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



                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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  4  ______________________________________________________________

  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

  6

  7

  8

  9

10  ______________________________________________________________

11  Representative(s) Kilmer offered the following:

12

13         Amendment to Amendment (233314) (with title amendment) 

14         On page 1, line 17, through page 67, line 1,

15  remove:  all of said lines

16

17  and insert:

18         Section 1.  (1)  As used in this section, the term:

19         (a)  "Federal minimum wage" means a minimum wage

20  required under federal law, including the federal Fair Labor

21  Standards Act of 1938, as amended, 29 U.S.C. ss. 201 et seq.

22         (b)  "Minimum wage" means a minimum rate of

23  compensation for employment.

24         (c)  "Political subdivision" means a county,

25  municipality, department, commission, district, board, or

26  other public body, whether corporate or otherwise, created by

27  or under state law.

28         (2)  Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), no

29  political subdivision may establish, mandate, or otherwise

30  require an employer to pay a minimum wage, other than a

31  federal minimum wage, or to apply a federal minimum wage to

                                  1

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  wages exempt from such a federal minimum wage.

  2         (3)  This section does not limit the authority of a

  3  political subdivision to establish a minimum wage other than a

  4  federal minimum wage:

  5         (a)  For the employees of the political subdivision;

  6         (b)  For the employees of an employer contracting to

  7  provide goods or services for the political subdivision, or

  8  for the employees of a subcontractor of such an employer,

  9  under the terms of a contract with the political subdivision;

10  or

11         (c)  For the employees of an employer receiving a

12  direct tax abatement or subsidy from the political

13  subdivision, as a condition of the direct tax abatement or

14  subsidy.

15         Section 2.  Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) of

16  section 288.0655, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

17         288.0655  Rural Infrastructure Fund.--

18         (2)(a)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature shall be

19  distributed by the office through a grant programs program

20  that maximize maximizes the use of federal, local, and private

21  resources, including, but not limited to, those available

22  under the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant

23  Program.

24         (b)  To facilitate access of rural communities and

25  rural areas of critical economic concern as defined by the

26  Rural Economic Development Initiative to infrastructure

27  funding programs of the Federal Government, such as those

28  offered by the United States Department of Agriculture and the

29  United States Department of Commerce, and state programs,

30  including those offered by Rural Economic Development

31  Initiative agencies, and to facilitate local government or

                                  2

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  private infrastructure funding efforts, the office may award

  2  grants to applicants for such federal programs for up to 30

  3  percent of the total infrastructure project cost. Eligible

  4  projects must be related to specific job-creation or

  5  job-retention job creating opportunities. Eligible projects

  6  may also include improving any inadequate infrastructure that

  7  has resulted in regulatory action that prohibits economic or

  8  community growth or reducing the costs to community users of

  9  proposed infrastructure improvements that exceed such costs in

10  comparable communities. Eligible uses of funds shall include

11  improvements to public infrastructure for industrial or

12  commercial sites and upgrades to or development of public

13  tourism infrastructure. Authorized infrastructure may include

14  the following public or public-private partnership facilities:

15  storm water systems; telecommunications facilities; roads or

16  other remedies to transportation impediments; nature-based

17  tourism facilities; or other physical requirements necessary

18  to facilitate tourism, trade, and economic development

19  activities in the community. Authorized infrastructure may

20  also include publicly owned self-powered nature-based tourism

21  facilities and additions to the distribution facilities of the

22  existing natural gas utility as defined in s. 366.04(3)(c),

23  the existing electric utility as defined in s. 366.02, or the

24  existing water or wastewater utility as defined in s.

25  367.021(12), or any other existing water or wastewater

26  facility, which owns a gas or electric distribution system or

27  a water or wastewater system in this state where:

28         1.  A contribution-in-aid of construction is required

29  to serve public or public-private partnership facilities under

30  the tariffs of any natural gas, electric, water, or wastewater

31  utility as defined herein; and

                                  3

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         2.  Such utilities as defined herein are willing and

  2  able to provide such service.

  3         Section 3.  Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (3) of

  4  section 288.095, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

  5         288.095  Economic Development Trust Fund.--

  6         (3)

  7         (b)  The total amount of tax refund claims approved for

  8  payment by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

  9  Development based on actual project performance may not exceed

10  the amount appropriated to the Economic Development Incentives

11  Account for such purposes for the fiscal year. In the event

12  the Legislature does not appropriate an amount sufficient to

13  satisfy estimates projections by the office for tax refunds

14  under ss. 288.1045 and 288.106 in a fiscal year, the Office of

15  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development shall, not later than

16  July 15 of such year, determine the proportion of each refund

17  claim which shall be paid by dividing the amount appropriated

18  for tax refunds for the fiscal year by the estimated projected

19  total of refund claims for the fiscal year. The amount of each

20  claim for a tax refund shall be multiplied by the resulting

21  quotient. If, after the payment of all such refund claims,

22  funds remain in the Economic Development Incentives Account

23  for tax refunds, the office shall recalculate the proportion

24  for each refund claim and adjust the amount of each claim

25  accordingly.

26         (c)  By December 31 September 30 of each year,

27  Enterprise Florida, Inc., the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

28  Economic Development shall submit a complete and detailed

29  report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the

30  Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the director of

31  the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development board

                                  4

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  of directors of Enterprise Florida, Inc., created under part

  2  VII of this chapter, of all applications received,

  3  recommendations made to the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

  4  Economic Development, final decisions issued, tax refund

  5  agreements executed, and tax refunds paid or other payments

  6  made under all programs funded out of the Economic Development

  7  Incentives Account, including analyses of benefits and costs,

  8  types of projects supported, and employment and investment

  9  created. Enterprise Florida, Inc., The Office of Tourism,

10  Trade, and Economic Development shall also include a separate

11  analysis of the impact of such tax refunds on state enterprise

12  zones designated pursuant to s. 290.0065, rural communities,

13  brownfield areas, and distressed urban communities. By

14  December 1 of each year, the board of directors of Enterprise

15  Florida, Inc., shall review and comment on the report, and the

16  board shall submit the report, together with the comments of

17  the board, to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and

18  the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must

19  discuss whether the authority and moneys appropriated by the

20  Legislature to the Economic Development Incentives Account

21  were managed and expended in a prudent, fiducially sound

22  manner. The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development

23  shall assist Enterprise Florida, Inc., in the collection of

24  data related to business performance and incentive payments.

25         Section 4.  Section 288.1045, Florida Statutes, is

26  amended to read:

27         288.1045  Qualified defense contractor tax refund

28  program.--

29         (1)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section:

30         (a)  "Consolidation of a Department of Defense

31  contract" means the consolidation of one or more of an

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  applicant's facilities under one or more Department of Defense

  2  contracts either from outside this state or from inside and

  3  outside this state, into one or more of the applicant's

  4  facilities inside this state.

  5         (b)  "Average wage in the area" means the average of

  6  all wages and salaries in the state, the county, or in the

  7  standard metropolitan area in which the business unit is

  8  located.

  9         (c)  "Applicant" means any business entity that holds a

10  valid Department of Defense contract or any business entity

11  that is a subcontractor under a valid Department of Defense

12  contract or any business entity that holds a valid contract

13  for the reuse of a defense-related facility, including all

14  members of an affiliated group of corporations as defined in

15  s. 220.03(1)(b).

16         (d)  "Office" means the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

17  Economic Development.

18         (e)  "Department of Defense contract" means a

19  competitively bid Department of Defense contract or

20  subcontract or a competitively bid federal agency contract or

21  subcontract issued on behalf of the Department of Defense for

22  manufacturing, assembling, fabricating, research, development,

23  or design with a duration of 2 or more years, but excluding

24  any contract or subcontract to provide goods, improvements to

25  real or tangible property, or services directly to or for any

26  particular military base or installation in this state. The

27  term includes contracts or subcontracts for products or

28  services for military use which contracts or subcontracts are

29  approved by the United States Department of Defense, the

30  United States Department of State, or the United States Coast

31  Guard.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         (f)  "New Department of Defense contract" means a

  2  Department of Defense contract entered into after the date

  3  application for certification as a qualified applicant is made

  4  and after January 1, 1994.

  5         (g)  "Jobs" means full-time equivalent positions,

  6  consistent with the use of such terms by the Agency for

  7  Workforce Innovation Department of Labor and Employment

  8  Security for the purpose of unemployment compensation tax,

  9  resulting directly from a project in this state. This number

10  does not include temporary construction jobs involved with the

11  construction of facilities for the project.

12         (h)  "Nondefense production jobs" means employment

13  exclusively for activities that, directly or indirectly, are

14  unrelated to the Department of Defense.

15         (i)  "Project" means any business undertaking in this

16  state under a new Department of Defense contract,

17  consolidation of a Department of Defense contract, or

18  conversion of defense production jobs over to nondefense

19  production jobs or reuse of defense-related facilities.

20         (j)  "Qualified applicant" means an applicant that has

21  been approved by the director to be eligible for tax refunds

22  pursuant to this section.

23         (k)  "Director" means the director of the Office of

24  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.

25         (l)  "Taxable year" means the same as in s.

26  220.03(1)(z).

27         (m)  "Fiscal year" means the fiscal year of the state.

28         (n)  "Business unit" means an employing unit, as

29  defined in s. 443.036, that is registered with the Agency for

30  Workforce Innovation Department of Labor and Employment

31  Security for unemployment compensation purposes or means a

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  subcategory or division of an employing unit that is accepted

  2  by the Agency for Workforce Innovation Department of Labor and

  3  Employment Security as a reporting unit.

  4         (o)  "Local financial support" means funding from local

  5  sources, public or private, which is paid to the Economic

  6  Development Trust Fund and which is equal to 20 percent of the

  7  annual tax refund for a qualified applicant. Local financial

  8  support may include excess payments made to a utility company

  9  under a designated program to allow decreases in service by

10  the utility company under conditions, regardless of when

11  application is made. A qualified applicant may not provide,

12  directly or indirectly, more than 5 percent of such funding in

13  any fiscal year. The sources of such funding may not include,

14  directly or indirectly, state funds appropriated from the

15  General Revenue Fund or any state trust fund, excluding tax

16  revenues shared with local governments pursuant to law.

17         (p)  "Contract for reuse of a defense-related facility"

18  means a contract with a duration of 2 or more years for the

19  use of a facility for manufacturing, assembling, fabricating,

20  research, development, or design of tangible personal

21  property, but excluding any contract to provide goods,

22  improvements to real or tangible property, or services

23  directly to or for any particular military base or

24  installation in this state. Such facility must be located

25  within a port, as defined in s. 313.21, and have been occupied

26  by a business entity that held a valid Department of Defense

27  contract or occupied by any branch of the Armed Forces of the

28  United States, within 1 year of any contract being executed

29  for the reuse of such facility. A contract for reuse of a

30  defense-related facility may not include any contract for

31  reuse of such facility for any Department of Defense contract

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  for manufacturing, assembling, fabricating, research,

  2  development, or design.

  3         (q)  "Local financial support exemption option" means

  4  the option to exercise an exemption from the local financial

  5  support requirement available to any applicant whose project

  6  is located in a county designated by the Rural Economic

  7  Development Initiative, if the county commissioners of the

  8  county in which the project will be located adopt a resolution

  9  requesting that the applicant's project be exempt from the

10  local financial support requirement. Any applicant that

11  exercises this option is not eligible for more than 80 percent

12  of the total tax refunds allowed such applicant under this

13  section.

14         (2)  GRANTING OF A TAX REFUND; ELIGIBLE AMOUNTS.--

15         (a)  There shall be allowed, from the Economic

16  Development Trust Fund, a refund to a qualified applicant for

17  the amount of eligible taxes certified by the director which

18  were paid by such qualified applicant. The total amount of

19  refunds for all fiscal years for each qualified applicant

20  shall be determined pursuant to subsection (3). The annual

21  amount of a refund to a qualified applicant shall be

22  determined pursuant to subsection (5).

23         (b)  A qualified applicant may not be qualified for any

24  project to receive more than $5,000 times the number of jobs

25  provided in the tax refund agreement pursuant to subparagraph

26  (4)(a)1. A qualified applicant may not receive refunds of more

27  than 25 percent of the total tax refunds provided in the tax

28  refund agreement pursuant to subparagraph (4)(a)1. in any

29  fiscal year, provided that no qualified applicant may receive

30  more than $2.5 million in tax refunds pursuant to this section

31  in any fiscal year.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         (c)  A qualified applicant may not receive more than

  2  $7.5 million in tax refunds pursuant to this section in all

  3  fiscal years.

  4         (d)  Contingent upon an annual appropriation by the

  5  Legislature, the director may approve not more in tax refunds

  6  than the amount appropriated to the Economic Development Trust

  7  Fund for tax refunds, for a fiscal year pursuant to subsection

  8  (5) and s. 288.095.

  9         (e)  For the first 6 months of each fiscal year, the

10  director shall set aside 30 percent of the amount appropriated

11  for refunds pursuant to this section by the Legislature to

12  provide tax refunds only to qualified applicants who employ

13  500 or fewer full-time employees in this state. Any

14  unencumbered funds remaining undisbursed from this set-aside

15  at the end of the 6-month period may be used to provide tax

16  refunds for any qualified applicants pursuant to this section.

17         (f)  After entering into a tax refund agreement

18  pursuant to subsection (4), a qualified applicant may receive

19  refunds from the Economic Development Trust Fund for the

20  following taxes due and paid by the qualified applicant

21  beginning with the applicant's first taxable year that begins

22  after entering into the agreement:

23         1.  Taxes on sales, use, and other transactions paid

24  pursuant to chapter 212.

25         2.  Corporate income taxes paid pursuant to chapter

26  220.

27         3.  Intangible personal property taxes paid pursuant to

28  chapter 199.

29         4.  Emergency excise taxes paid pursuant to chapter

30  221.

31         5.  Excise taxes paid on documents pursuant to chapter

                                  10

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  201.

  2         6.  Ad valorem taxes paid, as defined in s.

  3  220.03(1)(a) on June 1, 1996.

  4

  5  However, a qualified applicant may not receive a tax refund

  6  pursuant to this section for any amount of credit, refund, or

  7  exemption granted such contractor for any of such taxes. If a

  8  refund for such taxes is provided by the office, which taxes

  9  are subsequently adjusted by the application of any credit,

10  refund, or exemption granted to the qualified applicant other

11  than that provided in this section, the qualified applicant

12  shall reimburse the Economic Development Trust Fund for the

13  amount of such credit, refund, or exemption. A qualified

14  applicant must notify and tender payment to the office within

15  20 days after receiving a credit, refund, or exemption, other

16  than that provided in this section.

17         (g)  Any qualified applicant who fraudulently claims

18  this refund is liable for repayment of the refund to the

19  Economic Development Trust Fund plus a mandatory penalty of

20  200 percent of the tax refund which shall be deposited into

21  the General Revenue Fund. Any qualified applicant who

22  fraudulently claims this refund commits a felony of the third

23  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or

24  s. 775.084.

25         (h)  Funds made available pursuant to this section may

26  not be expended in connection with the relocation of a

27  business from one community to another community in this state

28  unless the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development

29  determines that without such relocation the business will move

30  outside this state or determines that the business has a

31  compelling economic rationale for the relocation which creates

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  additional jobs.

  2         (3)  APPLICATION PROCESS; REQUIREMENTS; AGENCY

  3  DETERMINATION.--

  4         (a)  To apply for certification as a qualified

  5  applicant pursuant to this section, an applicant must file an

  6  application with the office which satisfies the requirements

  7  of paragraphs (b) and (e), paragraphs (c) and (e), or

  8  paragraphs (d) and (e). An applicant may not apply for

  9  certification pursuant to this section after a proposal has

10  been submitted for a new Department of Defense contract, after

11  the applicant has made the decision to consolidate an existing

12  Department of Defense contract in this state for which such

13  applicant is seeking certification, or after the applicant has

14  made the decision to convert defense production jobs to

15  nondefense production jobs for which such applicant is seeking

16  certification.

17         (b)  Applications for certification based on the

18  consolidation of a Department of Defense contract or a new

19  Department of Defense contract must be submitted to the office

20  as prescribed by the office and must include, but are not

21  limited to, the following information:

22         1.  The applicant's federal employer identification

23  number, the applicant's Florida sales tax registration number,

24  and a notarized signature of an officer of the applicant.

25         2.  The permanent location of the manufacturing,

26  assembling, fabricating, research, development, or design

27  facility in this state at which the project is or is to be

28  located.

29         3.  The Department of Defense contract numbers of the

30  contract to be consolidated, the new Department of Defense

31  contract number, or the "RFP" number of a proposed Department

                                  12

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  of Defense contract.

  2         4.  The date the contract was executed or is expected

  3  to be executed, and the date the contract is due to expire or

  4  is expected to expire.

  5         5.  The commencement date for project operations under

  6  the contract in this state.

  7         6.  The number of net new full-time equivalent Florida

  8  jobs included in this state which are or will be dedicated to

  9  the project as of December 31 of each during the year and the

10  average wage of such jobs.

11         7.  The total number of full-time equivalent employees

12  employed by the applicant in this state.

13         8.  The percentage of the applicant's gross receipts

14  derived from Department of Defense contracts during the 5

15  taxable years immediately preceding the date the application

16  is submitted.

17         9.  The amount of:

18         a.  Taxes on sales, use, and other transactions paid

19  pursuant to chapter 212;

20         b.  Corporate income taxes paid pursuant to chapter

21  220;

22         c.  Intangible personal property taxes paid pursuant to

23  chapter 199;

24         d.  Emergency excise taxes paid pursuant to chapter

25  221;

26         e.  Excise taxes paid on documents pursuant to chapter

27  201; and

28         f.  Ad valorem taxes paid

29

30  during the 5 fiscal years immediately preceding the date of

31  the application, and the projected amounts of such taxes to be

                                  13

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  due in the 3 fiscal years immediately following the date of

  2  the application.

  3         10.  The estimated amount of tax refunds to be claimed

  4  for in each fiscal year.

  5         11.  A brief statement concerning the applicant's need

  6  for tax refunds, and the proposed uses of such refunds by the

  7  applicant.

  8         12.  A resolution adopted by the county commissioners

  9  of the county in which the project will be located, which

10  recommends the applicant be approved as a qualified applicant,

11  and which indicates that the necessary commitments of local

12  financial support for the applicant exist. Prior to the

13  adoption of the resolution, the county commission may review

14  the proposed public or private sources of such support and

15  determine whether the proposed sources of local financial

16  support can be provided or, for any applicant whose project is

17  located in a county designated by the Rural Economic

18  Development Initiative, a resolution adopted by the county

19  commissioners of such county requesting that the applicant's

20  project be exempt from the local financial support

21  requirement.

22         13.  Any additional information requested by the

23  office.

24         (c)  Applications for certification based on the

25  conversion of defense production jobs to nondefense production

26  jobs must be submitted to the office as prescribed by the

27  office and must include, but are not limited to, the following

28  information:

29         1.  The applicant's federal employer identification

30  number, the applicant's Florida sales tax registration number,

31  and a notarized signature of an officer of the applicant.

                                  14

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         2.  The permanent location of the manufacturing,

  2  assembling, fabricating, research, development, or design

  3  facility in this state at which the project is or is to be

  4  located.

  5         3.  The Department of Defense contract numbers of the

  6  contract under which the defense production jobs will be

  7  converted to nondefense production jobs.

  8         4.  The date the contract was executed, and the date

  9  the contract is due to expire or is expected to expire, or was

10  canceled.

11         5.  The commencement date for the nondefense production

12  operations in this state.

13         6.  The number of net new full-time equivalent Florida

14  jobs included in this state which are or will be dedicated to

15  the nondefense production project as of December 31 of each

16  during the year and the average wage of such jobs.

