Florida Senate - 2021 SB 1320
By Senator Hutson
7-01539-21 20211320__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to Purple Heart recipient parking
3 spaces; amending s. 316.1967, F.S.; authorizing
4 counties and municipalities to provide by ordinance
5 that the clerk of the court or the traffic violations
6 bureau supply information in a specified format
7 regarding certain violations to the Department of
8 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; requiring counties
9 to provide by ordinance that the clerk of the court or
10 the traffic violations bureau supply information in a
11 specified format relating to such violations to the
12 department; requiring the department to mark specified
13 registration records; creating s. 316.1968, F.S.;
14 defining the terms “Purple Heart recipient parking
15 space” or “space”; prohibiting a person from stopping,
16 standing, or parking a vehicle within, or obstructing,
17 any Purple Heart recipient parking space unless
18 certain conditions are met; prohibiting violations of
19 such provision from being dismissed under certain
20 circumstances; authorizing warnings to be issued under
21 certain circumstances; requiring law enforcement
22 officers, parking enforcement specialists, and owners
23 and lessees of Purple Heart recipient parking spaces
24 to have vehicles in violation removed; providing that
25 the cost of removal and parking constitutes a lien
26 against such vehicles under specified conditions;
27 requiring law enforcement officers and parking
28 enforcement specialists to charge the operator or
29 person in charge of such vehicle with a noncriminal
30 traffic infraction; providing an exemption; requiring
31 the clerk of the court to report convictions for such
32 violations to the department; authorizing law
33 enforcement officers and parking enforcement
34 specialists to demand to be shown a person’s Purple
35 Heart parking permit or license plate and driver
36 license or state identification card when
37 investigating certain violations; providing a penalty;
38 authorizing persons chauffeuring Purple Heart
39 recipients to stand temporarily in such parking spaces
40 for specified purposes; providing a time limit for
41 vehicles that are transporting Purple Heart recipients
42 to park in such spaces; providing an exception;
43 creating s. 316.1969, F.S.; specifying that any motor
44 vehicle parked in a designated Purple Heart recipient
45 parking space is prima facie evidence that the vehicle
46 was parked and left in the space by the person, firm,
47 or corporation in whose name the vehicle is registered
48 and licensed; amending s. 318.18, F.S.; providing a
49 penalty; providing for a law enforcement officer or
50 agency or a parking enforcement specialist or agency
51 to validate compliance for the disposition of a
52 citation issued for illegally parking in a space
53 provided for Purple Heart recipients; requiring the
54 clerk of the circuit court to dismiss citations
55 resulting from violations for illegally parking in a
56 parking space provided for Purple Heart recipients
57 upon payment of a specified dismissal fee; providing
58 for a clerk of the circuit court to designate a local
59 governmental entity for disposition of certain parking
60 citations; amending s. 320.089, F.S.; providing for
61 the issuance of Purple Heart parking permits;
62 specifying requirements for the issuance of such
63 permits; amending ss. 316.1951, 316.622, 318.121,
64 318.21, and 395.4036, F.S.; conforming cross
65 references; providing an effective date.
66
67 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
68
69 Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 316.1967, Florida
70 Statutes, is amended to read:
71 316.1967 Liability for payment of parking ticket violations
72 and other parking violations.—
73 (6) Any county or municipality may provide by ordinance
74 that the clerk of the court or the traffic violations bureau
75 shall supply the department with a magnetically encoded computer
76 tape reel or cartridge or send by other electronic means data
77 which is machine readable by the installed computer system at
78 the department, listing persons who have three or more
79 outstanding parking violations, including violations of ss.
80 316.1955 and 316.1968 s. 316.1955. Each county shall provide by
81 ordinance that the clerk of the court or the traffic violations
82 bureau shall supply the department with a magnetically encoded
83 computer tape reel or cartridge or send by other electronic
84 means data that is machine readable by the installed computer
85 system at the department, listing persons who have any
86 outstanding violations of s. 316.1955 or any similar local
87 ordinance that regulates parking in spaces designated for use by
88 persons who have disabilities or of s. 316.1968. The department
89 shall mark the appropriate registration records of persons who
90 are so reported. Section 320.03(8) applies to each person whose
91 name appears on the list.
