| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to streamlining the issuance of licenses, |
| 3 | certifications, and registrations issued by state |
| 4 | agencies; providing a short title; providing legislative |
| 5 | findings and intent; requiring the Governor to establish |
| 6 | the One-Stop Business Workgroup; providing for the |
| 7 | membership of the workgroup; authorizing the workgroup to |
| 8 | consult with other agencies and use consultants; providing |
| 9 | duties of the workgroup; requiring that the workgroup |
| 10 | submit a plan for establishing a business licensing portal |
| 11 | to the Governor and Legislature by a specified date; |
| 12 | providing requirements for the plan to implement a |
| 13 | technology solution that provides businesses and |
| 14 | individuals with easy access to state and local |
| 15 | requirements for business licenses, certifications, and |
| 16 | registrations; providing an effective date. |
| 17 |
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| 18 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 19 |
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| 20 | Section 1. (1) This act may be cited as "Florida's One- |
| 21 | Stop Business Connect Act." |
| 22 | (2) The Legislature finds that: |
| 23 | (a) Individuals who start and operate businesses in this |
| 24 | state must interact with multiple state agencies to obtain |
| 25 | licenses, registrations, and tax certificates needed to legally |
| 26 | operate in this state. This process can be time-consuming and |
| 27 | frustrating for businesses and often requires business owners to |
| 28 | provide similar information to multiple agencies. |
| 29 | (b) State government requirements for starting and |
| 30 | operating a business in this state are often cumbersome and |
| 31 | place avoidable burdens on business owners. For several years, |
| 32 | the Legislature has recognized that these requirements do not |
| 33 | serve to promote this state as a business-friendly state that |
| 34 | actively supports the growth of jobs, businesses, and economic |
| 35 | opportunities. |
| 36 | (c) A phased, deliberative, and collaborative approach is |
| 37 | necessary to streamline and automate the state's business |
| 38 | processes; to simplify business requirements and eliminate |
| 39 | unnecessary business requirements; and to provide a single point |
| 40 | of entry for businesses to complete business transactions with |
| 41 | the state. |
| 42 | (3)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that by July 1, |
| 43 | 2013, the state establish an online connection that is easily |
| 44 | accessible through the state's official portal, "MyFlorida.com," |
| 45 | and that provides an efficient and effective online, self- |
| 46 | service method for an individual to access state requirements |
| 47 | for starting, licensing, and operating a business. |
| 48 | (b) Once the state's online business licensing connection |
| 49 | is available, it is the intent of the Legislature that local |
| 50 | governments have the opportunity to make accessible in a similar |
| 51 | manner through the state's portal, "MyFlorida.com," local |
| 52 | requirements for starting, licensing, and operating a business. |
| 53 | (4)(a) The Governor shall establish a One-Stop Business |
| 54 | Connect Workgroup composed of, at a minimum, the secretary or |
| 55 | agency head, or his or her designee, of the following state |
| 56 | agencies: |
| 57 | 1. The Agency for Health Care Administration. |
| 58 | 2. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation. |
| 59 | 3. The Department of Children and Family Services. |
| 60 | 4. The Department of Health. |
| 61 | 5. The Department of State. |
| 62 | 6. The Department of Revenue. |
| 63 | (b) The Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation |
| 64 | shall serve as the chair of the workgroup. The workgroup shall |
| 65 | be supported by staff from the participating agencies. |
| 66 | (c) The workgroup may consult with other agencies |
| 67 | throughout the state, including the Agency for Enterprise |
| 68 | Information Technology, and those agencies must provide |
| 69 | requested assistance to the workgroup. |
| 70 | (d) To the extent that funds are available within the |
| 71 | participating agencies' budgets, the workgroup may use the |
| 72 | services of consultants. |
| 73 | (5)(a) The workgroup shall: |
| 74 | 1. Compile a complete, categorical inventory of all |
| 75 | business licenses, certifications, and registrations required by |
| 76 | each participating agency, including information regarding |
| 77 | relevant laws and rules. |
| 78 | 2. Analyze the business licensing, certification, and |
| 79 | registration processes for each agency and identify processes |
| 80 | that disrupt workflow and result in duplication, waste, |
| 81 | unnecessary complexity, and errors and the root causes of those |
| 82 | errors. |
| 83 | 3. Recommend the standardization and automation of |
| 84 | business licensing, certification, and registration processes |
| 85 | where appropriate. |
| 86 | (b) By December 15, 2011, the workgroup shall submit a |
| 87 | plan for establishing the business licensing portal to the |
| 88 | Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the |
| 89 | House of Representatives that identifies: |
| 90 | 1. Business requirements and the costs associated with |
| 91 | implementation of a technology solution for businesses and |
| 92 | individuals that provides easy access to state and local |
| 93 | business licensing, certification, and registration requirements |
| 94 | through MyFlorida.com. |
| 95 | 2. Clear systemwide objectives, a governance structure, |
| 96 | accountability measures, and an opportunity for stakeholders to |
| 97 | make suggestions regarding the use of the business licensing |
| 98 | portal. |
| 99 | 3. Issues that need to be addressed before a technology |
| 100 | solution is implemented. |
| 101 | 4. Issues that need to be addressed to enable local |
| 102 | governments to make accessible through the state's business |
| 103 | licensing portal local requirements for starting, licensing, and |
| 104 | operating a business. |
| 105 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |