Senate Bill 0704
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 704
By Senator Kurth
15-402-00
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to marine biotechnology
3 research and industry development; establishing
4 the Florida Marine Biotechnology Research and
5 Development Program; providing for program
6 focus; providing legislative intent; providing
7 long-term goals; providing an appropriation;
8 providing an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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12 Section 1. There is established a Florida Marine
13 Biotechnology Research and Development Program. The program
14 will establish partnerships among research scientists in
15 Florida universities and research laboratories and the marine
16 biotechnology industry for the purpose of promoting commerce,
17 creating jobs, and benefiting from potential commercial
18 opportunities in the state. The Director of the Florida Marine
19 Research Institute and the Director of the Florida Sea Grant
20 College Program will jointly administer the program with input
21 from a steering committee appointed by both directors. The
22 steering committee shall have a member from each of the
23 following: the University of Florida, Florida Atlantic
24 University, Florida State University, the University of South
25 Florida, the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Mote
26 Marine Laboratory, the Florida Marine Research Institute, and
27 BIO+Florida. The steering committee shall determine research
28 priorities that will be used in requesting project proposals
29 that are selected and funded using funds as provided in this
30 act. The Florida Marine Research Institute and the Florida Sea
31 Grant College Program shall make a joint report to the
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 704
15-402-00
1 Legislature on program progress by July 1 of each year that
2 the program is being funded.
3 Section 2. The Florida Marine Biotechnology Research
4 and Development Program shall focus in the following areas:
5 (1) Aquaculture;
6 (2) Marine animal health;
7 (3) Marine natural products;
8 (4) Biofilm/bioadhesion;
9 (5) Bioremediation; and
10 (6) Marine ecology.
11 Section 3. Funds appropriated for this program must be
12 awarded to projects based on competition as determined by a
13 scientific peer review process, which may include the advice
14 of a nationwide panel of experts. Review criteria will include
15 project rationale, scientific merit, potential applications,
16 industrial sponsorship, and investigator qualifications. All
17 universities, public research laboratories, and private
18 nonprofit research laboratories in the state are eligible to
19 compete for funding based on the submission of proposals and
20 selection by the competitive process. There is appropriated
21 from the General Revenue Fund to the Florida Marine Research
22 Institute for fiscal year 2000-2001 a sum of $2,000,000 for
23 the first year of the program. The intent of the Legislature
24 is that the program continue for a total of 5 years, with an
25 annual appropriation each year. Projects started using funds
26 under this act will require that the annual appropriations be
27 spent over a 30-month period. The Florida Marine Research
28 Institute and the Florida Sea Grant College Program will
29 disburse all funds on a competitive basis. Projects funded
30 within the Florida Marine Research Institute shall receive
31 funds directly from the institute from this appropriation.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2000 SB 704
15-402-00
1 Funds awarded to universities and private nonprofit research
2 laboratories will be transferred by the Florida Marine
3 Research Institute by contract through the Florida Sea Grant
4 College Program. All projects should promote public and
5 private partnerships when possible. No more than $25,000 each
6 may be used by the Florida Marine Research Institute and the
7 Florida Sea Grant College Program for technical administration
8 of this program. Up to $16,000 may be used by the Florida Sea
9 Grant College Program for the expenses of the peer review and
10 technical panel expenses.
11 Section 4. The long-term goal of the program is the
12 creation of products and processes that will advance the
13 marine biotechnology industry in the state. This industry will
14 create new, clean, high technology businesses, will provide
15 high paying jobs, and will create training opportunities that
16 will keep Florida-trained students in the state.
17 Section 5. Contractual services procured under this
18 act are not subject to section 287.057, Florida Statutes.
19 Section 6. Rules are not required for the
20 implementation of this act.
21 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
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24 SENATE SUMMARY
25 Creates the Florida Marine Biotechnology Research and
Development Program, to be administered by the Director
26 of the Florida Marine Research Institute and the Director
of the Florida Sea Grant College Program. Provides an
27 appropriation to fund research projects on a competitive
basis.
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