| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to water management district planning and |
| 3 | reporting; providing legislative findings; directing the |
| 4 | South Florida Water Management District to undertake a |
| 5 | pilot project; providing a new statutory deadline for |
| 6 | certain plans and reports; requiring the South Florida |
| 7 | Water Management District to submit certain reports to the |
| 8 | Governor and the Legislature by a certain date; providing |
| 9 | an effective date. |
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| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
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| 13 | Section 1. Legislative findings.--The Legislature finds that |
| 14 | plans and reports submitted to the Governor and the Legislature |
| 15 | regarding the status of water management district programs and the |
| 16 | state?s water resources are necessary to ensure proper protection |
| 17 | and management of those resources. The Legislature also finds that |
| 18 | such plans and reports should be better coordinated and, in some |
| 19 | cases, consolidated to allow the Governor, the Legislature, |
| 20 | stakeholders, and the public to be better informed about the |
| 21 | management of the state?s water resources. Finally, the |
| 22 | Legislature finds that increased access to such information will |
| 23 | enhance accountability and ultimately improve the protection of |
| 24 | the state's water resources. |
| 25 | Section 2. Pilot project.--The South Florida Water |
| 26 | Management District shall commence a pilot project to coordinate |
| 27 | and, where appropriate, consolidate legislatively mandated plans |
| 28 | and reports regarding the status of district programs and water |
| 29 | resources within its jurisdiction. The district shall review all |
| 30 | plans and reports required by law to be annually submitted to |
| 31 | the Governor and the Legislature and determine how to provide |
| 32 | the same information in a more effective and efficient manner. |
| 33 | The district shall submit to the Governor, the President of the |
| 34 | Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by |
| 35 | February 15, 2005, the information in such annual plans and |
| 36 | reports due after the effective date of this act through |
| 37 | February 1, 2005. This submittal date is in lieu of any other |
| 38 | statutory deadlines required of the South Florida Water |
| 39 | Management District for various plans and reports through |
| 40 | February 1, 2005. The district shall submit the information in a |
| 41 | thorough and effective format, consolidating such plans and |
| 42 | reports where appropriate. Nothing in this act shall modify the |
| 43 | requirements of ss. 373.501 and 373.536(5) and (6)(a)1. and 2., |
| 44 | Florida Statutes. Unless reauthorized by subsequent legislation, |
| 45 | this pilot project shall commence on the effective date of this |
| 46 | act and cease on March 1, 2005. |
| 47 | Section 3. Reports.--The South Florida Water Management |
| 48 | District shall report to the Governor, the President of the |
| 49 | Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by |
| 50 | February 15, 2005, on the outcome of its efforts to better |
| 51 | coordinate and, where appropriate, consolidate its legislatively |
| 52 | mandated annual plans and reports. Such report shall include any |
| 53 | statutory changes recommended by the district to achieve better |
| 54 | coordination and consolidation. Any recommendations regarding |
| 55 | statutory changes shall incorporate to the greatest extent |
| 56 | possible suggestions by the other districts and the Department |
| 57 | of Environmental Protection. |
| 58 | Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |