Senate Bill 1668c1

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668

    By the Committee on Commerce and Economic Opportunities; and
    Senator Kirkpatrick




    310-1811A-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to economic development;

  3         amending s. 163.3164, F.S.; exempting certain

  4         activities from the term "development" for the

  5         purposes of the Local Government Comprehensive

  6         Planning and Land Development Regulation Act;

  7         amending s. 290.004, F.S.; defining the term

  8         "rural enterprise zone"; creating s. 290.00676,

  9         F.S.; authorizing the Office of Tourism, Trade,

10         and Economic Development to amend the

11         boundaries of a rural enterprise zone and

12         providing requirements with respect thereto;

13         creating s. 290.00677, F.S.; modifying the

14         employee residency requirements for the

15         enterprise zone job credit against the sales

16         tax and corporate income tax if the business is

17         located in a rural enterprise zone; modifying

18         the employee residency requirements for maximum

19         exemptions or credits with respect to the sales

20         tax credits for enterprise zone job creation,

21         for building materials used in the

22         rehabilitation of real property in an

23         enterprise zone, for business property used in

24         an enterprise zone, and for electrical energy

25         used in an enterprise zone, and the corporate

26         income tax enterprise zone job creation and

27         property tax credits if the business is located

28         in a rural enterprise zone; providing

29         application time limitations; providing an

30         extended application period for certain

31         businesses to claim tax incentives; creating s.

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1         290.00694, F.S.; authorizing the Office of

  2         Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development to

  3         designate rural champion communities as

  4         enterprise zones; providing requirements with

  5         respect thereto; amending s. 290.046, F.S.,

  6         increasing the number of economic development

  7         grants that an eligible local government may

  8         receive under the Florida Small Cities

  9         Community Development Block Grant Program;

10         authorizing certain businesses to earn

11         additional premium tax credits under the

12         Certified Capital Company Act; specifying

13         conditions governing the receipt of such

14         additional tax credits; providing an effective

15         date.

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

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19         Section 1.  Subsection (6) of section 163.3164, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         163.3164  Definitions.--As used in this act:

22         (6)  "Development" has the meaning given it in s.

23  380.04 and the exemptions given it in s. 380.04(3).

24         Section 2.  Present subsections (8) and (9) of section

25  290.004, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (9)

26  and (10), respectively, and a new subsection (8) is added to

27  that section to read:

28         290.004  Definitions.--As used in ss. 290.001-290.016:

29         (8)  "Rural enterprise zone" means an enterprise zone

30  that is nominated by a county having a population of 75,000 or

31  fewer, or a county having a population of 100,000 or fewer

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1  which is contiguous to a county having a population of 75,000

  2  or fewer, or by a municipality in such a county, or by such a

  3  county and one or more municipalities. An enterprise zone

  4  designated in accordance with s. 370.28 shall be considered a

  5  rural enterprise zone.

  6         Section 3.  Section 290.00676, Florida Statutes, is

  7  created to read:

  8         290.00676  Amendment of rural enterprise zone

  9  boundaries.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the

10  Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development may amend

11  the boundaries of a rural enterprise zone. For purposes of

12  boundary amendments, an enterprise zone designated under s.

13  370.28 shall be considered a rural enterprise zone and is

14  eligible for amendment of its boundaries. Boundary amendments

15  authorized by this section are subject to the following

16  requirements:

17         (1)  The amendment may increase the size of the rural

18  enterprise zone to 15 square miles.

19         (2)  The amendment may increase the number of

20  noncontiguous areas by one, if that noncontiguous area has

21  zero population. For purposes of this subsection, the

22  pervasive poverty criteria may be set aside for the addition

23  of a noncontiguous parcel.

24         (3)  The local enterprise zone development agency must

25  request the amendment prior to December 30, 2000. The request

26  must contain maps and sufficient information to allow the

27  office to determine the number of noncontiguous areas and the

28  total size of the rural enterprise zone.

29         Section 4.  Section 290.00677, Florida Statutes, is

30  created to read:

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1         290.00677  Rural enterprise zones; special

  2  qualifications.--

  3         (1)  Notwithstanding the enterprise zone residency

  4  requirements set out in ss. 212.096(1)(c) and 220.03(1)(q),

  5  businesses located in rural enterprise zones may receive the

  6  credit provided under s. 212.096 or s. 220.181 for hiring any

  7  person within the jurisdiction of a rural county, as defined

  8  by s. 288.106(2)(r). All other provisions of ss. 212.096,

  9  220.03(1)(q), and 220.181 apply to such businesses.

10         (2)  Notwithstanding the requirement specified in ss.

