The division shall acquire, maintain, preserve, interpret, exhibit, and make available for study objects which have intrinsic historical or archaeological value relating to the history, government, or culture of the state. Such objects may include tangible personal property of historical or archaeological value. Objects acquired under this section belong to the state, and title to such objects is vested in the division.(1) Notwithstanding s. 273.02, the division shall maintain an adequate record of all objects in its custody which have a historical or archaeological value. Once each year, on July 1 or as soon thereafter as practicable, the division shall take a complete inventory of all such objects in its custody the value or cost of which is $1,000 or more and a sample inventory of such objects the value or cost of which is less than $1,000. Each inventory shall be compared with the property record, and all discrepancies shall be traced and reconciled. Objects of historical or archaeological value are not required to be identified by marking or other physical alteration of the objects. (2) The division may arrange for the temporary or permanent loan of any object which has historical or archaeological value in its custody. Such loans shall be for the purpose of assisting historical, archaeological, or other studies; providing objects relating to interpretive exhibits and other educational programs which promote knowledge and appreciation of Florida history and the programs of the division; or assisting the division in carrying out its responsibility to ensure proper curation of the objects.
(3) The division may determine from time to time that an object which is in its custody and which is owned by the state has no further use or value for the research, exhibit, or educational programs of the division, or that such an object will receive more appropriate maintenance and preservation by another agency, institution, or organization, and may loan, exchange, sell, or otherwise transfer ownership and custody of such object to another agency, institution, or organization for the purpose of ensuring the continued maintenance and preservation of such object, or for the purpose of acquiring another object which better serves the interests of the state and is more appropriate for promoting knowledge and appreciation of Florida history and the programs of the division.
(4) For the purpose of the exchange, sale, or other transfer of objects of historical or archaeological value, the division is exempt from chapter 273.
(5) All moneys received from the sale of an object which has historical or archaeological value pursuant to subsection (3) shall be deposited in the Historical Resources Operating Trust Fund and shall be used exclusively for the acquisition of additional historical and archaeological objects or the preservation and maintenance of any such objects in the custody of the division.
(6) The division shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 that prescribe criteria for the inventory and for the loan, exchange, sale, transfer, or other disposal of state-owned objects of historical or archaeological value. (7) Any custodian as defined in s. 273.01(1) who violates any provision of this section or any rule adopted pursuant to this section commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. (8) Notwithstanding any provision of s. 287.022 or s. 287.025(1)(e), the division may enter into contracts to insure museum collections, artifacts, relics, and fine arts to which it holds title. (9) The division may implement a program to administer finds of isolated historic artifacts from state-owned river bottoms whereby the division may transfer ownership of such artifacts to the finder in exchange for information about the artifacts and the circumstances and location of their discovery.
