CS/HB 3

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to children's zones; creating s. 409.147,
3	F.S.; providing legislative findings and intent; providing
4	policy and purpose; providing definitions; providing a
5	process for nominating and selecting a children's zone;
6	providing for the governing body of a county or
7	municipality to adopt a resolution designating a
8	children's zone; specifying contents of the resolution;
9	requiring the governing body to establish a children's
10	zone planning team; providing powers and responsibilities
11	of the planning team; requiring the planning team to
12	designate working groups; specifying focus areas for the
13	working groups; providing for the development of a
14	strategic community plan; providing objectives for each
15	focus area; requiring the governing body to create a
16	corporation not for profit for specified purposes;
17	establishing the Magic City Children's Zone, Inc., pilot
18	project; providing for management by an entity organized
19	as a corporation not for profit; providing geographic
20	boundaries for the zone; providing for designation and
21	appointment of a board of directors; providing for
22	meetings and duties of the board of directors; providing
23	per diem and travel expenses; requiring the board to enter
24	into a contract to develop a business plan; providing for
25	reports to the Legislature; providing for contingent
26	implementation of the zone; providing an effective date.
27
28	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30	Section 1.  Section 409.147, Florida Statutes, is created
31	to read:
32	409.147  Children's zones.--
33	(1)  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.--
34	(a)  The Legislature finds that:
35	1.  There are neighborhoods in the state where the
36	infrastructure and opportunities that middle-class communities
37	take for granted are nonexistent or so marginal that they are
38	ineffective.
39	2.  Children living in these neighborhoods are read to by
40	an adult on a regular basis and attend a prekindergarten
41	education program at a much lower rate than children in other
42	communities. These children experience below-average performance
43	on standardized tests and graduate from high school in fewer
44	numbers. Most of these children are eligible for the free or
45	reduced-price school lunch program.
46	3.  Children in these neighborhoods often suffer from high
47	rates of asthma, a higher risk of lead poisoning, and inadequate
48	health care, and they are routinely exposed to violence and
49	crime.
50	4.  In spite of these obstacles, these neighborhoods are
51	many times home to strong individuals and institutions that are
52	committed to making a difference in the lives of children and
53	their families.
54	(b)  It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to
55	assist disadvantaged areas within the state in creating a
56	community-based service network that develops, coordinates, and
57	provides quality education, accessible health care, youth
58	development programs, opportunities for employment, and safe and
59	affordable housing for children and families living within its
60	boundaries.
61	(2)  POLICY AND PURPOSE.--It is the policy of this state to
62	provide the necessary means to assist local communities, the
63	children and families who live in those communities, and the
64	private sector in creating a sound educational, social, and
65	economic environment. To achieve this objective, the state
66	intends to provide investments sufficient to encourage community
67	partners to commit financial and other resources to severely
68	disadvantaged areas. The purpose of this section is to establish
69	a process that clearly identifies the severely disadvantaged
70	areas and provides guidance for developing a new social service
71	paradigm that systematically coordinates programs that address
72	the critical needs of children and their families and for
73	directing efforts to rebuild the basic infrastructure of the
74	community. The Legislature, therefore, declares the creation of
75	children's zones, through the collaborative efforts of
76	government and the private sector, to be a public purpose.
77	(3)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section, the term:
78	(a)  "Governing body" means the commission or other
79	legislative body charged with governing a county or
80	municipality.
81	(b)  "Ounce" means the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida,
82	Inc.
83	(c)  "Planning team" means a children's zone planning team
84	established under this section.
85	(d)  "Resident" means a person who lives or operates a
86	small community-based business or organization within the
87	boundaries of the children's zone.
88	(4)  CHILDREN'S ZONE NOMINATING PROCESS.--A county or
89	municipality, or a county and one or more municipalities
90	together, may apply to Ounce to designate an area as a
91	children's zone after the governing body:
92	(a)  Adopts a resolution that:
93	1.  Finds that an area exists in such county or
94	municipality, or in the county and one or more municipalities,
95	that chronically exhibits extreme and unacceptable levels of
96	poverty, unemployment, physical deterioration, as well as
97	limited access to quality educational, health care, and social
98	services.
