Senate Bill sb1158

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1158

    By Senator Joyner





    18-861-07                                           See HB 429

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Florida African-American

  3         Culture and Heritage Initiative; creating s.

  4         267.175, F.S.; creating the Florida

  5         African-American Culture and Heritage

  6         Initiative Commission within the Department of

  7         State for certain purposes; providing for

  8         commission membership; providing for terms of

  9         members; providing for successor appointment;

10         providing for election of officers; requiring

11         the commission to adopt bylaws; providing for

12         commission meetings; specifying serving without

13         compensation; providing for per diem and travel

14         expenses; requiring the commission to develop a

15         plan for certain purposes; requiring a report

16         to the Governor and the Legislature; providing

17         responsibilities of the department; authorizing

18         the appointment of committees and

19         subcommittees; requiring the commission to

20         provide advice and assistance to the department

21         regarding plan implementation and activities of

22         a citizen support organization; describing the

23         Florida African-American Culture and Heritage

24         Initiative; specifying duties and goals of the

25         initiative; authorizing the department to enter

26         into contracts or accept loans or grants for

27         money, property, or personal services to

28         implement requirements; providing for the

29         establishment of a citizen support organization

30         for certain purposes; providing for legislative

31         budget request; providing an effective date.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1158
    18-861-07                                           See HB 429




 1  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

 2  

 3         Section 1.  Section 267.175, Florida Statutes, is

 4  created to read:

 5         267.175  Florida African-American Culture and Heritage

 6  Initiative Commission.--

 7         (1)  CREATION.--The Florida African-American Culture

 8  and Heritage Initiative Commission is created within the

 9  Department of State for the purposes of:

10         (a)  Broadening, deepening, and diversifying statewide

11  participation in and appreciation of African-American arts,

12  history, and culture;

13         (b)  Assisting educational institutions with

14  incorporating African-American history and culture in the

15  curriculum in accordance with state law; and

16         (c)  Fulfilling other duties and goals provided in the

17  description of the Florida African-American Culture and

18  Heritage Initiative in subsection (7).

19         (2)  MEMBERSHIP.--The commission shall consist of the

20  following members:

21         (a)  Eleven members appointed as follows:

22         1.  Seven members appointed by, and serving at the

23  pleasure of, the Governor.

24         2.  Two members appointed by, and serving at the

25  pleasure of, the President of the Senate.

26         3.  Two members appointed by, and serving at the

27  pleasure of, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

28  

29  Appointees shall be representatives of the general public who

30  represent a broad cross-section of the views and interests of

31  the community and the member organizations of the commission,

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1158
    18-861-07                                           See HB 429




 1  including educators, clergy, and civic and business leaders;

 2  philanthropists; visual, creative, and performing artists;

 3  representatives of African-American arts, history, and

 4  cultural organizations; and persons having knowledge of,

 5  expertise in, or commitment to preserving the state's

 6  African-American culture and heritage.

 7         (b)  The Secretary of State or his or her designee.

 8         (c)  The Commissioner of Education or his or her

 9  designee.

10         (d)  The executive director of the Office of Tourism,

11  Trade, and Economic Development.

12         (e)  The chair of the Florida Historical Commission.

13         (f)  The chair of the Florida Arts Council.

14         (g)  The chair of the Board of Directors of Visit

15  Florida or his or her designee.

16         (3)  TERMS; VACANCIES.--Each appointed member shall

17  serve a term of 4 years and shall be eligible for

18  reappointment. If a position becomes vacant, a successor shall

19  be appointed in the manner of the original appointment for

20  such position.

21         (4)  OFFICERS; BYLAWS; MEETINGS.--

22         (a)  The commission shall elect from among its members

23  a chair, a vice chair, and such other officers as the

24  commission deems necessary or expedient in the performance of

25  its duties. Election of officers shall occur at the first

26  meeting of the commission and every 4 years thereafter or

27  sooner if a vacancy occurs.

28         (b)  A majority of the total membership shall

29  constitute a quorum. No vacancy in the membership shall impair

30  the right of a quorum to exercise all of the functions and

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1158
    18-861-07                                           See HB 429




 1  duties of the commission. All action taken by the commission

 2  shall be by majority vote of those members present.

 3         (c)  The commission shall adopt bylaws for the conduct

 4  of its business and shall have the power to amend and rescind

 5  its bylaws. The commission shall publish its bylaws in

 6  convenient form and shall file with the Department of State a

 7  copy of such bylaws and a copy of any amendment to such

 8  bylaws.

 9         (d)  The initial meeting of the commission shall be

10  held no later than October 1, 2007. Subsequent meetings shall

11  be held upon the call of the chair or vice chair, acting in

12  the absence of the chair, and in accordance with the

13  commission's bylaws.

