CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.



                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1681, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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  4  ______________________________________________________________

  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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10  ______________________________________________________________

11  Representative(s) Stansel offered the following:

12

13         Amendment (with title amendment) 

14         On page 46, line 4,

15  remove:  all of said line

16

17  and insert:

18         Section 38.  Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (1)

19  and subsections (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), and (9) of section

20  163.05, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

21         163.05  Small County Technical Assistance Program.--

22         (1)  Among small counties, the Legislature finds that:

23         (a)  The percentage of the population of small counties

24  residing in the unincorporated areas is relatively high based

25  on the United States Decennial Census of 2000 and increased

26  substantially between 1980 and 1990.

27         (c)  Fiscal shortfalls persist even though 12 13 of the

28  small counties levied the maximum ad valorem millage

29  authorized in their jurisdictions in 2001 1990 and an

30  additional 15 13 small counties levied between 8 and 10 mills.

31         (4)  The Commissioner of Agriculture Comptroller shall

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1681, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  enter into contracts with program providers who shall:

  2         (a)  Be a foundation that meets the requirements for

  3  nonprofit status under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue

  4  Code with a governing board which includes in its membership

  5  county commissioners and professional staff of the county

  6  public agency or private, nonprofit corporation, association,

  7  or entity.

  8         (b)  Have substantial and documented experience working

  9  closely with county governments in providing both educational

10  and technical assistance.

11         (c)(b)  Use existing resources, services, and

12  information that are available from state or local agencies,

13  universities, or the private sector.

14         (d)(c)  Seek and accept funding from any public or

15  private source.

16         (d)  Annually submit information to assist the

17  Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations in

18  preparing a performance review that will include an analysis

19  of the effectiveness of the program.

20         (e)  Assist small counties in developing alternative

21  revenue sources.

22         (f)  Provide assistance to small counties in the areas

23  such as of financial management, accounting, investing,

24  purchasing, planning and budgeting, debt issuance, public

25  management, management systems, computers and information

26  technology, economic and community development, and public

27  safety management.

28         (g)  Provide for an annual independent financial audit

29  of the program.

30         (h)  In each county served, conduct a needs assessment

31  upon which the assistance provided for that county will be

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1681, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  designed.

  2         (5)(a)  The Commissioner of Agriculture Comptroller

  3  shall issue a request for proposals to provide assistance to

  4  small counties. The request for proposals shall be required no

  5  more frequently than every third year beginning with fiscal

  6  year 2004-2005. All contracts in existence on the effective

  7  date of this act between the Comptroller and any other party

  8  with respect to the Small County Technical Assistance Program

  9  may be accepted by the Commissioner of Agriculture as the

10  party in interest and said contracts shall remain in full

11  force and effect according to their terms. At the request of

12  the Comptroller, the Legislative Committee on

13  Intergovernmental Relations shall assist in the preparation of

14  the request for proposals.

15         (b)  The Commissioner of Agriculture Comptroller shall

16  review each contract proposal submitted.

17         (c)  The Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental

18  Relations shall review each contract proposal and submit to

19  the Comptroller, in writing, advisory comments and

20  recommendations, citing with specificity the reasons for its

21  recommendations.

22         (c)(d)  The Commissioner of Agriculture Comptroller and

23  the council shall consider the following factors in reviewing

24  contract proposals:

25         1.  The demonstrated capacity of the provider to

26  conduct needs assessments and implement the program as

27  proposed.

28         2.  The number of small counties to be served under the

29  proposal.

30         3.  The cost of the program as specified in a proposed

31  budget.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1681, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1         4.  The short-term and long-term benefits of the

  2  assistance to small counties.

  3         5.  The form and extent to which existing resources,

  4  services, and information that are available from state and

  5  local agencies, universities, and the private sector will be

  6  used by the provider under the contract.

  7         (6)  A decision of the Commissioner of Agriculture

  8  Comptroller to award a contract under this section is final

  9  and shall be in writing with a copy provided to the

10  Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations.

11         (7)  The Comptroller may enter into contracts and

12  agreements with other state and local agencies and with any

13  person, association, corporation, or entity other than the

14  program providers, for the purpose of administering this

15  section.

16         (7)(8)  The Commissioner of Agriculture Comptroller

17  shall provide fiscal oversight to ensure that funds expended

18  for the program are used in accordance with the contracts

19  entered into pursuant to subsection (4) and shall conduct a

20  performance review of the program as may be necessary to

21  ensure that the goals and objectives of the program are being

22  met.

23         (9)  The Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental

24  Relations shall annually conduct a performance review of the

25  program. The findings of the review shall be presented in a

26  report submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate,

27  the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the

28  Comptroller by January 15 of each year.

29         Section 39.  Specific Appropriation 2252 in the

30  2002-2003 General Appropriations Act is hereby repealed and an

31  identical amount is hereby appropriated to the Department of

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                     Bill No. CS/HB 1681, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No. ___ (for drafter's use only)





  1  Agriculture and Consumer Services from the General Revenue

  2  Fund for the purposes of this act.

  3         Section 40.  Sections 38 and 39 shall take effect June

  4  30, 2002.

  5         Section 41.  Unless otherwise provided for in the bill,

  6  this act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

  7

  8

  9  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

10  And the title is amended as follows:

11         On page 1, line 5 after the semicolon,

12

13  insert:

14         amending s. 163.05, F.S.; revising legislative

15         findings; providing criteria for contracts

16         between the Commissioner of Agriculture and

17         program providers; deleting responsibilities of

18         the Comptroller and the Legislative Committee

19         on Intergovernmental Relations; authorizing the

20         Commissioner of Agriculture to award contracts

21         to provide assistance to small counties;

22         requiring the Commissioner of Agriculture to

23         provide fiscal oversight and performance

24         reviews; providing an appropriation; providing

25         effective dates.

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27

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29

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