| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to Prosperity Campaigns; creating s. |
| 3 | 445.057, F.S.; establishing the Prosperity Campaign Office |
| 4 | to be administratively housed in Workforce Florida, Inc.; |
| 5 | providing duties of the office; providing for |
| 6 | establishment of the Florida Prosperity Campaign Council; |
| 7 | providing membership and responsibilities; providing for |
| 8 | meetings and reimbursement for per diem and travel |
| 9 | expenses; requiring development of financial literacy |
| 10 | instruction to be included in high school life management |
| 11 | skills coursework; encouraging each Prosperity Campaign to |
| 12 | perform certain activities, including connecting low-wage |
| 13 | workers to economic benefits programs and offering |
| 14 | additional services; providing reporting requirements; |
| 15 | providing for repeal unless reviewed and saved from |
| 16 | repeal; amending s. 1003.43, F.S., relating to general |
| 17 | requirements for high school graduation; requiring |
| 18 | financial literacy instruction to be part of the life |
| 19 | management skills credit requirement; providing an |
| 20 | effective date. |
| 21 |
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| 22 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 23 |
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| 24 | Section 1. Section 445.057, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 25 | to read: |
| 26 | 445.057 Prosperity Campaigns.-- |
| 27 | (1) There is established the Prosperity Campaign Office |
| 28 | which shall be administratively housed in Workforce Florida, |
| 29 | Inc. The office is directed to coordinate established Prosperity |
| 30 | Campaigns in the state, foster the establishment of new |
| 31 | campaigns in designated regional workforce areas and assist in |
| 32 | the development of their programs, coordinate with the Internal |
| 33 | Revenue Service in providing programs for low-wage workers, and |
| 34 | work closely with Prosperity Campaign offices in other states. |
| 35 | (2) The office shall assist the Florida Prosperity |
| 36 | Campaign Council which shall be established and composed of the |
| 37 | following members: |
| 38 | (a) Four individuals each representing a different |
| 39 | Prosperity Campaign in the state, appointed by the Governor. |
| 40 | (b) One member of the Greater Miami Prosperity Campaign. |
| 41 | (c) One member of the Senate appointed by the President of |
| 42 | the Senate. |
| 43 | (d) One member of the House of Representatives appointed |
| 44 | by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. |
| 45 | (e) The Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee. |
| 46 | (f) One representative from the Florida Bankers |
| 47 | Association. |
| 48 | (g) One representative from the Florida Institute of CPAs. |
| 49 | (h) One representative from the Florida Credit Union |
| 50 | League. |
| 51 | (i) The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee. |
| 52 | (j) One representative from the Florida League of Cities. |
| 53 | (k) One representative from the Florida Association of |
| 54 | Counties. |
| 55 | (l) One representative from the Florida Association of |
| 56 | Realtors. |
| 57 | (m) One representative from United Way of Florida. |
| 58 | (n) One representative from Leadership Florida. |
| 59 | (o) One representative from the Florida Chamber of |
| 60 | Commerce. |
| 61 | (p) One representative from a nonprofit or community-based |
| 62 | low-wage worker organization. |
| 63 | (q) One representative from the Florida Jump$tart |
| 64 | Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. |
| 65 | (3) The members of the council shall be appointed to serve |
| 66 | 2-year terms beginning July 1, 2006. A vacancy on the council |
| 67 | shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term in the |
| 68 | same manner as the original appointment. |
| 69 | (4) The council shall meet each quarter of the year or |
| 70 | upon the call of the chair. Annually, at the meeting in the |
| 71 | first quarter, officers consisting of a chair, vice chair, and |
| 72 | secretary shall be elected. Each officer shall serve until a |
| 73 | successor is elected. No officer shall serve more than 2 |
| 74 | consecutive years in the same office. |
| 75 | (5) Members of the council shall serve without |
| 76 | compensation, but shall be reimbursed for per diem and travel |
| 77 | expenses in accordance with s. 112.061. |
| 78 | (6) The council's responsibilities shall include, but not |
| 79 | be limited to: |
| 80 | (a) Assisting in the development of Prosperity Campaigns |
| 81 | throughout the state. |
| 82 | (b) Coordinating with Prosperity Campaigns to assist in |
| 83 | the development of new programs. |
| 84 | (c) Developing implementation plans for new programs using |
| 85 | the best practices of existing and new in-state and out-of-state |
| 86 | Prosperity Campaigns. |
| 87 | (d) Coordinating financial literacy classes or programs |
| 88 | within each Prosperity Campaign. |
| 89 | (e) Working with businesses and agencies to develop a |
