CS for SB 600 First Engrossed
2025600e1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to manufacturing; amending s. 20.60,
3 F.S.; revising the duties of the Department of
4 Commerce; creating s. 20.601, F.S.; establishing the
5 Chief Manufacturing Officer among the senior
6 leadership of the department; providing that the Chief
7 Manufacturing Officer is appointed by and serves at
8 the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce; providing
9 responsibilities for the Chief Manufacturing Officer;
10 directing all state and local governmental entities to
11 assist the Chief Manufacturing Officer; requiring the
12 department to prepare a report regarding manufacturing
13 efforts in this state; requiring the department to
14 submit its report on a specified date and biennially
15 thereafter to the Governor and the Legislature;
16 requiring that the report include certain information;
17 creating s. 288.103, F.S.; creating the Florida
18 Manufacturers’ Workforce Development Grant Program;
19 providing that the grant program is created within the
20 department and under the direction of the Chief
21 Manufacturing Officer in consultation with the State
22 Manufacturing Extension Partnership organization;
23 providing a specified purpose for the grant program;
24 requiring the department, in coordination with the
25 Chief Manufacturing Officer and the State
26 Manufacturing Extension Partnership organization, to
27 review applications submitted and to select specified
28 projects; providing that the department has sole
29 discretion in final grant awards; requiring the
30 department, in coordination with the Chief
31 Manufacturing Officer and the State Manufacturing
32 Extension Partnership organization, to establish and
33 publish ranking metrics for competitively reviewing
34 and awarding grants; requiring that priority be given
35 to projects that meet certain criteria; authorizing
36 applicants to seek funding for a specified purpose;
37 prohibiting the use of grant funds for specified
38 purposes; requiring the department to administer the
39 grant awards from the Economic Development Trust Fund;
40 requiring the department to include certain
41 information in its annual incentives report;
42 authorizing the department to adopt rules; creating s.
43 288.1031, F.S.; providing legislative findings;
44 defining terms; creating the Florida Manufacturing
45 Promotional Campaign within the department; requiring
46 the Chief Manufacturing Officer, in coordination with
47 the State Manufacturing Extension Partnership
48 organization, to administer the campaign; providing
49 the purpose of the campaign; requiring the department
50 to take certain actions in promoting the campaign;
51 requiring persons who participate in the campaign to
52 register annually with the department; requiring the
53 department to adopt rules; requiring the department to
54 establish by rule the logos or product identifiers to
55 be depicted for use in the campaign; requiring the
56 department to prepare an annual report regarding the
57 campaign; requiring that the report include certain
58 information; requiring the department to include the
59 campaign report in its annual report; providing an
60 effective date.
61
62 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
63
64 Section 1. Paragraph (m) is added to subsection (4) of
65 section 20.60, Florida Statutes, to read:
66 20.60 Department of Commerce; creation; powers and duties.—
67 (4) The purpose of the department is to assist the Governor
68 in working with the Legislature, state agencies, business
69 leaders, and economic development professionals to formulate and
70 implement coherent and consistent policies and strategies
71 designed to promote economic opportunities for all Floridians.
72 The department is the state’s chief agency for business
73 recruitment and expansion and economic development. To
74 accomplish such purposes, the department shall:
75 (m) Encourage and oversee manufacturing in this state in
76 coordination with the Chief Manufacturing Officer.
77 Section 2. Section 20.601, Florida Statutes, is created to
78 read:
79 20.601 Chief Manufacturing Officer.—
80 (1) There shall be designated among the senior leadership
81 of the Department of Commerce a Chief Manufacturing Officer for
82 the purpose of supporting the manufacturing ecosystem statewide.
83 The Chief Manufacturing Officer is appointed by and serves at
84 the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce.
85 (2) The Chief Manufacturing Officer shall:
86 (a) Serve as a subject-matter expert for the state on
87 issues related to manufacturing.
88 (b) Be responsible for promoting and coordinating
89 manufacturing efforts in this state and identifying gaps across
90 state-supported activities.
91 (c) Provide strategic direction for interagency and cross
92 disciplinary initiatives to promote and support manufacturing in
93 this state.
94 (d) Work with federal, state, regional, and local
95 governmental entities and nongovernmental entities to align
96 manufacturing priorities.
97 (e) Engage with state agencies and water management
98 districts to innovate processes, programs, decision frameworks,
99 and reporting mechanisms intended to support manufacturing in
100 this state.
101 (3) All state and local governmental entities shall assist
102 the Chief Manufacturing Officer to the extent such assistance is
103 consistent with law and with budgetary constraints.
104 (4) The department shall prepare a report, in consultation
105 with the Chief Manufacturing Officer and the State Manufacturing
106 Extension Partnership organization, regarding manufacturing
107 efforts in this state. The department shall submit the report to
108 the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of
109 the House of Representatives by December 15, 2026, and every 2
110 years thereafter. The report must include information regarding
111 the strength and economic importance of the manufacturing
112 industry in this state.
