Senate Bill sb0052Be1

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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to economic development;

  3         creating the "Florida Emerging and Strategic

  4         Technologies Act"; creating s. 121.155, F.S.;

  5         providing legislative findings relating to the

  6         relationship between availability of capital

  7         and the development of high-technology

  8         businesses; expressing legislative intent that

  9         Florida Retirement System investments

10         complement economic development strategies;

11         requiring staff of the State Board of

12         Administration to review certain economic

13         development information; expanding annual

14         report requirements; amending s. 159.26, F.S.;

15         declaring, for purposes of the Florida

16         Industrial Development Financing Act, that the

17         information technology industry is vital to the

18         economy of the state; providing that the

19         advancement of information technology is a

20         purpose underlying the act; amending s. 159.27,

21         F.S.; redefining the term "project" to include

22         information technology facilities; defining the

23         term "information technology facility";

24         amending s. 159.705, F.S.; specifying that

25         certain entities may operate a project located

26         in a research and development park and financed

27         under the Florida Industrial Development

28         Financing Act; amending s. 240.105, F.S.;

29         providing that the mission of the state system

30         of postsecondary education includes supporting

31         economic development of the state; amending s.


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1         240.710, F.S.; revising duties relating to the

  2         Digital Media Education Coordination Group;

  3         eliminating obsolete provisions; providing for

  4         the group to submit an annual report; amending

  5         s. 288.108, F.S.; specifying that the

  6         information technology sector is a high-impact

  7         sector for the purposes of a grant program for

  8         investments by certain businesses; amending s.

  9         445.045, F.S.; reassigning responsibility for

10         development and maintenance of an information

11         technology promotion and workforce recruitment

12         website to Workforce Florida, Inc.; requiring

13         consistency and compatibility with other

14         information systems; authorizing Workforce

15         Florida, Inc., to secure website services from

16         outside entities; requiring coordination of the

17         information technology website with other

18         marketing, promotion, and advocacy efforts;

19         authorizing Workforce Florida, Inc., to act

20         through the Agency for Workforce Innovation in

21         fulfilling its responsibilities related to the

22         website; directing the agency to provide

23         services to Workforce Florida, Inc.; providing

24         legislative findings and intent relating to

25         establishment of joint-use advanced

26         digital-media research and production

27         facilities; authorizing the Office of Tourism,

28         Trade, and Economic Development to create a

29         program supporting establishment of the

30         facilities; prescribing the purposes of the

31         facilities; specifying powers and duties of the


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1         office relating to establishment of the

  2         facilities; defining the term "digital media";

  3         requiring a report to the Legislature on

  4         recommended funding levels for the facilities;

  5         providing effective dates.

  6

  7         WHEREAS, Enterprise Florida, Inc., has sector

  8  strategies devoted to Florida's health technology industry and

  9  information technology industry, and

10         WHEREAS, the health technology industry and information

11  technology industry represent valued and growing sectors of

12  Florida's economy, and

13         WHEREAS, these industries employ Floridians at high

14  average wages, and

15         WHEREAS, these industries are dominated by small

16  employers and entrepreneurs who look to the state, its

17  communities, economic development organizations, and community

18  colleges and universities to provide an environment that will

19  nurture their development, and

20         WHEREAS, these industries have identified issues

21  relating to workforce development, transfer of technology from

22  universities, availability of capital, and economic

23  development marketing and programs as affecting their

24  viability and development, and

25         WHEREAS, the issues affecting the viability and

26  development of these industries are also critical to other

27  emerging and strategic high-technology industries that are

28  critically important to the economic development of the state,

29  and

30         WHEREAS, high-technology industries improve the quality

31  of life for all Floridians, and


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1         WHEREAS, in recognition of weakening economic

  2  conditions in the state, exacerbated by the terrorist attacks

  3  of September 11, 2001, the Legislature finds that it is

  4  important to stimulate business activity, diversify the

  5  state's economy, and further develop high-technology

  6  industries, NOW, THEREFORE,

  7

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

  9

10         Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Florida

11  Emerging and Strategic Technologies Act."

12         Section 2.  Section 121.155, Florida Statutes, is

13  created to read:

14         121.155  Investments in support of economic development

15  strategies; legislative findings and intent.--

16         (1)  The Legislature finds that:

17         (a)  The recruitment, retention, and expansion of

18  high-technology businesses constitute a principal economic

19  development strategy of the state.

20         (b)  High-technology businesses have the potential to

21  contribute significantly to the prosperity of the state and

22  its residents through the creation of employment opportunities

23  and through the generation of revenues into the economy.

24         (c)  A significant barrier to the growth of

25  high-technology businesses in the state is caused by a lack of

26  access to sources of capital to support the activities of

27  those businesses.

28         (d)  The State Board of Administration, through the

29  investment of funds of the System Trust Fund, has the ability

30  to influence the availability of capital in the marketplace

31  for businesses located in the state.


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1         (e)  The investment of funds of the System Trust Fund

  2  in a manner consistent with the economic development goals of

  3  the state enhances the prospects for fulfillment of those

  4  goals.

  5         (2)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the State

  6  Board of Administration, consistent with sound investment

  7  policy and with the investment provisions set forth in ss.

  8  215.44-215.53, continue to maximize opportunities for

  9  investing and reinvesting available funds of the System Trust

10  Fund in a manner that is consistent with, and that supports

11  fulfillment of, the economic development strategies of the

12  state, including investing and reinvesting funds in support of

13  the capital needs of emerging and strategic high-technology

14  businesses located in the state. It is further the intent of

15  the Legislature that the State Board of Administration, in

16  supporting fulfillment of the economic development strategies

17  of the state, establish partnerships, when feasible, with

18  venture capital firms designed to facilitate investment of

19  venture capital in high-technology businesses located in this

20  state.

21         (3)  Staff of the State Board of Administration shall

22  regularly solicit information from Enterprise Florida, Inc.,

23  concerning those high-technology business sectors that

24  research indicates have significant potential to contribute to

25  the economic development of the state, and shall provide that

26  information to the Investment Advisory Council created under

27  s. 215.444.

28         (4)  As part of the annual report required under s.

29  215.44, the State Board of Administration shall describe those

30  investment activities undertaken during the year which are in

31


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  1  furtherance of the findings and intent expressed in this

  2  section.

  3         Section 3.  Section 159.26, Florida Statutes, is

  4  amended to read:

  5         159.26  Legislative findings and purposes.--The

  6  Legislature finds and declares that:

  7         (1)  The agriculture, tourism, urban development,

  8  historic preservation, information technology, education, and

  9  health care industries, among others, are vital to the economy

10  of the state and to the welfare of the people and need to be

11  enhanced and expanded to improve the competitive position of

12  the state;

13         (2)  There is a need to enhance other economic activity

14  in the state by attracting manufacturing development, business

15  enterprise management, and other activities conducive to

16  economic promotion in order to provide a stronger, more

17  balanced, and stable economy in the state, while providing

18  through pollution control and otherwise for the health and

19  safety of the people;

20         (3)  In order to improve the prosperity and welfare of

21  the state and its inhabitants; to improve education, living

22  conditions, and health care; to promote the preservation of

23  historic structures; to promote the rehabilitation of

24  enterprise zones; to promote improved transportation; to

25  promote effective and efficient pollution control throughout

26  the state; to promote the advancement of education and science

27  and research in and the economic development of the state; to

28  promote the advancement of information technology; and to

29  increase purchasing power and opportunities for gainful

30  employment, it is necessary and in the public interest to

31  facilitate the financing of the projects provided for in this


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1  part and to facilitate and encourage the planning and

  2  development of these projects without regard to the boundaries

  3  between counties, municipalities, special districts, and other

  4  local governmental bodies or agencies in order to more

  5  effectively and efficiently serve the interests of the

  6  greatest number of people in the widest area practicable; and

  7         (4)  The purposes to be achieved by such projects and

  8  the financing of them in compliance with the criteria and

  9  requirements of this part are predominantly the public

10  purposes stated in this section, and such purposes implement

11  the governmental purposes under the State Constitution of

12  providing for the health, safety, and welfare of the people,

13  including implementing the purpose of s. 10(c), Art. VII of

14  the State Constitution.

15         Section 4.  Subsection (5) of section 159.27, Florida

16  Statutes, is amended and subsection (25) is added to that

17  section to read:

18         159.27  Definitions.--The following words and terms,

19  unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning,

20  shall have the following meanings:

21         (5)  "Project" means any capital project comprising an

22  industrial or manufacturing plant, a research and development

23  park, an information technology facility, an agricultural

24  processing or storage facility, a warehousing or distribution

25  facility, a headquarters facility, a tourism facility, a

26  convention or trade show facility, an urban parking facility,

27  a trade center, a health care facility, an educational

28  facility, a correctional or detention facility, a motion

29  picture production facility, a preservation or rehabilitation

30  of a certified historic structure, an airport or port

31  facility, a commercial project in an enterprise zone, a


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  1  pollution-control facility, a hazardous or solid waste

  2  facility, a social service center, or a mass commuting

  3  facility, including one or more buildings and other

  4  structures, whether or not on the same site or sites; any

  5  rehabilitation, improvement, renovation, or enlargement of, or

  6  any addition to, any buildings or structures for use as a

  7  factory, a mill, a processing plant, an assembly plant, a

  8  fabricating plant, an industrial distribution center, a

  9  repair, overhaul, or service facility, a test facility, an

10  agricultural processing or storage facility, a warehousing or

11  distribution facility, a headquarters facility, a tourism

12  facility, a convention or trade show facility, an urban

13  parking facility, a trade center, a health care facility, an

14  educational facility, a correctional or detention facility, a

15  motion picture production facility, a preservation or

16  rehabilitation of a certified historic structure, an airport

17  or port facility, a commercial project in an enterprise zone,

18  a pollution-control facility, a hazardous or solid waste

19  facility, a social service center, or a mass commuting

20  facility, and other facilities, including research and

21  development facilities and information technology facilities,

22  for manufacturing, processing, assembling, repairing,

23  overhauling, servicing, testing, or handling of any products

24  or commodities embraced in any industrial or manufacturing

25  plant, in connection with the purposes of a research and

26  development park, or other facilities for or used in

27  connection with an agricultural processing or storage

28  facility, a warehousing or distribution facility, a

29  headquarters facility, a tourism facility, a convention or

30  trade show facility, an urban parking facility, a trade

31  center, a health care facility, an educational facility, a


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1  correctional or detention facility, a motion picture

  2  production facility, a preservation or rehabilitation of a

  3  certified historic structure, an airport or port facility, or

  4  a commercial project in an enterprise zone or for controlling

  5  air or water pollution or for the disposal, processing,

  6  conversion, or reclamation of hazardous or solid waste, a

  7  social service center, or a mass commuting facility; and

  8  including also the sites thereof and other rights in land

  9  therefor whether improved or unimproved, machinery, equipment,

10  site preparation and landscaping, and all appurtenances and

11  facilities incidental thereto, such as warehouses, utilities,

12  access roads, railroad sidings, truck docking and similar

13  facilities, parking facilities, office or storage or training

14  facilities, public lodging and restaurant facilities, dockage,

15  wharfage, solar energy facilities, and other improvements

16  necessary or convenient for any manufacturing or industrial

17  plant, research and development park, information technology

18  facility, agricultural processing or storage facility,

19  warehousing or distribution facility, tourism facility,

20  convention or trade show facility, urban parking facility,

21  trade center, health care facility, educational facility, a

22  correctional or detention facility, motion picture production

23  facility, preservation or rehabilitation of a certified

24  historic structure, airport or port facility, commercial

25  project in an enterprise zone, pollution-control facility,

26  hazardous or solid waste facility, social service center, or a

27  mass commuting facility and any one or more combinations of

28  the foregoing.

29         (25)  "Information technology facility" means a

30  building or structure, including infrastructure such as roads,

31  power, water, network access points, and fiber optic cable


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1  leading to the structure, which is used to house businesses

  2  classified within the following codes of the North American

  3  Industry Classification System (NAICS): 334111 (electronic

  4  computer manufacturing), 334112 (computer storage device

  5  manufacturing), 334113 (computer terminal manufacturing),

  6  334119 (other computer peripheral equipment manufacturing),

  7  334613 (magnetic and optical recording media manufacturing),

  8  334418 (printed circuit assembly manufacturing), 334411

  9  (electron tube manufacturing), 334412 (bare printed circuit

10  board manufacturing), 334413 (semiconductor and related device

11  manufacturing), 334417 (electronic connector manufacturing),

12  334611 (software reproducing), 541512 (computer systems design

13  services), 51421 (data processing services), 514191 (on-line

14  information services), 811212 (computer and office machine

15  repair and maintenance), 44312 (computer and software

16  stores-retail), 541519 (other computer related services),

17  42143 (computer and computer peripheral equipment and software

18  wholesalers), 51121 (software publishers), 541511 (custom

19  computer programming services), and 61142 (computer training).

20  The term also includes joint-use advanced digital media

21  research and production facilities created pursuant to

22  authority from the Legislature to enable the Office of

23  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development to administer a

24  program facilitating the establishment and maintenance of such

25  digital media facilities.

26         Section 5.  Subsection (10) of section 159.705, Florida

27  Statutes, is amended to read:

28         159.705  Powers of the authority.--The authority is

29  authorized and empowered:

30         (10)  Other provisions of law to the contrary

31  notwithstanding, to acquire by lease, without consideration,


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1  purchase, or option any lands owned, administered, managed,

  2  controlled, supervised, or otherwise protected by the state or

  3  any of its agencies, departments, boards, or commissions for

  4  the purpose of establishing a research and development park,

  5  subject to being first designated a research and development

  6  authority under the provisions of ss. 159.701-159.7095.  The

  7  authority may cooperate with state and local political

  8  subdivisions and with private profit and nonprofit entities to

  9  implement the public purposes set out in s. 159.701.  Such

10  cooperation may include agreements for the use of the

11  resources of state and local political subdivisions, agencies,

12  or entities on a fee-for-service basis or on a cost-recovery

13  basis. A project that is located in a research and development

14  park and is financed under the provisions of the Florida

15  Industrial Development Financing Act may be operated by a

16  research and development authority, a state university, a

17  Florida community college, or a governmental agency if the

18  purpose and operation of the project is consistent with the

19  purposes and policies specified in ss. 159.701-159.7095.

20         Section 6.  Section 240.105, Florida Statutes, is

21  amended to read:

22         240.105  Statement of purpose and mission.--

23         (1)  The Legislature finds it in the public interest to

24  provide a system of higher education which is of the highest

25  possible quality; which enables students of all ages,

26  backgrounds, and levels of income to participate in the search

27  for knowledge and individual development; which stresses

28  undergraduate teaching as its main priority; which offers

29  selected professional, graduate, and research programs with

30  emphasis on state and national needs; which fosters diversity

31  of educational opportunity; which promotes service to the


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1  public; which promotes economic development of the state;

  2  which makes effective and efficient use of human and physical

  3  resources; which functions cooperatively with other

  4  educational institutions and systems; and which promotes

  5  internal coordination and the wisest possible use of

  6  resources.

  7         (2)  The mission of the state system of postsecondary

  8  education is to develop human resources, to discover and

  9  disseminate knowledge, to extend knowledge and its application

10  beyond the boundaries of its campuses, and to serve and

11  stimulate society by developing in students heightened

12  intellectual, cultural, and humane sensitivities; scientific,

13  professional, and technological expertise; and a sense of

14  purpose. Inherent in this broad mission are methods of

15  instruction, research, extended training, and public service

16  designed to educate people, promote the economic development

17  of the state, and improve the human condition.  Basic to every

18  purpose of the system is the search for truth.