99	2.  Determines that the rehabilitation, conservation, or
100	redevelopment, or a combination thereof, of the area is
101	necessary in the interest of improving the health, wellness,
102	education, living conditions, and livelihoods of the children
103	and families who live in the county or municipality.
104	3.  Determines that the revitalization of the area can
105	occur only if the state and the private sector invest resources
106	to improve infrastructure and the provision of services.
107	(b)  Establishes a children's zone planning team as
108	provided in subsection (5).
109	(c)  Develops and adopts a strategic community plan as
110	provided in subsection (6).
111	(d)  Creates a corporation not for profit as provided in
112	subsection (7).
113	(5)  CHILDREN'S ZONE PLANNING TEAM.--
114	(a)  After the governing body adopts the resolution
115	described in subsection (4), the county or municipality shall
116	establish a children's zone planning team.
117	(b)  The planning team shall include residents and
118	representatives from community-based organizations and other
119	community institutions. At least half of the members of the
120	planning team must be residents.
121	(c)  The planning team shall:
122	1.  Develop a planning process that sets the direction for,
123	builds a commitment to, and develops the capacity to realize the
124	children's zone concept.
125	2.  Develop a vision of what the children's zone will look
126	like when the challenges, problems, and opportunities in the
127	children's zone are successfully addressed.
128	3.  Identify important opportunities, strengths,
129	challenges, and problems in the children's zone.
130	4.  Develop a strategic community plan consisting of goals,
131	objectives, tasks, the designation of responsible parties, the
132	identification of resources needed, timelines for implementation
133	of the plan, and procedures for monitoring outcomes.
134	(d)  The planning team shall designate working groups to
135	specifically address each of the following focus areas:
136	1.  Early development and care of children.
137	2.  Education of children and youth.
138	3.  Health and wellness.
139	4.  Youth support.
140	5.  Parent and guardian support.
141	6.  Adult education, training, and jobs.
142	7.  Community safety.
143	8.  Housing and community development.
144	(6)  CHILDREN'S ZONE STRATEGIC COMMUNITY PLAN.--After the
145	governing body adopts the resolution described in subsection
146	(4), the working groups shall develop objectives and identify
147	strategies for each focus area. The objectives, specified by
148	focus area, for a working group may include, but not be limited
149	to:
150	(a)  Early development and care of children.
151	1.  Providing resources to enable every child to be
152	adequately nurtured during the first 3 years of life.
153	2.  Ensuring that all schools are ready for children and
154	all children are ready for school.
155	3.  Facilitating enrollment in half-day or full-day
156	prekindergarten for all 3-year-old and 4-year-old children.
157	4.  Strengthening parent and guardian relationships with
158	care providers.
159	5.  Providing support and education for families and child
160	care providers.
161	(b)  Education of children and youth.
162	1.  Increasing the level and degree of accountability of
163	persons who are responsible for the development and well-being
164	of all children in the children's zone.
165	2.  Changing the structure and function of schools to
166	increase the quality and amount of time spent on instruction and
167	increase programmatic options and offerings.
168	3.  Creating a safe and respectful environment for student
169	learning.
170	4.  Identifying and supporting points of alignment between
171	the children's zone community plan and the school district's
172	strategic plan.
173	(c)  Health and wellness.
174	1.  Facilitating enrollment of all eligible children in the
175	Florida Kidcare program and providing full access to high-
176	quality drug and alcohol treatment services.
177	2.  Eliminating health disparities between racial and
178	cultural groups, including improving outcomes and increasing
179	interventions.
180	3.  Providing fresh, good quality, affordable, and
181	nutritious food within the children's zone.
182	4.  Providing all children in the children's zone with
183	access to safe structured and unstructured recreation.
184	(d)  Youth support.