11  212.08(5)(g)5., (5)(h)5., and (15)(a), 212.096(2)(b)1.,

12  220.181(1)(a)1., and 220.182(1)(b) that no less than 20

13  percent of a business's employees, excluding temporary and

14  part-time employees, must be residents of an enterprise zone

15  for the business to qualify for the maximum exemption or

16  credit provided in ss. 212.08(5)(g) and (h) and (15),

17  212.096(2)(b)1., 220.181(1)(a)1., and 220.182, a business that

18  is located in a rural enterprise zone shall be qualified for

19  those maximum exemptions or credits if no less than 20 percent

20  of such employees of the business are residents of a rural

21  county, as defined by s. 288.106(2)(r). All other provisions

22  of ss. 212.08(5)(g) and (h) and (15), 212.096, 220.181, and

23  220.182 apply to such business.

24         (3)  Notwithstanding the time limitations contained in

25  chapters 212 and 220, a business eligible to receive tax

26  credits under this section from January 1, 2000, to June 1,

27  2000, must submit an application for the tax credits by

28  December 1, 2000. All other requirements of the enterprise

29  zone program apply to such a business.

30         Section 5.  Section 290.00694, Florida Statutes, is

31  created to read:

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1         290.00694  Enterprise zone designation for rural

  2  champion communities.--An area designated as a rural champion

  3  community pursuant to the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 may

  4  apply to the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

  5  Development for designation as an enterprise zone. The

  6  application must be submitted by December 31, 2000, and must

  7  comply with the requirements of s. 290.0055. Notwithstanding

  8  the provisions of s. 290.0065 limiting the total number of

  9  enterprise zones designated and the number of enterprise zones

10  within a population category, the Office of Tourism, Trade,

11  and Economic Development may designate enterprise zones under

12  this section. The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

13  Development shall establish the initial effective date of the

14  enterprise zones designated pursuant to this section.

15         Section 6.  Subsection (2) of section 290.046, Florida

16  Statutes, is amended to read:

17         290.046  Applications for grants; procedures;

18  requirements.--

19         (2)(a)  Except as provided in paragraph (c), each

20  eligible local government may submit an application for a

21  grant under either the housing program category or the

22  neighborhood revitalization program category during each

23  annual funding cycle.  An applicant may not receive more than

24  one grant in any state fiscal year from any of the following

25  categories:  housing, neighborhood revitalization, or

26  commercial revitalization.

27         (b)  Except as provided in paragraph (c), each eligible

28  local government may apply up to three times in any one annual

29  funding cycle for a grant under the economic development

30  program category but shall receive no more than two one such

31  grants grant per annual funding cycle.  Applications for

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1  grants under the economic development program category may be

  2  submitted at any time during the annual funding cycle, and

  3  such grants shall be awarded no less frequently than three

  4  times per funding cycle. The department shall establish

  5  minimum criteria pertaining to the number of jobs created for

  6  persons of low or moderate income, the degree of private

  7  sector financial commitment, and the economic feasibility of

  8  the proposed project and shall establish any other criteria

  9  the department deems appropriate.  Assistance to a private,

10  for-profit business may not be provided from a grant award

11  unless sufficient evidence exists to demonstrate that without

12  such public assistance the creation or retention of such jobs

13  would not occur.

14         (c)1.  Local governments with an open housing,

15  neighborhood revitalization, or commercial revitalization

16  contract shall not be eligible to apply for another housing,

17  neighborhood revitalization, or commercial revitalization

18  grant until administrative closeout of their existing

19  contract. The department shall notify a local government of

20  administrative closeout or of any outstanding closeout issues

21  within 45 days of receipt of a closeout package from the local

22  government.  Local governments with an open housing,

23  neighborhood revitalization, or commercial revitalization

24  community development block grant contract whose activities

25  are on schedule in accordance with the expenditure rates and

26  accomplishments described in the contract may apply for an

27  economic development grant, which grant is in addition to the

28  two economic development grants authorized under paragraph

29  (b).

30         2.  Local governments with an open economic development

31  community development block grant contract whose activities

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1  are on schedule in accordance with the expenditure rates and

  2  accomplishments described in the contract may apply for a

  3  housing or neighborhood revitalization and a commercial

  4  revitalization community development block grant.  Local

  5  governments with an open economic development contract whose

  6  activities are on schedule in accordance with the expenditure

  7  rates and accomplishments described in the contract may

  8  receive no more than one additional economic development grant

  9  in each fiscal year.

