The Florida Senate

288.905  Duties of the board of directors of Enterprise Florida, Inc.--

(1)  In the performance of its functions and duties, the board of directors may establish and implement policies, strategies, and programs for Enterprise Florida, Inc., and its boards. In developing such policies, strategies, and programs, the board of directors shall solicit advice from and consider the recommendations of its boards.

(2)  The board of directors shall, in conjunction with the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development, develop a strategic plan for economic development for the State of Florida. Such plan shall be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Minority Leader, and the House Minority Leader by January 1, 1997, and shall be updated or modified before January 1, 1998, and annually thereafter. The plan must be approved by the board of directors prior to submission to the Governor and Legislature. The plan shall include, but is not limited to:

(a)  Allocation of public and private resources to specific activities that will return the greatest benefit to the economy of this state. Including delineation on the amount of funds that should be expended on each component of the plan.

(b)  Identification of programs that will enhance the capabilities of small and minority businesses. The plan should include ways to improve and increase the access to information, services, and assistance for small and minority businesses.

(c)1.  Specific provisions for the stimulation of economic development and job creation in rural areas and midsize cities and counties of the state. These provisions shall include, but are not limited to, the identification of all rural counties in the state and rural cities located in nonrural counties; the identification of all midsize cities and counties in the state; the identification of the economic development and job creation goals of the rural cities and counties and midsize cities; the identification of rural areas of critical concern; the identification of specific local, state, and federal financial and technical assistance resources available to rural cities and counties and midsize cities and counties for economic and community development; the identification of private sector resources available to rural cities and counties and midsize cities and counties for economic and community development; and specific methods for the use of the resources identified in the plan to meet the goals identified in the plan.

2.  Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall involve the local governments of the cities and counties identified pursuant to subparagraph 1., as well as any other local, state, and federal rural development entities, both public and private, in developing and carrying out any provisions.

(d)1.  Specific provisions for the stimulation of economic development and job creation in small businesses and minority businesses. These provisions shall include, but are not limited to, the identification of federal, state, and local financial and technical resources available for small businesses and minority businesses; and specific methods for the use of the resources identified in the plan to meet the goal of job creation in small businesses and minority businesses in the state.

2.  Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall involve local, state, and federal small business and minority business development agencies and organizations, both public and private, in developing and carrying out any provisions.

(e)  Creation of workforce training programs that lead to better employment opportunities and higher wages.

(f)  Promotion of business formation, expansion, recruitment, and retention, including programs that enhance access to appropriate forms of financing for businesses in this state.

(g)  Promotion of the successful long-term internationalization of this state, including programs that establish viable overseas markets, generate foreign investment, assist in meeting the financing requirements of export-ready firms, broaden opportunities for international joint venture relationships, use the resources of academic and other institutions, coordinate trade assistance and facilitation services, and facilitate availability of and access to education and training programs which will assure requisite skills and competencies necessary to compete successfully in the global marketplace.

(h)  Promotion of the growth of high technology and other value-added industries and jobs.

(i)  Addressing the needs of blighted inner-city communities that have unacceptable levels of unemployment and economic disinvestment, with the ultimate goal of creating jobs for the residents of such communities.

(j)  Identifying business sectors that are of current or future importance to the state's economy and to the state's worldwide business image, and developing specific strategies to promote the development of such sectors.

(3)(a)  The strategic plan shall also include recommendations regarding specific performance standards and measurable outcomes. By July 1, 1997, Enterprise Florida, Inc., in consultation with the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, shall establish performance-measure outcomes for Enterprise Florida, Inc., and its boards. Enterprise Florida, Inc., in consultation with the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, shall develop a plan for monitoring its operations to ensure that performance data are maintained and supported by records of the organization. By July 1, 1998, and biennially thereafter, Enterprise Florida, Inc., in consultation with the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, shall review the performance-measure outcomes for Enterprise Florida, Inc., and its boards, and make any appropriate modifications to them. In developing measurable objectives and performance outcomes, Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall consider the effect of its programs, activities, and services on its client population. Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall establish standards such as job growth among client firms, growth in the number and strength of businesses within targeted sectors, client satisfaction, venture capital dollars invested in small and minority businesses, businesses retained and recruited, employer wage growth, minority business participation in technology assistance and development programs, and increased export sales among client companies to use in evaluating performance toward accomplishing the mission of Enterprise Florida, Inc.

(b)  The performance standards and measurable outcomes established and regularly reviewed by Enterprise Florida, Inc., under this subsection must also include benchmarks and goals to measure the impact of state economic development policies and programs. Such benchmarks and goals may include, but are not limited to:

1.  Net annual job growth rate in this state compared to neighboring southern states and the United States as a whole.

2.  Unemployment rate in this state compared to neighboring southern states and the United States as a whole.

3.  Wage distribution based on the percentage of people working in this state who earned 15 percent below the state average, within 15 percent of the state average, and 15 percent or more above the state average.

4.  Annual percentage of growth in the production of goods and services within Florida compared to neighboring southern states and the United States as a whole.

5.  Changes in jobs in this state by major industry based on the percentage of growth or decline in the number of full-time or part-time jobs in this state.

6.  Number of new business startups in this state.

7.  Goods produced in this state that are exported to other countries.

8.  Capital investment for commercial and industrial purposes, agricultural production and processing, and international trade.

(c)  Prior to the 1999 Regular Session of the Legislature, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall conduct a review of Enterprise Florida, Inc., and its boards. The review shall be comprehensive in its scope, but, at a minimum, must be conducted in such a manner as to specifically determine:

1.  The progress towards achieving the established outcomes.

2.  The circumstances contributing to the organization's ability to achieve, not achieve, or exceed its established outcomes.

3.  The progress towards achieving the established goals of the Cypress Equity Fund and whether the strategy underlying the fund is appropriate.

4.  Whether it would be sound public policy to continue or discontinue funding the organization, and the consequences of discontinuing the organization. The report shall be submitted by January 1, 1999, to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Minority Leader, and the House Minority Leader.

(d)  Prior to the 2003 Regular Session of the Legislature, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, shall conduct another review of Enterprise Florida, Inc., and its boards using the criteria in paragraph (c). The report shall be submitted by January 1, 2003, to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Minority Leader, and the House Minority Leader.

(4)  The board of directors shall coordinate the economic development activities and policies of Enterprise Florida, Inc., with municipal, county, and regional economic development organizations to establish and further develop the role of local economic development organizations as the primary service-delivery agents for economic development services. Where feasible, the board shall work with regional economic development organizations in the delivery of services of Enterprise Florida, Inc., and its boards.

(5)  Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall deposit into African-American-qualified public depositories and Hispanic-American-qualified public depositories a portion of any moneys received by Enterprise Florida, Inc., and its boards from the state.

(6)  Any employee leased by Enterprise Florida, Inc., from the state, or any employee who derives ¹his or her salary from funds appropriated by the Legislature, may not receive a pay raise or bonus in excess of a pay raise or bonus that is received by similarly situated state employees. However, this subsection does not prohibit the payment of a pay raise or bonus from funds received from sources other than the Florida Legislature.

History.--s. 6, ch. 92-277; s. 85, ch. 96-320; s. 42, ch. 97-100; s. 32, ch. 97-278.

¹Note.--The words "his or her" were substituted for the word "their" by the editors.