House Bill hb1343

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1343

        By Representative Stansel






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Small County Technical

  3         Assistance Program; amending s. 163.05, F.S.;

  4         revising legislative findings; providing

  5         criteria for contracts between the Department

  6         of Agriculture and Consumer Services and

  7         program providers; deleting responsibilities of

  8         the Comptroller and the Legislative Committee

  9         on Intergovernmental Relations; authorizing the

10         department to award contracts to provide

11         assistance to small counties; requiring the

12         department to provide fiscal oversight;

13         requiring a report to the Governor, the

14         Legislature, and the department; providing an

15         effective date.

16

17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

18

19         Section 1.  Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (1)

20  and subsections (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), and (9) of section

21  163.05, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

22         163.05  Small County Technical Assistance Program.--

23         (1)  Among small counties, the Legislature finds that:

24         (a)  The percentage of the population of small counties

25  residing in the unincorporated areas is relatively high

26  according to the United States Decennial Census of 2000 and

27  increased substantially between 1980 and 1990.

28         (c)  Fiscal shortfalls persist even though 12 13 of the

29  small counties levied the maximum ad valorem millage

30  authorized in their jurisdictions in 2001 1990 and an

31  additional 15 13 small counties levied between 8 and 10 mills.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1343

    712-135-02






  1         (4)  The Department of Agriculture and Consumer

  2  Services Comptroller shall enter into contracts with program

  3  providers who shall:

  4         (a)  Be a foundation that meets the requirements for

  5  nonprofit status under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue

  6  Code with a governing board which includes in its membership

  7  county commissioners and professional staff of the county

  8  public agency or private, nonprofit corporation, association,

  9  or entity.

10         (b)  Have substantial, documented experience working

11  directly with and providing educational and technical

12  assistance to county governments.

13         (c)(b)  Use existing resources, services, and

14  information that are available from state or local agencies,

15  universities, or the private sector.

16         (d)(c)  Seek and accept funding from any public or

17  private source.

18         (e)(d)  Annually submit information to assist the

19  Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations in

20  preparing a performance review that will include an analysis

21  of the effectiveness of the program.

22         (f)(e)  Assist small counties in developing alternative

23  revenue sources.

24         (g)(f)  Provide assistance to small counties in the

25  areas such as of financial management, accounting, investing,

26  purchasing, planning and budgeting, debt issuance, public

27  management, management systems, computers and information

28  technology, economic and community development, and public

29  safety management.

30         (h)(g)  Provide for an annual independent financial

31  audit of the program.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1343

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  1         (i)(h)  In each county served, conduct a needs

  2  assessment upon which the assistance provided for that county

  3  will be designed.

  4         (5)(a)  The Comptroller shall issue a request for

  5  proposals to provide assistance to small counties. At the

  6  request of the Comptroller, the Legislative Committee on

  7  Intergovernmental Relations shall assist in the preparation of

  8  the request for proposals.

  9         (b)  The Comptroller shall review each contract

10  proposal submitted.

11         (c)  The Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental

12  Relations shall review each contract proposal and submit to

13  the Comptroller, in writing, advisory comments and

14  recommendations, citing with specificity the reasons for its

15  recommendations.

16         (d)  The Comptroller and the council shall consider the

17  following factors in reviewing contract proposals:

18         1.  The demonstrated capacity of the provider to

19  conduct needs assessments and implement the program as

20  proposed.

21         2.  The number of small counties to be served under the

22  proposal.

23         3.  The cost of the program as specified in a proposed

24  budget.

25         4.  The short-term and long-term benefits of the

26  assistance to small counties.

27         5.  The form and extent to which existing resources,

28  services, and information that are available from state and

29  local agencies, universities, and the private sector will be

30  used by the provider under the contract.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1343

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  1         (5)(6)  A decision of the Department of Agriculture and

  2  Consumer Services Comptroller to award a contract under this

  3  section is final and shall be in writing with a copy provided

  4  to the Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations.

  5         (7)  The Comptroller may enter into contracts and

  6  agreements with other state and local agencies and with any

  7  person, association, corporation, or entity other than the

  8  program providers, for the purpose of administering this

  9  section.

10         (6)(8)  The Department of Agriculture and Consumer

11  Services Comptroller shall provide fiscal oversight to ensure

12  that funds expended for the program are used in accordance

13  with the contracts entered into pursuant to subsection (4).

14         (7)(9)  The Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental

15  Relations shall annually conduct a performance review of the

16  program. The findings of the review shall be presented in a

17  report submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate,

18  the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the

19  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Comptroller by

20  January 15 of each year.

21         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

22

23            *****************************************

24                          HOUSE SUMMARY

25
      Revises provisions relating to the Small County Technical
26    Assistance Program. Revises legislative findings.
      Provides criteria for contracts between the Department of
27    Agriculture and Consumer Services and program providers.
      Deletes responsibilities of the Comptroller and the
28    Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations.
      Authorizes the department to award contracts to provide
29    assistance to small counties. Requires the department to
      provide fiscal oversight. Requires a report to the
30    Governor, Legislature, and department.

31

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