the proprietor of the information sought to be released. In any order for the public release of a record under this subparagraph, the court shall make a finding that the record or portion thereof is not a trade secret as defined in s. 688.002, that a compelling public interest is served by the release of the record or portions thereof which exceed the public necessity for maintaining the confidentiality of such record, and that the release of the record will not cause damage to or adversely affect the interests of the proprietor of the released information, other private persons or business entities, the State Board of Administration, or any trust fund, the assets of which are invested by the State Board of Administration.
5. This paragraph is subject to the Open Government Sunset Review Act in accordance with s. 119.15 and shall stand repealed on October 2, 2011, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
(9) In connection with any investment pursuant to s. 215.47, the State Board of Administration may enter into an indemnification agreement provided that, under any such agreement, the liability of the State Board of Administration is limited to the amount of its investment and the State Board of Administration is not obligated to indemnify against loss caused by the negligence or fault of the person seeking indemnification.
History. ss. 1, 2, ch. 57-353; ss. 1, 10, ch. 67-354; s. 46, ch. 71-355; s. 1, ch. 77-270; s. 97, ch. 79-190; s. 2, ch. 81-295; ss. 1, 2, ch. 83-270; s. 3, ch. 83-332; s. 7, ch. 83-339; s. 52, ch. 86-152; s. 1, ch. 86-236; s. 1, ch. 89-299; s. 25, ch. 91-244; s. 4, ch. 93-162; s. 1150, ch. 95-147; s. 4, ch. 96-177; s. 70, ch. 96-406; s. 1, ch. 98-47; s. 54, ch. 2001-266; s. 9, ch. 2003-6; s. 1, ch. 2006-163; s. 2, ch. 2008-31; s. 6, ch. 2010-180.