CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1934
Amendment No. 1
CHAMBER ACTION
Senate House
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11 The Committee on Fiscal Policy recommended the following
12 amendment:
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14 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
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19 (8) NATURE-AND-HERITAGE-BASED TOURISM BUSINESS
20 MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM.--The statewide advisory committee on
21 nature-and-heritage-based tourism, as established in section
22 288.1224, Florida Statutes, shall work with Enterprise
23 Florida, Inc., the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic
24 Development, VISIT FLORIDA, the Rural Economic Development
25 Initiative, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
26 Commission, the Division of Recreation and Parks of the
27 Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and other
28 appropriate entities to develop a statewide micro-loan program
29 for the purpose of financing the creation and enhancement of
30 small businesses providing nature-based or heritage-based
31 tourism experiences. Examples include bicycle rentals, canoe
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1934
Amendment No. 1
1 outfitters, and bed-and-breakfast facilities in proximity to
2 natural areas, and eco-tour operators and guides. No later
3 than February 1, 2001, this group shall submit a report to the
4 President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
5 Representatives that provides: the mission and structure of
6 the micro-loan program; guidelines for administering the
7 program; and criteria for and any limitations on loan
8 recipient eligibility and on use of loan funds.
9 (9) EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PILOT PROGRAM.--
10 (a) The Department of Management Services, in
11 consultation with the Department of Education, the regional
12 consortium service organizations, established under section
13 228.0857, Florida Statutes, and institutions of higher
14 education, shall establish a pilot project in a rural school
15 or district that uses wireless or other technologies to
16 provide interactive learning opportunities and Internet
17 access, in order to illustrate ways to increase access to
18 quality educational resources in the state's rural areas. The
19 pilot must include linkages to existing information technology
20 systems in the pilot area, for example, to a public library, a
21 university, or a four-year or community college, county or
22 municipal government, health care facility, or private
23 business network. The purposes of the project are to
24 illustrate ways to increase access to quality educational
25 resources in the state's rural areas, to leverage federal
26 funds available for bridging the "digital divide," to build on
27 existing applications to create community-based networks, and
28 to foster opportunities for innovative distribution of
29 existing funds.
30 (b) The Department of Management Services shall select
31 the rural school or district that will participate in the
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1934
Amendment No. 1
1 pilot project in consultation with the Department of Education
2 and the Florida Distance Learning Network Advisory Council, as
3 described in section 241.003, Florida Statutes. The selection
4 process shall be based on the following criteria:
5 1. Through evaluation of the school improvement plan,
6 demonstration of how the school or district will leverage
7 additional connectivity provided through the pilot project to
8 improve student achievement;
9 2. If the pilot project involves wireless technology,
10 demonstration of the school's or district's ability to
11 effectively deploy wireless technology based on existing
12 infrastructure;
13 3. Demonstration of commitment of the leadership of
14 the school or district to use technology to improve teaching
15 and learning;
16 4. If the pilot project involves wireless technology,
17 potential cost savings or improved access resulting from the
18 use of wireless rather than traditional connectivity
19 technology;
20 5. The ability to use the technology infrastructure in
21 other local government applications within the service area;
22 6. Demonstration of willingness and ability of the
23 community to assume ongoing costs to maintain the pilot
24 project for a minimum 5-year period. Such willingness and
25 ability may be demonstrated through intracommunity agreements
26 or other means; and
27 7. Such other criteria as determined by the agencies.
28 (c) The Department of Management Services, in
29 consultation with the Department of Education and the Florida
30 Distance Learning Network Advisory Council, shall develop
31 performance standards for the pilot project consistent with
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1934
Amendment No. 1
1 the Sunshine State Standards, as described in section 229.57,
2 Florida Statutes, and broader community-based standards as
3 appropriate, and shall evaluate the progress of the pilot
4 project at least annually based on the performance standards.
5 (10) AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION AND PROFITABILITY.--
6 (a) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer
7 Services, in consultation with the University of Florida and
8 the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, shall
9 establish a pilot project aimed at encouraging agricultural
10 diversification throughout the state. The project must do at
11 least one of the following: introduce alternative crops, such
12 as hot peppers, amaranth, or pigeon peas, or alternative
13 growing techniques, for example, greenhouse vegetable
14 production in north Florida or early-season blueberries and
15 peaches; introduce a value-added activity or industry, such as
16 fruit or vegetable processing or packaging into a farming
17 community as a means of increasing the profitability of
18 current farm products for local growers; or focus on
19 aquaculture, such as development of the state's sturgeon
20 industry or the development or expansion of coastal shellfish
21 enterprises. The purpose of the pilot project is to
22 demonstrate alternative crops, techniques, and industries that
23 can enhance the profitability and sustainability of
24 agriculture in Florida. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall,
25 in consultation with the Agricultural Economic Development
26 Project Review Committee as described in section 570.248,
27 Florida Statutes, select the pilot project based on evaluation
28 criteria for agricultural economic development projects
29 delineated in section 570.247, Florida Statutes. The
30 Commissioner of Agriculture shall report annually to the
31 Agricultural Economic Development Project Review Committee on
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1934
Amendment No. 1
1 the progress of the pilot project for the duration of the
2 project based on performance measures developed for the
3 project consistent with sections 570.244, 570.246, and
4 570.247, Florida Statutes.
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8 And the title is amended as follows:
9 On page 1, line 16-21, delete those lines
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12 tourism business micro-loan program; providing
13 for an educational technology pilot program to
14 be established by the Department of Management
15 Services; providing for an agricultural
16 diversification pilot project to be
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