House Bill hb0563c1

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001              CS/HB 563

        By the Fiscal Responsibility Council and Representatives
    Fasano, Atwater and Littlefield





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Lawton Chiles Endowment

  3         Fund; amending ss. 17.41 and 20.435, F.S.;

  4         conforming statutory cross references; amending

  5         s. 215.5601, F.S.; providing legislative intent

  6         to provide funds for the support of

  7         public-health and biomedical research; revising

  8         procedures for the administration of the

  9         endowment fund; revising provisions concerning

10         the availability and use of funds from the

11         endowment; consolidating advisory councils;

12         amending s. 215.5602, F.S.; providing for

13         public-health and biomedical research;

14         providing appropriations; providing an

15         effective date.

16

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

18

19         Section 1.  Subsection (4) of section 17.41, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         17.41  Department of Banking and Finance Tobacco

22  Settlement Clearing Trust Fund.--

23         (4)  Net proceeds of the sale of the tobacco settlement

24  agreement received by the state shall be immediately deposited

25  into the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund, created in s.

26  215.5601(4), without deposit to the Tobacco Settlement

27  Clearing Trust Fund.

28         Section 2.  Paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section

29  20.435, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

30         20.435  Department of Health; trust funds.--

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  1         (1)  The following trust funds are hereby created, to

  2  be administered by the Department of Health:

  3         (h)  Biomedical Research Trust Fund.

  4         1.  Funds to be credited to the trust fund shall

  5  consist of funds deposited pursuant to s. 215.5601(4). Funds

  6  shall be used for the purposes of the Florida Biomedical

  7  Research Program as specified in s. 215.5602. The trust fund

  8  is exempt from the service charges imposed by s. 215.20.

  9         2.  Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and

10  pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the

11  end of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the

12  end of the year and shall be available for carrying out the

13  purposes of the trust fund.

14         3.  The trust fund shall, unless terminated sooner, be

15  terminated on July 1, 2004.

16         Section 3.  Section 215.5601, Florida Statutes, is

17  amended to read:

18         (Substantial rewording of section. See

19         s. 215.5601, F.S., for present text.)

20         215.5601  Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund.--

21         (1)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--It is the intent of the

22  Legislature to:

23         (a)  Provide a perpetual source of enhanced funding for

24  state children's health programs, child welfare programs,

25  children's community-based health and human services

26  initiatives, elder programs, and biomedical research

27  activities related to tobacco use.

28         (b)  Use tobacco settlement moneys as the source of

29  enhanced funding to ensure the financial security of vital

30  health and human services programs for children and elders.

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  1         (c)  Ensure that enhancement revenues will be available

  2  to help finance these important programs and initiatives.

  3         (d)  Provide funds to help support public-health and

  4  biomedical research for the prevention, diagnosis, and

  5  treatment of diseases related to tobacco use by creating an

  6  annual and perpetual source of funding for biomedical research

  7  in the state in order to expand the foundation of biomedical

  8  knowledge relating to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment

  9  of diseases related to tobacco use, including cancer,

10  cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease; improve

11  the quality of the state's academic health centers by bringing

12  the advances of biomedical research into the training of

13  physicians and other health care providers; and increase the

14  state's per capita funding for biomedical research by

15  undertaking new initiatives in biomedical research which will

16  attract additional funding from outside the state while also

17  stimulating economic activity in the state in areas related to

18  biomedical research, such as the research and production of

19  pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices.

20         (e)  Encourage the development of community-based

21  solutions to strengthen and improve the quality of life of

22  Florida's most vulnerable citizens, its children and elders.

23         (2)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section, the term:

24         (a)  "Board" means the State Board of Administration

25  established by s. 16, Art. IX of the State Constitution of

26  1885 and incorporated into s. 9(c), Art. XII of the State

27  Constitution of 1968.

28         (b)  "Endowment" means the Lawton Chiles Endowment

29  Fund.

30         (c)  "Earnings" means all income generated by

31  investments and the net change in the market value of assets.

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  1         (d)  "State agency" or "state agencies" means the

  2  Department of Health, the Department of Children and Family

  3  Services, the Department of Elderly Affairs, or the Agency for

  4  Health Care Administration, or any combination thereof, as the

  5  context indicates.