17         7.  The total number of full-time equivalent employees

18  employed by the applicant in this state.

19         8.  The percentage of the applicant's gross receipts

20  derived from Department of Defense contracts during the 5

21  taxable years immediately preceding the date the application

22  is submitted.

23         9.  The amount of:

24         a.  Taxes on sales, use, and other transactions paid

25  pursuant to chapter 212;

26         b.  Corporate income taxes paid pursuant to chapter

27  220;

28         c.  Intangible personal property taxes paid pursuant to

29  chapter 199;

30         d.  Emergency excise taxes paid pursuant to chapter

31  221;

                                  15

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         e.  Excise taxes paid on documents pursuant to chapter

  2  201; and

  3         f.  Ad valorem taxes paid

  4

  5  during the 5 fiscal years immediately preceding the date of

  6  the application, and the projected amounts of such taxes to be

  7  due in the 3 fiscal years immediately following the date of

  8  the application.

  9         10.  The estimated amount of tax refunds to be claimed

10  for in each fiscal year.

11         11.  A brief statement concerning the applicant's need

12  for tax refunds, and the proposed uses of such refunds by the

13  applicant.

14         12.  A resolution adopted by the county commissioners

15  of the county in which the project will be located, which

16  recommends the applicant be approved as a qualified applicant,

17  and which indicates that the necessary commitments of local

18  financial support for the applicant exist. Prior to the

19  adoption of the resolution, the county commission may review

20  the proposed public or private sources of such support and

21  determine whether the proposed sources of local financial

22  support can be provided or, for any applicant whose project is

23  located in a county designated by the Rural Economic

24  Development Initiative, a resolution adopted by the county

25  commissioners of such county requesting that the applicant's

26  project be exempt from the local financial support

27  requirement.

28         13.  Any additional information requested by the

29  office.

30         (d)  Applications for certification based on a contract

31  for reuse of a defense-related facility must be submitted to

                                  16

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  the office as prescribed by the office and must include, but

  2  are not limited to, the following information:

  3         1.  The applicant's Florida sales tax registration

  4  number and a notarized signature of an officer of the

  5  applicant.

  6         2.  The permanent location of the manufacturing,

  7  assembling, fabricating, research, development, or design

  8  facility in this state at which the project is or is to be

  9  located.

10         3.  The business entity holding a valid Department of

11  Defense contract or branch of the Armed Forces of the United

12  States that previously occupied the facility, and the date

13  such entity last occupied the facility.

14         4.  A copy of the contract to reuse the facility, or

15  such alternative proof as may be prescribed by the office that

16  the applicant is seeking to contract for the reuse of such

17  facility.

18         5.  The date the contract to reuse the facility was

19  executed or is expected to be executed, and the date the

20  contract is due to expire or is expected to expire.

21         6.  The commencement date for project operations under

22  the contract in this state.

23         7.  The number of net new full-time equivalent Florida

24  jobs included in this state which are or will be dedicated to

25  the project as of December 31 of each during the year and the

26  average wage of such jobs.

27         8.  The total number of full-time equivalent employees

28  employed by the applicant in this state.

29         9.  The amount of:

30         a.  Taxes on sales, use, and other transactions paid

31  pursuant to chapter 212.

                                  17

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         b.  Corporate income taxes paid pursuant to chapter

  2  220.

  3         c.  Intangible personal property taxes paid pursuant to

  4  chapter 199.

  5         d.  Emergency excise taxes paid pursuant to chapter

  6  221.

  7         e.  Excise taxes paid on documents pursuant to chapter

  8  201.

  9         f.  Ad valorem taxes paid during the 5 fiscal years

10  immediately preceding the date of the application, and the

11  projected amounts of such taxes to be due in the 3 fiscal

12  years immediately following the date of the application.

13         10.  The estimated amount of tax refunds to be claimed

14  for in each fiscal year.

15         11.  A brief statement concerning the applicant's need

16  for tax refunds, and the proposed uses of such refunds by the

17  applicant.

18         12.  A resolution adopted by the county commissioners

19  of the county in which the project will be located, which

20  recommends the applicant be approved as a qualified applicant,

21  and which indicates that the necessary commitments of local

22  financial support for the applicant exist. Prior to the

23  adoption of the resolution, the county commission may review

24  the proposed public or private sources of such support and

25  determine whether the proposed sources of local financial

26  support can be provided or, for any applicant whose project is

27  located in a county designated by the Rural Economic

28  Development Initiative, a resolution adopted by the county

29  commissioners of such county requesting that the applicant's

30  project be exempt from the local financial support

31  requirement.

                                  18

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         13.  Any additional information requested by the

  2  office.

  3         (e)  To qualify for review by the office, the

  4  application of an applicant must, at a minimum, establish the

  5  following to the satisfaction of the office:

  6         1.  The jobs proposed to be provided under the

  7  application, pursuant to subparagraph (b)6. or subparagraph

  8  (c)6., must pay an estimated annual average wage equaling at

  9  least 115 percent of the average wage in the area where the

10  project is to be located.

11         2.  The consolidation of a Department of Defense

12  contract must result in a net increase of at least 25 percent

13  in the number of jobs at the applicant's facilities in this

14  state or the addition of at least 80 jobs at the applicant's

15  facilities in this state.

16         3.  The conversion of defense production jobs to

17  nondefense production jobs must result in net increases in

18  nondefense employment at the applicant's facilities in this

19  state.

20         4.  The Department of Defense contract cannot allow the

21  business to include the costs of relocation or retooling in

22  its base as allowable costs under a cost-plus, or similar,

23  contract.

24         5.  A business unit of the applicant must have derived

25  not less than 60 70 percent of its gross receipts in this

26  state from Department of Defense contracts over the

27  applicant's last fiscal year, and must have derived not less

28  than an average of 60 80 percent of its gross receipts in this

29  state from Department of Defense contracts over the 5 years

30  preceding the date an application is submitted pursuant to

31  this section. This subparagraph does not apply to any

                                  19

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  application for certification based on a contract for reuse of

  2  a defense-related facility.

  3         6.  The reuse of a defense-related facility must result

  4  in the creation of at least 100 jobs at such facility.

  5         (f)  Each application meeting the requirements of

  6  paragraphs (b) and (e), paragraphs (c) and (e), or paragraphs

  7  (d) and (e) must be submitted to the office for a

  8  determination of eligibility. The office shall review,

  9  evaluate, and score each application based on, but not limited

10  to, the following criteria:

11         1.  Expected contributions to the state strategic

12  economic development plan adopted by Enterprise Florida, Inc.,

13  taking into account the extent to which the project

14  contributes to the state's high-technology base, and the

15  long-term impact of the project and the applicant on the

16  state's economy.

17         2.  The economic benefit of the jobs created or

18  retained by the project in this state, taking into account the

19  cost and average wage of each job created or retained, and the

20  potential risk to existing jobs.

21         3.  The amount of capital investment to be made by the

22  applicant in this state.

23         4.  The local commitment and support for the project

24  and applicant.

25         5.  The impact of the project on the local community,

26  taking into account the unemployment rate for the county where

27  the project will be located.

28         6.  The dependence of the local community on the

29  defense industry.

30         7.  The impact of any tax refunds granted pursuant to

31  this section on the viability of the project and the

                                  20

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  probability that the project will occur in this state if such

  2  tax refunds are granted to the applicant, taking into account

  3  the expected long-term commitment of the applicant to economic

  4  growth and employment in this state.

  5         8.  The length of the project, or the expected

  6  long-term commitment to this state resulting from the project.

  7         (g)  The office shall forward its written findings and

  8  evaluation on each application meeting the requirements of

  9  paragraphs (b) and (e), paragraphs (c) and (e), or paragraphs

10  (d) and (e) to the director within 60 calendar days after of

11  receipt of a complete application. The office shall notify

12  each applicant when its application is complete, and when the

13  60-day period begins. In its written report to the director,

14  the office shall specifically address each of the factors

15  specified in paragraph (f), and shall make a specific

16  assessment with respect to the minimum requirements

17  established in paragraph (e). The office shall include in its

18  report projections of the tax refunds the applicant would be

19  eligible to receive refund claims that will be sought by the

20  applicant in each fiscal year based on the creation and

21  maintenance of the net new Florida jobs specified in

22  subparagraphs (b)6., (c)6., or (d)7. as of December 31 of the

23  preceding state fiscal year information submitted in the

24  application.

25         (h)  Within 30 days after receipt of the office's

26  findings and evaluation, the director shall issue a letter of

27  certification which enter a final order that either approves

28  or disapproves an application. The decision must be in writing

29  and provide the justifications for either approval or

30  disapproval. If appropriate, the director shall enter into a

31  written agreement with the qualified applicant pursuant to

                                  21

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  subsection (4).

  2         (i)  The director may not certify enter any final order

  3  that certifies any applicant as a qualified applicant when the

  4  value of tax refunds to be included in that letter of

  5  certification final order exceeds the available amount of

  6  authority to certify new businesses enter final orders as

  7  determined in s. 288.095(3). A letter of certification final

  8  order that approves an application must specify the maximum

  9  amount of a tax refund that is to be available to the

10  contractor for in each fiscal year and the total amount of tax

11  refunds for all fiscal years.

12         (j)  This section does not create a presumption that an

13  applicant should receive any tax refunds under this section.

14         (4)  QUALIFIED DEFENSE CONTRACTOR TAX REFUND

15  AGREEMENT.--

16         (a)  A qualified applicant shall enter into a written

17  agreement with the office containing, but not limited to, the

18  following:

19         1.  The total number of full-time equivalent jobs in

20  this state that are or will be dedicated to the qualified

21  applicant's project, the average wage of such jobs, the

22  definitions that will apply for measuring the achievement of

23  these terms during the pendency of the agreement, and a time

24  schedule or plan for when such jobs will be in place and

25  active in this state. This information must be the same as the

26  information contained in the application submitted by the

27  contractor pursuant to subsection (3).

28         2.  The maximum amount of a refund that the qualified

29  applicant is eligible to receive for in each fiscal year,

30  based on the job creation or retention and maintenance

31  schedule specified in subparagraph 1.

