Senate Bill sb0444c1

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    Florida Senate - 2004                            CS for SB 444

    By the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Productivity;
    and Senators Geller and Miller




    302-2072-04

  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.

24  

25  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

26  

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.--

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2004                            CS for SB 444
    302-2072-04




 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, slurs, 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

14  publicly-owned structure in this state, and includes, but is

15  not limited to, rivers and other navigable waters of the

16  state, geographic features, and parks, or state or local

17  roads, bridges, and publicly-owned buildings.

18         (c)  "Offensive or derogatory place names" means a

19  place name that is a racial, ethnic, or religious slur.

20         (3)(a)  By October 1, 2004, each state agency or

21  political subdivision that owns or manages public land,

22  waters, or structures in this state shall identify any

23  geographic sites under its jurisdiction which contain

24  offensive or derogatory place names as defined in subsection

25  (2) and shall file a report identifying those names with the

26  division. A political subdivision shall also include a

27  recommended replacement name for each identified offensive or

28  derogatory place name.

29         (b)  The division shall compile the reports required to

30  be filed pursuant to this section and provide a copy to the

31  commission. The commission shall advise the division in its

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    Florida Senate - 2004                            CS for SB 444
    302-2072-04




 1  review of recommended place names and in the development of

 2  alternative names to replace offensive or derogatory place

 3  names with place names that reflect the state's diversity and

 4  culture.

 5         (c)  By March 1, 2005, the division shall choose a new

 6  name for each geographic site reported by an agency or

 7  political subdivision.

 8         (4)  The division shall:

 9         (a)  Notify each entity that has reported an offensive

10  or derogatory place name pursuant to subsection (3) of the

11  alternative name selected by the division; each agency or

12  political subdivision shall ensure that whenever it updates a

13  map or recorded plat, or replaces a sign, interpretive marker,

14  or any other marker because of war or vandalism, the new name

15  is used.

16         (b)  Notify the Department of Transportation, the

17  Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development, the

18  Department of Management Services, and any other entity that

19  compiles information for or develops maps or markers for the

20  state of the name change so that it may be reflected on

21  subsequent editions of any maps, informational literature, or

22  markers produced by those entities.

23         (c)  Place a formal request with the United State Board

24  on Geographic Names to render a decision on each proposed name

25  change so that each new name will be reflected on all maps of

26  the United States Board on Geographic Names.

27         (d)  Report to the Governor and the Legislature by no

28  later than July 1, 2005, regarding implementation of the

29  provisions of this section by the department. The report shall

30  identify at least the following:

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2004                            CS for SB 444
    302-2072-04




 1         1.  Each offensive or derogatory place name identified

 2  by an agency or political subdivision.

 3         2.  The replacement name selected by the department.

 4         3.  Whether any markers and maps have been changed to

 5  reflect the name changes.

 6         4.  The date that requests to change names were filed

 7  with the United State Board of Geographic Names and whether

 8  those changes have been made.

 9         5.  Any other relevant information that the department

10  finds appropriate.

11         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.

12  

13          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
14                              SB 444

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16  Modifies the definition of "offensive or derogatory place
    names" so that only racial, ethnic or religious slurs are
17  included.

18  Assigns responsibilities to the Division of Historical
    Resources instead of the Commission on Historical Resources.
19  The commission is retained in an advisory capacity.

20  Requires a report to the Governor and Legislature.

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