14         (e)  Records and meetings of the commission shall be

15  subject to the provisions of chapters 119 and 286.

16         (5)  REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES.--Members shall serve

17  without compensation, except that members are entitled to per

18  diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, incurred in

19  the performance of their duties.

20         (6)  DUTIES.--

21         (a)  The commission shall develop a statewide plan for

22  implementation of the initiative. The plan shall be developed

23  to encourage and support participation in development of the

24  plan and in its implementation by all interested groups

25  throughout the state. The commission shall work with

26  representatives from the state's tourism industries, cultural

27  and historical venues, entertainment industry, K-20

28  educational institutions, local governments, state and federal

29  agencies, and others as necessary in the preparation and

30  implementation of the plan.

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1158
    18-861-07                                           See HB 429




 1         (b)  The commission shall submit the initial plan to

 2  the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of

 3  the House of Representatives no later than January 1, 2009. An

 4  updated plan shall be presented no later than January 1 of

 5  each succeeding year.

 6         (c)  The commission shall be responsible for providing

 7  such other assistance and advice to the department as may be

 8  required from time to time in matters pertaining to the

 9  implementation of the Florida African-American Culture and

10  Heritage Initiative, including, but not limited to, activities

11  of the citizen support organization created by this section

12  for the purpose of raising funds and assisting in the

13  development and implementation of the initiative.

14         (7)  FLORIDA AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE AND HERITAGE

15  INITIATIVE.--The Florida African-American Culture and Heritage

16  Initiative shall be an alliance of organizations and

17  institutions that comprise the African-American arts, history,

18  and culture communities in this state for the purposes of the

19  commission. The duties and goals of the initiative shall

20  include, but not be limited to, the following:

21         (a)  Promoting understanding and appreciation of the

22  history and artistic and cultural contributions of people of

23  African descent;

24         (b)  Providing guidance, support, and resources for new

25  and emerging African-American arts and historical groups and

26  increasing the level of organizational capacity and program

27  administration of established groups;

28         (c)  Increasing funding and audiences for local

29  African-American culture and heritage tourism and enriching

30  African-American culture and heritage tourism programming;

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1158
    18-861-07                                           See HB 429




 1         (d)  Increasing and attracting corporate sponsorship

 2  and participation in African-American culture and heritage

 3  programming and tourism;

 4         (e)  Increasing opportunities for young people to learn

 5  about and experience African-American arts, history, and

 6  culture in schools and youth organizations;

 7         (f)  Investing in future generations of

 8  African-American artists and historians by providing

 9  leadership development activities, apprenticeships,

10  mentorship, scholarships, and cultural programs;

11         (g)  Enhancing computer and Internet access and usage

12  within the African-American community; and

13         (h)  Ensuring the financial viability of the initiative

14  through a network of community partners, advocates, and

15  supporters, including, but not limited to celebrities,

16  philanthropists, public officials, state and local leaders,

17  and corporations.

18         (8)  RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.--

19         (a)  Subject to appropriation, the department shall

20  provide administrative support and consulting services to the

21  commission for the commission's activities and duties as

22  provided in this section.

23         (b)  The Secretary of State may appoint subcommittees

24  or advisory committees as requested by the commission, which

25  may include persons who are not members of the commission.

26  Such persons shall not be entitled to compensation but shall

27  be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the

28  performance of their duties.

29         (c)  The Department of State may enter into contracts

30  with, or accept loans or grants of money, property, or

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1158
    18-861-07                                           See HB 429




 1  personal services from, any agency, corporation, or person to

 2  carry out the requirements of this section.

 3         (d)1.  The Division of Historical Resources of the

 4  Department of State may support the establishment of a citizen

 5  support organization pursuant to s. 267.17 to assist the

 6  commission in carrying out the purposes of the commission and

 7  in attaining the goals of the initiative. The citizen support

 8  organization may receive funds from the general public or

 9  other public or private sources for the purpose of funding its

10  activities and implementing the provisions of this section. In

11  addition to funds received from the general public or other

12  public and private sources, the organization may receive funds

13  from state agencies at such times and in such amounts as may

14  be appropriated by the Legislature. All funds received by the

15  citizen support organization other than those necessary to pay

16  the expenses of the commission shall be used exclusively for

17  the establishment, support, and promotion of the Florida

18  African-American Culture and Heritage Initiative.

19         2.  Costs to underwrite activities related to the

20  commission administration and the activities of the commission

21  to address its purposes outlined in this section may be borne

22  from revenues raised by the citizen support organization.

23         (e)  The commission shall make recommendations for

24  funding to the Secretary of State, and the department shall

25  include requests for funding for the commission and for the

26  plan in the department's legislative budget request, as the

27  secretary deems appropriate.

28         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

29  

30  

31  

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