HB 7087

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to education law repeals; repealing s.
3	445.049, F.S., relating to the creation of the Digital
4	Divide Council in the Department of Education; repealing
5	s. 817.567, F.S., relating to making false claims of
6	academic degree or title; repealing s. 1001.291, F.S.,
7	which provides for implementation of a pilot project
8	relating to discounted computers and Internet access for
9	low-income students; repealing s. 1004.50, F.S., relating
10	to the Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce; amending
11	ss. 1004.51 and 1004.52, F.S.; conforming provisions to
12	changes made by the act; repealing s. 1004.95, F.S.,
13	relating to adult literacy centers; repealing s. 1004.97,
14	F.S., relating to the Florida Literacy Corps; providing an
15	effective date.
16
17	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19	Section 1.  Section 445.049, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
20	Section 2.  Section 817.567, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
21	Section 3.  Section 1001.291, Florida Statutes, is
22	repealed.
23	Section 4.  Section 1004.50, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
24	Section 5.  Section 1004.51, Florida Statutes, is amended
25	to read:
26	1004.51  Community and Faith-based Organizations
27	Initiative; Community and Library Technology Access
28	Partnership.-
29	(1)  CREATION.-There is created the Community and Faith-
30	based Organizations Initiative which shall be administered by
31	the Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce at Florida
32	Agricultural and Mechanical University and the Community and
33	Library Technology Access Partnership which shall be
34	administered by the Division of Library and Information Services
35	of the Department of State.
36	(2)  INTENT.-The purpose of the initiative is to promote
37	community development in low-income communities through
38	partnerships with not-for-profit community and faith-based
39	organizations. The purpose of the partnership is to encourage
40	public libraries eligible for e-rate discounted
41	telecommunications services to partner with community and faith-
42	based organizations to provide technology access and training to
43	assist other state efforts to close the digital divide.
44	(3)  AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.-
45	(a)  Authorized activities of the initiative.-The Institute
46	on Urban Policy and Commerce at Florida Agricultural and
47	Mechanical University may conduct the following activities as
48	part of the Community and Faith-based Organizations Initiative:
49	1.  Create and operate training programs to enhance the
50	professional skills of individuals in community and faith-based
51	organizations.
52	2.  Create and operate a program to select and place
53	students and recent graduates from business and related
54	professional schools as interns with community and faith-based
55	organizations for a period not to exceed 1 year, and provide
56	stipends for such interns.
57	3.  Organize an annual conference for community and faith-
58	based organizations to discuss and share information on best
59	practices regarding issues relevant to the creation, operation,
60	and sustainability of these organizations.
61	4.  Provide funding for the development of materials for
62	courses on topics in the area of community development, and for
63	research on economic, operational, and policy issues relating to
64	community development.
65	5.  Provide financial assistance to community and faith-
66	based organizations through small grants for partnerships with
67	universities and the operation of programs to build strong
68	communities and future community development leaders. The
69	Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce at Florida Agricultural
70	and Mechanical University shall develop selection criteria for
71	awarding such grants which are based on the goals of the
72	initiative.
73
74	The institute, to the maximum extent possible, shall leverage
75	state funding for the initiative with any federal funding that
76	the institute may receive to support similar community-based
77	activities.
78	(b)  Authorized activities of the partnership.-The Division
79	of Library and Information Services of the Department of State
80	may conduct the following activities as part of the Community
81	and Library Technology Access Partnership:
82	(a)1.  Provide funding for e-rate eligible public libraries
83	to provide technology access and training to community and
84	faith-based organizations. Funding provided under this paragraph
85	subparagraph must be for eligible public libraries in distressed
86	communities in the state. The division shall consult with the
87	Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce to identify such
88	communities and to develop criteria to be used in evaluating
89	funding proposals. The division shall coordinate with the
90	institute to ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, it
91	leverages its the division and the institute leverage their
92	resources under the programs authorized by this section in order
93	to focus efforts on addressing the most distressed communities
94	in the state. The division shall include a representative of the
95	institute on a review team to evaluate funding proposals under
96	this subparagraph.
97	(b)2.  Provide a method of assessment and outcome
98	measurement for e-rate eligible public libraries to assess
99	progress in closing the digital divide and in training for
100	individuals to succeed in the emerging information economy.