                                  22

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         3.  An agreement with the office allowing the office to

  2  review and verify the financial and personnel records of the

  3  qualified applicant to ascertain whether the qualified

  4  applicant is complying with the requirements of this section.

  5         4.  The date by after which, in each fiscal year, the

  6  qualified applicant may file a an annual claim pursuant to

  7  subsection (5) to be considered to receive a tax refund in the

  8  following fiscal year.

  9         5.  That local financial support shall be annually

10  available and will be paid to the Economic Development Trust

11  Fund.

12         (b)  Compliance with the terms and conditions of the

13  agreement is a condition precedent for receipt of tax refunds

14  each year. The failure to comply with the terms and conditions

15  of the agreement shall result in the loss of eligibility for

16  receipt of all tax refunds previously authorized pursuant to

17  this section, and the revocation of the certification as a

18  qualified applicant by the director, unless the qualified

19  applicant is eligible to receive and elects to accept a

20  prorated refund under paragraph (5)(g) or the office grants

21  the qualified applicant an economic-stimulus exemption.

22         1.  A qualified applicant may submit, in writing, a

23  request to the office for an economic-stimulus exemption. The

24  request must provide quantitative evidence demonstrating how

25  negative economic conditions in the qualified applicant's

26  industry have prevented the qualified applicant from complying

27  with the terms and conditions of its tax refund agreement.

28         2.  Upon receipt of a request under subparagraph 1.,

29  the director shall have 45 days to notify the requesting

30  qualified applicant, in writing, if its exemption has been

31  granted or denied. In determining if an exemption should be

                                  23

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  granted, the director shall consider the extent to which

  2  negative economic conditions in the requesting qualified

  3  applicant's industry have prevented the qualified applicant

  4  from complying with the terms and conditions of its tax refund

  5  agreement.

  6         3.  As a condition for receiving a prorated refund

  7  under paragraph (5)(g) or an economic-stimulus exemption under

  8  this paragraph, a qualified applicant must agree to

  9  renegotiate its tax refund agreement with the office to, at a

10  minimum, ensure that the terms of the agreement comply with

11  current law and office procedures governing application for

12  and award of tax refunds. Upon approving the award of a

13  prorated refund or granting an economic-stimulus exemption,

14  the office shall renegotiate the tax refund agreement with the

15  qualified applicant as required by this subparagraph. When

16  amending the agreement of a qualified applicant receiving an

17  economic-stimulus exemption, the office may extend the

18  duration of the agreement for a period not to exceed 1 year.

19         4.  A qualified applicant may submit a request for an

20  economic-stimulus exemption to the office in lieu of any tax

21  refund claim scheduled to be submitted after June 30, 2001,

22  but before July 1, 2003.

23         5.  A qualified applicant that receives an

24  economic-stimulus exemption may not receive a tax refund for

25  the period covered by the exemption.

26         (c)  The agreement shall be signed by the director and

27  the authorized officer of the qualified applicant.

28         (d)  The agreement must contain the following legend,

29  clearly printed on its face in bold type of not less than 10

30  points:

31

                                  24

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         "This agreement is neither a general obligation

  2         of the State of Florida, nor is it backed by

  3         the full faith and credit of the State of

  4         Florida. Payment of tax refunds are conditioned

  5         on and subject to specific annual

  6         appropriations by the Florida Legislature of

  7         funds sufficient to pay amounts authorized in

  8         s. 288.1045, Florida Statutes."

  9

10         (5)  ANNUAL CLAIM FOR REFUND FROM A QUALIFIED DEFENSE

11  CONTRACTOR.--

12         (a)  To be eligible to claim any scheduled tax refund,

13  qualified applicants who have entered into a written agreement

14  with the office pursuant to subsection (4) and who have

15  entered into a valid new Department of Defense contract,

16  commenced the consolidation of a Department of Defense

17  contract, commenced the conversion of defense production jobs

18  to nondefense production jobs, or who have entered into a

19  valid contract for reuse of a defense-related facility must

20  may apply by January 31 of once each fiscal year to the office

21  for tax refunds scheduled to be paid from the appropriation

22  for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 following the

23  January 31 claims-submission date. The office may, upon

24  written request, grant a 30-day extension of the filing date.

25  The application must be made on or after the date contained in

26  the agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (4) and must

27  include a notarized signature of an officer of the applicant.

28         (b)  The claim for refund by the qualified applicant

29  must include a copy of all receipts pertaining to the payment

30  of taxes for which a refund is sought, and data related to

31  achieving each performance item contained in the tax refund

                                  25

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  agreement pursuant to subsection (4). The amount requested as

  2  a tax refund may not exceed the amount for the relevant fiscal

  3  year in the written agreement entered pursuant to subsection

  4  (4).

  5         (c)  A tax refund may not be approved for any qualified

  6  applicant unless local financial support has been paid to the

  7  Economic Development Trust Fund for in that refund fiscal

  8  year. If the local financial support is less than 20 percent

  9  of the approved tax refund, the tax refund shall be reduced.

10  The tax refund paid may not exceed 5 times the local financial

11  support received. Funding from local sources includes tax

12  abatement under s. 196.1995 provided to a qualified applicant.

13  The amount of any tax refund for an applicant approved under

14  this section shall be reduced by the amount of any such tax

15  abatement, and the limitations in subsection (2) and paragraph

16  (3)(h) shall be reduced by the amount of any such tax

17  abatement. A report listing all sources of the local financial

18  support shall be provided to the office when such support is

19  paid to the Economic Development Trust Fund.

20         (d)  The director, with assistance from the office, the

21  Department of Revenue, and the Agency for Workforce Innovation

22  Department of Labor and Employment Security, shall, by June 30

23  following the scheduled date for submitting the tax-refund

24  claim, specify by written order the approval or disapproval of

25  the tax refund claim and, if approved, determine the amount of

26  the tax refund that is authorized to be paid to for the

27  qualified applicant for the fiscal year in a written final

28  order within 30 days after the date the claim for the annual

29  tax refund is received by the office. The office may grant an

30  extension of this date upon the request of the qualified

31  applicant for the purpose of filing additional information in

                                  26

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  support of the claim.

  2         (e)  The total amount of tax refunds approved by the

  3  director under this section in any fiscal year may not exceed

  4  the amount appropriated to the Economic Development Trust Fund

  5  for such purposes for the fiscal year. If the Legislature does

  6  not appropriate an amount sufficient to satisfy projections by

  7  the office for tax refunds in a fiscal year, the director

  8  shall, not later than July 15 of such year, determine the

  9  proportion of each refund claim which shall be paid by

10  dividing the amount appropriated for tax refunds for the

11  fiscal year by the projected total amount of refund claims for

12  the fiscal year. The amount of each claim for a tax refund

13  shall be multiplied by the resulting quotient. If, after the

14  payment of all such refund claims, funds remain in the

15  Economic Development Trust Fund for tax refunds, the director

16  shall recalculate the proportion for each refund claim and

17  adjust the amount of each claim accordingly.

18         (f)  Upon approval of the tax refund pursuant to

19  paragraphs (c) and (d), the Comptroller shall issue a warrant

20  for the amount included in the written final order. In the

21  event of any appeal of the written final order, the

22  Comptroller may not issue a warrant for a refund to the

23  qualified applicant until the conclusion of all appeals of the

24  written final order.

25         (g)  A prorated tax refund, less a 5 percent penalty,

26  shall be approved for a qualified applicant provided all other

27  applicable requirements have been satisfied and the applicant

28  proves to the satisfaction of the director that it has

29  achieved at least 80 percent of its projected employment and

30  that the average wage paid by the qualified applicant is at

31  least 90 percent of the average wage specified in the tax

                                  27

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  refund agreement, but in no case less than 115 percent of the

  2  average private-sector wage in the area available at the time

  3  of certification. The prorated tax refund shall be calculated

  4  by multiplying the tax refund amount for which the qualified

  5  applicant would have been eligible, if all applicable

  6  requirements had been satisfied, by the percentage of the

  7  average employment specified in the tax refund agreement which

  8  was achieved, and by the percentage of the average wages

  9  specified in the tax refund agreement which was achieved.

10         (h)  This section does not create a presumption that a

11  tax refund claim will be approved and paid.

12         (6)  ADMINISTRATION.--

13         (a)  The office may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 120

14  for the administration of this section.

15         (b)  The office may verify information provided in any

16  claim submitted for tax credits under this section with regard

17  to employment and wage levels or the payment of the taxes with

18  the appropriate agency or authority including the Department

19  of Revenue, the Agency for Workforce Innovation Department of

20  Labor and Employment Security, or any local government or

21  authority.

22         (c)  To facilitate the process of monitoring and

23  auditing applications made under this program, the office may

24  provide a list of qualified applicants to the Department of

25  Revenue, to the Agency for Workforce Innovation Department of

26  Labor and Employment Security, or to any local government or

27  authority. The office may request the assistance of said

28  entities with respect to monitoring jobs, wages, and the

29  payment of the taxes listed in subsection (2).

30         (d)  By December 1 of each year, the office shall

31  submit a complete and detailed report to the Governor, the

                                  28

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

  2  Representatives of all tax refunds paid under this section,

  3  including analyses of benefits and costs, types of projects

  4  supported, employment and investment created, geographic

  5  distribution of tax refunds granted, and minority business

  6  participation.  The report must indicate whether the moneys

  7  appropriated by the Legislature to the qualified applicant tax

  8  refund program were expended in a prudent, fiducially sound

  9  manner.

10         (e)  Funds specifically appropriated for the tax refund

11  program under this section may not be used for any purpose

12  other than the payment of tax refunds authorized by this

13  section.

14         (7)  EXPIRATION.--An applicant may not be certified as

15  qualified under this section after June 30, 2004.

16         Section 5.  Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (3),

17  paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection (4), and

18  subsections (5) and (6) of section 288.106, Florida Statutes,

19  are amended, and subsection (7) of that section is reenacted,

20  to read:

21         288.106  Tax refund program for qualified target

22  industry businesses.--

23         (3)  APPLICATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS.--

24         (a)  To apply for certification as a qualified target

25  industry business under this section, the business must file

26  an application with the office before the business has made

27  the decision to locate a new business in this state or before

28  the business had made the decision to expand an existing

29  business in this state. The application shall include, but is

30  not limited to, the following information:

31         1.  The applicant's federal employer identification

                                  29

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  number and the applicant's state sales tax registration

  2  number.

  3         2.  The permanent location of the applicant's facility

  4  in this state at which the project is or is to be located.

  5         3.  A description of the type of business activity or

  6  product covered by the project, including four-digit SIC codes

  7  for all activities included in the project.

  8         4.  The number of net new full-time equivalent Florida

  9  jobs at the qualified target industry business as of December

10  31 of each year included in this state that are or will be

11  dedicated to the project and the average wage of those jobs.

12  If more than one type of business activity or product is

13  included in the project, the number of jobs and average wage

14  for those jobs must be separately stated for each type of

15  business activity or product.

16         5.  The total number of full-time equivalent employees

17  employed by the applicant in this state.

18         6.  The anticipated commencement date of the project.

19         7.  A brief statement concerning the role that the tax

20  refunds requested will play in the decision of the applicant

21  to locate or expand in this state.

22         8.  An estimate of the proportion of the sales

23  resulting from the project that will be made outside this

24  state.

25         9.  A resolution adopted by the governing board of the

26  county or municipality in which the project will be located,

27  which resolution recommends that certain types of businesses

28  be approved as a qualified target industry business and states

29  that the commitments of local financial support necessary for

30  the target industry business exist. In advance of the passage

31  of such resolution, the office may also accept an official

                                  30

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  letter from an authorized local economic development agency

  2  that endorses the proposed target industry project and pledges

  3  that sources of local financial support for such project

  4  exist. For the purposes of making pledges of local financial

  5  support under this subsection, the authorized local economic

  6  development agency shall be officially designated by the

  7  passage of a one-time resolution by the local governing

  8  authority.

  9         10.  Any additional information requested by the

10  office.

11         (d)  The office shall forward its written findings and

12  evaluation concerning each application meeting the

13  requirements of paragraph (b) to the director within 45

14  calendar days after receipt of a complete application. The

15  office shall notify each target industry business when its

16  application is complete, and of the time when the 45-day

17  period begins. In its written report to the director, the

18  office shall specifically address each of the factors

19  specified in paragraph (c) and shall make a specific

20  assessment with respect to the minimum requirements

21  established in paragraph (b). The office shall include in its

22  report projections of the tax refunds the business would be

23  eligible to receive refund claim that will be sought by the

24  target industry business in each fiscal year based on the

25  creation and maintenance of the net new Florida jobs specified

26  in subparagraph (a)4. as of December 31 of the preceding state

27  fiscal year information submitted in the application.

28         (4)  TAX REFUND AGREEMENT.--

29         (a)  Each qualified target industry business must enter

30  into a written agreement with the office which specifies, at a

31  minimum:

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         1.  The total number of full-time equivalent jobs in

  2  this state that will be dedicated to the project, the average

  3  wage of those jobs, the definitions that will apply for

  4  measuring the achievement of these terms during the pendency

  5  of the agreement, and a time schedule or plan for when such

  6  jobs will be in place and active in this state. This

  7  information must be the same as the information contained in

  8  the application submitted by the business under subsection

  9  (3).

10         2.  The maximum amount of tax refunds which the

11  qualified target industry business is eligible to receive on

12  the project and the maximum amount of a tax refund that the

13  qualified target industry business is eligible to receive for

14  in each fiscal year, based on the job creation and maintenance

15  schedule specified in subparagraph 1.

16         3.  That the office may review and verify the financial

17  and personnel records of the qualified target industry

18  business to ascertain whether that business is in compliance

19  with this section.

20         4.  The date by after which, in each fiscal year, the

21  qualified target industry business may file a an annual claim

22  under subsection (5) to be considered to receive a tax refund

23  in the following fiscal year.

24         5.  That local financial support will be annually

25  available and will be paid to the account. The director may

26  not enter into a written agreement with a qualified target

27  industry business if the local financial support resolution is

28  not passed by the local governing authority within 90 days

29  after he or she has issued the letter of certification under

30  subsection (3).

31         (b)  Compliance with the terms and conditions of the

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  agreement is a condition precedent for the receipt of a tax

  2  refund each year. The failure to comply with the terms and

  3  conditions of the tax refund agreement results in the loss of

  4  eligibility for receipt of all tax refunds previously

  5  authorized under this section and the revocation by the

  6  director of the certification of the business entity as a

  7  qualified target industry business, unless the business is

  8  eligible to receive and elects to accept a prorated refund

  9  under paragraph (5)(d) or the office grants the business an

10  economic-stimulus exemption.

11         1.  A qualified target industry business may submit, in

12  writing, a request to the office for an economic-stimulus

13  exemption. The request must provide quantitative evidence

14  demonstrating how negative economic conditions in the

15  business's industry have prevented the business from complying

16  with the terms and conditions of its tax refund agreement.

17         2.  Upon receipt of a request under subparagraph 1.,

18  the director shall have 45 days to notify the requesting

19  business, in writing, if its exemption has been granted or

20  denied. In determining if an exemption should be granted, the

21  director shall consider the extent to which negative economic

22  conditions in the requesting business's industry have

23  prevented the business from complying with the terms and

24  conditions of its tax refund agreement.

25         3.  As a condition for receiving a prorated refund

26  under paragraph (5)(d) or an economic-stimulus exemption under

27  this paragraph, a qualified target industry business must

28  agree to renegotiate its tax refund agreement with the office

29  to, at a minimum, ensure that the terms of the agreement

30  comply with current law and office procedures governing

31  application for and award of tax refunds. Upon approving the

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  award of a prorated refund or granting an economic-stimulus

  2  exemption, the office shall renegotiate the tax refund

  3  agreement with the business as required by this subparagraph.

  4  When amending the agreement of a business receiving an

  5  economic-stimulus exemption, the office may extend the

  6  duration of the agreement for a period not to exceed 1 year.

  7         4.  A qualified target industry business may submit a

  8  request for an economic-stimulus exemption to the office in

  9  lieu of any tax refund claim scheduled to be submitted after

10  June 30, 2001, but before July 1, 2003.

11         5.  A qualified target industry business that receives

12  an economic-stimulus exemption may not receive a tax refund

13  for the period covered by the exemption.

14         (c)  The agreement must be signed by the director and

15  by an authorized officer of the qualified target industry

16  business within 120 days after the issuance of the letter of

17  certification under subsection (3), but not before passage and

18  receipt of the resolution of local financial support. The

19  office may grant an extension of this period at the written

20  request of the qualified target industry business.

21         (5)  ANNUAL CLAIM FOR REFUND.--

22         (a)  To be eligible to claim any scheduled tax refund,

23  a qualified target industry business that has entered into a

24  tax refund agreement with the office under subsection (4) must

25  may apply by January 31 of once each fiscal year to the office

26  for the a tax refund scheduled to be paid from the

27  appropriation for the fiscal year that begins on July 1

28  following the January 31 claims-submission date. The office

29  may, upon written request, grant a 30-day extension of the

30  filing date. The application must be made on or after the date

31  specified in that agreement.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         (b)  The claim for refund by the qualified target

  2  industry business must include a copy of all receipts

  3  pertaining to the payment of taxes for which the refund is

  4  sought and data related to achievement of each performance

  5  item specified in the tax refund agreement. The amount

  6  requested as a tax refund may not exceed the amount specified

  7  for the relevant that fiscal year in that agreement.

  8         (c)  A tax refund may not be approved for a qualified

  9  target industry business unless the required local financial

10  support has been paid into the account for that refund in that

11  fiscal year. If the local financial support provided is less

12  than 20 percent of the approved tax refund, the tax refund

13  must be reduced. In no event may the tax refund exceed an

14  amount that is equal to 5 times the amount of the local

15  financial support received. Further, funding from local

16  sources includes any tax abatement granted to that business

17  under s. 196.1995 or the appraised market value of municipal

18  or county land conveyed or provided at a discount to that

19  business. The amount of any tax refund for such business

20  approved under this section must be reduced by the amount of

21  any such tax abatement granted or the value of the land

22  granted; and the limitations in subsection (2) and paragraph

23  (3)(f) must be reduced by the amount of any such tax abatement

24  or the value of the land granted. A report listing all sources

25  of the local financial support shall be provided to the office

26  when such support is paid to the account.

27         (d)  A prorated tax refund, less a 5-percent penalty,

28  shall be approved for a qualified target industry business

29  provided all other applicable requirements have been satisfied

30  and the business proves to the satisfaction of the director

31  that it has achieved at least 80 percent of its projected

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  employment and that the average wage paid by the business is

  2  at least 90 percent of the average wage specified in the tax

  3  refund agreement, but in no case less than 115 percent of the

  4  average private-sector wage in the area available at the time

  5  of certification, or 150 percent or 200 percent of the average

  6  private-sector wage if the business requested the additional

  7  per-job tax refund authorized in paragraph (2)(b) for wages

  8  above those levels. The prorated tax refund shall be

  9  calculated by multiplying the tax refund amount for which the

10  qualified target industry business would have been eligible,

11  if all applicable requirements had been satisfied, by the

12  percentage of the average employment specified in the tax

13  refund agreement which was achieved, and by the percentage of

14  the average wages specified in the tax refund agreement which

15  was achieved.

16         (e)  The director, with such assistance as may be

17  required from the office, the Department of Revenue, or the

18  Agency for Workforce Innovation Department of Labor and

19  Employment Security, shall, by June 30 following the scheduled

20  date for submission of the tax-refund claim, specify by

21  written final order the approval or disapproval of the tax

22  refund claim and, if approved, the amount of the tax refund

23  that is authorized to be paid to for the qualified target

24  industry business for the fiscal year within 30 days after the

25  date that the claim for the annual tax refund is received by

26  the office. The office may grant an extension of this date on

27  the request of the qualified target industry business for the

28  purpose of filing additional information in support of the

29  claim.

30         (f)  The total amount of tax refund claims approved by

31  the director under this section in any fiscal year must not

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  exceed the amount authorized under s. 288.095(3).

  2         (g)  This section does not create a presumption that a

  3  tax refund claim will be approved and paid.

  4         (h)(g)  Upon approval of the tax refund under

  5  paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), the Comptroller shall issue a

  6  warrant for the amount specified in the written final order.

  7  If the written final order is appealed, the Comptroller may

  8  not issue a warrant for a refund to the qualified target

  9  industry business until the conclusion of all appeals of that

10  order.

11         (6)  ADMINISTRATION.--

12         (a)  The office is authorized to verify information

13  provided in any claim submitted for tax credits under this

14  section with regard to employment and wage levels or the

15  payment of the taxes to the appropriate agency or authority,

16  including the Department of Revenue, the Agency for Workforce

17  Innovation Department of Labor and Employment Security, or any

18  local government or authority.

19         (b)  To facilitate the process of monitoring and

20  auditing applications made under this program, the office may

21  provide a list of qualified target industry businesses to the

22  Department of Revenue, to the Agency for Workforce Innovation

23  Department of Labor and Employment Security, or to any local

24  government or authority. The office may request the assistance

25  of those entities with respect to monitoring jobs, wages, and

26  the payment of the taxes listed in subsection (2).

27         (c)  Funds specifically appropriated for the tax refund

28  program for qualified target industry businesses may not be

29  used for any purpose other than the payment of tax refunds

30  authorized by this section.

31         (7)  EXPIRATION.--This section expires June 30, 2004.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         Section 6.  Paragraph (k) of subsection (7) of section

  2  213.053, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  3         213.053  Confidentiality and information sharing.--

  4         (7)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this

  5  section, the department may provide:

  6         (k)1.  Payment information relative to chapters 199,

  7  201, 212, 220, and 221, and 624 to the Office of Tourism,

  8  Trade, and Economic Development, or its employees or agents

  9  that are identified in writing by the office to the

10  department, in the its administration of the tax refund

11  program for qualified defense contractors authorized by s.

12  288.1045 and the tax refund program for qualified target

13  industry businesses authorized by s. 288.106.

14         2.  Information relative to tax credits taken by a

15  business under s. 220.191 and exemptions or tax refunds

16  received by a business under s. 212.08(5)(j) to the Office of

17  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development, or its employees or

18  agents that are identified in writing by the office to the

19  department, in the administration and evaluation of the

20  capital investment tax credit program authorized in s. 220.191

21  and the semiconductor, defense, and space tax exemption

22  program authorized in s. 212.08(5)(j).

23

24  Disclosure of information under this subsection shall be

25  pursuant to a written agreement between the executive director

26  and the agency.  Such agencies, governmental or

27  nongovernmental, shall be bound by the same requirements of

28  confidentiality as the Department of Revenue.  Breach of

29  confidentiality is a misdemeanor of the first degree,

30  punishable as provided by s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

31         Section 7.  Sections 7 and 8 of this act may be cited

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  as the "Tourism Industry Recovery Act of 2002."

  2         Section 8.  Paragraphs (l) and (n) of subsection (3) of

  3  section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

  4         125.0104  Tourist development tax; procedure for

  5  levying; authorized uses; referendum; enforcement.--

  6         (3)  TAXABLE PRIVILEGES; EXEMPTIONS; LEVY; RATE.--

  7         (l)  In addition to any other tax which is imposed

  8  pursuant to this section, a county may impose up to an

  9  additional 1-percent tax on the exercise of the privilege

10  described in paragraph (a) by majority vote of the governing

11  board of the county in order to:

12         1.  Pay the debt service on bonds issued to finance the

13  construction, reconstruction, or renovation of a professional

14  sports franchise facility, or the acquisition, construction,

15  reconstruction, or renovation of a retained spring training

16  franchise facility, either publicly owned and operated, or

17  publicly owned and operated by the owner of a professional

18  sports franchise or other lessee with sufficient expertise or

19  financial capability to operate such facility, and to pay the

20  planning and design costs incurred prior to the issuance of

21  such bonds.

22         2.  Pay the debt service on bonds issued to finance the

23  construction, reconstruction, or renovation of a convention

24  center, and to pay the planning and design costs incurred

25  prior to the issuance of such bonds.

26         3.  Pay the operation and maintenance costs of a

27  convention center for a period of up to 10 years. Only

28  counties that have elected to levy the tax for the purposes

29  authorized in subparagraph 2. may use the tax for the purposes

30  enumerated in this subparagraph. Any county that elects to

31  levy the tax for the purposes authorized in subparagraph 2.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  after July 1, 2000, may use the proceeds of the tax to pay the

  2  operation and maintenance costs of a convention center for the

  3  life of the bonds.

  4         4.  Promote and advertise tourism in the State of

  5  Florida and nationally and internationally; however, if tax

  6  revenues are expended for an activity, service, venue, or

  7  event, the activity, service, venue, or event shall have as

  8  one of its main purposes the attraction of tourists as

  9  evidenced by the promotion of the activity, service, venue, or

10  event to tourists.

11

12  The provision of paragraph (b) which prohibits any county

13  authorized to levy a convention development tax pursuant to s.

14  212.0305 from levying more than the 2-percent tax authorized

15  by this section, and the provisions of paragraphs (4)(a)-(d),

16  shall not apply to the additional tax authorized in this

17  paragraph. The effective date of the levy and imposition of

18  the tax authorized under this paragraph shall be the first day

19  of the second month following approval of the ordinance by the

20  governing board or the first day of any subsequent month as

21  may be specified in the ordinance.  A certified copy of such

22  ordinance shall be furnished by the county to the Department

23  of Revenue within 10 days after approval of such ordinance.

24         (n)  In addition to any other tax that is imposed under

25  this section, a county that has imposed the tax under

26  paragraph (l) may impose an additional tax that is no greater

27  than 1 percent on the exercise of the privilege described in

28  paragraph (a) by a majority plus one vote of the membership of

29  the board of county commissioners in order to:

30         1.  Pay the debt service on bonds issued to finance:

31         a.1.  The construction, reconstruction, or renovation

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  of a facility either publicly owned and operated, or publicly

  2  owned and operated by the owner of a professional sports

  3  franchise or other lessee with sufficient expertise or

  4  financial capability to operate such facility, and to pay the

  5  planning and design costs incurred prior to the issuance of

  6  such bonds for a new professional sports franchise as defined

  7  in s. 288.1162.

  8         b.2.  The acquisition, construction, reconstruction, or

  9  renovation of a facility either publicly owned and operated,

10  or publicly owned and operated by the owner of a professional

11  sports franchise or other lessee with sufficient expertise or

12  financial capability to operate such facility, and to pay the

13  planning and design costs incurred prior to the issuance of

14  such bonds for a retained spring training franchise.

15         2.  Promote and advertise tourism in the State of

16  Florida and nationally and internationally; however, if tax

17  revenues are expended for an activity, service, venue, or

18  event, the activity, service, venue, or event shall have as

19  one of its main purposes the attraction of tourists as

20  evidenced by the promotion of the activity, service, venue, or

21  event to tourists.

22

23  A county that imposes the tax authorized in this paragraph may

24  not expend any ad valorem tax revenues for the acquisition,

25  construction, reconstruction, or renovation of a that facility

26  for which tax revenues are used pursuant to subparagraph 1.

27  The provision of paragraph (b) which prohibits any county

28  authorized to levy a convention development tax pursuant to s.

29  212.0305 from levying more than the 2-percent tax authorized

30  by this section shall not apply to the additional tax

31  authorized by this paragraph in counties which levy convention

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  development taxes pursuant to s. 212.0305(4)(a). Subsection

  2  (4) does not apply to the adoption of the additional tax

  3  authorized in this paragraph. The effective date of the levy

  4  and imposition of the tax authorized under this paragraph is

  5  the first day of the second month following approval of the

  6  ordinance by the board of county commissioners or the first

  7  day of any subsequent month specified in the ordinance. A

  8  certified copy of such ordinance shall be furnished by the

  9  county to the Department of Revenue within 10 days after

10  approval of the ordinance.

11         Section 9.  Notwithstanding section 18 of CS for CS for

12  SB 1360, 2002 Regular Session, section 197.1722, Florida

13  Statutes, as created by section 16 of that bill, shall not

14  take effect January 1, 2003, but shall take effect on the date

15  CS for CS for SB 1360, Regular Session, becomes a law and

16  shall apply retroactively to January 1, 2002.

17         Section 10.  Notwithstanding any provisions in section

18  290.0055, Florida Statutes, regarding the size of an

19  enterprise zone, a county as defined in section 125.011(1),

20  Florida Statutes, may apply to the Office of Tourism, Trade,

21  and Economic Development before October 1, 2002, to amend the

22  boundary lines of its existing enterprise zone in order to add

23  an area not exceeding 4 square miles. The area proposed for

24  addition to the enterprise zone under this section must be

25  contiguous to a portion of the existing enterprise zone and

26  must be part of a revitalization area that has been targeted

27  for assistance by the county or by a municipality within the

28  county. The area proposed for addition to the enterprise zone

29  also must contain a high concentration of individuals who have

30  immigrated to this state from Haiti. The Office of Tourism,

31  Trade, and Economic Development shall approve an amendment to

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  the enterprise zone boundary lines, effective January 1, 2003,

  2  provided that the area proposed for addition to the enterprise

  3  zone is consistent with the criteria and conditions imposed by

  4  section 290.0055, Florida Statutes, upon the establishment of

  5  enterprise zones, including the requirement that the area

  6  suffer from pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general

  7  distress.

