HB 0593 2003
   
1 A bill to be entitled
2          An act relating to beach improvement; amending s.
3    125.0104, F.S.; prohibiting use of moneys designated for
4    beach improvement, maintenance, renourishment,
5    restoration, or erosion control for other purposes;
6    providing an effective date.
7         
8          Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9         
10          Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
11    125.0104, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
12          125.0104 Tourist development tax; procedure for levying;
13    authorized uses; referendum; enforcement.--
14          (5) AUTHORIZED USES OF REVENUE.--
15          (a) All tax revenues received pursuant to this section by
16    a county imposing the tourist development tax shall be used by
17    that county for the following purposes only:
18          1. To acquire, construct, extend, enlarge, remodel,
19    repair, improve, maintain, operate, or promote one or more
20    publicly owned and operated convention centers, sports stadiums,
21    sports arenas, coliseums, or auditoriums, or museums that are
22    publicly owned and operated or owned and operated by not-for-
23    profit organizations and open to the public, within the
24    boundaries of the county or subcounty special taxing district in
25    which the tax is levied. Tax revenues received pursuant to this
26    section may also be used for promotion of zoological parks that
27    are publicly owned and operated or owned and operated by not-
28    for-profit organizations and open to the public. However, these
29    purposes may be implemented through service contracts and leases
30    with lessees with sufficient expertise or financial capability
31    to operate such facilities;
32          2. To promote and advertise tourism in the State of
33    Florida and nationally and internationally; however, if tax
34    revenues are expended for an activity, service, venue, or event,
35    the activity, service, venue, or event shall have as one of its
36    main purposes the attraction of tourists as evidenced by the
37    promotion of the activity, service, venue, or event to tourists;
38          3. To fund convention bureaus, tourist bureaus, tourist
39    information centers, and news bureaus as county agencies or by
40    contract with the chambers of commerce or similar associations
41    in the county, which may include any indirect administrative
42    costs for services performed by the county on behalf of the
43    promotion agency; or
44          4. To finance beach park facilities or beach improvement,
45    maintenance, renourishment, restoration, and erosion control,
46    including shoreline protection, enhancement, cleanup, or
47    restoration of inland lakes and rivers to which there is public
48    access as those uses relate to the physical preservation of the
49    beach, shoreline, or inland lake or river; provided, however,
50    that any moneys designated by a county for beach improvement,
51    maintenance, renourishment, restoration, or erosion control
52    shall not be used or loaned for any other purpose. In counties
53    of less than 100,000 population, no more than 10 percent of the
54    revenues from the tourist development tax may be used for beach
55    park facilities.
56          Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.