101	(4)  ELIGIBILITY.-A community or faith-based organization
102	receiving funding or other assistance under the Community and
103	Faith-based Organizations Initiative or the Community Library
104	Technology Access Partnership must be a nonprofit organization
105	holding a current exemption from federal taxation under s.
106	501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Funding under
107	this section shall not be used for religious or sectarian
108	purposes.
109	Section 6.  Subsections (2), (3), (4), (8), and (9) of
110	section 1004.52, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
111	1004.52  Community computer access grant program.-
112	(2)  Subject to legislative appropriation, there is created
113	the Community High-Technology Investment Partnership (CHIP)
114	program to assist distressed urban communities in securing
115	computers for access by youths between the ages of 5 years and
116	18 years who reside in these communities. The program shall be
117	administered by the Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce at
118	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University pursuant to a
119	performance-based contract with the Division of Library and
120	Information Services of the Department of State. The division
121	shall develop performance measures, standards, and sanctions for
122	the program. Performance measures must include, but are not
123	limited to: the number of youths obtaining access to computers
124	purchased under this program; the number of hours computers are
125	made available to youths; and the number of hours spent by
126	youths on computers purchased under this program for educational
127	purposes. The administrative costs for administration of this
128	program cannot exceed 10 percent of the amount appropriated to
129	the division for the program.
130	(3)(a)  Under this program, neighborhood facilities,
131	through their governing bodies, may apply to the division
132	institute for grants to purchase computers that will be
133	available for use by eligible youths who reside in the immediate
134	vicinity of the neighborhood facility. For purposes of this
135	program, eligible neighborhood facilities include, but are not
136	limited to, facilities operated by:
137	1.  Units of local government, including school districts.
138	2.  Nonprofit, faith-based organizations, including
139	neighborhood churches.
140	3.  Nonprofit civic associations or homeowners'
141	associations.
142	4.  Nonprofit organizations, the missions of which include
143	improving conditions for residents of distressed urban
144	communities.
145
146	To be eligible for funding under this program, a nonprofit
147	organization or association must hold a current exemption from
148	federal taxation under s. 501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal
149	Revenue Code.
150	(b)  Notwithstanding the eligibility of the organizations
151	identified in paragraph (a), the division institute shall give
152	priority consideration for funding under this program to
153	applications submitted by neighborhood churches or by
154	neighborhood-based, nonprofit organizations that have as a
155	principal part of their missions the improvement of conditions
156	for residents of the same neighborhoods in which the
157	organizations are located. The division institute also shall
158	give priority consideration to organizations that demonstrate
159	that they have not been awarded community enhancement or similar
160	community support grants from state or local government on a
161	regular basis in the past. The division institute shall develop
162	weighted criteria to be used in evaluating applications from
163	such churches or organizations. Funding under this section shall
164	not be used for religious or sectarian purposes.
165	(4)  The division institute shall develop guidelines
166	governing the administration of this program and shall establish
167	criteria to be used in evaluating an application for funding. At
168	a minimum, the division institute must find that:
169	(a)  The neighborhood that is to be served by the grant
170	suffers from general economic distress.
171	(b)  Eligible youths who reside in the vicinity of the
172	neighborhood facility have difficulty obtaining access to a
173	library or schools that have sufficient computers.
174	(c)  The neighborhood facility has developed a detailed
175	plan, as required under subsection (5), for:
176	1.  Providing youths who reside in the vicinity of the
177	facility with access to any computer purchased with grant funds,
178	including evening and weekend access when libraries and schools
179	are closed.
180	2.  Promoting the maximum participation of neighborhood
181	youths in use of any computers purchased with grant funds.
182	(8)  Before the division institute may allocate funds for a
183	grant under this program, the division institute and the
184	eligible neighborhood facility must execute a grant agreement
185	that governs the terms and conditions of the grant.
186	(9)  The division institute shall establish minimum
187	requirements governing the specifications and capabilities of
188	any computers purchased with funds awarded under this grant
189	program.
190	Section 7.  Section 1004.95, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
191	Section 8.  Section 1004.97, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
192	Section 9.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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