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



                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                   Bill No. HB 789

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

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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  5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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11  The Committee on General Government Appropriations offered the

12  following:

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14         Amendment (with title amendment) 

15         On page 17, line 11, through page 20, line 14

16  remove:  all of said lines

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18  and insert:  (9)  WIRELESS COMMUNITY-BASED NETWORK PILOT

19  PROGRAM.--

20         (a)  The State Technology Office, in consultation with

21  the Department of Health, Department of Education, Department

22  of Community Affairs, the State Library, local governments,

23  and the regional consortium service organizations, established

24  under s. 228.0857, Florida Statutes, and institutions of

25  higher education, shall develop recommendations regarding the

26  establishment of two pilot projects in rural communities that

27  use wireless or other technologies. The purposes of the

28  projects are to illustrate ways to increase access to quality

29  health-care educational, and other resources in the state's

30  rural areas; to leverage federal funds available for bridging

31  the "digital divide"; to build on existing applications to

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                   Bill No. HB 789

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





  1  create community-based networks; and to foster opportunities

  2  for innovative distribution of existing funds. The pilot

  3  projects must include linkages to existing information

  4  technology systems in the pilot area, for example, to a public

  5  health care facility, library, a university, or a 4-year or

  6  community college, or county or municipal government, or

  7  private business network.

  8         (b)  The State Technology Office shall, in consultation

  9  with the Department of Health, Department of Education,

10  Department of Community Affairs and the State Library,

11  recommend a process for the selection of the pilot

12  participants.  The selection process shall consider criteria

13  as follows:

14         1.  Through evaluation of the school improvement plan,

15  demonstration of how the school or district will leverage

16  additional connectivity provided through the pilot project to

17  improve student achievement;

18         2.  If the pilot project involves wireless technology,

19  demonstration of the school's or district's ability to

20  effectively deploy wireless technology based on existing

21  infrastructure;

22         3.  Demonstration of commitment of the leadership of

23  the school or district to use technology to improve teaching

24  and learning;

25         4.  If the pilot project involves wireless technology,

26  potential cost savings or improved access resulting from the

27  use of wireless rather than traditional connectivity

28  technology;

29         5.  The ability to use the technology infrastructure in

30  other local government applications within the service area;

31         6.  Demonstration of willingness and ability of the

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                   Bill No. HB 789

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





  1  community to assume ongoing costs to maintain the pilot

  2  project for a minimum 5-year period. Such willingness and

  3  ability may be demonstrated through intracommunity agreements

  4  or other means; and 

  5         7.  Such other criteria as determined by the agencies.

  6         (c)  The State Technology Office, in consultation with

  7  the Department of Health, Department of Education, Department

  8  of Community Affairs, the State Library, and local

  9  governments, shall include recommendations for performance

10  standards and evaluation of pilot projects.

11         (d)  The State Technology Office shall report its

12  recommendations relative to the structure and funding

13  necessary to implement the pilot programs to the President of

14  the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and

15  the Governor by December 15, 2002. Recommendations will

16  address the implementation and funding of the pilot programs.

17         (10)  AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION AND PROFITABILITY.--

18         (a)  The Department of Agriculture and Consumer

19  Services, in consultation with the University of Florida and

20  the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, shall

21  develop recommendations to establish three pilot projects

22  aimed at encouraging the diversification of agricultural

23  production and marketing throughout the state. The purpose of

24  the pilot projects is to demonstrate alternative crops,

25  techniques, and industries that can enhance the profitability

26  and sustainability of agriculture in the state. Each project

27  must  do at least one of the following: introduce alternative

28  crops, such as hot peppers, amaranth, or pigeon peas, or

29  alternative growing techniques, for example, greenhouse

30  vegetable production in North Florida or early-season

31  blueberries and peaches; or introduce a value-added activity

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                   Bill No. HB 789

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





  1  or industry, such as fruit or vegetable processing or

  2  packaging, into a farming community as a means of increasing

  3  the profitability of current farm products for local growers.

  4  At least one of these projects must include a tobacco farm

  5  that is being adversely impacted by reductions in tobacco

  6  quotas. In developing the recommendations, the Commissioner of

  7  Agriculture, in consultation with the Agricultural Economic

  8  Development Project Review Committee as described in s.

  9  570.248, Florida Statutes, shall develop selection criteria

10  and evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria shall be

11  consistent with that for agricultural economic development

12  projects delineated in section 570.247, Florida Statutes, and

13  include appropriate performance standards.  

14         (b)  The Commissioner of Agriculture shall report the

15  departments recommendations to implement the pilot program and

16  necessary funding to the President of the Senate, the Speaker

17  of the House of Representatives, and the Governor by December

18  15, 2002.

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

22  And the title is amended as follows:

23         On page 1, lines 19 - 23

24  remove:  all of said lines

25

26  and insert:

27         business; providing for wireless

28         community-based network technology pilot

29         programs to be recommended by the State

30         Technology Office; providing for pilot projects

31         to encourage diversification of agricultural

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                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                                   Bill No. HB 789

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





  1         products and marketing to be recommended by the

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