CS/CS/HB 1121 — Support Organizations
by State Affairs Committee; Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee; and Rep. Altman (CS/SB 7074 by Rules Committee and Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee)
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee (GO)
In 2014, the Legislature scheduled the repeal of the statutory authorization of various direct support and citizen support organizations associated with state agencies.
The bill removes the scheduled repeal of provisions governing citizen support organizations (CSOs) established under the Department of State, Department of Environmental Protection, and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, allowing the CSOs to continue operating and providing benefits to the respective departments.
The bill repeals s. 288.809, F.S., which created Florida Intergovernmental Relations Foundation, a direct support organization (DSO) under the Executive Office of the Governor.
The bill extends the repeal date for the Florida Endowment for Vocational Rehabilitation, a DSO for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in the Department of Education, from October 1, 2019, to October 1, 2023.
The bill removes the scheduled repeal date of the law authorizing the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish DSOs to provide assistance, funding, and support to assist the department in furthering its goals. These DSOs include:
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Friends of the Florida State Forests;
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Forestry Arson Alert Association, Inc.;
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Florida Agricultural Museum;
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Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc.;
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Florida Agriculture Center and Horse Park Authority; and
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Living Healthy in Florida, Inc.
The bill requires Department of Environmental Protection to submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1, 2019, on financial transparency, accountability and ethics of certain CSOs.
The bill extends the repeal date for the Friends of the Babcock Ranch Preserve, Inc., a CSO, and the Florida Beef Council, a DSO, within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, from October 1, 2019, to October 1, 2024.
The bill authorizes courts to order a person convicted of a violation of Commission rules or orders to pay an assessment to Wildlife Alert Reward Association, Inc., allowing courts to continue an existing practice that provides a significant portion of Wildlife Alert Reward Association, Inc.’s funding. The bill authorizes Wildlife Alert Reward Association, Inc., to pay rewards from assessments collected by court order to persons who provide information leading to the arrest of a person for a violation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules or orders.
The bill has no impact on state revenues or expenditures.
These provisions were approved by the Governor and take effect July 1, 2019.
Vote: Senate 29-0; House 107-1