Florida Senate - 2019                                    SB 1552
       
       
        
       By Senator Gruters
       
       
       
       
       
       23-00549B-19                                          20191552__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and
    3         Technology Development Initiative; creating s.
    4         379.2273, F.S.; providing legislative intent;
    5         establishing the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and
    6         Technology Development Initiative; providing the
    7         purpose and goal of the initiative; providing for
    8         funding; requiring the initiative to submit an annual
    9         report by a specified date to the Governor, the
   10         Legislature, the Secretary of Environmental
   11         Protection, and the executive director of the Fish and
   12         Wildlife Conservation Commission; establishing the
   13         Initiative Technology Advisory Council; providing for
   14         the meetings, membership, terms of office, and
   15         compensation of the council; providing for expiration
   16         of the initiative; providing appropriations; providing
   17         an effective date.
   18          
   19  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   20  
   21         Section 1. Section 379.2273, Florida Statutes, is created
   22  to read:
   23         379.2273Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology
   24  Development Initiative; Initiative Technology Advisory Council.—
   25         (1)It is the intent of the Legislature to establish an
   26  independent and coordinated effort among public and private
   27  research entities to develop prevention, control, and mitigation
   28  technologies and approaches to address the impacts of red tide
   29  on coastal environments and communities in this state.
   30         (2)The Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology
   31  Development Initiative is established as a partnership between
   32  the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute within the commission
   33  and Mote Marine Laboratory.
   34         (a)The purpose of the initiative is to lead the
   35  development of innovative technologies and approaches that are
   36  critically needed to address the control and mitigation of red
   37  tide and its impacts by building upon the ongoing cooperative
   38  red tide research and monitoring program between the Fish and
   39  Wildlife Research Institute and Mote Marine Laboratory.
   40         (b)The goal of the initiative is to develop, test, and
   41  implement innovative, effective, and environmentally sustainable
   42  technologies and approaches for controlling and mitigating the
   43  impacts of red tide.
   44         (c)Funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature for
   45  red tide mitigation technology development projects shall be
   46  awarded by the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute to Mote
   47  Marine Laboratory to achieve the goals of the initiative.
   48         1.Mote Marine Laboratory may, with the concurrence of the
   49  Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, use a portion of the
   50  awarded funds to facilitate additional engagement with other
   51  pertinent marine science and technology development
   52  organizations in this state and around the world to pursue
   53  applied research and technology for the control and mitigation
   54  of the impacts of red tide.
   55         2.Mote Marine Laboratory may not use more than 5 percent
   56  of its awarded funds for direct annual initiative administration
   57  coordination costs.
   58         3.The initiative shall leverage state-appropriated funds
   59  with additional funds from private and federal sources.
   60         (d)Beginning January 15, 2021, and each January 15
   61  thereafter until its expiration, the initiative shall submit a
   62  report that contains an overview of its accomplishments to date
   63  and priorities for subsequent years to the Governor, the
   64  President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
   65  Representatives, the Secretary of Environmental Protection, and
   66  the executive director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
   67  Commission.
   68         (3)There is established within the initiative the
   69  Initiative Technology Advisory Council, an advisory council as
   70  defined in s. 20.03(7), that includes marine science, technology
   71  development, and natural resource management representatives
   72  from governmental entities, private organizations, and public or
   73  private research institutions. The council shall meet at least
   74  twice annually.
   75         (a)The council shall be chaired by the president and chief
   76  executive officer of Mote Marine Laboratory and shall consist of
   77  the following:
   78         1.One member from a private commercial enterprise,
   79  appointed by the Governor.
   80         2.One member from a public or private university in this
   81  state, appointed by the President of the Senate.
   82         3.One member from a nonuniversity public or private marine
   83  environmental organization, appointed by the Speaker of the
   84  House of Representatives.
   85         4.One member from the Department of Environmental
   86  Protection who has expertise in red tide, appointed by the
   87  Secretary of Environmental Protection.
   88         5.One member from the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
   89  who has expertise in red tide, appointed by the executive
   90  director of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
   91         (b)Council members shall serve staggered 2-year terms and
   92  may be reappointed.
   93         (c)Council members shall serve without compensation, and
   94  each organization represented shall cover all expenses of its
   95  respective representative.
   96         (4)This section expires June 30, 2025.
   97         Section 2. Beginning in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, and for
   98  each fiscal year thereafter through the 2024-2025 fiscal year,
   99  there is appropriated the sum of $3 million from the General
  100  Revenue Fund to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
  101  for the purpose of implementing s. 379.2273, Florida Statutes.
  102         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.