Senate Bill sb0444
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Florida Senate - 2004 SB 444
By Senator Geller
31-615-04
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to abrogating offensive or
3 derogatory place names; creating s. 267.0625,
4 F.S.; providing legislative findings that
5 certain place names are offensive or
6 derogatory; providing definitions; requiring
7 the Florida Historical Commission and the
8 Division of Historic Resources to aid state
9 agencies and local governments in identifying
10 geographic sites having offensive or derogatory
11 place names; directing state agencies and local
12 governments to identify geographic sites having
13 offensive or derogatory place names by a
14 specified date; directing the commission to
15 recommend to the division replacement names;
16 directing the division to select replacement
17 names by a specified date; requiring state and
18 local governments to update maps and markers
19 with the new place names; directing the
20 division to notify the United States Board of
21 Geographic Names of name changes; providing
22 specified exceptions to the act; providing an
23 effective date.
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25 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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27 Section 1. Section 267.0625, Florida Statutes, is
28 created to read:
29 267.0625 Abrogation of offensive and derogatory
30 geographic place names.--
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Florida Senate - 2004 SB 444
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1 (1) The Legislature finds that certain place names for
2 geographic sites are offensive or derogatory to the state's
3 people, history, and heritage. The state encourages tolerance
4 and understanding between all of its residents and these
5 geographic place names are a barrier to that effort. The
6 Legislature finds that these offensive or derogatory place
7 names should be replaced by names that reflect the state's
8 people, history, and heritage without resorting to offensive
9 stereotypes, names, words, or phrases.
10 (2) As used in this section, the term:
11 (a) "Commission" means the Florida Historical
12 Commission within the Department of State.
13 (b) "Geographic site" means a location or structure in
14 this state, and includes, but is not limited to, rivers,
15 bodies of water, roads, bridges, buildings, geographic
16 features, and parks.
17 (c) "Offensive or derogatory place name" means a name
18 deemed offensive on the basis of race, religion, creed,
19 gender, sexual orientation, or national origin.
20 (3) The commission shall assist the division in
21 consulting with state agencies and political subdivisions in
22 order to identify and inventory all public lands, waters,
23 structures, and other geographic sites having offensive or
24 derogatory place names. The commission shall also assist the
25 division in developing alternative names to replace offensive
26 or derogatory place names with place names that reflect the
27 state's diversity and culture.
28 (4)(a) Each state agency that owns or manages public
29 land, waters, or structures in this state shall, by October 1,
30 2004, identify any geographic sites under its jurisdiction
31 which contain offensive or derogatory place names and inform
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Florida Senate - 2004 SB 444
31-615-04
1 the commission of those geographic sites. The commission
2 shall, by January 1, 2005, recommend to the division a new
3 name for each geographic site to replace the offensive or
4 derogatory place name. The division shall, by March 1, 2005,
5 choose a new name for the geographic site. Thereafter, the
6 agency shall ensure that whenever the agency updates a map or
7 replaces a sign, interpretive marker, or any other marker
8 because of wear or vandalism, the offensive or derogatory
9 place name is removed and replaced with the name chosen by the
10 division.
11 (b) Each political subdivision that owns or manages
12 public land, waters, or structures in this state shall, by
13 October 1, 2004, identify any geographic sites under its
14 jurisdiction which contain offensive or derogatory place names
15 and inform the commission of those sites. The political
16 subdivision shall at the same time recommend a replacement
17 name. The commission shall, by January 1, 2005, recommend to
18 the division a new name for each geographic site to replace
19 the offensive or derogatory place name, giving preference to
20 the name suggested by the political subdivision. The division
21 shall, by March 1, 2005, choose a new name for the geographic
22 site. Thereafter, the political subdivision shall ensure that
23 whenever it updates a map or replaces a sign, interpretive
24 marker, or any other marker because of wear or vandalism, the
25 offensive or derogative place name is removed and replaced
26 with the name chosen by the division.
27 (5) The division shall:
28 (a) Notify the Department of Transportation, the
29 Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development, the
30 Department of Management Services, and any other entity that
31 compiles information for or develops maps or markers for the
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Florida Senate - 2004 SB 444
31-615-04
1 state of the name change so that it may be reflected on
2 subsequent editions of any maps, informational literature, or
3 markers produced by those entities; and
4 (b) Place a formal request with the United States
5 Board on Geographic Names to render a decision on the proposed
6 name change so that the new name will be reflected on all maps
7 of the United States Board on Geographic Names.
8 (6) This section does not apply to a geographic place
9 name that is the same as the name of a historic person or
10 event or that is a nonpejorative place name.
11 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.
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14 SENATE SUMMARY
15 Requires the Florida Historical Commission and the
Division of Historic Resources to aid state agencies and
16 local governments in inventorying geographic sites for
offensive or derogatory place names. Directs state
17 agencies and local governments to identify geographic
sites with offensive and derogatory place names by a
18 specified date. Directs the commission to recommend to
the division replacement names. Directs the division to
19 select replacement names by a specific date. Requires
state and local governments to update maps and markers
20 with the new place names. Directs the division to notify
the United States Board of Geographic Names of name
21 changes. Specifies exceptions to the act.
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