House Bill 0951

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

        By Representative Crist






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the health technology

  3         industry; providing intent; amending s. 212.08,

  4         F.S.; revising the exemption from the tax on

  5         sales, use, and other transactions for

  6         machinery and equipment used in silicon

  7         technology production and research and

  8         development, to include machinery and equipment

  9         used by health technology facilities to produce

10         health technology products, and machinery and

11         equipment used in research and development or

12         manufacturing in a health technology facility;

13         providing a definition; amending s. 499.015,

14         F.S.; providing that certain medical device

15         manufacturers are exempt from registration and

16         payment of fees under the Florida Drug and

17         Cosmetic Act; requiring submission of certain

18         documentation; directing the State University

19         System and the University of Miami to perform

20         certain evaluations relating to health

21         technology business incubators and health

22         technology companies, certain clinical trial

23         programs, and certain interaction with the

24         State University System; requiring a report;

25         encouraging the State Board of Community

26         Colleges to develop health technology

27         curricula; requiring a report by the State

28         Community College System; directing the

29         Division of Securities of the Office of the

30         Comptroller to form a task force to review ch.

31         517, F.S., to enhance opportunities for health

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

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  1         technology firms to raise capital; requiring a

  2         report; providing an effective date.

  3

  4         WHEREAS, Enterprise Florida, Inc., has a sector

  5  strategy devoted to Florida's health technology industry, and

  6         WHEREAS, the health technology industry represents a

  7  valued and growing sector of Florida's economy, and

  8         WHEREAS, this industry employs over 250,000 Floridians

  9  at a high average wage, and

10         WHEREAS, this industry is a significant contributor of

11  state and local tax revenue, and

12         WHEREAS, this industry is dominated by small employers

13  and entrepreneurs that look to the state, its communities,

14  economic development organizations, and community colleges and

15  universities to provide an environment that will nurture its

16  development, and

17         WHEREAS, this industry improves the quality of life for

18  all Floridians, and

19         WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature recognizes the

20  importance of this industry to our state, NOW, THEREFORE,

21

22  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

23

24         Section 1.  Legislative intent.--It is the intent of

25  the Legislature to encourage and facilitate the location and

26  expansion of the state's health technology industry.  This

27  industry sector creates high-wage, value-added jobs which

28  strengthen and diversify the state's economy.

29         Section 2.  Paragraph (j) of subsection (5) of section

30  212.08, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, is amended to read:

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

    537-275-99






  1         212.08  Sales, rental, use, consumption, distribution,

  2  and storage tax; specified exemptions.--The sale at retail,

  3  the rental, the use, the consumption, the distribution, and

  4  the storage to be used or consumed in this state of the

  5  following are hereby specifically exempt from the tax imposed

  6  by this chapter.

  7         (5)  EXEMPTIONS; ACCOUNT OF USE.--

  8         (j)  Machinery and equipment used in health technology

  9  and silicon technology production and research and

10  development.--

11         1.  Industrial machinery and equipment purchased for

12  use in silicon technology facilities certified under

13  subparagraph 5. to manufacture, process, compound, or produce

14  health technology or silicon technology products for sale or

15  for use by these facilities are exempt from the tax imposed by

16  this chapter.

17         2.  Machinery and equipment are exempt from the tax

18  imposed by this chapter if purchased for use predominately in

19  research and development or manufacturing in a health

20  technology facility certified under subparagraph 5., or if

21  purchased for use predominately in silicon wafer research and

22  development activities in a silicon technology research and

23  development facility certified under subparagraph 5.

24         3.  In addition to meeting the criteria mandated by

25  subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2., a business must be

26  certified by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

27  Development as authorized in this paragraph in order to

28  qualify for exemption under this paragraph.

29         4.  For items purchased tax exempt pursuant to this

30  paragraph, possession of a written certification from the

31  purchaser, certifying the purchaser's entitlement to exemption

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

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  1  pursuant to this paragraph, relieves the seller of the

  2  responsibility of collecting the tax on the sale of such

  3  items, and the department shall look solely to the purchaser

  4  for recovery of tax if it determines that the purchaser was

  5  not entitled to the exemption.