  8         Section 11.  Notwithstanding any provisions in section

  9  290.0055, Florida Statutes, regarding the size of an

10  enterprise zone, a county as defined in section 125.011(1),

11  Florida Statutes, may apply to the Office of Tourism, Trade,

12  and Economic Development before October 1, 2002, to amend the

13  boundary lines of its existing enterprise zone in order to add

14  an area not exceeding 4 square miles. The area proposed for

15  addition to the enterprise zone under this section must be

16  contiguous to a portion of the existing enterprise zone and

17  must be part of a revitalization area that has been targeted

18  for assistance by a commission authorized in section 163.06,

19  Florida Statutes. The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

20  Development shall approve an amendment to the enterprise zone

21  boundary lines, effective January 1, 2003, provided that the

22  area proposed for addition to the enterprise zone is

23  consistent with the criteria and conditions imposed by section

24  290.0055, Florida Statutes, upon the establishment of

25  enterprise zones, including the requirement that the area

26  suffer from pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general

27  distress. The area proposed for addition to the enterprise

28  zone under this section may not include any property used for

29  the benefit of a professional sports franchise. Any portion of

30  the area designated under this section by the Office of

31  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development as an addition to an

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  enterprise zone shall automatically lose its status as part of

  2  an enterprise zone if such portion subsequently includes

  3  property used for the benefit of a professional sports

  4  franchise.

  5         Section 12.  Sections of this act authorizing a county

  6  as defined in section 125.011(1), Florida Statutes, to amend

  7  and expand the boundary lines of an existing enterprise zone

  8  are not mutually exclusive.

  9         Section 13.  Section 290.00686, Florida Statutes, is

10  created to read:

11         290.00686  Enterprise zone designation for Brevard

12  County, Cocoa, or Brevard County and Cocoa.--Brevard County,

13  the City of Cocoa, or Brevard County and the City of Cocoa

14  jointly, may apply to the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

15  Economic Development for designation of one enterprise zone

16  encompassing an area which includes the boundaries of the

17  three community redevelopment areas established pursuant to

18  part III of chapter 163. The application must be submitted by

19  December 31, 2002, and must comply with the requirements of

20  section 290.0055. Notwithstanding the provisions of section

21  290.0065 limiting the total number of enterprise zones

22  designated and the number of enterprise zones within a

23  population category, the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

24  Economic Development may designate one enterprise zone under

25  this section. The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

26  Development shall establish the initial effective date of the

27  enterprise zone designated pursuant to this section.

28         Section 14.  Enterprise zone designation for the City

29  of Pensacola.--The City of Pensacola may apply to the Office

30  of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development for designation of

31  one enterprise zone within the city, which zone encompasses an

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  area up to 10 contiguous square miles.  The application must

  2  be submitted by December 31, 2002, and must comply with the

  3  requirements of section 290.0055, Florida Statutes, except

  4  subsection (3) thereof. Notwithstanding the provisions of

  5  section 290.0065, Florida Statutes, limiting the total number

  6  of enterprise zones designated and the number of enterprise

  7  zones within a population category, the Office of Tourism,

  8  Trade, and Economic Development may designate one enterprise

  9  zone under this section. The Office of Tourism, Trade, and

10  Economic Development shall establish the initial effective

11  date of the enterprise zone designated pursuant to this

12  section.

13         Section 15.  Enterprise zone designation for Leon

14  County.--Leon County, or Leon County and the City of

15  Tallahassee jointly, may apply to the Office of Tourism,

16  Trade, and Economic Development for designation of one

17  enterprise zone, the selected area of which shall not exceed

18  20 square miles and shall have a continuous boundary, or

19  consist of not more than three noncontiguous areas per section

20  290.0055(4)(a), Florida Statutes.  The enterprise zone shall

21  encompass an area or areas within the following Census tracts

22  for Leon County pursuant to the 1990 Census:

23

24  Census tract 1, block group 1;  census tract 2, block group 1;

25  census tract 2, block group 3;  census tract 2, block group 4;

26  census tract 3, block group 1; census tract 4, block group 1;

27  census tract 4, block group 2;  census tract 5, block group 1;

28  census tract 5, block group 2; census tract 6, block group 1;

29  census tract 6, block group 2; census tract 6, block group 3;

30  census tract 6, block group 4; census tract 7, block group 1;

31  census tract 7, block group 2; census tract 7, block group 3;

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  census tract 10.01, block group 1; census tract 10.01, block

  2  group 2; census tract 10.01, block group 3; census tract

  3  11.01, block group 1; census tract 11.01, block group 2;

  4  census tract 11.01, block group 3; census tract 11.02, block

  5  group 1; census tract 11.02, block group 3; census tract 12,

  6  block group 1; census tract 13, block group 1; census tract

  7  13, block group 2; census tract 14, block group 1; census

  8  tract 14, block group 2; census tract 14, block group 3;

  9  census tract 14, block group 4; census tract 14, block group

10  5; census tract 15, block group 1; census tract 16.01, block

11  group 1; census tract 18, block group 3; census tract 18,

12  block group 4; census tract 19, block group 1; census tract

13  19, block group 3; census tract 19, block group 4; census

14  tract 20.01, block group 1; census tract 20.01, block group 2;

15  census tract 20.01, block group 3; census tract 20.01, block

16  group 4; census tract 20.01, block group 5; census tract

17  20.02, block group 1; census tract 20.02, block group 2;

18  census tract 20.02, block group 3; census tract 20.02, block

19  group 5; census tract 21, block group 1; census tract 21,

20  block group 3; census tract 21, block group 4; census tract

21  21, block group 5; census tract 21, block group 7; census

22  tract 22.01, block group 1; census tract 23.01, block group 3;

23  census tract 23.01, block group 5; census tract 26.02, block

24  group 4.

25

26  The application must be submitted by December 31, 2002, and

27  must comply with the requirements of section 290.0055, Florida

28  Statutes.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 290.0065,

29  Florida Statutes, limiting the total number of enterprise

30  zones designated and the number of enterprise zones within a

31  population category, the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  Economic Development may designate one enterprise zone under

  2  this section. The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

  3  Development shall establish the initial effective date of the

  4  enterprise zone designated pursuant to this section.

  5         Section 16.  Paragraph (j) of subsection (5) of section

  6  212.08, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  7         212.08  Sales, rental, use, consumption, distribution,

  8  and storage tax; specified exemptions.--The sale at retail,

  9  the rental, the use, the consumption, the distribution, and

10  the storage to be used or consumed in this state of the

11  following are hereby specifically exempt from the tax imposed

12  by this chapter.

13         (5)  EXEMPTIONS; ACCOUNT OF USE.--

14         (j)  Machinery and equipment used in semiconductor,

15  defense, or space technology production and research and

16  development.--

17         1.a.  Industrial machinery and equipment used in

18  semiconductor technology facilities certified under

19  subparagraph 6. to manufacture, process, compound, or produce

20  semiconductor technology products for sale or for use by these

21  facilities are exempt from the tax imposed by this chapter.

22  For purposes of this paragraph, industrial machinery and

23  equipment includes molds, dies, machine tooling, other

24  appurtenances or accessories to machinery and equipment,

25  testing equipment, test beds, computers, and software, whether

26  purchased or self-fabricated, and, if self-fabricated,

27  includes materials and labor for design, fabrication, and

28  assembly.

29         b.  Industrial machinery and equipment used in defense

30  or space technology facilities certified under subparagraph 6.

31  to manufacture, process, compound, or produce defense

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  technology products or space technology products for sale or

  2  for use by these facilities are exempt from 25 percent of the

  3  tax imposed by this chapter.

  4         2.a.  Machinery and equipment are exempt from the tax

  5  imposed by this chapter if used predominately in semiconductor

  6  wafer research and development activities in a semiconductor

  7  technology research and development facility certified under

  8  subparagraph 6. For purposes of this paragraph, machinery and

  9  equipment includes molds, dies, machine tooling, other

10  appurtenances or accessories to machinery and equipment,

11  testing equipment, test beds, computers, and software, whether

12  purchased or self-fabricated, and, if self-fabricated,

13  includes materials and labor for design, fabrication, and

14  assembly.

15         b.  Machinery and equipment are exempt from 25 percent

16  of the tax imposed by this chapter if used predominately in

17  defense or space research and development activities in a

18  defense or space technology research and development facility

19  certified under subparagraph 6.

20         3.  Building materials purchased for use in

21  manufacturing or expanding clean rooms in

22  semiconductor-manufacturing facilities are exempt from the tax

23  imposed by this chapter.

24         4.  In addition to meeting the criteria mandated by

25  subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., or subparagraph 3., a

26  business must be certified by the Office of Tourism, Trade,

27  and Economic Development as authorized in this paragraph in

28  order to qualify for exemption under this paragraph.

29         5.  For items purchased tax exempt pursuant to this

30  paragraph, possession of a written certification from the

31  purchaser, certifying the purchaser's entitlement to exemption

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  pursuant to this paragraph, relieves the seller of the

  2  responsibility of collecting the tax on the sale of such

  3  items, and the department shall look solely to the purchaser

  4  for recovery of tax if it determines that the purchaser was

  5  not entitled to the exemption.

  6         6.a.  To be eligible to receive the exemption provided

  7  by subparagraph 1., subparagraph 2., or subparagraph 3., a

  8  qualifying business entity shall apply to Enterprise Florida,

  9  Inc. The application shall be developed by the Office of

10  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development in consultation with

11  Enterprise Florida, Inc.

12         b.  Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall review each

13  submitted application and information and determine whether or

14  not the application is complete within 5 working days. Once an

15  application is complete, Enterprise Florida, Inc., shall,

16  within 10 working days, evaluate the application and recommend

17  approval or disapproval of the application to the Office of

18  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.

19         c.  Upon receipt of the application and recommendation

20  from Enterprise Florida, Inc., the Office of Tourism, Trade,

21  and Economic Development shall certify within 5 working days

22  those applicants who are found to meet the requirements of

23  this section and notify the applicant, Enterprise Florida,

24  Inc., and the department of the certification. If the Office

25  of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development finds that the

26  applicant does not meet the requirements of this section, it

27  shall notify the applicant and Enterprise Florida, Inc.,

28  within 10 working days that the application for certification

29  has been denied and the reasons for denial. The Office of

30  Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development has final approval

31  authority for certification under this section.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         7.a.  A business may apply once each year for the

  2  exemption.

