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The Florida Senate

2014 Florida Statutes

Title XIX PUBLIC BUSINESS
Chapter 288 COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS Entire Chapter
SECTION 8013
Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc.; Recovery Fund; creation; investment.
F.S. 288.8013
288.8013 Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc.; Recovery Fund; creation; investment.—
(1) There is created within the Department of Economic Opportunity a nonprofit corporation, to be known as Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., which shall be registered, incorporated, organized, and operated in compliance with chapter 617, and which is not a unit or entity of state government. Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., may receive, hold, invest, and administer the Recovery Fund in support of this act. Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., is a separate budget entity and is not subject to control, supervision, or direction by the Department of Economic Opportunity in any manner, including, but not limited to, personnel, purchasing, transactions involving real or personal property, and budgetary matters.
(2) Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., must create and administer the Recovery Fund for the benefit of the disproportionately affected counties. The principal of the fund shall derive from 75 percent of all funds recovered by the Attorney General for economic damage to the state resulting from the Deepwater Horizon disaster, after payment of reasonable and necessary attorney fees, costs, and expenses, including such attorney fees, costs, and expenses pursuant to s. 16.0155.
(3) The Recovery Fund must be maintained as a long-term and stable source of revenue, which shall decline over a 30-year period in equal amounts each year. Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., shall establish a trust account at a federally insured financial institution to hold funds and make deposits and payments. Earnings generated by investments and interest of the fund, plus the amount of principal available each year, shall be available to make awards pursuant to this act and pay administrative costs. Earnings shall be accounted for separately from principal funds set forth in subsection (2). Administrative costs are limited to 2.25 percent of the earnings in a calendar year. Administrative costs include payment of investment fees, travel and per diem expenses of board members, audits, salary or other costs for employed or contracted staff, including required staff under s. 288.8014(9), and other allowable costs. Any funds remaining in the Recovery Fund after 30 years shall revert to the State Treasury.
(4) Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., shall invest and reinvest the principal of the Recovery Fund in accordance with s. 617.2104, in such a manner not to subject the funds to state or federal taxes, and consistent with an investment policy statement adopted by the corporation.
(a) The board of directors shall formulate an investment policy governing the investment of the principal of the Recovery Fund. The policy shall pertain to the types, kinds, or nature of investment of any of the funds, and any limitations, conditions or restrictions upon the methods, practices, or procedures for investment, reinvestments, purchases, sales, or exchange transactions, provided such policies shall not conflict with nor be in derogation of any state constitutional provision or law. The policy shall be formulated with the advice of the financial advisor in consultation with the State Board of Administration.
(b) Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., must competitively procure one or more money managers, under the advice of the financial advisor in consultation with the State Board of Administration, to invest the principal of the Recovery Fund. The applicant manager or managers may not include representatives from the financial institution housing the trust account for the Recovery Fund. The applicant manager or managers must present a plan to invest the Recovery Fund to maximize earnings while prioritizing the preservation of Recovery Fund principal. Any agreement with a money manager must be reviewed by Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., for continuance at least every 5 years. Plans should include investment in technology and growth businesses domiciled in, or that will be domiciled in, this state or businesses whose principal address is in this state.
(c) Costs and fees for investment services shall be deducted from the earnings as administrative costs. Fees for investment services shall be no greater than 150 basis points.
(d) Annually, Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., shall cause an audit to be conducted of the investment of the Recovery Fund by the independent certified public accountant retained in s. 288.8014. The expense of such audit shall be paid from earnings for administrative purposes.
(5) Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., shall report on June 30 and December 30 each year to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the financial status of the Recovery Fund and its investments, the established priorities, the project and program selection process, including a list of all submitted projects and reasons for approval or denial, and the status of all approved awards.
1(6) The Auditor General shall conduct an operational audit of the Recovery Fund and Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., annually. Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., shall provide to the Auditor General any detail or supplemental data required.
History.—s. 54, ch. 2013-39; s. 7, ch. 2014-218.
1Note.—Section 56, ch. 2014-218, provides that:

“(1) The executive director of the Department of Economic Opportunity is authorized, and all conditions are deemed to be met, to adopt emergency rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of implementing this act.

“(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the emergency rules adopted pursuant to subsection (1) remain in effect for 6 months after adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules.

“(3) This section shall expire October 1, 2015.”