Florida Senate - 2010 CS for SB 2378
By the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability;
and Senator Altman
585-04242-10 20102378c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to streamlining the issuance of
3 licenses, certifications, and registrations issued by
4 state agencies; providing a short title; providing
5 legislative findings and intent; requiring the
6 Governor to establish the One-Stop Business Workgroup;
7 providing for the membership of the workgroup;
8 authorizing the workgroup to consult with other
9 agencies and use consultants; providing duties of the
10 workgroup; requiring that the workgroup submit a plan
11 for establishing a licensing portal to the Governor
12 and Legislature by a specified date; providing
13 requirements for the plan to implement a technology
14 solution for businesses and individuals to access
15 state business licenses, certifications, and
16 registrations; providing an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. (1) This act may be cited as “Florida’s One-Stop
21 Business Connect Act.”
22 (2) The Legislature finds that:
23 (a) Individuals who start and operate businesses in this
24 state must interact with multiple state agencies to obtain
25 licenses, registrations, and tax certificates needed to legally
26 operate in this state. This process can be time-consuming and
27 frustrating for businesses and often requires business owners to
28 provide similar information to multiple agencies.
29 (b) State-government requirements for starting and
30 operating a business in this state are often cumbersome and
31 place avoidable burdens on business owners. For several years,
32 the Legislature has recognized that these requirements do not
33 serve to promote this state as a business-friendly state that
34 actively supports the growth of jobs, businesses, and economic
35 opportunities.
36 (c) A phased, deliberative, and collaborative approach is
37 necessary to streamline and automate the state’s business
38 processes; to simplify business requirements and eliminate
39 unnecessary business requirements; and to provide a single point
40 of entry for businesses to complete business transactions with
41 the state.
42 (3)(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that by July 1,
43 2012, the state establish an online connection that is easily
44 accessible through the state’s official portal, “MyFlorida.com”
45 and that provides an efficient and effective online, self
46 service method for an individual to access state requirements
47 for starting and operating a business.
48 (b) When the state’s online business licensing connection
49 is available, it is the intent of the Legislature that local
50 governments have the opportunity to make local requirements for
51 starting and operating a business accessible in a similar manner
52 through the state’s official portal, “MyFlorida.com.”
53 (4)(a) The Governor shall establish a One-Stop Business
54 Connect Workgroup composed of, at a minimum, the secretary or
55 agency head, or his or her designee, of the following state
56 agencies:
57 1. The Agency for Health Care Administration.
58 2. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
59 3. The Department of Children and Family Services.
60 4. The Department of Health.
61 5. The Department of State.
62 6. The Department of Revenue.
63 (b) The Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation
64 shall serve as the chair of the workgroup. The workgroup shall
65 be supported by staff from the participating agencies.
66 (c) The workgroup may consult with other agencies
67 throughout the state, including the Agency for Enterprise
68 Information Technology, and those agencies must provide
69 requested assistance to the workgroup.
70 (d) To the extent that funds are available within the
71 participating agencies’ budgets, the workgroup may use the
72 services of consultants.
73 (5)(a) The workgroup shall:
74 1. Compile a complete, categorical inventory of all
75 business licenses, certifications, and registrations required by
76 each participating agency, including information regarding
77 relevant laws and rules.
78 2. Analyze the business licensing, certification, and
79 registration processes for each agency and identify processes
80 that disrupt workflow and result in duplication, waste,
81 unnecessary complexity, and errors, and the root causes of those
82 errors.
83 3. Recommend the standardization and automation of business
84 licensing, certification, and registration processes where
85 appropriate.
86 (b) By December 15, 2010, the workgroup shall submit a plan
87 for establishing the business licensing portal to the Governor,
88 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
89 Representatives which identifies:
90 1. Business requirements and the costs associated with
91 implementation of a technology solution for business and
92 individuals which provides easy access to state business
93 licensing, certification, and registration requirements through
94 MyFlorida.com.
95 2. Clear systemwide objectives, a governance structure,
96 accountability measures, and an opportunity for stakeholders to
97 make suggestions regarding the use of the business licensing
98 portal.
99 3. Issues that need to be addressed before a technology
100 solution is implemented.
101 4. Issues that need to be addressed so that local
102 governments may make local requirements for starting and
103 operating a business accessible through the state’s business
104 licensing portal.
105 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.