HB 1309

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to economic recovery from the Deepwater
3	Horizon disaster; amending s. 288.0656, F.S.; designating
4	the Counties of Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa,
5	Santa Rosa, and Walton, and the municipalities within
6	those counties, as a rural area of critical economic
7	concern for purposes of the Rural Economic Development
8	Initiative; providing that the area is a priority
9	assignment, eligible for certain waivers, and exempt from
10	specified requirements; providing appropriations;
11	providing for reserve, release, use, and reversion of
12	appropriated funds; requiring the Office of Tourism,
13	Trade, and Economic Development to contract with Florida's
14	Great Northwest, Inc., to develop and implement an
15	economic development program in the Counties of Bay,
16	Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla,
17	and Walton; providing contract requirements; providing for
18	expiration; providing an effective date.
19
20	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22	Section 1.  Subsections (3) and (4) and paragraph (c) of
23	subsection (6) of section 288.0656, Florida Statutes, are
24	amended, and subsection (9) is added to that section, to read:
25	288.0656  Rural Economic Development Initiative.-
26	(3)  REDI shall be responsible for coordinating and
27	focusing the efforts and resources of state and regional
28	agencies on the problems which affect the fiscal, economic, and
29	community viability of Florida's economically distressed rural
30	communities and rural areas of critical economic concern,
31	working with local governments, community-based organizations,
32	and private organizations that have an interest in the growth
33	and development of these communities to find ways to balance
34	environmental and growth management issues with local needs.
35	(4)  REDI shall review and evaluate the impact of statutes
36	and rules on rural communities and rural areas of critical
37	economic concern and shall work to minimize any adverse impact
38	and undertake outreach and capacity-building efforts.
39	(6)
40	(c)  The REDI representatives shall work with REDI in the
41	review and evaluation of statutes and rules for adverse impact
42	on rural communities and rural areas of critical economic
43	concern and the development of alternative proposals to mitigate
44	that impact.
45	(9)(a)  For purposes of this section, the Counties of Bay,
46	Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton, and
47	the municipalities within those counties, are designated as a
48	rural area of critical economic concern.
49	(b)  The area is a priority assignment for REDI and
50	eligible for waiver of criteria, requirements, or similar
51	provisions of any economic development incentive pursuant to
52	paragraph (7)(a) and is exempt from the requirements of
53	paragraph (7)(b).
54	(c)  This subsection expires on June 30, 2014.
55	Section 2.  (1)  For fiscal years 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and
56	2013-2014, the sum of $10 million per fiscal year in recurring
57	funds from the General Revenue Fund is appropriated to the
58	Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development for the
59	purpose of contracting with Florida's Great Northwest, Inc., to
60	develop and implement an innovative economic development program
61	to promote research and development, commercialization of
62	research, economic diversification, and job creation in the
63	Counties of Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa,
64	Wakulla, and Walton. The funds shall be placed in reserve by the
65	Executive Office of the Governor and may be released as
66	authorized by law or the Legislative Budget Commission. The
67	funds may not be used to pay for the administrative costs of
68	Florida's Great Northwest, Inc. Any funds remaining on June 30,
69	2014, shall revert to the General Revenue Fund.
70	(2)  The contract shall, at a minimum, require Florida's
71	Great Northwest, Inc., to report quarterly to the Office of
72	Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development and to collaborate with
73	educational entities, economic development organizations, local
74	governments, and relevant state agencies to create a program
75	framework and strategy, including specific criteria for the
76	expenditure of funds. The criteria for the expenditure of funds
77	shall, at a minimum, require a funding preference for the
78	Counties of Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa,
79	Wakulla, and Walton, and the municipalities within those
80	counties, which provides for expedited permitting in order to
81	promote research and development, commercialization of research,
82	economic diversification, and job creation within those
83	jurisdictions.
84	(3)  This section expires on June 30, 2014.
85	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

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