Senate Bill 0704c1
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Florida Senate - 2000 CS for SB 704
By the Committee on Natural Resources and Senator Kurth
312-1752-00
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to marine biotechnology
3 research and industry development; establishing
4 the Florida Marine Biotechnology Research and
5 Development Program; providing for program
6 focus; providing legislative intent; providing
7 long-term goals; requiring the adoption of
8 rules; providing an appropriation; providing an
9 effective date.
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11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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13 Section 1. There is established a Florida Marine
14 Biotechnology Research and Development Program. The program
15 will establish partnerships among research scientists in
16 Florida universities and research laboratories and the marine
17 biotechnology industry for the purpose of promoting commerce,
18 creating jobs, and benefiting from potential commercial
19 opportunities in the state. The Director of the Florida Marine
20 Research Institute and the Director of the Florida Sea Grant
21 College Program will jointly administer the program with input
22 from a steering committee appointed by both directors. The
23 steering committee shall have a member from each of the
24 following: the University of Florida, Florida Atlantic
25 University, Florida State University, the University of South
26 Florida, the University of Miami, the Harbor Branch
27 Oceanographic Institution, Mote Marine Laboratory, the Florida
28 Marine Research Institute, and BIO+Florida. The steering
29 committee shall determine research priorities that will be
30 used in requesting project proposals that are selected and
31 funded using funds as provided in this act. The Florida Marine
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 CS for SB 704
312-1752-00
1 Research Institute and the Florida Sea Grant College Program
2 shall make a joint report to the Legislature on program
3 progress by July 1 of each year that the program is being
4 funded.
5 Section 2. The Florida Marine Biotechnology Research
6 and Development Program shall focus in the following areas:
7 (1) Aquaculture;
8 (2) Marine animal health;
9 (3) Marine natural products;
10 (4) Biofilm/bioadhesion;
11 (5) Bioremediation; and
12 (6) Marine ecology.
13 Section 3. Funds appropriated for this program must be
14 awarded to projects based on competition as determined by a
15 scientific peer review process, which may include the advice
16 of a nationwide panel of experts. Review criteria will include
17 project rationale, scientific merit, potential applications,
18 industrial sponsorship, and investigator qualifications. All
19 universities, public research laboratories, and private
20 nonprofit research laboratories in the state are eligible to
21 compete for funding based on the submission of proposals and
22 selection by the competitive process. There is appropriated
23 from the General Revenue Fund to the Florida Marine Research
24 Institute for fiscal year 2000-2001 a sum of $2,000,000 for
25 the first year of the program. The intent of the Legislature
26 is that the program continue for a total of 5 years, with an
27 annual appropriation each year. Projects started using funds
28 under this act will require that the annual appropriations be
29 spent over a 30-month period. The Florida Marine Research
30 Institute and the Florida Sea Grant College Program will
31 disburse all funds on a competitive basis. Projects funded
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 CS for SB 704
312-1752-00
1 within the Florida Marine Research Institute shall receive
2 funds directly from the institute from this appropriation.
3 Funds awarded to universities and private nonprofit research
4 laboratories will be transferred by the Florida Marine
5 Research Institute by contract through the Florida Sea Grant
6 College Program. All projects should promote public and
7 private partnerships when possible. No more than $25,000 each
8 may be used by the Florida Marine Research Institute and the
9 Florida Sea Grant College Program for technical administration
10 of this program. Up to $16,000 may be used by the Florida Sea
11 Grant College Program for the expenses of the peer review and
12 technical panel expenses.
13 Section 4. The long-term goal of the program is the
14 creation of products and processes that will advance the
15 marine biotechnology industry in the state. This industry will
16 create new, clean, high technology businesses, will provide
17 high paying jobs, and will create training opportunities that
18 will keep Florida-trained students in the state.
19 Section 5. Contractual services procured under this
20 act are not subject to section 287.057, Florida Statutes.
21 Section 6. The Fish and Wildlife Conservation
22 Commission shall develop rules to implement this act. The
23 rules, at a minimum, shall address the solicitation of
24 proposals, award of grants, monitoring of grants, and dispute
25 resolution.
26 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 CS for SB 704
312-1752-00
1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 Senate Bill 0704
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4 The committee substitute adds the University of Miami to the
steering committee that will determine research priorities for
5 the program.
6 The bill now requires the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission to adopt rules to implement the act. The rules, at
7 a minimum, must address the solicitation of proposals, award
of grants, monitoring of grants, and dispute resolution.
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