113 Section 3. Section 288.103, Florida Statutes, is created to
114 read:
115 288.103 Florida Manufacturers’ Workforce Development Grant
116 Program.—
117 (1) The Florida Manufacturers’ Workforce Development Grant
118 Program is created within the Department of Commerce, under the
119 direction of the Chief Manufacturing Officer and in consultation
120 with the State Manufacturing Extension Partnership organization,
121 to fund proposed projects, subject to appropriation by the
122 Legislature, which support small manufacturers in this state
123 with the deployment of new technologies or cybersecurity
124 infrastructure and to provide training support to the workforce.
125 (2) The department, in coordination with the Chief
126 Manufacturing Officer and the State Manufacturing Extension
127 Partnership organization, shall review applications submitted
128 and select projects for awards which create strategic
129 investments in workforce training to facilitate the deployment
130 of new technologies or cybersecurity infrastructure. Final grant
131 awards are made at the sole discretion of the department.
132 (3) The department, in coordination with the Chief
133 Manufacturing Officer and the State Manufacturing Extension
134 Partnership organization, shall establish and publish ranking
135 metrics for reviewing and competitively awarding grants. Metrics
136 may include number of employees, matching funds pledged by the
137 applicant, and expected benefits from the grant award. Priority
138 must be given to projects with innovative plans, advanced
139 technologies, and development strategies that focus on workforce
140 development for small manufacturers across this state.
141 (4) Applicants may seek funding for workforce development
142 and operations, but grant funding awarded under this section may
143 not be used to pay salary and benefits or general business or
144 office expenses. Grants awarded under the program shall be
145 administered by the department from the Economic Development
146 Trust Fund established in s. 288.095.
147 (5) The department shall annually make public a list of
148 each project awarded a grant, the benefit of each project in
149 meeting the goals and objectives of the program, and the current
150 status of each project. The department shall include such
151 information in its annual incentives report required under s.
152 288.0065.
153 (6) The department may adopt rules to implement this
154 section.
155 Section 4. Section 288.1031, Florida Statutes, is created
156 to read:
157 288.1031 Florida Manufacturing Promotional Campaign.—
158 (1) The Legislature finds that there is a need for the
159 Florida Manufacturing Promotional Campaign to increase consumer
160 awareness of manufacturing activities in this state, to expand
161 market exposure for manufactured products and goods in this
162 state, and to inspire future generations of entrepreneurs,
163 fabricators, and skilled workers to build and grow domestic
164 businesses and manufacturing operations in this state. The
165 Legislature further finds that a campaign that creates a
166 partnership between manufacturers in this state and the state is
167 necessary to promote and advertise such products efficiently.
168 (2) As used in this section, the term:
169 (a) “Campaign” means the Florida Manufacturing Promotional
170 Campaign.
171 (b) “Manufactured product” means any tangible personal
172 property that has been fabricated or produced, typically through
173 industrial or mechanical processes. The term includes items sold
174 or leased to consumers.
175 (c) “Person” means an individual, a firm, a partnership, a
176 corporation, an association, a business, a trust, a legal
177 representative, or any other business unit.
178 (3) The Florida Manufacturing Promotional Campaign is
179 created within the department. The Chief Manufacturing Officer
180 shall administer the campaign in coordination with the State
181 Manufacturing Extension Partnership organization. The purpose of
182 the campaign is to serve as a voluntary marketing program to
183 promote manufacturing products and businesses in this state.
184 (4) The department must:
185 (a) Develop logos for the campaign and authorize by rule
186 the use of such logos.
187 (b) Create promotional materials for the campaign.
188 (c) Register campaign participants.
189 (d) Develop in-kind advertising programs.
190 (e) Contract with media representatives for the purpose of
191 dispersing promotional materials.
192 (5) A person who produces a manufactured product may
193 participate in the campaign only by registering with the
194 department. The department shall establish by rule the form and
195 manner of registration.
196 (6) The department shall adopt rules to implement and
197 administer the campaign. The department shall establish by rule
198 the logos or product identifiers to be depicted for use in the
199 campaign for advertising, publicizing, and promoting the sale of
200 manufactured products in this state. The department shall also
201 adopt rules necessary to ensure compliance with the campaign, to
202 govern participant registration, and to set fees for
203 participation.
204 (7) The department shall annually report on the success of
205 the campaign, including detailed performance measures and
206 outcomes, the total amount of fees collected, use of the fees,
207 sources of in-kind advertising, contracts related to
208 disbursement of promotional materials, and the names of persons
209 participating in the campaign. The report must be submitted by
210 the department as part of the annual report required under s.
211 20.60.
212 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.