HB 0211CS

CHAMBER ACTION




1The Committee on Transportation recommends the following:
2
3     Committee Substitute
4     Remove the entire bill and insert:
5
A bill to be entitled
6An act relating to animal welfare protection programs;
7creating s. 570.93, F.S.; creating the Florida Animal
8Friend Council as a direct-support organization of the
9Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the
10purpose of distributing funds received for sale of the
11Animal Friend license plate; providing for membership and
12meetings of the council; providing for a grant
13solicitation and award process; providing purposes for
14funding; amending ss. 320.08056 and 320.08058, F.S.;
15creating the Animal Friend license plate; providing for
16the distribution of annual use fees received from the sale
17of such plates; providing an effective date.
18
19     WHEREAS, 2,000 dogs and 3,000 cats are born every hour in
20the United States, and
21     WHEREAS, one unspayed female dog, her mate, and their
22offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in only 6 years, and
23     WHEREAS, one unspayed female cat, her mate, and their
24offspring can produce 370,092 cats in just 7 years, and
25     WHEREAS, an estimated 800,000 homeless cats and dogs were
26euthanized in Florida in the year 2002, NOW, THEREFORE,
27
28Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30     Section 1.  Section 570.93, Florida Statutes, is created to
31read:
32     570.93  Florida Animal Friend Council.--The Florida Animal
33Friend Council is created as a direct-support organization of
34the department to provide for distribution of funds received
35from the sale of the Animal Friend license plate under s.
36320.08058.
37     (1)  The council shall be administered by a board of
38directors composed of five members as follows:
39     (a)  A representative of the Humane Society of the United
40States.
41     (b)  A representative of the Florida Veterinary Medical
42Association.
43     (c)  A representative of the Florida Animal Control
44Association.
45     (d)  One member at large who shall be appointed by the
46members of the council and shall serve for 2 years. This member
47shall represent a not-for-profit organization not directly
48affiliated with any other member of the council. This member
49shall not apply for a grant during the years in which he or she
50serves.
51     (e)  One member at large who shall be appointed by the
52Commissioner of Agriculture.
53     (2)  Members of the board, unless otherwise specified in
54subsection (1), shall serve a term of 4 years or until their
55successors are duly qualified and appointed. Members may serve
56consecutive terms.
57     (3)  The board shall meet at least biannually.
58     (4)  All moneys received by the council shall be deposited
59into an account of the council.
60     (5)  The board shall develop and administer a grant
61solicitation and award process for distribution of funds
62received for the sale of the Animal Friend license plate
63pursuant to the provisions of s. 320.08058. Funding may only be
64granted and used for those proposals which are in compliance
65with federal, state, and local laws and ordinances. The council
66shall provide for the distribution of funds which shall be used
67only for the following purposes:
68     (a)  Spay and neuter programs provided by not-for-profit
69organizations or governmental agencies in Florida that deal with
70spay or neuter programs.
71     (b)  Other emergency animal welfare protection programs or
72projects, provided that funding for the program or project is
73approved by a unanimous vote of the council.
74     Section 2.  Paragraph (ss) is added to subsection (4) of
75section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read:
76     320.08056  Specialty license plates.--
77     (4)  The following license plate annual use fees shall be
78collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:
79     (ss)  Animal Friend license plate, $25.
80     Section 3.  Subsection (45) is added to section 320.08058,
81Florida Statutes, to read:
82     320.08058  Specialty license plates.--
83     (45)  ANIMAL FRIEND LICENSE PLATES.--
84     (a)  Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 320.08053, the
85department shall develop an Animal Friend license plate as
86provided in this section. Animal Friend license plates must bear
87the colors and design approved by the department. The word
88"Florida" must appear at the top of the plate, and the words
89"Animal Friend" must appear at the bottom of the plate.
90     (b)1.  The department shall retain initial annual use fee
91proceeds sufficient to cover its costs related to the
92development and issuance of the Animal Friend license plate, not
93to exceed $60,000. Thereafter, the proceeds of the annual use
94fee shall be distributed to the Florida Animal Friend Council as
95created in s. 570.93 and used as provided for in that section.
96     2.  In the first year the plate is issued, no more than 25
97percent of the fees collected may be used for administrative
98costs directly associated with the operation of the Florida
99Animal Friend Council and marketing and promotion of the Animal
100Friend concept and license plate.
101     3.  In the second and subsequent years the plate is issued,
102no more than 20 percent of the fees collected may be used for
103administrative costs directly associated with the operation of
104the Florida Animal Friend Council and marketing and promotion of
105the Animal Friend concept and license plate.
106     Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.


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