92 Section 2. Section 316.1968, Florida Statutes, is created
93 to read:
94 316.1968 Parking spaces for Purple Heart recipients;
95 enforcement of parking requirements.—
96 (1) For purposes of this section, the terms “Purple Heart
97 recipient parking space” or “space” mean a parking space
98 designated for a Purple Heart recipient which is painted in a
99 manner that is consistent with the standards of the controlling
100 jurisdiction for other spaces and is prominently outlined with
101 purple paint to be clearly distinguishable as a parking space
102 designated for Purple Heart recipients or is posted with a
103 permanent above-grade sign that bears the symbol of the Purple
104 Heart and the caption “COMBAT WOUNDED.”
105 (2) It is unlawful for a person to stop, stand, or park a
106 vehicle within, or to obstruct, any such specially designated
107 and marked Purple Heart recipient parking space unless the
108 vehicle displays a Purple Heart parking permit or a Purple Heart
109 license plate issued under s. 320.089 and the vehicle is
110 transporting the person to whom the displayed permit or plate is
111 issued. A violation of this section may not be dismissed if the
112 Purple Heart recipient parking space does not meet the
113 definition of such space provided in subsection (1) but is
114 otherwise clearly distinguishable as a designated accessible
115 parking space for Purple Heart recipients. Only a warning may be
116 issued for unlawfully parking in a space designated for Purple
117 Heart recipients if there is no above-grade sign providing such
118 designation.
119 (a) A law enforcement officer, a parking enforcement
120 specialist, or the owner or lessee of a space designated for
121 Purple Heart recipients shall remove a vehicle found in
122 violation of this section to any lawful parking space or
123 facility or require the operator or other person in charge of
124 the vehicle to immediately remove such vehicle from the parking
125 space. Whenever any vehicle is removed under this section to a
126 storage lot, garage, or other safe parking space, the cost of
127 the removal and parking constitutes a lien against the vehicle.
128 (b) The officer or specialist shall charge the operator or
129 other person in charge of a vehicle in violation of this section
130 with a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as provided in
131 s. 318.18(16). The owner of a leased vehicle is not responsible
132 for a violation of this section if the vehicle is registered in
133 the name of the lessee.
134 (c) The clerk of the court must report all convictions for
135 violations of this section to the Department of Highway Safety
136 and Motor Vehicles.
137 (d) A law enforcement officer or a parking enforcement
138 specialist may demand to be shown a person’s Purple Heart
139 parking permit or license plate and driver license or state
140 identification card when investigating a potential violation of
141 this section. If such request is refused, the person in charge
142 of the vehicle may be charged with resisting an officer without
143 violence, as provided in s. 843.02.
144 (3) A person chauffeuring a Purple Heart recipient may,
145 without need for a Purple Heart parking permit or license plate,
146 stand temporarily in any such designated parking space for the
147 purpose of loading or unloading the Purple Heart recipient. A
148 penalty may not be imposed upon the driver for such temporary
149 standing.
150 (4)(a) A vehicle transporting a Purple Heart recipient may
151 be parked for a maximum of 30 minutes in any space reserved for
152 Purple Heart recipients.
153 (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a theme park or an
154 entertainment complex as defined in s. 509.013(9) which provides
155 parking in designated areas for Purple Heart recipients may
156 allow any vehicle transporting a Purple Heart recipient to
157 remain parked in any space reserved for Purple Heart recipients
158 throughout the period the theme park is open to the public for
159 that day.
160 Section 3. Section 316.1969, Florida Statutes, is created
161 to read:
162 316.1969 Parking violations; designated parking spaces for
163 Purple Heart recipients.—When evidence is presented in any court
164 of the fact that a motor vehicle was parked in a properly
165 designated parking space for Purple Heart recipients in
166 violation of s. 316.1968, it is prima facie evidence that the
167 vehicle was parked and left in the space by the person, firm, or
168 corporation in whose name the vehicle is registered and licensed
169 according to the records of the department.