| 90 | package of services for citizens participating in Prosperity |
| 91 | Campaigns. |
| 92 | (f) Working with the Department of Education in developing |
| 93 | financial literacy instruction to be part of the life management |
| 94 | skills course pursuant to s. 1003.43. The financial literacy |
| 95 | instruction must focus on the importance of financial |
| 96 | management, savings, investments, credit scores, and other |
| 97 | relevant subjects. Community colleges and state universities are |
| 98 | encouraged to use financial literacy information in student |
| 99 | orientation programs. |
| 100 | (g) Performing other activities deemed necessary by the |
| 101 | council or directed by Workforce Florida, Inc. |
| 102 | (7) Each Prosperity Campaign is encouraged to perform the |
| 103 | following activities, but shall not be limited to such |
| 104 | activities: |
| 105 | (a) Educating citizens about available economic benefits |
| 106 | programs and the importance of wise financial decisionmaking. |
| 107 | (b) Connecting low-wage workers to economic benefits |
| 108 | programs, including, but not limited to, the Earned Income Tax |
| 109 | Credit and the Childcare Tax Credit. |
| 110 | (c) Offering free tax preparation services, economic |
| 111 | benefits screening, and other related services. |
| 112 | (d) Providing information to businesses to enable them to |
| 113 | distribute economic benefits information to current and new |
| 114 | employees. |
| 115 | (e) Performing other activities deemed necessary by the |
| 116 | council. |
| 117 | (8) By June 30, 2007, and annually thereafter, the council |
| 118 | shall report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and |
| 119 | the Speaker of the House of Representatives the effectiveness of |
| 120 | the council, detailing the progress made in establishing new |
| 121 | Prosperity Campaigns, including barriers to establishing new |
| 122 | Prosperity Campaigns, how the barriers were overcome, the |
| 123 | partners involved and their roles, and recommendations for the |
| 124 | future. The report shall also contain information on existing |
| 125 | Prosperity Campaigns, including, but not limited to, |
| 126 | constituents served and funds received. |
| 127 | (9) The provisions of this section shall stand repealed on |
| 128 | July 1, 2010, unless reviewed and saved from repeal through |
| 129 | reenactment by the Legislature. |
| 130 | Section 2. Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section |
| 131 | 1003.43, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 132 | 1003.43 General requirements for high school graduation.-- |
| 133 | (1) Graduation requires successful completion of either a |
| 134 | minimum of 24 academic credits in grades 9 through 12 or an |
| 135 | International Baccalaureate curriculum. The 24 credits shall be |
| 136 | distributed as follows: |
| 137 | (i) One-half credit in life management skills to include |
| 138 | instruction in financial literacy focused on the importance of |
| 139 | financial management, savings, investments, credit scores, and |
| 140 | other relevant subjects; consumer education;, positive emotional |
| 141 | development;, marriage and relationship skill-based education;, |
| 142 | nutrition;, parenting skills;, prevention of human |
| 143 | immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency |
| 144 | syndrome and other sexually transmissible diseases;, benefits of |
| 145 | sexual abstinence and consequences of teenage pregnancy;, |
| 146 | information and instruction on breast cancer detection and |
| 147 | breast self-examination;, cardiopulmonary resuscitation;, drug |
| 148 | education;, and the hazards of smoking. |
| 149 |
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| 150 | District school boards may award a maximum of one-half credit in |
| 151 | social studies and one-half elective credit for student |
| 152 | completion of nonpaid voluntary community or school service |
| 153 | work. Students choosing this option must complete a minimum of |
| 154 | 75 hours of service in order to earn the one-half credit in |
| 155 | either category of instruction. Credit may not be earned for |
| 156 | service provided as a result of court action. District school |
| 157 | boards that approve the award of credit for student volunteer |
| 158 | service shall develop guidelines regarding the award of the |
| 159 | credit, and school principals are responsible for approving |
| 160 | specific volunteer activities. A course designated in the Course |
| 161 | Code Directory as grade 9 through grade 12 that is taken below |
| 162 | the 9th grade may be used to satisfy high school graduation |
| 163 | requirements or Florida Academic Scholars award requirements as |
| 164 | specified in a district school board's student progression plan. |
| 165 | A student shall be granted credit toward meeting the |
| 166 | requirements of this subsection for equivalent courses, as |
| 167 | identified pursuant to s. 1007.271(6), taken through dual |
| 168 | enrollment. |
| 169 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |