HB 0559CS

CHAMBER ACTION




1The Community Colleges & Workforce Committee recommends the
2following:
3
4     Council/Committee Substitute
5     Remove the entire bill and insert:
6
A bill to be entitled
7An act relating to prosperity campaigns; creating s.
8445.057, F.S.; establishing the Prosperity Campaign Office
9to be administratively housed in Workforce Florida, Inc.;
10providing duties of the office; providing for
11establishment of the Florida Prosperity Campaign Council;
12providing membership and responsibilities; providing for
13meetings and reimbursement for per diem and travel
14expenses; requiring development of financial literacy
15instruction to be included in high school life management
16skills coursework; authorizing each Prosperity Campaign to
17connect low-wage workers to economic benefits programs and
18to offer additional services; providing reporting
19requirements; providing for repeal unless reviewed and
20saved from repeal; amending s. 1003.43, F.S., relating to
21general requirements for high school graduation; requiring
22financial literacy instruction to be part of the life
23management skills credit requirement; providing an
24effective date.
25
26Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
27
28     Section 1.  Section 445.057, Florida Statutes, is created
29to read:
30     445.057  Prosperity Campaigns.--
31     (1)  There is established the Prosperity Campaign Office
32which shall be administratively housed in Workforce Florida,
33Inc. The office is directed to coordinate established Prosperity
34Campaigns in the state, foster the establishment of new
35campaigns in designated regional workforce areas and assist in
36the development of their programs, coordinate with the Internal
37Revenue Service in providing programs for low-wage workers, and
38work closely with prosperity campaign offices in other states.
39     (2)  The office shall assist the Florida Prosperity
40Campaign Council which shall be established and composed of the
41following members:
42     (a)  Two individuals each representing a different
43Prosperity Campaign in the state, appointed by the Governor.
44     (b)  One member of the Greater Miami Prosperity Campaign.
45     (c)  One member of the Senate appointed by the President of
46the Senate.
47     (d)  One member of the House of Representatives appointed
48by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
49     (e)  The Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee.
50     (f)  One representative from the Florida Bankers
51Association.
52     (g)  One representative from the Florida Institute of CPAs.
53     (h)  One representative from the Florida Credit Union
54League.
55     (i)  The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee.
56     (j)  One representative from the Florida League of Cities.
57     (k)  One representative from the Florida Association of
58Counties.
59     (l)  One representative from the Florida Association of
60Realtors.
61     (m)  One representative from United Way of Florida.
62     (n)  One representative from Leadership Florida.
63     (o)  One representative from the Florida Chamber of
64Commerce.
65     (p)  One representative from a nonprofit or community-based
66low-wage worker organization.
67     (3)  The members of the council shall be appointed to serve
682-year terms starting on July 1, 2005. Upon completion of the
69term, new members shall be appointed in the same manner as the
70original appointment.
71     (4)  The council shall meet each quarter of the year or
72upon the call of the chair. Annually, at the meeting in the
73first quarter, officers consisting of a chair, vice chair, and
74secretary shall be elected. Each officer shall serve until a
75successor is elected. No officer shall serve more than two
76consecutive years in the same office.
77     (5)  Members of the council shall serve without
78compensation, but shall be reimbursed for per diem and travel
79expenses in accordance with s. 112.061.
80     (6)  The council's responsibilities shall include, but not
81be limited to:
82     (a)  Assisting in the development of Prosperity Campaigns
83throughout the state.
84     (b)  Coordinating with Prosperity Campaigns to assist in
85the development of new programs.
86     (c) Developing implementation plans for new programs using
87the best practices of existing and new Prosperity Campaigns in
88and outside of the state.
89     (d)  Coordinating financial literacy classes or programs
90within each Prosperity Campaign.
91     (e)  Working with businesses and agencies to develop a
92package of services for citizens participating in Prosperity
93Campaigns.
94     (f)  Working with the Department of Education in developing
95financial literacy instruction to be part of the life management
96skills course pursuant to s. 1003.43. The financial literacy
97instruction must focus on the importance of financial
98management, savings, investments, credit scores, and other
99relevant subjects. Community colleges and state universities are
100encouraged to use financial literacy information in student
101orientation programs.
102     (g)  Performing other activities deemed necessary by the
103council or directed by Workforce Florida, Inc.
104     (7)  Each Prosperity Campaign is authorized to:
105     (a)  Educate citizens about available economic benefits
106programs and the importance of wise financial decisionmaking.
107     (b)  Connect low-wage workers to economic benefits
108programs, including, but not limited to, the Earned Income Tax
109Credit and the Childcare Tax Credit.
110     (c)  Offer free tax preparation services, economic benefits
111screening, and other related services.
112     (d)  Provide information to businesses to enable them to
113distribute economic benefits information to current and new
114employees.
115     (8)  By June 30, 2006, and annually thereafter, the council
116shall report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
117the Speaker of the House of Representatives the effectiveness of
118the council, detailing the progress made in establishing new
119Prosperity Campaigns, including barriers to establishing new
120Prosperity Campaigns, how the barriers were overcome, the
121partners involved and their roles, and recommendations for the
122future.
123     (9)  The council and the provisions of this section shall
124stand repealed on July 1, 2009, unless reviewed and saved from
125repeal through reenactment by the Legislature.
126     Section 2.  Paragraph (i) of subsection (1) of section
1271003.43, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
128     1003.43  General requirements for high school graduation.--
129     (1)  Graduation requires successful completion of either a
130minimum of 24 academic credits in grades 9 through 12 or an
131International Baccalaureate curriculum. The 24 credits shall be
132distributed as follows:
133     (i)  One-half credit in life management skills to include
134instruction in financial literacy focused on the importance of
135financial management, savings, investments, credit scores, and
136other relevant subjects, consumer education, positive emotional
137development, marriage and relationship skill-based education,
138nutrition, parenting skills, prevention of human
139immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency
140syndrome and other sexually transmissible diseases, benefits of
141sexual abstinence and consequences of teenage pregnancy,
142information and instruction on breast cancer detection and
143breast self-examination, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, drug
144education, and the hazards of smoking.
145
146District school boards may award a maximum of one-half credit in
147social studies and one-half elective credit for student
148completion of nonpaid voluntary community or school service
149work. Students choosing this option must complete a minimum of
15075 hours of service in order to earn the one-half credit in
151either category of instruction. Credit may not be earned for
152service provided as a result of court action. District school
153boards that approve the award of credit for student volunteer
154service shall develop guidelines regarding the award of the
155credit, and school principals are responsible for approving
156specific volunteer activities. A course designated in the Course
157Code Directory as grade 9 through grade 12 that is taken below
158the 9th grade may be used to satisfy high school graduation
159requirements or Florida Academic Scholars award requirements as
160specified in a district school board's student progression plan.
161A student shall be granted credit toward meeting the
162requirements of this subsection for equivalent courses, as
163identified pursuant to s. 1007.271(6), taken through dual
164enrollment.     
165     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.


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