170 Section 4. Present subsections (16) through (22) of section
171 318.18, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (17)
172 through (23), respectively, and a new subsection (16) is added
173 to that section, to read:
174 318.18 Amount of penalties.—The penalties required for a
175 noncriminal disposition pursuant to s. 318.14 or a criminal
176 offense listed in s. 318.17 are as follows:
177 (16) One hundred dollars, plus court costs for illegally
178 parking, under s. 316.1968, in a parking space provided for
179 Purple Heart recipients. However, this fine must be waived if a
180 person provides to the law enforcement officer or agency or the
181 parking enforcement specialist or agency that issued the
182 citation for such a violation proof that the person committing
183 the violation has a valid Purple Heart parking permit or license
184 plate issued under s. 320.089 or a signed affidavit that the
185 owner of the Purple Heart parking permit or license plate was
186 present at the time the violation occurred, and that such
187 parking permit or license plate was valid at the time the
188 violation occurred. The law enforcement officer or agency or the
189 parking enforcement specialist or agency, upon determining that
190 all required documentation has been submitted to verify that
191 such parking permit or license plate was valid at the time of
192 the violation, shall sign an affidavit of compliance. Upon
193 provision of the affidavit of compliance and payment of a
194 dismissal fee of up to $7.50 to the clerk of the circuit court
195 by the person issued a citation, the clerk shall dismiss the
196 citation. However, the clerk may designate a local governmental
197 entity to receive the affidavit and dismissal fee, and that
198 local governmental entity may keep the fee.
199 Section 5. Section 320.089, Florida Statutes, is amended to
200 read:
201 320.089 Veterans of the United States Armed Forces; members
202 of National Guard; survivors of Pearl Harbor; Purple Heart medal
203 recipients; Bronze Star recipients; active or retired United
204 States Armed Forces reservists; Combat Infantry Badge, Combat
205 Medical Badge, or Combat Action Badge recipients; Combat Action
206 Ribbon recipients; Air Force Combat Action Medal recipients;
207 Distinguished Flying Cross recipients; former prisoners of war;
208 Korean War Veterans; Vietnam War Veterans; Operation Desert
209 Shield Veterans; Operation Desert Storm Veterans; Operation
210 Enduring Freedom Veterans; Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans;
211 Women Veterans; World War II Veterans; and Navy Submariners;
212 special license plates; Purple Heart parking permits; fee.—
213 (1)(a) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
214 private use or recreational vehicle as specified in s.
215 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial
216 use, who is a resident of the state and a veteran of the United
217 States Armed Forces, a Woman Veteran, a World War II Veteran, a
218 Navy Submariner, an active or retired member of the Florida
219 National Guard, a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor, a
220 recipient of the Purple Heart medal, a recipient of the Bronze
221 Star, an active or retired member of any branch of the United
222 States Armed Forces Reserve, or a recipient of the Combat
223 Infantry Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge,
224 Combat Action Ribbon, Air Force Combat Action Medal, or
225 Distinguished Flying Cross, upon application to the department,
226 accompanied by proof of release or discharge from any branch of
227 the United States Armed Forces, proof of active membership or
228 retired status in the Florida National Guard, proof of
229 membership in the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association or proof of
230 active military duty in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, proof
231 of being a Purple Heart medal recipient, proof of being a Bronze
232 Star recipient, proof of active or retired membership in any
233 branch of the United States Armed Forces Reserve, or proof of
234 membership in the Combat Infantrymen’s Association, Inc., proof
235 of being a recipient of the Combat Infantry Badge, Combat
236 Medical Badge, Combat Action Badge, Combat Action Ribbon, Air
237 Force Combat Action Medal, or Distinguished Flying Cross, and
238 upon payment of the license tax for the vehicle as provided in
239 s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as provided by s.
240 320.06 which, in lieu of the serial numbers prescribed by s.
241 320.06, is stamped with the words “Veteran,” “Woman Veteran,”
242 “WWII Veteran,” “Navy Submariner,” “National Guard,” “Pearl
243 Harbor Survivor,” “Combat-wounded veteran,” “Bronze Star,” “U.S.
244 Reserve,” “Combat Infantry Badge,” “Combat Medical Badge,”
245 “Combat Action Badge,” “Combat Action Ribbon,” “Air Force Combat
246 Action Medal,” or “Distinguished Flying Cross,” as appropriate,
247 and a likeness of the related campaign medal or badge, followed
248 by the serial number of the license plate. Additionally, the
249 Purple Heart plate may have the words “Purple Heart” stamped on
250 the plate and the likeness of the Purple Heart medal appearing
251 on the plate.
