Senate Bill 1528

    Florida Senate - 1999        (NP)                      SR 1528

    By Senator Kirkpatrick





    5-1423-99

  1                    Senate Resolution No.     

  2         A resolution recognizing March 4, 1999 as

  3         Associations Advance Florida Day.

  4

  5         WHEREAS, associations, originating with the guilds of

  6  medieval times, are one of the largest and most powerful

  7  forces in the United States today, yet are also among the

  8  least recognized, and

  9         WHEREAS, associations are simply groups of

10  people--groups of people who find strength in numbers in

11  sharing common interests of industries, professions,

12  charities, hobbies, or philanthropy, and

13         WHEREAS, associations are founded upon the principles

14  of democracy, volunteerism, and common interest that are the

15  heart of the American experience, and

16         WHEREAS, associations by definition exist for the

17  mutual protection and advancement of their members, and

18         WHEREAS, associations are known by a host of names,

19  including federations, alliances, institutes, guilds,

20  societies, foundations, clubs, congresses, coalitions,

21  centers, networks, chambers, bureaus, associations,

22  fraternities, and sororities, and although they come by many

23  names and in many sizes, they are all associations, sharing

24  the twin goals of helping their members and advancing society,

25  and

26         WHEREAS, associations represent an enormous collective

27  presence, their work is woven throughout the fabric of

28  society, and the public has come to depend on the social and

29  economic benefits that associations afford, and

30         WHEREAS, were it not for associations, other

31  institutions and the government would face added burdens in

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1999        (NP)                      SR 1528
    5-1423-99




  1  the vital activities they perform in setting and enforcing

  2  product and safety standards, stimulating and organizing

  3  volunteerism, conducting industry research, disseminating

  4  valuable information, continuing education, ethics, political

  5  campaign funding and political education, and community

  6  service, and

  7         WHEREAS, the estimate of the direct economic value of

  8  associations to the state is over $1.2 billion each year,

  9  including transportation, payroll, printing, office supplies,

10  rent, postage, lodging and facility accommodations, and

11  educational programs, and

12         WHEREAS, the association community in Florida provides

13  over 45,450 jobs, accommodates over 2 million meeting

14  attendees, and spends $122 million with hotels, and

15         WHEREAS, 70.8 percent of hotel meeting revenue in the

16  state comes from associations, and

17         WHEREAS, associations hold 26,000 events in Florida

18  annually, such as trade shows, committee and board meetings,

19  and conventions and education programs, and,

20         WHEREAS, Florida associations pay more than $77 million

21  in taxes each year; and

22         WHEREAS, Florida associations' staff and members donate

23  over 10 million hours of service to their associations and

24  communities each year, NOW, THEREFORE,

25

26  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

27

28         That the Florida Senate recognizes March 4, 1999 as

29  Associations Advance Florida Day.

30

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