Florida Senate - 2015 SB 232
By Senator Hays
11-00437-15 2015232__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Department of Economic
3 Opportunity; creating s. 288.112, F.S.; requiring the
4 department to create a web page accessible through its
5 Internet website that provides certain information;
6 providing the purpose of the web page; requiring the
7 department to collect all local business information
8 available to the department; requiring the department
9 to request the relevant local government to provide
10 any otherwise unavailable information; requiring local
11 governments to provide notice of changes in
12 information collected by the department; authorizing
13 local government entities to provide a summary that
14 includes certain information for the department’s web
15 page; providing an effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Section 288.112, Florida Statutes, is created to
20 read:
21 288.112 Department web page.-
22 (1) The Department of Economic Opportunity shall create a
23 web page, accessible through its Internet website, dedicated
24 solely to the collection and publication of data and information
25 that are relevant and of significance to the creation of new
26 businesses within the state or the expansion of existing
27 businesses within the state. The purpose of the web page is to:
28 (a) Provide a comprehensive overview of conditions that
29 exist within the various cities and counties of the state that
30 are conducive or advantageous to the creation of new businesses
31 or the expansion of existing businesses.
32 (b) Enable prospective employers both within and outside
33 the state to effectively and accurately evaluate the business
34 climate of cities and counties within the state.
35 (c) Provide prospective business owners and operators and
36 cities and counties within the state with immediate access to
37 specific charges and costs related to the establishment,
38 operation, and maintenance of a business in any city or county
39 within the state.
40 (2)(a) The department shall, by January 1, 2016, collect
41 all relevant information from any sources that are reasonably
42 available to the department as to the conditions within cities
43 and counties that impact the creation or expansion of businesses
44 within the boundaries of a city or county. If that information
45 is not reasonably available to the department, the department
46 shall request the otherwise unavailable information from the
47 relevant heads of local government entities.
48 (b) The department shall place all the collected
49 information on its web page as soon as practicable.
50 (c) Business information collected by the department shall
51 not include quality of life considerations. The information
52 collected by the department shall include, as applicable:
53 1. An indication as to whether the city or county, or a
54 portion of the city or county, is designated as or contained
55 within:
56 a. A rural area of critical economic concern.
57 b. A foreign trade zone.
58 c. An enterprise zone.
59 2. Current millage rates for all relevant taxing
60 authorities, school districts, and special districts.
61 3. The rate of any local discretionary sales surtax.
62 4. The rate of any local option food and beverage tax.
63 5. The rate of any local option fuel tax.
64 6. The rate of any local public service tax.
65 7. A complete schedule for local business taxes, the
66 categories for which local business taxes are collected, any
67 cost difference or savings if more than one category of local
68 business tax is required for the same business, and the average
69 length of time for processing the application.
70 8. A complete schedule and explanation of any other fees or
71 taxes that may be imposed by the local government entity that
72 would impact the establishment or expansion of a new business or
73 new business location, and the average length of time for
74 processing an application, including the following:
75 a. Construction licensing fees.
76 b. Impact fees.
77 c. Water and sewer connection fees.
78 d. Stormwater fees and permits, specifically identifying
79 permitting requirements that exceed the requirements of the
80 water management districts.
81 e. Sign ordinance requirements, permits, and fees.
82 f. Tree and landscape ordinances, permits, and fees.
83 g. Local licenses required to perform any construction or
84 specialty trade within the local government entity’s
85 jurisdiction, including the categories of licensure, fees
86 charged, requirements for competency and testing, and average
87 length of time for processing an application.
88 h. A schedule of local fees charged for issuance of
89 building or demolition permits, including the categories of
90 permits and fees charged for each, and the average length of
91 time for reviewing and processing each type of application.
92 i. Local fees charged for any other applications for new
93 developments and the average length of time required for review
94 and processing of each type of application.
95 9. For each of the permits or fees imposed, whether the
96 application and fee information can be obtained from the local
97 government entity’s website.
98 (d) Local government entities shall provide notice to the
99 department of any factor, such as the elimination of, addition
100 of, or change in any items specified in paragraph (c), as soon
101 as practicable.
102 (e) Local government entities may provide to the department
103 a summary of 1,500 words or less which shall be included on the
104 department’s web page, stating the advantages to businesses that
105 exist within the area of the local government entity and
106 including a link to the city’s or county’s website. The summary
107 may include quality of life considerations or other factors
108 that, in the determination of the local government entity,
109 create conditions that are favorable to business creation or
110 expansion.
111 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.