252 (b) The military members listed in paragraph (a) are
253 eligible to be issued special veteran’s motorcycle license
254 plates. The veteran’s motorcycle license plate design shall be
255 the same as the design for the motor vehicle “Veteran” and
256 “Woman Veteran” special license plate. The word “Veteran” or
257 “Woman Veteran” shall be displayed at the bottom of the
258 motorcycle license plate.
259 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
260 contrary, beginning with fiscal year 2002-2003 and annually
261 thereafter, the first $100,000 in general revenue generated from
262 the sale of license plates issued under this section shall be
263 deposited into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund, as described
264 in s. 296.38(2), to be used for the purposes established by law
265 for that trust fund. Any additional general revenue generated
266 from the sale of such plates shall be deposited into the
267 Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund within the Department of
268 Veterans’ Affairs and used to support program operations that
269 benefit veterans or the operation, maintenance, or construction
270 of domiciliary and nursing homes for veterans, subject to the
271 requirements of chapter 216.
272 (d) Any revenue generated from the sale of Woman Veteran
273 license plates must be deposited into the Operations and
274 Maintenance Trust Fund administered by the Department of
275 Veterans’ Affairs pursuant to s. 20.375(3) and must be used
276 solely for the purpose of creating and implementing programs to
277 benefit women veterans. Notwithstanding any provisions of law to
278 the contrary, an applicant for a Pearl Harbor Survivor license
279 plate or a Purple Heart license plate who also qualifies for a
280 disabled veteran’s license plate under s. 320.084 shall be
281 issued the appropriate special license plate without payment of
282 the license tax imposed by s. 320.08.
283 (2) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
284 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
285 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d),
286 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
287 of this state and who is a former prisoner of war, or his or her
288 unremarried surviving spouse, upon application to the
289 department, shall be issued a license plate as provided in s.
290 320.06, stamped with the words “Ex-POW” followed by the serial
291 number. Each application shall be accompanied by proof that the
292 applicant meets the qualifications specified in paragraph (a) or
293 paragraph (b).
294 (a) A citizen of the United States who served as a member
295 of the Armed Forces of the United States or the armed forces of
296 a nation allied with the United States who was held as a
297 prisoner of war at such time as the Armed Forces of the United
298 States were engaged in combat, or his or her unremarried
299 surviving spouse, may be issued the special license plate
300 provided for in this subsection without payment of the license
301 tax imposed by s. 320.08.
302 (b) A person who was serving as a civilian with the consent
303 of the United States Government, or a person who was a member of
304 the Armed Forces of the United States while he or she was not a
305 United States citizen and was held as a prisoner of war when the
306 Armed Forces of the United States were engaged in combat, or his
307 or her unremarried surviving spouse, may be issued the special
308 license plate provided for in this subsection upon payment of
309 the license tax imposed by s. 320.08.
310 (3) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
311 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
312 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d),
313 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
314 of this state and who is the unremarried surviving spouse of a
315 recipient of the Purple Heart medal, upon application to the
316 department accompanied by the payment of the required fees,
317 shall be issued a license plate as provided in s. 320.06 which
318 is stamped with the words “Purple Heart” and the likeness of the
319 Purple Heart medal followed by the serial number. Each
320 application shall be accompanied by proof that the applicant is
321 the unremarried surviving spouse of a recipient of the Purple
322 Heart medal.
323 (4) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
324 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
325 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
326 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
327 of this state and a current or former member of the United
328 States Armed Forces who was deployed and served in Korea during
329 the Korean War as defined in s. 1.01(14), upon application to
330 the department accompanied by proof of active membership or
331 former active duty status during the Korean War and payment of
332 the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall
333 be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in
334 lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06,
335 is stamped with the words “Korean War Veteran” and a likeness of
336 the Korean Service Medal, followed by the registration license
337 number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was awarded the
338 Korean Service Medal is sufficient to establish eligibility for
339 the license plate.