185	1.  Increasing the high school graduation rate.
186	2.  Increasing leadership development and employment
187	opportunities for youth.
188	(e)  Parent and guardian support.
189	1.  Increasing parent and adult literacy.
190	2.  Expanding access for parents to critical resources,
191	such as jobs, transportation, day care, and after-school care.
192	3.  Improving the effectiveness of the ways in which
193	support systems communicate and collaborate with parents and the
194	ways in which parents communicate and collaborate with support
195	systems.
196	4.  Making the services of the Healthy Families Florida
197	program available to provide multiyear support to expectant
198	parents and persons caring for infants and toddlers.
199	(f)  Adult education, training, and jobs.
200	1.  Creating job opportunities for adults that lead to
201	career development.
202	2.  Establishing a career and technical school, or a
203	satellite of such a school in the children's zone, which
204	includes a one-stop career center.
205	(g)  Community safety.
206	1.  Providing a safe environment for all children at home,
207	in school, and in the community.
208	2.  Eliminating the economic, political, and social forces
209	that lead to a lack of safety within the family, the community,
210	schools, and institutional structures.
211	3.  Assessing policies and practices, including sentencing,
212	incarceration, detention, and data reporting, in order to reduce
213	youth violence, crime, and recidivism.
214	(h)  Housing and community development.
215	1.  Strengthening the residential real estate market.
216	2.  Building on existing efforts to promote socioeconomic
217	diversity when developing a comprehensive land use strategic
218	plan.
219	3.  Promoting neighborhood beautification strategies.
220	(7)  CHILDREN'S ZONE CORPORATION.--After the governing body
221	adopts the resolution described in subsection (4), the county or
222	municipality shall create a corporation not for profit which
223	shall be registered, incorporated, organized, and operated in
224	compliance with chapter 617. The purpose of the corporation is
225	to facilitate fundraising, to secure broad community ownership
226	of the children's zone, and, if the area selected by the
227	governing body is designated as a children's zone, to:
228	(a)  Begin to transfer responsibility for planning from the
229	planning team to the corporation.
230	(b)  Begin the implementation and governance of the
231	children's zone community plan.
232	(8)  CREATION OF MAGIC CITY CHILDREN'S ZONE, INC., PILOT
233	PROJECT.--
234	(a)  There is created within the Liberty City neighborhood
235	in Miami-Dade County a 10-year pilot project zone that, by
236	November 1, 2008, shall be managed by an entity organized as a
237	corporation not for profit which shall be registered,
238	incorporated, organized, and operated in compliance with chapter
239	617. The corporation shall be known as the Magic City Children's
240	Zone, Inc., and shall be administratively housed within the
241	Belafonte Tacolcy Center. However, Magic City Children's Zone,
242	Inc., is not subject to control, supervision, or direction by
243	the Belafonte Tacolcy Center in any manner. The Legislature
244	determines, however, that public policy dictates that the
245	corporation operate in the most open and accessible manner
246	consistent with its public purpose. Therefore, the Legislature
247	specifically declares that the corporation is subject to chapter
248	119, relating to public records, chapter 286, relating to public
249	meetings and records, and chapter 287, relating to procurement
250	of commodities or contractual services.
251	(b)  This pilot project zone is designed to encompass an
252	area that is large enough to include all of the necessary
253	components of community life, including, but not limited to,
254	schools, places of worship, recreational facilities, commercial
255	areas, and common space, yet small enough to allow programs and
256	services to reach every willing member of the neighborhood.
257	Therefore, the geographic boundaries of the pilot project zone
258	are:
259	1.  Northwest 79th Street to the north;
260	2.  Northwest 36th Street to the south;
261	3.  North Miami Avenue to the east; and
262	4.  Northwest 27th Avenue to the west.
263	(c)1.  The corporation shall be governed by a 15-member
264	board of directors. The board of directors shall consist of the
265	following members:
266	a.  The chief executive officer of the Belafonte Tacolcy
267	Center.
268	b.  The executive director of the Carrie P. Meek
269	Entrepreneurial Education Center, Miami-Dade College.
270	c.  The director of the Parks and Recreation Department of
271	the City of Miami.
