House Bill 0825e1
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HB 825, First Engrossed
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to postsecondary linkage
3 institutes; amending s. 288.8175, F.S.;
4 transferring responsibility for linkage
5 institutes between postsecondary institutions
6 and foreign countries from the Department of
7 Education to the Department of State;
8 correcting cross references; modifying
9 appropriations requirements; providing an
10 effective date.
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12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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14 Section 1. Section 288.8175, Florida Statutes, is
15 amended to read:
16 288.8175 Linkage institutes between postsecondary
17 institutions in this state and foreign countries.--
18 (1) As used in this section, the term "department"
19 means the Department of State.
20 (2)(1) There are created, within the department of
21 Education, Florida linkage institutes. A primary purpose of
22 these institutes is to assist in the development of stronger
23 economic, cultural, educational, and social ties between this
24 state and strategic foreign countries through the promotion of
25 expanded public and private dialogue on cooperative research
26 and technical assistance activities, increased bilateral
27 commerce, student and faculty exchange, cultural exchange, and
28 the enhancement of language training skills between the
29 postsecondary institutions in this state and those of selected
30 foreign countries. Each institute must ensure that minority
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HB 825, First Engrossed
1 students are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in
2 the exchange programs.
3 (3)(2) Each institute must be governed by an
4 agreement, approved by the department of Education, between
5 the State University System and the Florida Community College
6 System with the counterpart organization of higher education
7 in a the foreign country. Each institute must report to the
8 department regarding its program activities, expenditures, and
9 policies.
10 (4)(3) Each institute must be co-administered in this
11 state by a university-community college partnership, as
12 designated in subsection (5) (4), and must have a private
13 sector and public sector advisory committee. The advisory
14 committee must be representative of the international
15 education and commercial interests of the state and may have
16 members who are native to the foreign country partner. Six
17 members must be appointed by the department of Education. The
18 department must appoint at least one member who is an
19 international educator. The presidents, or their designees,
20 of the participating university and community college must
21 also serve on the advisory committee.
22 (5)(4) The institutes are:
23 (a) Florida-Brazil Institute (University of Florida
24 and Miami-Dade Community College).
25 (b) Florida-Costa Rica Institute (Florida State
26 University and Valencia Community College).
27 (c) Florida Caribbean Institute (Florida International
28 University and Daytona Beach Community College).
29 (d) Florida-Canada Institute (University of Central
30 Florida and Palm Beach Junior College).
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HB 825, First Engrossed
1 (e) Florida-China Institute (University of West
2 Florida, University of South Florida, and Brevard Community
3 College).
4 (f) Florida-Japan Institute (University of South
5 Florida, University of West Florida, and St. Petersburg
6 Community College).
7 (g) Florida-France Institute (New College of the
8 University of South Florida, Miami-Dade Community College, and
9 Florida State University).
10 (h) Florida-Israel Institute (Florida Atlantic
11 University and Broward Community College).
12 (i) Florida-West Africa Institute (Florida
13 Agricultural and Mechanical University, University of North
14 Florida, and Florida Community College at Jacksonville).
15 (j) Florida-Eastern Europe Institute (University of
16 Central Florida and Lake Sumter Community College).
17 (k) Florida-Mexico Institute (Florida International
18 University and Polk Community College).
19 (6)(5) Each institute is allowed to exempt from s.
20 240.1201 up to 25 full-time equivalent students per year from
21 the respective host countries to study in any of the state
22 universities or community colleges in this state as resident
23 students for tuition purposes. The institute directors shall
24 develop criteria, to be approved by the department of
25 Education, for the selection of these students. Students must
26 return home within 3 years after their tenure of graduate or
27 undergraduate study for a length of time equal to their
28 exemption period.
29 (7)(6) Each state university and community college
30 linkage institute partner may enter into an agreement for a
31 student exchange program, that requires that the tuition and
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HB 825, First Engrossed
1 fees of a student who is enrolled in a state university or
2 community college and who is participating in an exchange
3 program be paid to the university or community college while
4 the student is participating in the exchange program. The
5 agreement may also require that the tuition and fees of a
6 student who is enrolled in a postsecondary institution in a
7 foreign country and who is participating in an exchange
8 program be paid to the foreign institution of enrollment.
9 (8)(7) No later than 60 days before every regular
10 session of the Legislature, the department of Education shall
11 present to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
12 President of the Senate, and the minority leaders of the House
13 of Representatives and the Senate a review of linkage
14 institute program activity, criteria for their operation,
15 accountability standards, recommended funding levels, and
16 recommendations for establishing, maintaining, or abolishing
17 linkage institutes. The criteria shall be developed in
18 consultation with Enterprise Florida, Inc. The criteria must
19 include, but need not be limited to, the purpose stated in
20 subsection (2) (1) and:
21 (a) The importance of economic, political, and social
22 ties between this state and the country or region.
23 (b) The potential for growth and expansion of
24 commercial, educational, and cultural links.
25 (c) The viability of regionally oriented, rather than
26 country-specific, linkages, based on historical or emerging
27 regional economic or political trading blocs.
28 (9)(8) A linkage institute may not be created or
29 funded except upon the recommendation of the department of
30 Education and except by amendment to this section.
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HB 825, First Engrossed
1 (10)(9) The department of Education shall review and
2 make linkage-institute budget requests to the Governor and the
3 Legislature. State appropriations for institutes created under
4 this section may must be made by a single lump-sum line item
5 to the department, which may must apportion the funds among
6 the various institutes in accordance with criteria established
7 by the department.
8 (11)(10) Linkage institutes may also accept and
9 administer moneys provided by the department of State for
10 research and development of international trade. The
11 department Secretary of State shall, by March 1, report to the
12 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
13 House of Representatives in each year in which the department
14 of State has provided moneys for a linkage institute. The
15 report must detail the purpose of the expenditure by the
16 department of State and the use of the moneys by the linkage
17 institutes and must include a copy of the research documents
18 or related materials produced, if any.
19 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
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