  6         (3)  LAWTON CHILES ENDOWMENT FUND; CREATION;

  7  PRINCIPAL.--

  8         (a)  There is created the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund,

  9  to be administered by the State Board of Administration. The

10  endowment shall serve as a clearing trust fund, not subject to

11  termination under s. 19(f), Art. III of the State

12  Constitution. The endowment fund shall be exempt from the

13  service charges imposed by s. 215.20.

14         (b)  The endowment shall receive moneys from the sale

15  of the state's right, title, and interest in and to the

16  tobacco settlement agreement as defined in s. 215.56005,

17  including the right to receive payments under such agreement,

18  and from accounts transferred from the Department of Banking

19  and Finance Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund established

20  under s. 17.41. Amounts to be transferred from the Tobacco

21  Settlement Clearing Trust Fund to the endowment shall be in

22  the following amounts for the following fiscal years:

23         1.  For fiscal year 1999-2000, $1.1 billion.

24         2.  For fiscal year 2000-2001, $200 million.

25         3.  For fiscal year 2001-2002, $200 million.

26         4.  For fiscal year 2002-2003, $200 million.

27         (c)  Amounts to be transferred under subparagraphs 2.,

28  3., and 4. of paragraph (b) may be reduced by the amount the

29  endowment receives in that fiscal year from the sale of the

30  state's right, title, and interest in and to the tobacco

31  settlement agreement.

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  1         (d)  Beginning in fiscal year 2001-2002, $150 million

  2  of the existing principal in the endowment shall be reserved

  3  and accounted for within the endowment to be used solely for

  4  the funding for biomedical research activities as provided in

  5  s. 215.5602. The remaining principal shall be used solely as

  6  the source of funding for health and human services programs

  7  for children and elders as provided in subsection (5). The

  8  dedicated funding for public-health and biomedical research

  9  shall end and the entire principal in the endowment shall be

10  used exclusively for health and human services programs when

11  cures have been found for tobacco-related cancer, heart, and

12  lung disease.

13         (4)  ADMINISTRATION.--

14         (a)  The board is authorized to invest and reinvest

15  funds of the endowment in accordance with s. 215.47 and

16  consistent with an investment plan developed by the executive

17  director and approved by the board.

18         (b)  The endowment shall be managed as an annuity. The

19  investment objective shall be long-term preservation of the

20  real value of the principal and a specified regular annual

21  cash outflow for appropriation, as nonrecurring revenue. From

22  the annual cash outflow, a pro rata share shall be used solely

23  for public-health and biomedical research activities as

24  provided in paragraph (3)(d), until such time as cures are

25  found for tobacco-related cancer, heart, and lung disease.

26  Five percent of the annual cash outflow dedicated to the

27  public-health and biomedical research portion of the endowment

28  shall be reinvested and applied to that portion of the

29  endowment's principal, with the remainder to be spent on

30  public-health and biomedical research activities consistent

31  with this section. The schedule of annual cash outflow shall

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  1  be included within the investment plan adopted under paragraph

  2  (a).

  3         (c)  In accordance with s. 215.44, the board shall

  4  include separate sections on the financial status of the

  5  endowment in its annual investment report to the Legislature.

  6         (d)  Accountability for funds from the endowment which

  7  have been appropriated to a state agency and distributed by

  8  the board shall reside with the state agency. The board is not

  9  responsible for the proper expenditure of or accountability

10  concerning funds from the endowment after distribution to a

11  state agency.

12         (e)  Costs and fees of the board for investment

13  services shall be deducted from the earnings accruing to the

14  endowment. Fees for investment services shall be no greater

15  than fees charged to the Florida Retirement System.

16         (5)  AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS; USES.--

17         (a)  Funds from the endowment which are available for

18  legislative appropriation shall be transferred by the board to

19  the Tobacco Settlement Clearing Trust Fund, created in s.

20  17.41, and disbursed in accordance with the legislative

21  appropriation.