272	d.  The director of the Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center.
273	e.  The chief executive officer of the Urban League of
274	Greater Miami.
275	f.  The director of the Liberty City Service Partnership.
276	g.  The regional superintendent of the Miami-Dade County
277	Public Schools.
278	h.  The president of the Student Government Association of
279	Northwestern High School.
280	i.  The president of the Student Government Association of
281	Edison High School.
282	j.  The president of the Parent Teacher Student Association
283	of Northwestern High School.
284	k.  The president of the Parent Teacher Student Association
285	of Edison High School.
286	l.  Four members from the local private business sector, to
287	be appointed by a majority vote of the members designated in
288	sub-subparagraphs a.-k., all of whom must have significant
289	experience in one of the focus areas specified in subsection
290	(6).
291	2.  All members of the board of directors shall be
292	appointed no later than 90 days following the incorporation of
293	the Magic City Children's Zone, Inc., and:
294	a.  Eleven members initially appointed pursuant to this
295	paragraph shall each serve a 4-year term.
296	b.  The remaining initial four appointees shall each serve
297	a 2-year term.
298	c.  Each member appointed thereafter shall serve a 4-year
299	term.
300	d.  A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner in which
301	the original appointment was made, and a member appointed to
302	fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of that term.
303	e.  A member may not serve more than 8 years in consecutive
304	terms.
305	3.  The board of directors shall annually elect a
306	chairperson and a vice chairperson from among the board's
307	members. The members may, by a vote of eight members, remove a
308	member from the position of chairperson or vice chairperson
309	before the expiration of his or her term as chairperson or vice
310	chairperson. His or her successor shall be elected to serve for
311	the balance of the term of the chairperson or vice chairperson
312	who was removed.
313	4.  The board of directors shall meet at least four times
314	each year upon the call of the chairperson, at the request of
315	the vice chairperson, or at the request of a majority of the
316	membership. A majority of the membership constitutes a quorum.
317	The board of directors may take official action by a majority
318	vote of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is
319	present. The board may conduct its meetings through
320	teleconferences or other similar means.
321	5.  A member of the board of directors may be removed by a
322	majority of the membership. Absence from three consecutive
323	meetings results in automatic removal.
324	6.  Each member of the board of directors shall serve
325	without compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for per
326	diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061 while in the
327	performance of his or her duties.
328	7.  The corporation shall create a standing advisory board
329	to assist in any part of its delegated duties. The membership of
330	the standing advisory board shall reflect the expertise
331	necessary for the implementation of the children's zone pilot
332	project.
333	8.  The board of directors has the power and duty to:
334	a.  Adopt articles of incorporation and bylaws necessary to
335	govern its activities.
336	b.  Begin to transfer responsibility for planning from the
337	children's zone planning team to the corporation.
338	c.  Begin the implementation and governance of the
339	children's zone community plan.
340	d.  Enter into a contract with a management consultant who
341	has experience working with social service and educational
342	entities for the purpose of developing a 10-year comprehensive
343	business plan to carry out the provisions of this section.
344	(d)  Magic City Children's Zone, Inc., shall submit an
345	annual report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of
346	the House of Representatives by January 31, 2009, and by January
347	31 of each year thereafter, which shall include a comprehensive
348	and detailed report of its operations, activities, and
349	accomplishments for the prior year as well as its goals for the
350	current year. The initial report shall also include information
351	concerning the status of the development of a business plan.
352	(9)  IMPLEMENTATION.--The implementation of this section is
353	contingent upon a specific appropriation to provide a grant for
354	a 3-year period for the purpose of implementing this section,
355	which includes contracting with a not-for-profit corporation for
356	the development of a business plan and for the evaluation,
357	fiscal management, and oversight of the Magic City Children's
358	Zone, Inc., pilot project.
359	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.