HB 1041

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to children's zones; creating s. 409.147,
3	F.S.; providing legislative findings and intent;
4	establishing the Magic City Children's Zone pilot project;
5	providing for management by an entity organized as a
6	corporation not for profit; providing purposes for the
7	project; providing geographic boundaries for the zone;
8	providing for election of a board of directors; requiring
9	the board to enter into a contract to develop a business
10	plan; providing an effective date.
11
12	WHEREAS, the State of Florida is often referred to as the
13	Sunshine State, a term that suggests warm weather, a carefree
14	lifestyle, and unlimited potential for nurturing hope and
15	realizing dreams for a fulfilling and productive life, and
16	WHEREAS, communities within the state suffering from
17	fragile infrastructures and multiple social ills are home to
18	families for whom those obstacles limit, or completely preclude,
19	their ability to create a good quality of life for themselves
20	and for their children, and
21	WHEREAS, a proposed community initiative known as a
22	children's zone, which is modeled after the long-established and
23	successful Harlem Children's Zone, seeks to change that
24	experience, and
25	WHEREAS, the initiative will be based on the belief that in
26	order to help children from troubled communities become healthy
27	adults and responsible, fulfilled members of their communities,
28	two things must happen: first, they must be surrounded by a
29	critical mass of adults who are effective parents engaged in
30	activities with their children and second, early in their lives,
31	they must be exposed to sound health care, intellectual and
32	social stimulation, and consistent guidance from loving,
33	attentive adults, and
34	WHEREAS, the initiative seeks to establish a comprehensive,
35	community-based, coordinated, and targeted system of strategies
36	and services to revitalize communities with an increased sense
37	of culture, pride, and togetherness; to support parents; and to
38	provide comprehensive care for all children within the zone,
39	NOW, THEREFORE,
40
41	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
42
43	Section 1.  Section 409.147, Florida Statutes, is created
44	to read:
45	409.147  Children's zones.--
46	(1)  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.--
47	(a)  The Legislature finds that:
48	1.  There are neighborhoods in Florida where conditions and
49	opportunities that middle-class communities take for granted,
50	such as quality schools, useable playgrounds, support from
51	religious institutions, functioning civic organizations, and
52	safe streets, are nonexistent or so marginal that they are
53	ineffective.
54	2.  The vibrancy of these neighborhoods is further
55	compromised by adult illiteracy, high unemployment, low incomes,
56	high crime rates, and the lack of safe, affordable housing.
57	3.  Children in these neighborhoods attend a
58	prekindergarten education program and are read to by an adult on
59	a regular basis at a much lower rate than children in other
60	communities. They experience below-average performance on
61	standardized tests and graduate from high school in fewer
62	numbers. Most are eligible for the free or reduced-price school
63	lunch program.
64	4.  Children in these neighborhoods often suffer from high
65	rates of asthma, a higher risk of lead poisoning, and inadequate
66	health care, and they are routinely exposed to violence and
67	crime.
68	5.  In spite of these obstacles, most of these
69	neighborhoods are rich in diversity and are inhabited by
70	families representing many cultures, languages, belief systems,
71	and life experiences and residents who are individuals with
72	tremendous talents, strengths, and resiliency.
73	6.  These communities are also many times home to leaders,
74	stakeholders, and institutions that are committed to making a
75	difference in the lives of children and their families.
76	(b)  It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to
77	assist these disadvantaged areas within the state in creating a
78	full-service community network that includes preschools,
79	schools, after-school programs, community centers, places of
80	worship, and housing and employment initiatives. The Legislature
81	further intends that these zones shall function as models that
82	effectively develop, coordinate, and deliver integrated support
83	and services to support family stability through the
84	availability of quality education, accessible health care, youth
85	development programs, opportunities for employment, and safe and
86	affordable housing for children and families living within its
87	boundaries.
88	(2)  MAGIC CITY CHILDREN'S ZONE, INC., PILOT PROJECT.--
89	(a)  There is created within the Liberty City neighborhood
90	in Miami-Dade County a 10-year pilot project zone that, within 3
91	months after the effective date of this act, shall be managed by
92	an entity organized as a corporation not for profit incorporated
93	under the provisions of chapter 617 and approved by the
94	Secretary of State. The zone shall be known as the Magic City
95	Children's Zone, Inc.
96	(b)  The purpose of the pilot project is to develop a new
97	social service paradigm intended to overcome the limitations of
98	traditional approaches by systematically coordinating programs
99	that are focused on addressing the critical needs of children
100	and their families and targeted efforts to rebuild the basic
101	infrastructure of the community.
102	(c)  Creation of the pilot project zone allows the paradigm
103	to be applied to an area that is large enough to include all of
104	the necessary components of community life, including, but not
105	limited to, schools, places of worship, recreational facilities,
106	commercial areas, and common space, yet small enough to allow
107	programs and services to reach every willing member of the
108	neighborhood. Therefore, the geographic boundaries of the pilot
109	project zone are:
110	1.  Northwest 79th Street to the North;
111	2.  Northwest 54th Street to the South;
112	3.  North Miami Avenue to the East; and
113	4.  Northwest 27th Avenue to the West.
114	(d)  Programs within the pilot project zone shall support
115	the fact that funding is most effective when spent on
116	prevention. Effective early intervention results in long-term
117	benefits by making later interventions less necessary for many
118	children and adolescents and by making those later interventions
119	more likely to be successful when they are needed.
120	(e)  After incorporation, the incorporators shall hold an
121	organizational meeting at the call of a majority of the
122	incorporators to elect a board of directors who shall complete
123	the organization of the corporation.
124	(f)  The board shall enter into a contract with a
125	management consultant with experience working with social
126	service and educational entities to develop a 10-year business
127	plan to carry out the provisions of this section.
128	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

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