  6         5.a.  To be eligible to receive the exemption provided

  7  by subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2., a qualifying business

  8  entity shall apply to Enterprise Florida, Inc. The application

  9  shall be developed by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

10  Economic Development in consultation with Enterprise Florida,

11  Inc.

12         b.  Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall review each

13  submitted application and information and determine whether or

14  not the application is complete within 5 working days. Once an

15  application is complete, Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall,

16  within 10 working days, evaluate the application and recommend

17  approval or disapproval of the application to the Office of

18  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.

19         c.  Upon receipt of the application and recommendation

20  from Enterprise Florida, Inc., the Office of Tourism, Trade,

21  and Economic Development shall certify within 5 working days

22  those applicants who are found to meet the requirements of

23  this section and notify the applicant, Enterprise Florida,

24  Inc., and the department of the certification. If the Office

25  of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development finds that the

26  applicant does not meet the requirements of this section, it

27  shall notify the applicant and Enterprise Florida, Inc.,

28  within 10 working days that the application for certification

29  has been denied and the reasons for denial. The Office of

30  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development has final approval

31  authority for certification under this section.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

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  1         6.a.  A business certified to receive this exemption

  2  may apply once each year for the exemption.

  3         b.  The first claim submitted by a business may include

  4  all eligible expenditures made after the date the business was

  5  certified.

  6         c.  To apply for the annual exemption, the business

  7  shall submit a claim to the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

  8  Economic Development, which claim indicates and documents the

  9  sales and use taxes otherwise payable on eligible machinery

10  and equipment. The claim must also indicate, for program

11  evaluation purposes only, the average number of full-time

12  equivalent employees at the facility over the preceding

13  calendar year, the average wage and benefits paid to those

14  employees over the preceding calendar year, and the total

15  investment made in real and tangible personal property over

16  the preceding calendar year or, for the first claim submitted,

17  since the date of certification. The department shall assist

18  the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development in

19  evaluating and verifying information provided in the

20  application for exemption.

21         d.  The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

22  Development may use the information reported on the claims for

23  evaluation purposes only and shall prepare an annual report on

24  the exemption program and its cost and impact. The annual

25  report for the preceding fiscal year shall be submitted to the

26  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

27  House of Representatives by September 30 of each fiscal year.

28  This report may be submitted in conjunction with the annual

29  report required in s. 288.095(3)(c).

30         7.  A business certified to receive this exemption may

31  elect to designate one or more state universities or community

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

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  1  colleges as recipients of up to 100 percent of the amount of

  2  the exemption for which they may qualify. To receive these

  3  funds, the institution must agree to match the funds so earned

  4  with equivalent cash, programs, services, or other in-kind

  5  support on a one-to-one basis in the pursuit of research and

  6  development projects as requested by the certified business.

  7  The rights to any patents, royalties, or real or intellectual

  8  property must be vested in the business unless otherwise

  9  agreed to by the business and the university or community

10  college.

11         8.  As used in this paragraph, the term:

12         a.  "Predominately" means at least 50 percent of the

13  time in qualifying research and development.

14         b.  "Research and development" means basic and applied

15  research in the science or engineering, as well as the design,

16  development, and testing of prototypes or processes of new or

17  improved products. Research and development does not include

18  market research, routine consumer product testing, sales

19  research, research in the social sciences or psychology,

20  nontechnological activities, or technical services.

21         c.  "Silicon technology products" means raw silicon

22  wafers that are transformed into semiconductor memory or logic

23  wafers, including wafers containing mixed memory and logic

24  circuits; related assembly and test operations; active-matrix

25  flat panel displays; semiconductor chips; and related silicon

26  technology products as determined by the Office of Tourism,

27  Trade, and Economic Development.

28         d.  "Health technology products" means drugs; surgical,

29  medical, and dental instruments and supplies, ophthalmic

30  goods, laboratory apparatus, and laboratory analytical

31  instruments; optical instruments and lenses; and related

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

    537-275-99






  1  health technology products as determined by the Office of

  2  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.

  3         Section 3.  Subsection (8) is added to section 499.015,

  4  Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, to read:

  5         499.015  Registration of drugs, devices, and cosmetics;

  6  issuance of certificates of free sale.--

  7         (8)  Notwithstanding any other requirement in ss.