22         1.  Appropriations by the Legislature to the Department

23  of Health for biomedical research shall be from a category

24  called the Florida Biomedical Research Program and shall be

25  deposited into the Biomedical Research Trust Fund in the

26  Department of Health established in s. 20.435.

27         2.  Appropriations by the Legislature to the Department

28  of Children and Family Services or the Department of Elderly

29  Affairs for health and human services programs shall be from a

30  category called the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund Programs and

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  1  shall be deposited into each department's respective Tobacco

  2  Settlement Trust Fund as appropriated.

  3         (b)  The secretaries of the state agencies shall

  4  conduct meetings to discuss priorities for endowment funding

  5  for health and human services programs for children and elders

  6  before submitting their legislative budget requests to the

  7  Executive Office of the Governor and the Legislature. The

  8  purpose of the meetings is to gain consensus for priority

  9  requests and recommended endowment funding levels for those

10  priority requests. No later than September 1 of each year, the

11  secretaries of the state agencies shall also submit their

12  concensus priority requests to the Lawton Chiles Endowment

13  Fund Advisory Council created in subsection (6).

14         (c)  Subject to legislative appropriations, state

15  agencies shall use distributions from the endowment to enhance

16  or support increases in clients served or in program costs in

17  health and human services program areas. Funds distributed

18  from the endowment may not be used to supplant existing

19  revenues.

20         (d)  Notwithstanding s. 216.301 and pursuant to s.

21  216.351, all unencumbered balances of appropriations as of

22  June 30 or undisbursed balances as of December 31 shall revert

23  to the endowment's principal. Unencumbered or undisbursed

24  balances appropriated for biomedical research shall revert to

25  the principal reserved for biomedical research activities.

26         (e)  When advised by the Revenue Estimating Conference

27  that a deficit will occur with respect to the appropriations

28  from the tobacco settlement trust funds of the state agencies

29  in any fiscal year, the Governor shall develop a plan of

30  action to eliminate the deficit. Before implementing the plan

31  of action, the Governor must comply with s. 216.177(2). In

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  1  developing the plan of action, the Governor shall, to the

  2  extent possible, preserve legislative policy and intent, and,

  3  absent any specific directions to the contrary in the General

  4  Appropriations Act, any reductions in appropriations from the

  5  tobacco settlement trust funds of the state agencies for a

  6  fiscal year shall be prorated among the purposes for which

  7  funds were appropriated from the Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund

  8  for that year.

  9         (6)  ADVISORY COUNCIL.--The Lawton Chiles Endowment

10  Fund Advisory Council is established for the purpose of

11  reviewing the endowment funding priorities of the state

12  agencies, evaluating their requests against the mission and

13  goals of the agencies and legislative intent for the use of

14  endowment funds, and allowing for public input and advocacy.

15         (a)  The council shall consist of 13 members,

16  including:

17         1.  The Director of the United Way of Florida, Inc., or

18  a designee.

19         2.  The Director of the Foster Parents Association, or

20  a designee.

21         3.  The Chair of the Department of Elderly Affairs

22  Advisory Council.

23         4.  The President of the Florida Association of Area

24  Agencies on Aging.

25         5.  The State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, or a designee.

26         6.  The Director of the Florida Pediatric Association,

27  or a designee.

28         7.  A representative of the Guardian Ad Litem Program

29  appointed by the Governor.

30         8.  A representative of a child welfare lead agency for

31  community-based care appointed by the Governor.

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  1         9.  A representative of an elder care lead agency for

  2  community-based care appointed by the Governor.

  3         10.  A representative of a statewide child advocacy

  4  organization appointed by the Governor.

  5         11.  One consumer caregiver for children appointed by

  6  the Governor.

  7         12.  One person over the age of 60 years to represent

  8  the interests of elders appointed by the Governor.

  9         13.  One consumer caregiver for a functional impaired

10  elderly person appointed by the Governor.

11         (b)  Before November 1 of each year, the council shall

12  advise the Governor and the Legislature as to its

13  recommendations with respect to the priorities submitted by

14  the secretaries of the state agencies with respect to

15  endowment funding for health and human services programs for

16  children and elders.  The responsibilities of the council may

17  include:

18         1.  Evaluating the value of programs and services

19  submitted by the state agencies as they relate to the overall

20  enhancement of services to children and elders.

21         2.  Developing criteria and guiding principles for

22  ranking the priorities submitted by the state agencies.

