Florida Senate - 2012 CS for SB 1632
By the Committee on Military Affairs, Space, and Domestic
Security; and Senator Dean
583-02789-12 20121632c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to commemoration of the 40th
3 anniversary of the end of the United States’
4 involvement in the Vietnam War; amending s. 683.01,
5 F.S.; designating March 25, 2013, the 40th anniversary
6 of the end of the United States’ involvement in the
7 Vietnam War, as a legal holiday; creating s. 683.025,
8 F.S.; designating a date for the observance of the
9 anniversary; specifying purpose of the observance;
10 creating s. 292.075, F.S.; requiring the Department of
11 Veterans’ Affairs to collaborate with Florida’s
12 veterans’ organizations and their local posts and
13 chapters to administratively promote and support the
14 efforts of counties, municipalities, and veterans’
15 organizations that voluntarily hold special community
16 events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the end
17 of the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War;
18 providing for creation of a separate account within
19 the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund of the
20 Department of Veterans’ Affairs for the deposit of
21 private donations to fund grants to counties,
22 municipalities, and veterans’ organizations that
23 voluntarily hold activities in support of such
24 commemoration; providing for maintenance of the
25 account for a limited period; providing for transfer
26 of unused funds in the account after a specified date;
27 providing for the creation of a special volunteer
28 advisory board to the department for the purpose of
29 reviewing and making recommendations with respect to
30 activities and expenditures of private funds raised in
31 support of such commemoration; amending ss. 320.08056
32 and 320.08058, F.S.; creating the Vietnam Veterans
33 license plate; establishing an annual use fee for the
34 plate; providing for the distribution of use fees
35 received from the sale of such plates; providing an
36 effective date.
37
38 WHEREAS, March 30, 2013, marks the 40th anniversary of the
39 end of United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, and
40 WHEREAS, because March 30, 2013, falls during Easter
41 weekend, March 25, 2013, has been designated as the date on
42 which the 40th anniversary of the end of the United States’
43 involvement in the Vietnam War is to be commemorated in the
44 State of Florida, and
45 WHEREAS, it is the intent of this act to provide
46 legislative direction and support for recognition of the
47 importance of this event and to ensure the appropriate
48 commemoration of this anniversary and proper demonstration of
49 appreciation for the honorable service and tremendous sacrifice
50 of veterans who served in the United States Armed Services
51 during the Vietnam Era, NOW, THEREFORE,
52
53 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
54
55 Section 1. Paragraph (v) is added to subsection (1) of
56 section 683.01, Florida Statutes, to read:
57 683.01 Legal holidays.—
58 (1) The legal holidays, which are also public holidays, are
59 the following:
60 (v) The 40th anniversary of the end of United States’
61 involvement in the Vietnam War, March 25, 2013.
62 Section 2. Section 683.025, Florida Statutes, is created to
63 read:
64 683.025 Commemoration of 40th anniversary of end of United
65 States’ involvement in Vietnam War.—In recognition of the
66 historical significance of the 40th anniversary of the end of
67 United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War, March 25, 2013,
68 shall be observed as the 40th anniversary of the end of United
69 States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. The day shall be
70 suitably observed for the purpose of providing opportunities
71 throughout the state to demonstrate and express appreciation for
72 the honorable service and sacrifice of veterans who served in
73 the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam Era and shall
74 otherwise be suitably observed by such public exercises in the
75 State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor may designate.
76 Section 3. Section 292.075, Florida Statutes, is created to
77 read:
78 292.075 Commemoration of 40th anniversary of the end of
79 United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War.—
80 (1) The department shall collaborate with Florida’s
81 veterans’ organizations and their local posts and chapters to
82 administratively promote and support the efforts of counties,
83 municipalities, and bona fide veterans’ organizations that
84 voluntarily hold special community events commemorating the 40th
85 anniversary of the end of the United States’ involvement in the
86 Vietnam War on March 25, 2013, as provided in s. 683.025. Such
87 events shall include, but are not limited to, parades or
88 ceremonies held on or about that date.
89 (2) The Florida Veterans’ Foundation created under s.
90 292.055 shall:
91 (a) Establish a separate account within the Operations and
92 Maintenance Trust Fund of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
93 designated as the Vietnam War Commemoration Fund for the purpose
94 of receiving private donations through June 30, 2013, to fund
95 grants to counties, municipalities, and bona fide veterans’
96 organizations that voluntarily hold commemorative activities
97 contemplated by this section and s. 683.025. The Vietnam War
98 Commemoration Fund shall be maintained through June 30, 2013.
99 Any unused funds remaining in the account after June 30, 2013,
100 shall be transferred to the Operations and Maintenance Trust
101 Fund of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
102 (b) Create a special volunteer advisory board, consisting
103 of Vietnam veterans who are residents of the state, for the
104 purpose of reviewing and making recommendations with respect to
105 the activities contemplated by this section and s. 683.025 and
106 major expenditures of private funds raised in support thereof.
107 Section 4. Paragraph (aaaa) is added to subsection (4) of
108 section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read:
109 320.08056 Specialty license plates.—
110 (4) The following license plate annual use fees shall be
111 collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:
112 (aaaa) Vietnam Veterans license plate, $25.
113 Section 5. Subsection (79) is added to section 320.08058,
114 Florida Statutes, to read:
115 320.08058 Specialty license plates.—
116 (79) VIETNAM VETERANS LICENSE PLATE.—
117 (a) Notwithstanding s. 45 of chapter 2008-176, Laws of
118 Florida, as amended by s. 21 of chapter 2010-223, Laws of
119 Florida, the department shall develop a Vietnam Veterans license
120 plate as provided in this section. Vietnam Veterans license
121 plates must bear the colors and design approved by the
122 department. The word “Florida” must appear at the top of the
123 plate, and the words “Vietnam Veterans” must appear at the
124 bottom of the plate.
125 (b) The license plate annual use fees generated through
126 June 30, 2013, must be deposited in the separate account within
127 the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund of the Department of
128 Veterans’ Affairs designated as the Vietnam War Commemoration
129 Fund, established under s. 292.075(2). All such moneys are to be
130 administered by the direct-support organization of the
131 Department of Veterans’ Affairs created under s. 292.055, the
132 Florida Veterans’ Foundation, and must be used solely for the
133 purposes of:
134 1. Funding grants to counties, municipalities, and bona
135 fide veterans’ organizations for activities related to the
136 commemoration on March 25, 2013, of the 40th anniversary of the
137 end of United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War; and
138 2. The promotion and marketing of the license plate,
139 subject to the requirements of chapter 216.
140 (c) Funds generated by the sale of the Vietnam Veterans’
141 license plate after June 30, 2013, shall be deposited into the
142 Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund of the Department of
143 Veterans’ Affairs.
144 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.