The Florida Senate

403.4131  "Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated"; placement of signs.--

(1)  It is the intent of the Legislature that a coordinated effort of interested businesses, environmental and civic organizations, and state and local agencies of government be developed to plan for and assist in implementing solutions to the litter and solid waste problems in this state and that the state provide financial assistance for the establishment of a nonprofit organization with the name of "Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated," which shall be registered, incorporated, and operated in compliance with chapter 617. This nonprofit organization shall coordinate the statewide campaign and operate as the grassroots arm of the state's effort and shall serve as an umbrella organization for volunteer-based community programs. The organization shall be dedicated to helping Florida and its local communities solve solid waste problems, to developing and implementing a sustained litter prevention campaign, and to act as a working public-private partnership in helping to implement the state's Solid Waste Management Act. As part of this effort, Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated, in cooperation with the Environmental Education Foundation, shall strive to educate citizens, visitors, and businesses about the important relationship between the state's environment and economy. Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated, is encouraged to explore and identify economic incentives to improve environmental initiatives in the area of solid waste management. The membership of the board of directors of this nonprofit organization may include representatives of the following organizations: the Florida League of Cities, the Florida Association of Counties, the Governor's Office, the Florida Chapter of the National Solid Waste Management Association, the Florida Recyclers Association, the Center for Marine Conservation, Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Soft Drink Association, the Florida Petroleum Council, the Retail Grocers Association of Florida, the Florida Retail Federation, the Pulp and Paper Association, the Florida Automobile Dealers Association, the Beer Industries of Florida, the Florida Beer Wholesalers Association, and the Distilled Spirits Wholesalers.

(2)  As a partner working with government, business, civic, environmental, and other organizations, Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated, shall strive to assist the state and its local communities by contracting for the development of a highly visible antilitter campaign that, at a minimum, includes:

(a)  Coordinating with the Center for Marine Conservation and the Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management to identify components of the marine debris and litter stream and groups that habitually litter.

(b)  Designing appropriate advertising to promote the proper management of solid waste, with emphasis on educating groups that habitually litter.

(c)  Fostering public awareness and striving to build an environmental ethic in this state through the development of educational programs that result in an understanding and in action on the part of individuals and organizations about the role they must play in preventing litter and protecting Florida's environment.

(d)  Developing educational programs and materials that promote the proper management of solid waste, including the proper disposal of litter.

(e)  Administering grants provided by the state. Grants authorized under this section shall be subject to normal department audit procedures and review.

(3)  The Department of Transportation shall establish an "adopt-a-highway" program to allow local organizations to be identified with specific highway cleanup and highway beautification projects authorized under s. 339.2405 and shall coordinate such efforts with Keep Florida Beautiful, Inc. The department shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on the progress achieved and the savings incurred by the "adopt-a-highway" program. The department shall also monitor and report on compliance with provisions of the adopt-a-highway program to ensure that organizations that participate in the program comply with the goals identified by the department.

(4)  The Department of Transportation shall place signs discouraging litter at all off-ramps of the interstate highway system in the state. The department shall place other highway signs as necessary to discourage littering through use of the antilitter program developed by Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated.

(5)  Each county is encouraged to initiate a litter control and prevention program or to expand upon its existing program. The department shall establish a system of grants for municipalities and counties to implement litter control and prevention programs. In addition to the activities described in subsection (1), such grants shall at a minimum be used for litter cleanup, grassroots educational programs involving litter removal and prevention, and the placement of litter and recycling receptacles. Counties are encouraged to form working public private partnerships as authorized under this section to implement litter control and prevention programs at the community level. The grants authorized pursuant to this section shall be incorporated as part of the recycling and education grants. Counties that have a population under 75,000 are encouraged to develop a regional approach to administering and coordinating their litter control and prevention programs.

(6)  The department may contract with Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated, to help carry out the provisions of this section. All contracts authorized under this section are subject to normal department audit procedures and review.

(7)  In order to establish continuity for the statewide program, those local governments and community programs receiving grants for litter prevention and control must use the official State of Florida litter control or campaign symbol adopted by Keep Florida Beautiful, Incorporated, for use on various receptacles and program material.

(8)  The Legislature establishes a litter reduction goal of 50 percent reduction from the period January 1, 1994, to January 1, 1997. The method of determination used to measure the reduction in litter is the survey conducted by the Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management. The center shall consider existing litter survey methodologies.

(9)  The Department of Environmental Protection shall contract with the Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management for an ongoing annual litter survey, the first of which is to be conducted by January 1, 1994. The center shall appoint a broad-based work group not to exceed seven members to assist in the development and implementation of the survey. Representatives from the university system, business, government, and the environmental community shall be considered by the center to serve on the work group. Final authority on implementing and conducting the survey rests with the center. The first survey is to be designed to serve as a baseline by measuring the amount of current litter and marine debris, and is to include a methodology for measuring the reduction in the amount of litter and marine debris to determine the progress toward the litter reduction goal established in subsection (8). Annually thereafter, additional surveys are to be conducted and must also include a methodology for measuring the reduction in the amount of litter and for determining progress toward the litter reduction goal established in subsection (8).

(10)(a)  There is created within Keep Florida Beautiful, Inc., the Wildflower Advisory Council, consisting of a maximum of nine members to direct and oversee the expenditure of the Wildflower Account. The Wildflower Advisory Council shall include a representative from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the Florida Department of Transportation, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida League of Cities, and the Florida Association of Counties. Other members of the committee may include representatives from the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc., Think Beauty Foundation, the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Inc., and a representative of the Master Gardener's Program.

(b)  The Wildflower Advisory Council shall develop procedures of operation, research contracts, educational programs, and wildflower planting grants for Florida native wildflowers, plants, and grasses. The council shall also make the final determination of what constitutes acceptable species of wildflowers and other plantings supported by these programs.

History.--s. 55, ch. 88-130; s. 1, ch. 89-37; s. 2, ch. 89-296; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 39, ch. 93-207; s. 379, ch. 94-356; s. 14, ch. 98-258; s. 37, ch. 99-5; s. 3, ch. 99-294; s. 19, ch. 2000-331.