House Bill 1495
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1495
By Representatives Bradley and Lynn
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to urban policy; creating the
3 Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce;
4 providing for the purposes of the institute;
5 directing the institute to investigate specific
6 issues; directing the establishment of regional
7 centers; providing reporting requirements;
8 providing an effective date.
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10 WHEREAS, through years of serious neglect and
11 deprivation, urban communities have become plagued by
12 pervasive poverty and economic and physical distress, and
13 WHEREAS, many of these urban communities have become
14 ghost towns overwhelmed by unemployment, vacant buildings, and
15 boarded-up homes, and
16 WHEREAS, the majority of these inner city communities
17 are underserved and are cut off from the larger community by a
18 lack of employment skills and a lack of business and economic
19 development opportunities due to a profusion of social and
20 family burdens, including poverty, crime, substance abuse,
21 illiteracy, and overcrowding, NOW, THEREFORE,
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23 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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25 Section 1. There is created the Institute on Urban
26 Policy and Commerce as a Type I Institute under the Board of
27 Regents at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University to
28 improve the quality of life in urban communities through
29 research, teaching, and outreach activities.
30 Section 2. The major purposes of the institute are to
31 pursue basic and applied research on urban policy issues
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Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1495
547-134-99
1 confronting the inner-city areas and neighborhoods in the
2 state; to influence the equitable allocation and stewardship
3 of federal, state, and local financial resources; to train a
4 new generation of civic leaders and university students
5 interested in approaches to community planning and design; to
6 assist with the planning, development, and capacity building
7 of urban area nonprofit organizations and government agencies;
8 to develop and maintain a data base relating to inner city
9 areas; and to support the community development efforts of
10 inner city areas, neighborhood-based organizations, and
11 municipal agencies.
12 Section 3. The institute shall research and recommend
13 strategies concerning critical issues facing the underserved
14 population in urban communities, including, but not limited
15 to, transportation and physical infrastructure; affordable
16 housing; tourism and commerce; environmental restoration; job
17 development and retention; child care; public health;
18 life-long learning; family intervention; public safety; and
19 community relations.
20 Section 4. The institute shall establish regional
21 urban centers to be located in the inner cities of St.
22 Petersburg, Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Ft.
23 Lauderdale, Miami, Daytona Beach, and Pensacola to assist
24 urban communities on critical economic, social, and
25 educational problems affecting the underserved population.
26 Section 5. Before January 1 of each year, the
27 institute must submit a report of its critical findings and
28 recommendations for the prior year to the President of the
29 Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the
30 appropriate committees of the Legislature. The report shall be
31 titled "The State of Unmet Needs in Florida's Urban
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Florida House of Representatives - 1999 HB 1495
547-134-99
1 Communities" and should include, but is not limited to, a
2 recommended list of resources that could be made available for
3 revitalizing urban communities; significant accomplishments
4 and activities of the institute; and recommendations
5 concerning the expansion, improvement, or termination of the
6 institute.
7 Section 6. The Governor shall submit an annual report
8 to the Legislature on the unmet needs in the state's urban
9 communities.
10 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.
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13 SENATE SUMMARY
14 Creates the Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce at
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Provides
15 for its purposes and directs it to investigate specific
issues. Directs the establishment of seven regional urban
16 centers. Provides reporting requirements for the
Institute and the Governor.
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