HOUSE AMENDMENT
                                                  Bill No. HB 1645   Barcode 550753
    Amendment No. 01 (for drafter's use only)
                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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11  The Committee on Local Government & Veterans Affairs offered
12  the following:
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14         Amendment (with title amendment) 
15         On page 16, Line 24, through page 20, line 26,
16  remove from the bill:  all of said lines
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18  and insert in lieu thereof:  
19         (8)  NATURE-AND-HERITAGE-BASED TOURISM BUSINESS
20  MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM.--The statewide advisory committee on
21  nature-and-heritage-based tourism, as established in section
22  288.1224, Florida Statutes, shall work with Enterprise
23  Florida, Inc., the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic
24  Development, VISIT FLORIDA, the Rural Economic Development
25  Initiative, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
26  Commission, the Division of Recreation and Parks of the
27  Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and other
28  appropriate entities to develop a statewide micro-loan program
29  for the purpose of financing the creation and enhancement of
30  small businesses providing nature-based or heritage-based
31  tourism experiences. Examples include bicycle rentals, canoe
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    File original & 9 copies    04/05/01                          
    hca0002                     05:55 pm         01645-lgva-550753

HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No. HB 1645 Barcode 550753 Amendment No. 01 (for drafter's use only) 1 outfitters, and bed-and-breakfaast facilities in proximity to 2 natural areas, and eco-tour operators and guides. No later 3 than November 1, 2001, this group shall submit a report to the 4 President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 5 Representatives which provides: the mission and structure of 6 the micro-loan program; guidelines for administering the 7 program; and criteria for and any limitations on loan 8 recipient eligibility and on use of loan funds. 9 (9) WIRELESS COMMUNITY-BASED NETWORK PILOT PROGRAM.-- 10 (a) The State Technology Office, in consultation with 11 the Departments of Education, Health, and Community Affairs, 12 the State Library, local governments, and the regional 13 consortium service organizations, established under section 14 228.0857, Florida Statutes, and institutions of higher 15 education, shall develop recommendations regarding the 16 establishment of two pilot projects in rural communities that 17 use wireless or other technologies. The purposes of the 18 projects are to illustrate ways to increase access to quality 19 educational, health-care, and other resources in the state's 20 rural areas; to leverage federal funds available for bridging 21 the "digital divide"; to build on existing applications to 22 create community-based networks; and to foster opportunities 23 for innovative distribution of existing funds. The pilot 24 projects must include linkages to existing information 25 technology systems in the pilot area, for example, to a public 26 library, a university, or a 4-year or community college, 27 county or municipal government, health-care facility, or 28 private business network. 29 (b) The State Technology Office shall in consultation 30 with the Departments of Education, Health, and Community 31 Affairs, and the State Library recommend a process for the 2 File original & 9 copies 04/05/01 hca0002 05:55 pm 01645-lgva-550753
HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No. HB 1645 Barcode 550753 Amendment No. 01 (for drafter's use only) 1 selection of the pilot project participants. The selection 2 process must be based on the following criteria: 3 1. Through evaluation of the school improvement plan, 4 demonstration of how the school or district will leverage 5 additional connectivity provided through the pilot project to 6 improve student achievement; 7 2. If the pilot project involves wireless technology, 8 demonstration of the school's or district's ability to 9 effectively deploy wireless technology based on existing 10 infrastructure; 11 3. Demonstration of commitment of the leadership of 12 the school or district to use technology to improve teaching 13 and learning; 14 4. If the pilot project involves wireless technology, 15 potential cost savings or improved access resulting from the 16 use of wireless rather than traditional connectivity 17 technology; 18 5. The ability to use the technology infrastructure in 19 other local government applications within the service area; 20 6. Demonstration of willingness and ability of the 21 community to assume ongoing costs to maintain the pilot 22 project for a minimum 5-year period. Such willingness and 23 ability may be demonstrated through intracommunity agreements 24 or other means; and 25 7. Such other criteria as determined by the agencies. 26 (c) The State Technology Office, in consultation with 27 the Departments of Education, Health, and Community Affairs, 28 the State Library, and local governments, shall include in its 29 report performance standards for the pilot project consistent 30 with the Sunshine State Standards, as described in section 31 229.57, Florida Statutes, and broader community-based 3 File original & 9 copies 04/05/01 hca0002 05:55 pm 01645-lgva-550753
HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No. HB 1645 Barcode 550753 Amendment No. 01 (for drafter's use only) 1 standards as appropriate, and shall evaluate the progress of 2 the pilot project at least annually based on the performance 3 standards. 4 (d) The State Technology Office shall report its 5 recommendations to the Senate President, the Speaker of the 6 House of Representatives, and the Governor by November 1, 7 2001. Recommendations will address the implementation and 8 funding of the pilot programs. 9 (10) AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION AND PROFITABILITY.-- 10 (a) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer 11 Services, in consultation with the University of Florida and 12 the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, shall 13 establish three pilot projects aimed at encouraging the 14 diversification of agricultural production and marketing 15 throughout the state. Each project must do at least one of the 16 following: introduce alternative crops, such as hot peppers, 17 amaranth, or pigeon peas, or alternative growing techniques, 18 for example, greenhouse vegetable production in north Florida 19 or early-season blueberries and peaches; or introduce a 20 value-added activity or industry, such as fruit or vegetable 21 processing or packaging into a farming community as a means of 22 increasing the profitability of current farm products for 23 local growers. At least one of these projects must include a 24 tobacco farm that is being adversely impacted by reductions in 25 tobacco quotas. The purpose of the pilot projects is to 26 demonstrate alternative crops, techniques, and industries that 27 can enhance the profitability and sustainability of 28 agriculture in the state. The Commissioner of Agriculture 29 shall, in consultation with the Agricultural Economic 30 Development Project Review Committee as described in section 31 570.248, Florida Statutes, select the pilot project based on 4 File original & 9 copies 04/05/01 hca0002 05:55 pm 01645-lgva-550753
HOUSE AMENDMENT Bill No. HB 1645 Barcode 550753 Amendment No. 01 (for drafter's use only) 1 evaluation criteria for agricultural economic development 2 projects delineated in section 570.247, Florida Statutes. The 3 Commissioner of Agriculture shall report annually to the 4 Agricultural Economic Development Project Review Committee on 5 the progress of the pilot project for the duration of the 6 project based on performance measures developed for the 7 project consistent with sections 570.244, 570.246, and 8 570.247, Florida Statutes. 9 (b) The Commissioner of Agriculture shall issue a 10 report on the progress of the pilot programs to the Senate 11 President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and 12 the Governor by December 15, 2001. 13 (c) As authorized in section 403.0752, Florida 14 15 16 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T =============== 17 And the title is amended as follows: 18 On page 1, lines 20-24, 19 remove from the title of the bill: all of said lines 20 21 and insert in lieu thereof: 22 providing for wireless community-based network 23 technology pilot programs to be established by 24 the State Technology Office; providing for 25 pilot projects to encourage diversification of 26 agricultural products and marketing to be 27 developed by the Department of Agriculture 28 29 30 31 5 File original & 9 copies 04/05/01 hca0002 05:55 pm 01645-lgva-550753