340 (5) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
341 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
342 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
343 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
344 of this state and a current or former member of the United
345 States military who was deployed and served in Vietnam during
346 United States military deployment in Indochina, upon application
347 to the department accompanied by proof of active membership or
348 former active duty status during these operations and payment of
349 the license tax for the vehicle as provided in s. 320.08, shall
350 be issued a license plate as provided by s. 320.06 which, in
351 lieu of the registration license number prescribed by s. 320.06,
352 is stamped with the words “Vietnam War Veteran” and a likeness
353 of the Vietnam Service Medal, followed by the registration
354 license number of the plate. Proof that the applicant was
355 awarded the Vietnam Service Medal is sufficient to establish
356 eligibility for the license plate.
357 (6) The owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
358 private use, a truck weighing not more than 7,999 pounds, or a
359 recreational vehicle as specified in s. 320.08(9)(c) or (d)
360 which is not used for hire or commercial use who is a resident
361 of this state and a current or former member of the United
362 States military who was deployed and served in Saudi Arabia,
363 Kuwait, or another area of the Persian Gulf during Operation
364 Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm; in Afghanistan during
365 Operation Enduring Freedom; or in Iraq during Operation Iraqi
366 Freedom, upon application to the department accompanied by proof
367 of active membership or former active duty status during one of
368 these operations and payment of the license tax for the vehicle
369 as provided in s. 320.08, shall be issued a license plate as
370 provided by s. 320.06 which, in lieu of the registration license
371 number prescribed by s. 320.06, is stamped with the words
372 “Operation Desert Shield,” “Operation Desert Storm,” “Operation
373 Enduring Freedom,” or “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” as appropriate,
374 and a likeness of the related campaign medal followed by the
375 registration license number of the plate. Proof that the
376 applicant was awarded the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Iraq
377 Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or Global War on
378 Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is sufficient to establish
379 eligibility for the appropriate license plate.
380 (7)(a) Each owner or lessee of an automobile or truck for
381 private use or a recreational vehicle as specified in s.
382 320.08(9)(c) or (d), which is not used for hire or commercial
383 use, who is a resident of this state and a recipient of the
384 Purple Heart medal, upon application to the department,
385 accompanied by proof of being a Purple Heart medal recipient,
386 shall be issued a Purple Heart parking permit for a period of up
387 to 5 years, which period ends on the applicant’s birthday. There
388 shall be no fee for the Purple Heart parking permit.
389 (b) The Purple Heart parking permit is a placard that can
390 be placed in a motor vehicle so as to be visible from the front
391 and rear of the vehicle. One side of the placard must display
392 the applicant’s driver license number or state identification
393 card number along with a warning that the applicant must have
394 such identification at all times while using the parking permit.
395 A validation sticker must also be issued with each Purple Heart
396 parking permit showing the month and year of expiration on each
397 side of the placard. Validation stickers must be of the size
398 specified by the department and must be affixed to the Purple
399 Heart parking permits. The Purple Heart parking permits must use
400 the same colors as license plate validations.
401 Section 6. Subsection (4) of section 316.1951, Florida
402 Statutes, is amended to read:
403 316.1951 Parking for certain purposes prohibited; sale of
404 motor vehicles; prohibited acts.—
405 (4) A local government may adopt an ordinance to allow the
406 towing of a motor vehicle parked in violation of this section. A
407 law enforcement officer, compliance officer, code enforcement
408 officer from any local government agency, or supervisor of the
409 department may issue a citation and cause to be immediately
410 removed at the owner’s expense any motor vehicle found in
411 violation of subsection (1), except as provided in subsections
412 (2) and (3), or in violation of subsection (5), subsection (6),
413 subsection (7), or subsection (8), and the owner shall be
414 assessed a penalty as provided in s. 318.18(22) s. 318.18(21) by
415 the government agency or authority that orders immediate removal
416 of the motor vehicle. A motor vehicle removed under this section
417 shall not be released from an impound or towing and storage
418 facility before a release form prescribed by the department has
419 been completed verifying that the fine has been paid to the
420 government agency or authority that ordered immediate removal of
421 the motor vehicle. However, the owner may pay towing and storage
422 charges to the towing and storage facility pursuant to s. 713.78
423 before payment of the fine or before the release form has been
424 completed.