10         (d)  Beginning October 1, 1988, the department shall

11  award no grant until the department has determined, based upon

12  a site visit, that the proposed area matches and adheres to

13  the written description contained within the applicant's

14  request.  If, based upon review of the application or a site

15  visit, the department determines that any information provided

16  in the application which affects eligibility or scoring has

17  been misrepresented, the applicant's request shall be rejected

18  by the department pursuant to s. 290.0475(7).  Mathematical

19  errors in applications which may be discovered and corrected

20  by readily computing available numbers or formulas provided in

21  the application shall not be a basis for such rejection.

22         Section 7.  Notwithstanding the limitations set forth

23  in section 288.99(7), Florida Statutes, insurance companies

24  that earned premium tax credits as certified investors under

25  section 288.99, Florida Statutes, during 1999 may earn, by

26  investing an additional amount of certified capital in a

27  Florida certified capital company on or before December 31,

28  2000, an additional vested credit against premium tax

29  liability equal to 100 percent of such additional amount of

30  certified capital invested by the certified investor. No

31  certified investor, however, is entitled to earn an additional

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1  credit under this section that exceeds an amount equal to the

  2  difference between the amount of premium tax credits requested

  3  on behalf of such certified investor under section

  4  288.99(7)(c), Florida Statutes, on or before March 15, 1999,

  5  and the amount of certified capital invested by such certified

  6  investor in 1999. For purposes of the additional certified

  7  capital invested and premium tax credits earned under this

  8  section and the certified investors who invest such capital

  9  and certified capital companies that receive such investments,

10  the provisions of section 288.99, Florida Statutes, other than

11  section 288.99(7), Florida Statutes, shall apply without

12  changes, except that, with respect to such additional

13  certified capital only, the dates listed in section

14  288.99(5)(a)1.-4., Florida Statutes, will be December 31,

15  2001, December 31, 2002, December 31, 2003, and December 31,

16  2004, respectively. These additional funds must be invested in

17  qualified businesses located in a designated Front Porch

18  Florida community; enterprise zone; urban high-crime area

19  under section 212.097, Florida Statutes; rural job tax credit

20  county under section 212.098, Florida Statutes; or nationally

21  recognized historic district.

22         Section 8.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

23  law.

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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  2                             SB 1668

  3

  4  This committee substitute differs substantially from Senate
    Bill 1668 in that it:
  5
    Revises the term "development" for purposes of the Local
  6  Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development
    Regulation Act to specify that the term is given certain
  7  exemptions contained in s. 380.04(3), F.S.

  8  Provides a definition of the term "rural enterprise zone," to
    include an enterprise zone within a county with a population
  9  of 75,000 or fewer persons, or a county with a population of
    100,000 or fewer persons that is contiguous to a county with a
10  population of 75,000 or fewer persons. An enterprise zone
    relating to communities affected by the fishing net
11  limitations would be considered a rural enterprise zone as
    well.
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    Provides rural enterprise zones with an opportunity to amend
13  their zone boundaries. The boundary amendment may increase the
    size of the zone to 15 square miles and may include one
14  additional noncontiguous area.

15  Allows businesses in rural enterprise zones to apply for jobs
    tax credits for new hires for county residents (not just zone
16  residents). In addition, businesses in the rural enterprise
    zones would be able to count rural county residents in
17  calculating the 20 percent enhancement clause (rather than
    just zone residents) for enterprise zone tax incentives. Under
18  this provision, a business could claim the maximum amount of
    certain tax exemptions or credits if no less than 20 percent
19  of employees are residents of a rural county.

20  Provides that eight "Rural Champion Communities" would be able
    to apply for a state rural enterprise zone designation. The
21  "Rural Champion Community" designation is made under federal
    law.
22
    Increases the number of economic development grants that an
23  eligible local government may receive in one fiscal year under
    the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant
24  Program. Currently, such governments may receive one economic
    development grant (plus one additional economic development
25  grant under certain conditions). This committee substitute
    would allow such governments to receive two economic
26  development grants (plus one additional economic development
    grant under certain conditions).
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    Allows some insurance companies to make additional investments
28  in certified capital companies (CAPCOs) under the Certified
    Capital Company Act and thereby receive additional tax credits
29  for these investments. The credits could not exceed the
    difference between what the insurance company originally
30  pledged to invest and what it actually invested during 1999.
    In addition, all new funds are to be invested by the CAPCOs in
31  businesses that are located in the following areas:
    designated, distressed rural areas; Front Porch Florida
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    Florida Senate - 2000                           CS for SB 1668
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  1  Communities; enterprise zones; urban high-crime areas; or
    historic districts.
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    Provides that the act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
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