19         Section 7.  Section 240.710, Florida Statutes, is

20  amended to read:

21         240.710  Digital Media Education Coordination Group.--

22         (1)  The Division of Colleges and Universities of the

23  Department of Education Board of Regents shall create a

24  Digital Media Education Coordination Group composed of

25  representatives of the universities within the State

26  University System that shall work in conjunction with the

27  Division Department of Education, the State Board of Community

28  Colleges, the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

29  Development, and the Articulation Coordinating Committee on

30  the development of a plan to enhance Florida's ability to meet

31  the current and future workforce needs of the digital media


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1  industry. The following purposes of the group shall be

  2  included in its plan development process:

  3         (a)  Coordination of the use of existing academic

  4  programs and research and faculty resources to promote the

  5  development of a digital media industry in this state.

  6         (b)  Address strategies to improve opportunities for

  7  interdisciplinary study and research within the emerging field

  8  of digital media through the development of tracts in existing

  9  degree programs, new interdisciplinary degree programs, and

10  interdisciplinary research centers.

11         (c)  Address the sharing of resources among

12  universities in such a way as to allow a student to take

13  courses from multiple departments or multiple educational

14  institutions in pursuit of competency, certification, and

15  degrees in digital information and media technology.

16         (2)  Where practical, private accredited institutions

17  of higher learning in this state should be encouraged to

18  participate.

19         (3)  In addition to the elements of the plan governed

20  by the purposes described in subsection (1), the plan shall

21  include, to the maximum extent practical, the coordination of

22  educational resources to be provided by distance learning and

23  shall facilitate to the maximum extent possible articulation

24  and transfer of credits between community colleges and the

25  state universities. The plan shall address student enrollment

26  in affected programs with emphasis on enrollment beginning as

27  early as fall term, 2001.

28         (3)(4)  The Digital Media Education Coordination Group

29  shall submit an annual report of its activities with any

30  recommendations for policy implementation or funding to the

31  Florida Board of Education and its plan to the President of


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  1  the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by

  2  February 1 of each year no later than January 1, 2001.

  3         Section 8.  Paragraph (i) of subsection (6) of section

  4  288.108, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  5         288.108  High-impact business.--

  6         (6)  SELECTION AND DESIGNATION OF HIGH-IMPACT

  7  SECTORS.--

  8         (i)  For the purposes of this subsection, the

  9  semiconductor a high-impact sector consists of the silicon

10  technology sector and the information technology sector are

11  that Enterprise Florida, Inc., has found to be focused around

12  the type of high-impact businesses for which the incentive

13  created in this section subsection is designed. These sectors

14  required and will create the kinds of economic sector and

15  economy-wide benefits that justify the use of state resources

16  as economic development incentives. Further, the use of state

17  resources to encourage investment in these sectors is

18  necessary to encourage these investments and require

19  substantial inducements to compete with the incentive packages

20  offered by other states and nations. For the purposes of this

21  subsection and s. 220.191, the term "information technology

22  sector" includes, but is not limited to, the digital media

23  sector as defined by Enterprise Florida, Inc., and approved by

24  the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.

25         Section 9.  Section 445.045, Florida Statutes, is

26  amended to read:

27         445.045  Development of an Internet-based system for

28  information technology industry promotion and workforce

29  recruitment.--

30         (1)  Workforce Florida, Inc., is responsible for

31  directing The Department of Labor and Employment Security


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  1  shall facilitate efforts to ensure the development and

  2  maintenance of a website that promotes and markets the

  3  information technology industry in this state. The website

  4  shall be designed to inform the public concerning the scope of

  5  the information technology industry in the state and shall

  6  also be designed to address the workforce needs of the

  7  industry. The website shall include, through links or actual

  8  content, information concerning information technology

  9  businesses in this state, including links to such businesses;

10  information concerning employment available at these

11  businesses; and the means by which a jobseeker may post a

12  resume on the website.

13         (2)  Workforce Florida, Inc., The Department of Labor

14  and Employment Security shall coordinate with the State

15  Technology Office and the Agency for Workforce Innovation

16  Workforce Development Board of Enterprise Florida, Inc., to

17  ensure links, where feasible and appropriate, to existing job

18  information websites maintained by the state and state

19  agencies and to ensure that information technology positions

20  offered by the state and state agencies are posted on the

21  information technology website.

