Florida Senate - 2011 SB 1110
By Senator Dean
3-01339-11 20111110__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to commemoration of the 40th
3 anniversary of the end of the United States’
4 involvement in the Vietnam War; creating s. 683.025,
5 F.S.; designating March 25 annually as “Vietnam
6 Veterans’ Day”; specifying the date on which the
7 observance of Vietnam Veterans’ Day commences;
8 specifying purpose of the observance; creating s.
9 292.075, F.S.; requiring the Department of Veterans’
10 Affairs to administratively promote and support the
11 efforts of counties, municipalities, and veterans’
12 organizations that voluntarily hold special community
13 events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the end
14 of the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War
15 and subsequent observances of Vietnam Veterans’ Day;
16 authorizing solicitation of private donations to fund
17 grants to counties, municipalities, and veterans’
18 organizations that voluntarily hold activities in
19 support of such commemoration; providing for
20 rulemaking of the department; providing for the
21 creation of a special volunteer advisory board to the
22 department for the purpose of reviewing and making
23 recommendations with respect to activities and
24 expenditures of private funds raised in support of
25 such commemoration; amending ss. 320.08056 and
26 320.08058, F.S.; creating the Vietnam Veterans license
27 plate; establishing an annual use fee for the plate;
28 providing for the distribution of use fees received
29 from the sale of such plates; providing an effective
30 date.
31
32 WHEREAS, March 29, 2013, marks the 40th anniversary of the
33 end of United States involvement in the Vietnam War, and
34 WHEREAS, it is the intent of this act to provide
35 legislative direction and support for recognition of the
36 importance of this event and to ensure the appropriate
37 commemoration of this anniversary and proper demonstration of
38 appreciation for the honorable service and tremendous sacrifice
39 of veterans who served in the United States Armed Services
40 during the Vietnam Era, NOW, THEREFORE,
41
42 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
43
44 Section 1. Section 683.025, Florida Statutes, is created to
45 read:
46 683.025 Vietnam Veterans’ Day.—
47 (1) Commencing on March 25, 2013, the 40th anniversary of
48 the end of United States involvement in the Vietnam War, the
49 Governor shall proclaim March 25 of each year to be “Vietnam
50 Veterans’ Day,” which day shall be suitably observed throughout
51 the state as a day honoring the veterans who served in the
52 United States Armed Services during the Vietnam Era, and which
53 day shall otherwise be suitably observed by such public
54 exercises in the State Capitol and elsewhere as the Governor may
55 designate. If in any calendar year March 25 falls on a day which
56 is not a school day, “Vietnam Veterans’ Day” shall be observed
57 in the schools on the school day next preceding or on such
58 preceding day as may be designated by local school authorities.
59 (2) The purpose of Vietnam Veterans’ Day is to provide a
60 proper demonstration of appreciation for the honorable service
61 and sacrifice of veterans who served in the United States Armed
62 Forces during the Vietnam Era.
63 Section 2. Section 292.075, Florida Statutes, is created to
64 read:
65 292.075 Vietnam Veterans’ Day; commemoration of 40th
66 anniversary of the end of United States involvement in the
67 Vietnam War.—
68 (1) The department shall administratively promote and
69 support the efforts of counties, municipalities, and bona fide
70 veterans’ organizations that voluntarily hold special community
71 events commemorating Vietnam Veterans Day on March 25, 2013, the
72 40th anniversary of the end of the United States’ involvement in
73 the Vietnam War, and commemorating Vietnam Veterans’ Day in
74 years subsequent to 2013, as provided for in s. 683.025. Such
75 events shall include, but not be limited to, parades or
76 ceremonies held on that date.
77 (2) The department shall adopt rules for the:
78 (a) Solicitation of private donations to fund grants to
79 counties, municipalities, and bona fide veterans’ organizations
80 that voluntarily hold commemorative activities contemplated by
81 this section and s. 683.025 for the purpose of reviewing and
82 making recommendations with respect to such activities and major
83 expenditures of private funds raised in support thereof.
84 (b) Creation of a special volunteer advisory board,
85 consisting of Vietnam veterans who are residents of the state,
86 for the purpose of reviewing and making recommendations with
87 respect to the activities contemplated by this section and s.
88 683.025 and major expenditures of private funds raised in
89 support thereof.
90 Section 3. Paragraph (aaaa) is added to subsection (4) of
91 section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read:
92 320.08056 Specialty license plates.—
93 (4) The following license plate annual use fees shall be
94 collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:
95 (aaaa) Vietnam Veterans license plate, $25.
96 Section 4. Subsection (79) is added to section 320.08058,
97 Florida Statutes, to read:
98 320.08058 Specialty license plates.—
99 (79) VIETNAM VETERANS LICENSE PLATE.—
100 (a) The department shall develop a Vietnam Veterans license
101 plate as provided in this section. Vietnam Veterans license
102 plates must bear the colors and design approved by the
103 department. The word “Florida” must appear at the top of the
104 plate, and the words “Vietnam Veterans” must appear at the
105 bottom of the plate.
106 (b) The license plate annual use fees must be deposited in
107 the Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund of the Department of
108 Veterans’ Affairs. All such moneys are to be administered by the
109 direct-support organization of the Department of Veterans’
110 Affairs created under s. 292.055, the Florida Veterans’
111 Foundation, and must be used solely for the purposes of:
112 1. Funding grants to counties, municipalities, and bona
113 fide veterans’ organizations for activities related to the
114 initial observance of “Vietnam Veterans’ Day,” on March 25,
115 2013, the 40th anniversary of the end of United States
116 involvement in the Vietnam War;
117 2. Expenditures related to the annual observance of Vietnam
118 Veterans’ Day in years subsequent to 2013; and
119 3. The continuing promotion and marketing of the license
120 plate, subject to the requirements of chapter 216.
121 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.