23         3.  Providing recommendations with respect to funding

24  levels for the programs ranked by the council.

25         4.  Participating in periodic evaluation of programs

26  funded by the endowment to determine the need for continued

27  funding.

28         5.  Soliciting input from child and elder advocacy

29  organizations, community stakeholders, providers, and the

30  public with respect to statewide child and elder needs and the

31  effectiveness of program service delivery systems.

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  1         (c)  Members of the council shall serve without

  2  compensation, but may receive reimbursement as provided in s.

  3  112.061 for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the

  4  performance of their official duties.  The Department of

  5  Children and Family Services shall provide staff and other

  6  administrative assistance as is reasonably necessary to assist

  7  the council in carrying out its responsibilities.

  8  Administrative costs of the council shall be charged equally

  9  to endowment funds deposited into the respective Tobacco

10  Settlement Trust Funds of the Department of Children and

11  Family Services and the Department of Elderly Affairs.

12         Section 4.  Section 215.5602, Florida Statutes, is

13  amended to read:

14         215.5602  Florida Biomedical Research Program.--

15         (1)  There is established within the Department of

16  Health the Florida Biomedical Research Program funded by the

17  proceeds of the Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund pursuant to s.

18  215.5601(4). The purpose of the Florida Biomedical Research

19  Program is to provide an annual and perpetual source of

20  funding in order to support research initiatives that address

21  the health care problems of Floridians in the areas of

22  tobacco-related cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and

23  pulmonary disease. The long-term goals of the program are to:

24         (a)  Improve the health of Floridians by researching

25  better prevention, diagnoses, and treatments for cancer,

26  cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease.

27         (b)  Expand the foundation of biomedical knowledge

28  relating to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of

29  diseases related to tobacco use, including cancer,

30  cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease.

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  1         (c)  Improve the quality of the state's academic health

  2  centers by bringing the advances of biomedical research into

  3  the training of physicians and other health care providers.

  4         (d)  Increase the state's per capita funding for

  5  biomedical research by undertaking new initiatives in

  6  public-health and biomedical research that will attract

  7  additional funding from outside the state.

  8         (e)  Stimulate economic activity in the state in areas

  9  related to biomedical research, such as the research and

10  production of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical

11  devices.

12         (2)  Funds appropriated for the Florida Biomedical

13  Research Program shall be used exclusively for the award of

14  grants and fellowships as established in this section; for

15  research relating to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment

16  of diseases related to tobacco use, including cancer,

17  cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease; and for

18  expenses incurred in the administration of this section.

19         (3)  There is created within the Department of Health

20  the Biomedical Research Advisory Council.

21         (a)  The council shall consist of nine members,

22  including: the chief executive officer of the Florida Division

23  of the American Cancer Society, or a designee; the chief

24  executive officer of the Florida/Puerto Rico Affiliate of the

25  American Heart Association, or a designee; and the chief

26  executive officer of the American Lung Association of Florida,

27  or a designee. The Governor shall appoint the remaining six

28  members of the council, as follows:

29         1.  Two members with expertise in the field of

30  biomedical research.

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  1         2.  One member with expertise in the field of

  2  behavioral or social research.

  3         3.  One member from a professional medical

  4  organization.

  5         4.  One member from a research university in the state.

  6         5.  One member representing the general population of

  7  the state.

  8

  9  In making his or her appointments, the Governor shall select

10  primarily, but not exclusively, Floridians with biomedical and

11  lay expertise in the general areas of cancer, cardiovascular

12  disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease. The Governor's

13  appointments shall be for a 3-year term and shall reflect the

14  diversity of the state's population. A council member

15  appointed by the Governor may not serve more than two

16  consecutive terms.

17         (b)  The council shall adopt internal organizational

18  procedures as necessary for its efficient organization.

19         (c)  The department shall provide such staff,

20  information, and other assistance as is reasonably necessary

21  to assist the council in carrying out its responsibilities.

22         (d)  Members of the council shall serve without

23  compensation, but may receive reimbursement as provided in s.

24  112.061 for travel and other necessary expenses incurred in

25  the performance of their official duties.

26         (4)  The council shall advise the Secretary of Health

27  as to the direction and scope of the biomedical research

28  program. The responsibilities of the council may include, but

29  are not limited to:

30         (a)  Providing advice on program priorities and

31  emphases.