425 Section 7. Subsection (7) of section 316.622, Florida
426 Statutes, is amended to read:
427 316.622 Farm labor vehicles.—
428 (7) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic
429 infraction, punishable as provided in s. 318.18(17) s.
430 318.18(16).
431 Section 8. Section 318.121, Florida Statutes, is amended to
432 read:
433 318.121 Preemption of additional fees, fines, surcharges,
434 and costs.—Notwithstanding any general or special law, or
435 municipal or county ordinance, additional fees, fines,
436 surcharges, or costs other than the court costs and surcharges
437 assessed under s. 318.18(11), (13), (19), (20), and (23) s.
438 318.18(11), (13), (18), (19), and (22) may not be added to the
439 civil traffic penalties assessed under this chapter.
440 Section 9. Subsections (16) through (19) and (21) of
441 section 318.21, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
442 318.21 Disposition of civil penalties by county courts.—All
443 civil penalties received by a county court pursuant to the
444 provisions of this chapter shall be distributed and paid monthly
445 as follows:
446 (16) The proceeds from the fines described in s. 318.18(17)
447 s. 318.18(16) shall be remitted to the law enforcement agency
448 that issues the citation for a violation of s. 316.622. The
449 funds must be used for continued education and enforcement of s.
450 316.622 and other related safety measures contained in chapter
451 316.
452 (17) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2), the proceeds
453 from the surcharge imposed under s. 318.18(18) s. 318.18(17)
454 shall be distributed as provided in that subsection. This
455 subsection expires July 1, 2021.
456 (18) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2), the proceeds
457 from the administrative fee imposed under s. 318.18(19) s.
458 318.18(18) shall be distributed as provided in that subsection.
459 (19) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2), the proceeds
460 from the Article V assessment imposed under s. 318.18(20) s.
461 318.18(19) shall be distributed as provided in that subsection.
462 (21) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2), the proceeds
463 from the additional penalties imposed pursuant to s.
464 318.18(5)(c) and (21) s. 318.18(5)(c) and (20) shall be
465 distributed as provided in that section.
466 Section 10. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
467 395.4036, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
468 395.4036 Trauma payments.—
469 (1) Recognizing the Legislature’s stated intent to provide
470 financial support to the current verified trauma centers and to
471 provide incentives for the establishment of additional trauma
472 centers as part of a system of state-sponsored trauma centers,
473 the department shall utilize funds collected under s. 318.18 and
474 deposited into the Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund of the
475 department to ensure the availability and accessibility of
476 trauma services throughout the state as provided in this
477 subsection.
478 (b) Funds collected under s. 318.18(5)(c) and (21) s.
479 318.18(5)(c) and (20) shall be distributed as follows:
480 1. Thirty percent of the total funds collected shall be
481 distributed to Level II trauma centers operated by a public
482 hospital governed by an elected board of directors as of
483 December 31, 2008.
484 2. Thirty-five percent of the total funds collected shall
485 be distributed to verified trauma centers based on trauma
486 caseload volume for the most recent calendar year available. The
487 determination of caseload volume for distribution of funds under
488 this subparagraph shall be based on the hospital discharge data
489 for patients who meet the criteria for classification as a
490 trauma patient reported by each trauma center pursuant to s.
491 408.061.
492 3. Thirty-five percent of the total funds collected shall
493 be distributed to verified trauma centers based on severity of
494 trauma patients for the most recent calendar year available. The
495 determination of severity for distribution of funds under this
496 subparagraph shall be based on the department’s International
497 Classification Injury Severity Scores or another statistically
498 valid and scientifically accepted method of stratifying a trauma
499 patient’s severity of injury, risk of mortality, and resource
500 consumption as adopted by the department by rule, weighted based
501 on the costs associated with and incurred by the trauma center
502 in treating trauma patients. The weighting of scores shall be
503 established by the department by rule.
504 Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.