  3         b.  The application must indicate, for program

  4  evaluation purposes only, the average number of full-time

  5  equivalent employees at the facility over the preceding

  6  calendar year, the average wage and benefits paid to those

  7  employees over the preceding calendar year, the total

  8  investment made in real and tangible personal property over

  9  the preceding calendar year, and the total value of tax-exempt

10  purchases and taxes exempted during the previous year. The

11  department shall assist the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

12  Economic Development in evaluating and verifying information

13  provided in the application for exemption.

14         c.  The Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

15  Development may use the information reported on the

16  application for evaluation purposes only and shall prepare an

17  annual report on the exemption program and its cost and

18  impact. The annual report for the preceding fiscal year shall

19  be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and

20  the Speaker of the House of Representatives by September 30 of

21  each fiscal year. This report may be submitted in conjunction

22  with the annual report required in s. 288.095(3)(c).

23         8.  A business certified to receive this exemption may

24  elect to designate one or more state universities or community

25  colleges as recipients of up to 100 percent of the amount of

26  the exemption for which they may qualify. To receive these

27  funds, the institution must agree to match the funds so earned

28  with equivalent cash, programs, services, or other in-kind

29  support on a one-to-one basis in the pursuit of research and

30  development projects as requested by the certified business.

31  The rights to any patents, royalties, or real or intellectual

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  property must be vested in the business unless otherwise

  2  agreed to by the business and the university or community

  3  college.

  4         9.  As used in this paragraph, the term:

  5         a.  "Predominately" means at least 50 percent of the

  6  time in qualifying research and development.

  7         b.  "Research and development" means basic and applied

  8  research in the science or engineering, as well as the design,

  9  development, and testing of prototypes or processes of new or

10  improved products. Research and development does not include

11  market research, routine consumer product testing, sales

12  research, research in the social sciences or psychology,

13  nontechnological activities, or technical services.

14         c.  "Semiconductor technology products" means raw

15  semiconductor wafers or semiconductor thin films that are

16  transformed into semiconductor memory or logic wafers,

17  including wafers containing mixed memory and logic circuits;

18  related assembly and test operations; active-matrix flat panel

19  displays; semiconductor chips; semiconductor lasers;

20  optoelectronic elements; and related semiconductor technology

21  products as determined by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

22  Economic Development.

23         d.  "Clean rooms" means manufacturing facilities

24  enclosed in a manner that meets the clean manufacturing

25  requirements necessary for high-technology

26  semiconductor-manufacturing environments.

27         e.  "Defense technology products" means products that

28  have a military application, including, but not limited to,

29  weapons, weapons systems, guidance systems, surveillance

30  systems, communications or information systems, munitions,

31  aircraft, vessels, or boats, or components thereof, which are

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1  intended for military use and manufactured in performance of a

  2  contract with the United States Department of Defense or the

  3  military branch of a recognized foreign government or a

  4  subcontract thereunder which relates to matters of national

  5  defense.

  6         f.  "Space technology products" means products that are

  7  specifically designed or manufactured for application in space

  8  activities, including, but not limited to, space launch

  9  vehicles, missiles, satellites or research payloads, avionics,

10  and associated control systems and processing systems. The

11  term does not include products that are designed or

12  manufactured for general commercial aviation or other uses

13  even though those products may also serve an incidental use in

14  space applications.

15         Section 17.  Subsection (7) of section 288.108, Florida

16  Statutes, is amended to read:

17         288.108  High-impact business.--

18         (7)  REPORTING.--The office shall by December 1 of each

19  year issue a complete and detailed report of all designated

20  high-impact sectors, all applications received and their

21  disposition, all final orders issued, and all payments made,

22  including analyses of benefits and costs, types of projects

23  supported, and employment and investments created. The report

24  shall be submitted to the Governor, the President of the

25  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The

26  report may be combined with the incentives report required in

27  s. 288.095.

28         Section 18.  Except as otherwise provided in this act,

29  this act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

30

31

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





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

  2  And the title is amended as follows:

  3  remove:  the entire title

  4

  5  and insert:

  6                      A bill to be entitled

  7         An act relating to economic development;

  8         prohibiting local governments from requiring

  9         employers to pay a minimum wage in excess of

10         the federal minimum wage; providing exceptions;

11         amending s. 288.0655, F.S.; providing for

12         additional uses of moneys in the Rural

13         Infrastructure Fund; amending s. 288.095, F.S.;

14         revising terminology relating to certain

15         incentive payment schedules; revising the due

16         date and content for an annual report on

17         incentives and reassigning responsibility for

18         such report to Enterprise Florida, Inc.;

19         amending s. 288.1045, F.S.; revising

20         definitions; revising conditions and procedures

21         governing applications for tax refunds;

22         revising provisions relating to the order

23         authorizing a tax refund; revising the required

24         elements of a tax refund agreement; providing

25         an exemption from mandatory loss of tax refund

26         eligibility and decertification resulting from

27         agreement breach in cases of uncontrollable

28         economic factors; prescribing a deadline for

29         applying for tax refunds; authorizing the

30         office to grant extensions to certain

31         application and notification deadlines;

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         revising conditions under which a prorated tax

  2         refund will be approved; providing for

  3         calculation of such prorated refund; specifying

  4         that the section does not create a presumption

  5         a claim will be approved and paid; revising the

  6         agencies with which the office may verify

  7         information and to which the office may provide

  8         information; expanding purposes for which the

  9         office may seek assistance from certain

10         entities; specifying that certain

11         appropriations may not be used for any purpose

12         other than the payment of specified tax

13         refunds; amending s. 288.106, F.S., relating to

14         the tax refund program for qualified target

15         industry businesses; revising requirements for

16         application for certification as such business

17         with respect to the number of current and new

18         jobs at the business and projections by the

19         Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

20         Development of refunds based thereon; revising

21         requirements relating to the tax refund

22         agreement with respect to job creation and the

23         time for filing of claims for refund; providing

24         for an exemption from mandatory loss of tax

25         refund eligibility and decertification

26         resulting from agreement breach in cases of

27         uncontrollable economic factors; revising

28         provisions relating to annual claims for

29         refund; authorizing an extension of time for

30         signing the tax refund agreement; providing an

31         application deadline; revising provisions

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         relating to the order authorizing a tax refund;

  2         revising conditions under which a prorated tax

  3         refund will be approved; providing for

  4         calculation of such prorated tax refund;

  5         specifying that the section does not create a

  6         presumption that a claim will be approved and

  7         paid; revising the agencies with which the

  8         office may verify information and to which the

  9         office may provide information; expanding

10         purposes for which the office may seek

11         assistance from certain entities; specifying

12         that certain appropriations may not be used for

13         any purpose other than the payment of specified

14         tax refunds; amending s. 213.053, F.S.;

15         authorizing the Department of Revenue to

16         provide certain information concerning

17         specified tax-refund programs with the Office

18         of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development and

19         specified agents; providing a short title;

20         amending s. 125.0104, F.S.; providing that the

21         additional tax authorized for bonds for a

22         professional sports franchise facility, a

23         retained spring training franchise facility, or

24         a convention center, and for operation and

25         maintenance costs of a convention center, and

26         the additional tax authorized for bonds for

27         facilities for a new professional sports

28         franchise or a retained spring training

29         franchise, may also be used to promote and

30         advertise tourism; providing for earlier effect

31         and retroactive application of s. 197.1722,

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1         F.S., relating to a limited waiver of certain

  2         mandatory charges and interest on certain real

  3         property taxes; authorizing certain counties to

  4         apply for amendment of enterprise zone boundary

  5         lines; providing deadlines; prescribing

  6         conditions applicable to the areas proposed for

  7         addition to the enterprise zones; directing the

  8         Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

  9         Development to approve such amendments under

10         certain conditions; providing for application

11         of this act; creating s. 290.00686, F.S.;

12         authorizing the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

13         Economic Development to designate an enterprise

14         zone in Brevard County; providing requirements

15         with respect thereto; authorizing the City of

16         Pensacola to apply to the Office of Tourism,

17         Trade, and Economic Development to designate an

18         enterprise zone in the City of Pensacola;

19         authorizing the office to designate one

20         enterprise zone in the City of Pensacola;

21         providing requirements with respect thereto;

22         authorizing Leon County, or Leon County and the

23         City of Tallahassee jointly, to apply to the

24         Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

25         Development to designate an enterprise zone in

26         Leon County; authorizing the office to

27         designate one enterprise zone notwithstanding

28         certain limitations; providing requirements

29         with respect thereto; amending ss. 212.08 and

30         288.108, F.S.; removing references, to conform;

31         providing effective dates.

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                         Bill No. HB 743, 2nd Eng.

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





  1

  2         WHEREAS, the Legislature has identified a crisis in the

  3  economy which compels the Legislature to take a broad and

  4  comprehensive approach to economic development, addressing its

  5  many facets, including both economic stimulus and the state's

  6  tax policy, and

  7         WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the obvious natural

  8  and logical connection between economic development and the

  9  distribution of the tax burden among the diverse segments of

10  the economy, and

11         WHEREAS, the Legislature seeks by this legislation to

12  accomplish goals that are not separate or disassociated

13  objects of legislative effort, but that are integrated and

14  dependent elements of a comprehensive approach to a rational

15  economic policy that will fairly and equitably promote

16  economic development throughout the diverse segments of the

17  economy, and

18         WHEREAS, the Legislature, as part of this comprehensive

19  approach to a rational economic policy, seeks to create a

20  process by which the Legislature will periodically review, on

21  an orderly schedule, the array of tax exemptions and identify

22  those that serve as a widespread stimulus to the economy and

23  those that hamper economic development by unfairly

24  distributing the tax burden or giving an undue competitive

25  advantage to a business over others similarly situated, NOW,

26  THEREFORE,

27

28

29

30

31

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