| 1 | The Agriculture & Environment Appropriations Committee |
| 2 | recommends the following: |
| 3 |
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| 4 | Council/Committee Substitute |
| 5 | Remove the entire bill and insert: |
| 6 | A bill to be entitled |
| 7 | An act relating to outdoor recreation; amending s. |
| 8 | 375.075, F.S.; requiring the Department of Environmental |
| 9 | Protection to adopt by rule specific procedures relating |
| 10 | to the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program |
| 11 | and a determination of the appropriate incentive for |
| 12 | encouraging the construction of inclusive playgrounds; |
| 13 | defining the term "inclusive playground"; deleting a |
| 14 | provision limiting grant applications, active projects, |
| 15 | and grant amounts; providing an effective date. |
| 16 |
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| 17 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 18 |
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| 19 | Section 1. Section 375.075, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 20 | to read: |
| 21 | 375.075 Outdoor recreation; financial assistance to local |
| 22 | governments; inclusive playgrounds.-- |
| 23 | (1) The Department of Environmental Protection is |
| 24 | authorized to establish the Florida Recreation Development |
| 25 | Assistance Program to provide grants to qualified local |
| 26 | governmental entities to acquire or develop land for public |
| 27 | outdoor recreation purposes. To the extent not needed for debt |
| 28 | service on bonds issued pursuant to s. 375.051, each year the |
| 29 | department shall develop and plan a program which shall be based |
| 30 | upon funding of not less than 5 percent of the money credited to |
| 31 | the Land Acquisition Trust Fund pursuant to s. 201.15(2) and (3) |
| 32 | in that year. Beginning fiscal year 2001-2002, the department |
| 33 | shall develop and plan a program which shall be based upon the |
| 34 | cumulative total funding provided from this section and from the |
| 35 | Florida Forever Trust Fund pursuant to s. 259.105(3)(c). |
| 36 | (2)(a) The department shall adopt, by rule, procedures to |
| 37 | govern the program. The rule, which shall include:, but need not |
| 38 | be limited to, |
| 39 | 1. A competitive project selection process designed to |
| 40 | maximize the outdoor recreation benefit to the public. |
| 41 | 2. The total number of active projects expending grant |
| 42 | funds a local government may have during any state fiscal year. |
| 43 | 3. The maximum amount of state funds that is awardable for |
| 44 | each grant project. |
| 45 | 4. Application requirements, including required |
| 46 | documentation and forms. |
| 47 | 5. Grant administration and accountability. |
| 48 | 6. Site dedication and management, including entrance fees |
| 49 | and native plantings. |
| 50 | 7. Conversions and public accessibility. |
| 51 | 8. Inspections and compliance. |
| 52 | (b) Selection criteria shall, at a minimum, rank: |
| 53 | 1. The extent to which the project would implement the |
| 54 | outdoor recreation goals, objectives, and priorities specified |
| 55 | in the state comprehensive outdoor recreation plan; and |
| 56 | 2. The extent to which the project would provide for |
| 57 | priority resource or facility needs in the region as specified |
| 58 | in the state comprehensive outdoor recreation plan. |
| 59 | (c) No release of funds from the Land Acquisition Trust |
| 60 | Fund, or from the Florida Forever Trust Fund beginning in fiscal |
| 61 | year 2001-2002, for this program may be made for these public |
| 62 | recreation projects until the projects have been selected |
| 63 | through the competitive selection process provided for in this |
| 64 | section. |
| 65 | (3) The department shall adopt by rule a determination of |
| 66 | the appropriate incentive for encouraging the construction of |
| 67 | inclusive playgrounds. The term "inclusive playground" means a |
| 68 | playground with a barrier-free environment designed for children |
| 69 | of all abilities, including those with physical, developmental, |
| 70 | cognitive, and sensory disabilities, to experience independent |
| 71 | self-directed play, each at his or her own highest level of |
| 72 | ability, and includes accessible play components and equipment |
| 73 | that engage and provide access for children with various motor |
| 74 | impairments. A local government may submit up to two grant |
| 75 | applications during each application period announced by the |
| 76 | department. However, a local government may not have more than |
| 77 | three active projects expending grant funds during any state |
| 78 | fiscal year. The maximum project grant for each project |
| 79 | application may not exceed $200,000 in state funds. |
| 80 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |