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





                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1566

    Amendment No.    

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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11  Senator McKay moved the following amendment:

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13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 163, between lines 24 and 25,

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16  and insert:

17         Section 62.  Section 230.23027, Florida Statutes, is

18  created to read:

19         230.23027  Small School District Stabilization

20  Program.--

21         (1)  There is created the Small School District

22  Stabilization Program to assist school districts in rural

23  communities that document economic conditions or other

24  significant community influences that negatively impact the

25  school district. The purpose of the program is to provide

26  technical assistance and financial support to maintain the

27  stability of the educational program in the school district. A

28  rural community means a county with a population of 75,000 or

29  less; or a county with a population of 100,000 or less that is

30  contiguous to a county with a population of 75,000 or less.

31         (2)  In order to participate in this program, a school

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1566

    Amendment No.    





 1  district must be located in a rural area of critical economic

 2  concern designated by the Executive Office of the Governor,

 3  and the school board must submit a resolution to the Office of

 4  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development requesting

 5  participation in the program. A rural area of critical

 6  economic concern must be a rural community, or a region

 7  composed of such, that has been adversely affected by an

 8  extraordinary economic event or a natural disaster or that

 9  presents a unique economic development concern or opportunity

10  of regional impact. The resolution must be accompanied with

11  documentation of the economic conditions in the community,

12  provide information indicating the negative impact of these

13  conditions on the school district's financial stability, and

14  the school district must participate in a best financial

15  management practices review to determine potential

16  efficiencies that could be implemented to reduce program costs

17  in the district.

18         (3)  The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

19  Development, in consultation with the Department of Education,

20  shall review the resolution and other information required by

21  subsection (2) and determine whether the school district is

22  eligible to participate in the program. Factors influencing

23  the office's determination may include, but are not limited

24  to, reductions in the county tax roll resulting from business

25  closures or other causes, or a reduction in student enrollment

26  due to business closures or impacts in the local economy.

27         (4)  Effective July 1, 2000, and thereafter, when the

28  Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development authorizes

29  a school district to participate in the program, the

30  Legislature may give priority to that district for a best

31  financial management practices review in the school district,

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1566

    Amendment No.    





 1  as authorized in s. 11.515, to the extent that funding is

 2  provided annually for such purpose in the General

 3  Appropriations Act. The scope of the review shall be as set

 4  forth in s. 11.515.

 5         (5)  Effective July 1, 2000, and thereafter, the

 6  Department of Education may award the school district a

 7  stabilization grant intended to protect the district from

 8  continued financial reductions. The amount of the grant will

 9  be determined by the Department of Education and may be

10  equivalent to the amount of the decline in revenues projected

11  for the next fiscal year. In addition, the Office of Tourism,

12  Trade, and Economic Development may implement a rural economic

13  development initiative to identify the economic factors that

14  are negatively impacting the community and may consult with

15  Enterprise Florida, Inc., in developing a plan to assist the

16  county with its economic transition. The grant will be

17  available to the school district for a period of up to 5 years

18  to the extent that funding is provided for such purpose in the

19  General Appropriations Act.

20         (6)  Based on the availability of funds the Office of

21  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development or the Department of

22  Education may enter into contracts or issue grants necessary

23  to implement the program.

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25  (Redesignate subsequent sections.)

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28  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

29  And the title is amended as follows:

30         On page 10, line 15, after the semicolon

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                                                  SENATE AMENDMENT

    Bill No. CS for CS for SB 1566

    Amendment No.    





 1  insert:

 2         creating s. 230.23027, F.S.; establishing the

 3         Small School District Stabilization Program;

 4         providing for a best financial management

 5         practices review of certain small districts;

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