22         (3)  Workforce Florida, Inc., shall ensure that the

23  website developed and maintained under this section is

24  consistent, compatible, and coordinated with the workforce

25  information systems required under s. 445.011, including, but

26  not limited to, the automated job-matching information system

27  for employers, job seekers, and other users.

28         (4)(a)  Workforce Florida, Inc., shall coordinate

29  development and maintenance of the website under this section

30  with the state's Chief Information Officer in the State

31


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  1  Technology Office to ensure compatibility with the state's

  2  information system strategy and enterprise architecture.

  3         (b)  Workforce Florida, Inc., may enter into an

  4  agreement with the State Technology Office, the Agency for

  5  Workforce Innovation, or any other public agency with the

  6  requisite information technology expertise for the provision

  7  of design, operating, or other technological services

  8  necessary to develop and maintain the website.

  9         (c)  Workforce Florida, Inc., may procure services

10  necessary to implement the provisions of this section, if it

11  employs competitive processes, including requests for

12  proposals, competitive negotiation, and other competitive

13  processes to ensure that the procurement results in the most

14  cost-effective investment of state funds.

15         (5)  In furtherance of the requirements of this section

16  that the website promote and market the information technology

17  industry by communicating information on the scope of the

18  industry in this state, Workforce Florida, Inc., shall

19  coordinate its efforts with the high-technology industry

20  marketing efforts of Enterprise Florida, Inc., under s.

21  288.911. Through links or actual content, the website

22  developed under this section shall serve as a forum for

23  distributing the marketing campaign developed by Enterprise

24  Florida, Inc., under s. 288.911. In addition, Workforce

25  Florida, Inc., shall solicit input from the not-for-profit

26  corporation created to advocate on behalf of the information

27  technology industry as an outgrowth of the Information Service

28  Technology Development Task Force created under chapter

29  99-354, Laws of Florida.

30         (6)  In fulfilling its responsibilities under this

31  section, Workforce Florida, Inc., may enlist the assistance of


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  1  and act through the Agency for Workforce Innovation. The

  2  agency is authorized and directed to provide the services that

  3  Workforce Florida, Inc., and the agency consider necessary to

  4  implement this section.

  5         Section 10.  Joint-use advanced digital-media research

  6  and production facilities.--

  7         (1)  The Legislature finds that developments in digital

  8  media are having, and will continue to have, a profound effect

  9  on the state, its residents, and its businesses in areas

10  including, but not limited to, information technology,

11  simulation technology, and film and entertainment production

12  and distribution. The digital-media industry represents a

13  strategic economic development opportunity for the state to

14  become a global leader in this emerging and dynamic field. The

15  ability of the state to succeed in developing the

16  digital-media sector, however, depends upon having a workforce

17  with skills necessary to meet the demands of the industry. The

18  Legislature further finds that the convergence of media and

19  the collaboration of businesses and multi-disciplinary

20  academic research programs will enable this state to compete

21  more successfully with other digital-media innovation centers

22  around the country and around the world. Therefore, it is the

23  intent of the Legislature to support the establishment and

24  maintenance of joint-use advanced digital-media research and

25  production facilities in the state to provide regional focal

26  points for collaboration between research and education

27  programs and digital-media industries.

28         (2)  Subject to legislative appropriation, the Office

29  of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development may create and

30  administer a program to facilitate the establishment and

31  maintenance of joint-use advanced digital-media research and


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  1  production facilities at strategic locations around the state.

  2  The office shall administer all facets of this program in

  3  cooperation and consultation with the Office of the Film

  4  Commissioner; Enterprise Florida, Inc.; Workforce Florida,

  5  Inc.; the Digital Media Education Coordination Group of the

  6  State University System; and a not-for-profit corporation that

  7  represents information technology businesses throughout the

  8  state.

  9         (3)  The purposes of a joint-use advanced digital-media

10  research and production facility include:

11         (a)  Creating opportunities for industry, academia, and

12  government to benefit from student and researcher involvement

13  in applied research and development projects and other

14  projects related to digital media.