  8  499.001-499.081, medical device manufacturers whose devices

  9  are approved by and registered and listed with the United

10  States Food and Drug Administration are exempt from the

11  provisions of this section and s. 499.041(6).  However, the

12  manufacturer must submit evidence of such registration,

13  listing, and approval at the time it submits its application

14  for a permit to do business in the state as required by s.

15  499.013(2)(d).  Evidence of United States Food and Drug

16  Administration approval and registration includes:

17         (a)  A copy of the premarket notification letter (510K)

18  for class II devices;

19         (b)  A United States Food and Drug Administration

20  premarket approval number for class III devices;

21         (c)  A United States Food and Drug Administration

22  registration number for subcontract medical device

23  manufacturers who manufacture components of devices for

24  manufacturers; or

25         (d)  A United States Food and Drug Administration

26  registration number for medical device manufacturers whose

27  devices are exempt from premarket approval.

28         Section 4.  The State University System and the

29  University of Miami shall evaluate the feasibility of

30  establishing additional health technology business incubators

31  similar to the University of Florida's Sid Martin

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

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  1  Biotechnology Institute at appropriate state universities or

  2  the University of Miami, and the feasibility of enhancing and

  3  expanding current facilities to support health technology

  4  companies.  The State University System and the University of

  5  Miami shall evaluate establishing cooperative clinical trial

  6  programs in conjunction with their medical schools.  The State

  7  University System shall also evaluate and recommend ways to

  8  support, improve, encourage, and facilitate the creation of

  9  and the collaboration with Florida-based businesses in

10  licensing State University System intellectual property, and

11  the collaboration of State University System employees with

12  Florida businesses in research and technology transfer

13  efforts.  The State University System and the University of

14  Miami shall consult with the Health Technology Advisory

15  Council of Enterprise Florida, Inc., and Bio+Florida as part

16  of these evaluations and recommendations.  The State

17  University System and the University of Miami shall report

18  their recommendations to the Governor, the President of the

19  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by

20  December 1, 1999.

21         Section 5.  The State Board of Community Colleges is

22  encouraged to continue its efforts to develop health

23  technology curricula to support the industry's workforce

24  needs.  The State Community College System shall report its

25  results to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the

26  Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1, 1999.

27         Section 6.  The Division of Securities of the Office of

28  the Comptroller, in collaboration with the Office of Tourism,

29  Trade, and Economic Development, Enterprise Florida, Inc., and

30  its Health Technology Advisory Council, Bio+Florida, and The

31  Florida Bar, shall form a task force to review and evaluate

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1999                 HB 951

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  1  chapter 517, Florida Statutes, to determine its impact on the

  2  ability of Florida's health technology firms to raise capital.

  3  The Division of Securities shall report to the Governor, the

  4  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

  5  Representatives, by December 1, 1999, the task force's

  6  recommendations to modify and reform chapter 517, Florida

  7  Statutes, to enhance opportunities for health technology firms

  8  to raise capital, consistent with the protection of Florida

  9  investors.

10         Section 7.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

11

12            *****************************************

13                          HOUSE SUMMARY

14
      Revises the exemption from the tax on sales, use, and
15    other transactions for machinery and equipment used in
      silicon technology production and research and
16    development, to include machinery and equipment used by
      health technology facilities to produce health technology
17    products, and machinery and equipment used in research
      and development or manufacturing in a health technology
18    facility.

19
      Provides that certain medical device manufacturers are
20    exempt from registration and payment of fees under the
      Florida Drug and Cosmetic Act.
21

22    Directs the State University System and the University of
      Miami to perform certain evaluations relating to health
23    technology business incubators and health technology
      companies, certain clinical trial programs, and certain
24    interaction with the State University System, and
      requires a report.  Encourages the State Board of
25    Community Colleges to develop health technology curricula
      and requires a report by the State Community College
26    System.  Directs the Division of Securities of the Office
      of the Comptroller to form a task force to review ch.
27    517, F.S., to enhance opportunities for health technology
      firms to raise capital, and requires a report.
28

29

30

31

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