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  1         (b)  Providing advice on the overall program budget.

  2         (c)  Participating in periodic program evaluation.

  3         (d)  Assisting in the development of guidelines to

  4  ensure fairness, neutrality, and adherence to the principles

  5  of merit and quality in the conduct of the program.

  6         (e)  Assisting in the development of appropriate

  7  linkages to nonacademic entities, such as voluntary

  8  organizations, health care delivery institutions, industry,

  9  government agencies, and public officials.

10         (f)  Developing criteria and standards for the award of

11  research grants.

12         (g)  Developing administrative procedures relating to

13  solicitation, review, and award of research grants and

14  fellowships, to ensure an impartial, high-quality peer review

15  system.

16         (h)  Developing and supervising research peer review

17  panels.

18         (i)  Reviewing reports of peer review panels and making

19  recommendations for research grants and fellowships.

20         (j)  Developing and providing oversight regarding

21  mechanisms for the dissemination of research results.

22         (5)(a)  Applications for biomedical research funding

23  under the program may be submitted from any university or

24  established research institute in the state. All qualified

25  investigators in the state, regardless of institution

26  affiliation, shall have equal access and opportunity to

27  compete for the research funding.

28         (b)  Grants and fellowships shall be awarded by the

29  Secretary of Health, after consultation with the council, on

30  the basis of scientific merit, as determined by an open

31  competitive peer review process that ensures objectivity,

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  1  consistency, and high quality. The following types of

  2  applications shall be considered for funding:

  3         1.  Investigator-initiated research grants.

  4         2.  Institutional research grants.

  5         3.  Predoctoral and postdoctoral research fellowships.

  6         (6)  To ensure that all proposals for research funding

  7  are appropriate and are evaluated fairly on the basis of

  8  scientific merit, the Secretary of Health, in consultation

  9  with the council, shall appoint a peer review panel of

10  independent, scientifically qualified individuals to review

11  the scientific content of each proposal and establish its

12  scientific priority score. The priority scores shall be

13  forwarded to the council and must be considered in determining

14  which proposals shall be recommended for funding.

15         (7)  The council and the peer review panel shall

16  establish and follow rigorous guidelines for ethical conduct

17  and adhere to a strict policy with regard to conflict of

18  interest. A No member of the council or panel may not shall

19  participate in any discussion or decision with respect to a

20  research proposal by any firm, entity, or agency with which

21  the member is associated as a member of the governing body or

22  as an employee, or with which the member has entered into a

23  contractual arrangement. Meetings of the council and the peer

24  review panels shall be subject to the provisions of chapter

25  119, s. 286.011, and s. 24, Art. I of the State Constitution.

26         (8)  The department may contract on a competitive-bid

27  basis with an appropriate entity to administer the program.

28  Administrative expenses may not exceed 15 percent of the total

29  funds available to the program in any given year.

30

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  1         (9)  The department, after consultation with the

  2  council, may adopt rules as necessary to implement this

  3  section.

  4         (10)  The council shall submit an annual progress

  5  report on the state of biomedical research in this state to

  6  the Governor, the Secretary of Health, the President of the

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

  8  February 1. The report must include:

  9         (a)  A list of research projects supported by grants or

10  fellowships awarded under the program.

11         (b)  A list of recipients of program grants or

12  fellowships.

13         (c)  A list of publications in peer reviewed journals

14  involving research supported by grants or fellowships awarded

15  under the program.

16         (d)  The total amount of public-health and biomedical

17  research funding currently flowing into the state.

18         (e)  New grants for public-health and biomedical

19  research which were funded based on research supported by

20  grants or fellowships awarded under the program.

21         (f)  Progress in the prevention, diagnosis, and

22  treatment of diseases related to tobacco use, including

23  cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease.

24         Section 5.  There is appropriated $25,000 each to the

25  Department of Children and Family Services and the Department

26  of Elderly Affairs from Lawton Chiles Endowment funds

27  deposited into each department's Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund

28  to pay for administrative costs associated with the Lawton

29  Chiles Endowment Fund Advisory Council established in section

30  215.5601, Florida Statutes.

31         Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.

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