15         (b)  Promoting paths to future employment for students

16  participating in the activities of the facility.

17         (c)  Contributing to the development of a skilled

18  workforce to support the needs of the digital-media industry.

19         (d)  Facilitating the transfer of research results to

20  commercial and government applications.

21         (e)  Integrating the efforts and activities of the

22  diverse, high-technology industries in the state which are

23  critical to the economic future of the state.

24         (f)  Assisting producers, suppliers, and distributors

25  in making the transition from well-established passive media

26  infrastructure to a highly interactive and immersive media

27  infrastructure.

28         (g)  Performing other functions or activities designed

29  to contribute to the success of the state in becoming a leader

30  in the digital-media industry, as approved by the Office of

31  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1         (4)  In carrying out its responsibilities under this

  2  section, the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

  3  Development:

  4         (a)  Shall develop a strategic plan for how joint-use

  5  advanced digital-media research and production facilities will

  6  be governed and for how those facilities will be funded in the

  7  long term. The office may contract for the preparation of the

  8  strategic plan required by this paragraph.

  9         (b)  May contract for the establishment of joint-use

10  advanced digital-media research and production facilities. In

11  identifying, approving, and executing contracts, the office

12  shall attempt to maximize the use and integration of existing

13  facilities and programs in the state which are suitable for

14  application as joint-use advanced digital-media facilities.

15  Funds awarded under the contracts may be used to lease or

16  refurbish existing facilities to create state-of-the-art

17  digital-media design, production, and research laboratories

18  that are shared by public and private educational institutions

19  and industry partners.

20         (c)  Shall ensure that funds appropriated for the

21  program authorized in this section are expended in a manner

22  consistent with the priority needs for developing the

23  digital-media industry in this state, as identified by the

24  organizations listed in subsection (2).

25         (d)  Shall require any entity or organization receiving

26  state funding under this section to match that funding with

27  nonstate sources.

28         (e)  Shall require any joint-use advanced digital-media

29  research and production facility receiving state funds to

30  submit for approval by the office a detailed plan for the

31  operation of the facility. The operating plan must, at a


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1  minimum, include provisions for the establishment of a tenant

  2  association, with representation by each tenant using the

  3  facility, and for the collection of annual dues from tenants

  4  to support the operation and maintenance of the facility.

  5         (f)  Shall require any joint-use advanced digital-media

  6  research and production facility receiving state funding to

  7  submit an annual report to the office by a date established by

  8  the office. Upon receipt of the annual reports, the office

  9  shall provide copies to the Governor, the President of the

10  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

11         (g)  Shall establish guidelines and criteria governing

12  the application for and receipt of funds under this section.

13         (h)  May, as part of the annual report on the business

14  climate of the state required under section 14.2015, Florida

15  Statutes, recommend to the Legislature policies designed to

16  enhance the effectiveness of the program for joint-use

17  advanced digital-media research and production facilities or

18  policies designed to otherwise promote the development of the

19  digital-media industry in the state.

20         (5)  For the purposes of this section, the term

21  "digital media" is defined as a discipline based on the

22  creative convergence of art, science, and technology for human

23  expression, communication, and social interaction. The Office

24  of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development, in cooperation

25  and consultation with the organizations identified in

26  subsection (2), shall identify specific types of businesses or

27  types of business activity to be included within the term

28  "digital media."

29         Section 11.  The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

30  Development, the Office of the Film Commissioner, and the

31  Digital Media Education Coordination Group shall jointly


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    SB 52-B                                        First Engrossed



  1  report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the

  2  House of Representatives by February 1, 2002, on recommended

  3  funding levels for the program to facilitate establishment and

  4  maintenance of joint-use advanced digital-media research and

  5  production facilities as authorized by this act. The report

  6  must include options based on different funding levels and

  7  information on the number and types of facilities that the

  8  organizations estimate could be established under each funding

  9  option. The report also must include an assessment of the

10  long-term costs associated with operating the facilities and

11  an assessment of nonstate funding sources that could be

12  accessed to support establishment and maintenance of the

13  facilities.

14         Section 12.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

15  law.

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