| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the state agency law enforcement radio |
| 3 | system; amending s. 320.0802, F.S.; providing for an |
| 4 | additional surcharge on the annual motor vehicle license |
| 5 | tax; providing exceptions; directing the moneys collected |
| 6 | be used for certain enhancements to the radio system; |
| 7 | providing an effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | WHEREAS, during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, the |
| 10 | State of Florida experienced eight catastrophic storms within a |
| 11 | 15-month period, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, designed in 1988, the state agency law enforcement |
| 13 | radio system was able to serve law enforcement units of state |
| 14 | agencies and local law enforcement agencies through mutual aid |
| 15 | channels, and |
| 16 | WHEREAS, the state recognizes the importance of maintaining |
| 17 | a law enforcement radio system throughout the state to ensure |
| 18 | that first responders and law enforcement officers are able to |
| 19 | communicate, protect, and provide relief, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, the state agency law enforcement radio system |
| 21 | performed as designed and was able to withstand and operate |
| 22 | effectively during all recent hurricanes, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, recent legislative studies and agency reviews |
| 24 | indicate that the radio system should be strengthened to ensure |
| 25 | continued communication and protection by investment in the |
| 26 | infrastructure, and |
| 27 | WHEREAS, in 2005, the Joint Task Force on State Agency Law |
| 28 | Enforcement Communications conducted a review of the operations |
| 29 | and identified a number of enhancements to strengthen the system |
| 30 | for future events, and |
| 31 | WHEREAS, these permanent enhancements to the statewide |
| 32 | system should be funded by recurring funding sources, and |
| 33 | WHEREAS, all Floridians benefit from a law enforcement |
| 34 | radio system that allows constant communication throughout the |
| 35 | state during hurricane seasons, emergencies, and the normal |
| 36 | course of performing their duties, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 37 |
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| 38 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 39 |
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| 40 | Section 1. Section 320.0802, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 41 | to read: |
| 42 | 320.0802 Surcharge on license tax.--There is hereby levied |
| 43 | and imposed on each license tax imposed under s. 320.08, except |
| 44 | those set forth in s. 320.08(11), a surcharge in the amount of |
| 45 | $1, which shall be collected in the same manner as the license |
| 46 | tax and deposited into the State Agency Law Enforcement Radio |
| 47 | System Trust Fund of the Department of Management Services. An |
| 48 | additional surcharge in the amount of $1 shall be levied and |
| 49 | imposed on each license tax imposed under s. 320.08, except |
| 50 | those set forth in s. 320.08(11), and deposited into the State |
| 51 | Agency Law Enforcement Radio System Trust Fund of the Department |
| 52 | of Management Services for enhancements to the state agency law |
| 53 | enforcement radio system as identified in 2005 by the Joint Task |
| 54 | Force on State Agency Law Enforcement Communications. |
| 55 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |