CS/CS/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; providing
4	policy and purpose; providing definitions; providing a
5	process for nominating and selecting a children's zone;
6	providing for the governing body of a county or
7	municipality to adopt a resolution designating a
8	children's zone; specifying contents of the resolution;
9	requiring the governing body to establish a children's
10	zone planning team; providing powers and responsibilities
11	of the planning team; requiring the planning team to
12	designate working groups; specifying focus areas for the
13	working groups; providing for the development of a
14	strategic community plan; providing objectives for each
15	focus area; requiring the governing body to create a
16	corporation not for profit for specified purposes;
17	establishing the Magic City Children's Zone, Inc., pilot
18	project; providing for management by an entity organized
19	as a corporation not for profit; providing geographic
20	boundaries for the zone; providing for designation and
21	appointment of a board of directors; providing for
22	meetings and duties of the board of directors; providing
23	per diem and travel expenses; requiring the board to enter
24	into a contract to develop a business plan; providing for
25	reports to the Legislature; providing appropriations;
26	providing an effective date.
27
28	WHEREAS, the State of Florida is often referred to as the
29	Sunshine State, a term that suggests warm weather, a carefree
30	lifestyle, and unlimited potential for nurturing hope and
31	realizing dreams for a fulfilling and productive life, and
32	WHEREAS, communities within the state suffering from
33	fragile infrastructures and multiple social ills are home to
34	families for whom those obstacles limit, or completely preclude,
35	their ability to create a good quality of life for themselves
36	and for their children, and
37	WHEREAS, a proposed community initiative known as a
38	children's zone, which is modeled after the long-established and
39	successful Harlem Children's Zone, seeks to change that
40	experience, and
41	WHEREAS, the initiative will be based on the belief that in
42	order to help children from troubled communities become healthy
43	adults and responsible, fulfilled members of their communities,
44	two things must happen: first, they must be surrounded by a
45	critical mass of adults who are effective parents engaged in
46	activities with their children; and second, early in their
47	lives, they must be exposed to sound health care, intellectual
48	and social stimulation, and consistent guidance from loving,
49	attentive adults, and
50	WHEREAS, the initiative seeks to establish a comprehensive,
51	community-based, coordinated, and targeted system of strategies
52	and services to revitalize communities with an increased sense
53	of culture, pride, and togetherness; to support parents; and to
54	provide comprehensive care for all children within the zone,
55	NOW, THEREFORE,
56
57	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
58
59	Section 1.  Section 409.147, Florida Statutes, is created
60	to read:
61	409.147  Children's zones.--
62	(1)  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.--
63	(a)  The Legislature finds that:
64	1.  There are neighborhoods in the state where the
65	infrastructure and opportunities that middle-class communities
66	take for granted are nonexistent or so marginal that they are
67	ineffective.
68	2.  Children in these neighborhoods are read to by an adult
69	on a regular basis and attend a prekindergarten education
70	program at a much lower rate than children in other communities.
71	The children experience below-average performance on
72	standardized tests and graduate from high school in fewer
73	numbers. Most children are eligible for the free or reduced-
74	price school lunch program.
75	3.  Children in these neighborhoods often suffer from high
76	rates of asthma, a higher risk of lead poisoning, and inadequate
77	health care, and they are routinely exposed to violence and
78	crime.
79	4.  In spite of these obstacles, these neighborhoods are
80	many times home to strong individuals and institutions that are
81	committed to making a difference in the lives of children and
82	their families.
83	(b)  It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to
84	assist disadvantaged areas within the state in creating a
85	community-based service network that develops, coordinates, and
86	provides quality education, accessible health care, youth
87	development programs, opportunities for employment, and safe and
88	affordable housing for children and families living within its
89	boundaries.
90	(2)  POLICY AND PURPOSE.--It is the policy of this state to
91	provide the necessary means to assist local communities, the
92	children and families who live in those communities, and the
93	private sector in creating a sound educational, social, and
94	economic environment. To achieve this objective, the state
95	intends to provide investments sufficient to encourage community
96	partners to commit financial and other resources to severely
97	disadvantaged areas. The purpose of this section is to establish
98	a process that clearly identifies the severely disadvantaged
99	areas and provides guidance for developing a new social service
100	paradigm that systematically coordinates programs that address
101	the critical needs of children and their families and for
102	directing efforts to rebuild the basic infrastructure of the
103	community. The Legislature, therefore, declares the creation of
104	children's zones, through the collaborative efforts of
105	government and the private sector, to be a public purpose.
106	(3)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section, the term:
107	(a)  "Governing body" means the commission or other
108	legislative body charged with governing a county or
109	municipality.
110	(b)  "Ounce" means the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida,
111	Inc.
112	(c)  "Planning team" means a children's zone planning team
113	established under this section.
114	(d)  "Resident" means a person who lives or operates a
115	small community-based business or organization within the
116	boundaries of the children's zone.
117	(4)  CHILDREN'S ZONE NOMINATING PROCESS.--A county or
118	municipality, or a county and one or more municipalities
119	together, may apply to Ounce to designate an area as a
120	children's zone after the governing body:
121	(a)  Adopts a resolution that:
122	1.  Finds that an area exists in such county or
123	municipality, or in the county and one or more municipalities,
124	which chronically exhibits extreme and unacceptable levels of
125	poverty, unemployment, physical deterioration, as well as
126	limited access to quality educational, health care, and social
127	services.
128	2.  Determines that the rehabilitation, conservation, or
129	redevelopment, or a combination thereof, of the area is
130	necessary in the interest of improving the health, wellness,
131	education, living conditions, and livelihoods of the children
132	and families who live in the county or municipality.
133	3.  Determines that the revitalization of the area can
134	occur only if the state and the private sector invest resources
135	to improve infrastructure and the provision of services.
136	(b)  Establishes a children's zone planning team as
137	provided in subsection (5).
138	(c)  Develops and adopts a strategic community plan as
139	provided in subsection (6).
140	(d)  Creates a corporation not for profit as provided in
141	subsection (7).
142	(5)  CHILDREN'S ZONE PLANNING TEAM.--
143	(a)  After the governing body adopts the resolution
144	described in subsection (4), the county or municipality shall
145	establish a children's zone planning team.
146	(b)  The planning team shall include residents and
147	representatives from community-based organizations and other
148	community institutions. At least half of the members of the
149	planning team shall be residents.
150	(c)  The planning team shall:
151	1.  Develop a planning process that sets the direction for,
152	builds a commitment to, and develops the capacity to realize the
153	children's zone concept.
154	2.  Develop a vision of what the children's zone will look
155	like when the challenges, problems, and opportunities in the
156	children's zone are successfully addressed.
157	3.  Identify important opportunities, strengths,
158	challenges, and problems in the children's zone.
159	4.  Develop a strategic community plan consisting of goals,
160	objectives, tasks, the designation of responsible parties, the
161	identification of resources needed, timelines for implementation
162	of the plan, and procedures for monitoring outcomes.
163	(d)  The planning team shall designate working groups to
164	specifically address each of the following focus areas:
165	1.  Early development and care of children.
166	2.  Education of children and youth.
167	3.  Health and wellness.
168	4.  Youth support.
169	5.  Parent and guardian support.
170	6.  Adult education, training, and jobs.
171	7.  Community safety.
172	8.  Housing and community development.
173	(6)  CHILDREN'S ZONE STRATEGIC COMMUNITY PLAN.--After the
174	governing body adopts the resolution described in subsection
175	(4), the working groups shall develop objectives and identify
176	strategies for each focus area. The objectives, specified by
177	focus area, for a working group may include, but not be limited
178	to:
179	(a)  Early development and care of children.
180	1.  Providing resources to enable every child to be
181	adequately nurtured in the first 3 years of life.
182	2.  Ensuring that all schools are ready for children and
183	all children are ready for school.
184	3.  Facilitating enrollment in half-day or full-day
185	prekindergarten for all 3-year old and 4-year old children.
186	4.  Strengthening parent and guardian relationships with
187	care providers.
188	5.  Providing support and education for families and child
189	care providers.
190	(b)  Education of children and youth.
191	1.  Increasing the level and degree of accountability of
192	persons who are responsible for the development and well-being
193	of all children in the children's zone.
194	2.  Changing the structure and function of schools to
195	increase the quality of and the amount of time spent on
196	instruction and increase programmatic options and offerings.
197	3.  Creating a safe and respectful environment for student
198	learning.
199	4.  Identifying and supporting points of alignment between
200	the children's zone community plan and the school district's
201	strategic plan.
202	(c)  Health and wellness.
203	1.  Facilitating enrollment of all eligible children in the
204	Florida Kidcare program and providing full access to high-
205	quality drug and alcohol treatment services.
206	2.  Eliminating health disparities between racial and
207	cultural groups, including improving outcomes and increasing
208	interventions.
209	3.  Providing fresh, good quality, affordable, and
210	nutritious food within the children's zone.
211	4.  Providing all children in the children's zone with
212	access to safe, structured, and unstructured recreation.
213	(d)  Youth support.
214	1.  Increasing the high school graduation rate.
215	2.  Increasing leadership development and employment
216	opportunities for youth.
217	(e)  Parent and guardian support.
218	1.  Increasing parent and adult literacy.
219	2.  Expanding access for parents to critical resources,
220	such as jobs, transportation, day care, and after-school care.
221	3.  Improving the effectiveness of the ways in which
222	systems communicate and collaborate with parents and the ways in
223	which parents communicate and collaborate with systems.
224	4.  Making the services of the Healthy Families Florida
225	program available to provide multiyear support to expectant
226	parents and persons caring for infants and toddlers.
227	(f)  Adult education, training, and jobs.
228	1.  Creating job opportunities for adults which lead to
229	career development.
230	2.  Establishing a career and technical school or a
231	satellite of such a school in the children's zone which includes
232	a one-stop career center.
233	(g)  Community safety.
234	1.  Providing a safe environment for all children at home,
235	in school, and in the community.
236	2.  Eliminating the economic, political, and social forces
237	that lead to a lack of safety within the family, the community,
238	schools, and institutional structures.
239	3.  Assessing policies and practices, including sentencing,
240	incarceration, detention, and data reporting, in order to reduce
241	youth violence, crime, and recidivism.
242	(h)  Housing and community development.
243	1.  Strengthening the residential real estate market.
244	2.  Building on existing efforts to promote socioeconomic
245	diversity when developing a comprehensive land use strategic
246	plan.
247	3.  Promoting neighborhood beautification strategies.
248	(7)  CHILDREN'S ZONE CORPORATION.--After the governing body
249	adopts the resolution described in subsection (4), the county or
250	municipality shall create a corporation not for profit which
251	shall be registered, incorporated, organized, and operated in
252	compliance with chapter 617. The purpose of the corporation is
253	to facilitate fundraising, to secure broad community ownership
254	of the children's zone, and, if the area selected by the
255	governing body is designated as a children's zone, to:
256	(a)  Begin to transfer responsibility for planning from the
257	children's zone planning team to the corporation.
258	(b)  Begin the implementation and governance of the
259	children's zone community plan.
260	(8)  CREATION OF MAGIC CITY CHILDREN'S ZONE, INC., PILOT
261	PROJECT.--
262	(a)  There is created within the Liberty City neighborhood
263	in Miami-Dade County a 10-year pilot project zone that, by
264	November 1, 2007, shall be managed by an entity organized as a
265	corporation not for profit which shall be registered,
266	incorporated, organized, and operated in compliance with chapter
267	617. The corporation shall be known as the Magic City Children's
268	Zone, Inc., and shall be administratively housed within the
269	Belafonte Tacolcy Center. However, Magic City Children's Zone,
270	Inc., is not subject to control, supervision, or direction by
271	the Belafonte Tacolcy Center in any manner.
272	(b)  This pilot project zone is designed to apply to an
273	area that is large enough to include all of the necessary
274	components of community life, including, but not limited to,
275	schools, places of worship, recreational facilities, commercial
276	areas, and common space, yet small enough to allow programs and
277	services to reach every willing member of the neighborhood.
278	Therefore, the geographic boundaries of the pilot project zone
279	are:
280	1.  Northwest 79th Street to the north;
281	2.  Northwest 36th Street to the south;
282	3.  North Miami Avenue to the east; and
283	4.  Northwest 27th Avenue to the west.
284	(c)1.  The corporation shall be governed by a 15-member
285	board of directors. The board of directors shall consist of the
286	following members:
287	a.  The chief executive officer of the Belafonte Tacolcy
288	Center.
289	b.  The executive director of the Carrie P. Meek
290	Entrepreneurial Education Center, Miami-Dade College.
291	c.  The director of the Parks and Recreation Department of
292	the City of Miami.
293	d.  The director of the Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center.
294	e.  The chief executive officer of the Urban League of
295	Greater Miami.
296	f.  The director of the Liberty City Service Partnership.
297	g.  The regional superintendent of the Miami-Dade County
298	Public Schools.
299	h.  The president of the Student Government Association of
300	Northwestern High School.
301	i.  The president of the Student Government Association of
302	Edison High School.
303	j.  The president of the Parent Teacher Student Association
304	of Northwestern High School.
305	k.  The president of the Parent Teacher Student Association
306	of Edison High School.
307	l.  Four members from the local private business sector, to
308	be appointed by a majority vote of the members designated in
309	sub-subparagraphs a.-k., all of whom must have significant
310	experience in one of the focus areas specified in subsection
311	(6).
312	2.  All members of the board of directors shall be
313	appointed no later than 90 days following the incorporation of
314	the Magic City Children's Zone, Inc., and:
315	a.  Eleven members initially appointed pursuant to this
316	paragraph shall each serve a 4-year term.
317	b.  The remaining initial four appointees shall each serve
318	a 2-year term.
319	c.  Each member appointed thereafter shall serve a 4-year
320	term.
321	d.  A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner in which
322	the original appointment was made, and a member appointed to
323	fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of that term.
324	e.  A member may not serve more than 8 years in consecutive
325	terms.
326	3.  The board of directors shall annually elect a
327	chairperson and a vice chairperson from among the board's
328	members. The members may, by a vote of eight members, remove a
329	member from the position of chairperson or vice chairperson
330	before the expiration of his or her term as chairperson or vice
331	chairperson. His or her successor shall be elected to serve for
332	the balance of the removed chairperson's or vice chairperson's
333	term.
334	4.  The board of directors shall meet at least four times
335	each year upon the call of the chairperson, at the request of
336	the vice chairperson, or at the request of a majority of the
337	membership. A majority of the membership constitutes a quorum.
338	The board of directors may take official action by a majority
339	vote of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is
340	present. The board may conduct its meetings through
341	teleconferences or other similar means.
342	5.  A member of the board of directors may be removed by a
343	majority of the membership. Absence from three consecutive
344	meetings results in automatic removal.
345	6.  Each member of the board of directors shall serve
346	without compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for travel
347	and per diem expenses as provided in s. 112.061 while in the
348	performance of his or her duties.
349	7.  The corporation shall create a standing advisory board
350	to assist in any part of its delegated duties. The membership of
351	the standing advisory board shall reflect the expertise
352	necessary for the implementation of the children's zone pilot
353	project.
354	8.  The board of directors has the power and duty to:
355	a.  Adopt articles of incorporation and bylaws necessary to
356	govern its activities.
357	b.  Begin to transfer responsibility for planning from the
358	children's zone planning team to the corporation.
359	c.  Begin the implementation and governance of the
360	children's zone community plan.
361	d.  Enter into a contract with a management consultant who
362	has experience working with social service and educational
363	entities for the purpose of developing a 10-year comprehensive
364	business plan to carry out the provisions of this section.
365	(d)  Magic City Children's Zone, Inc., shall submit an
366	annual report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of
367	the House of Representatives by January 31, 2008, and by January
368	31 of each year thereafter, which shall include a comprehensive
369	and detailed report of its operations, activities, and
370	accomplishments for the prior year as well as its goals for the
371	current year. The initial report shall also include information
372	concerning the status of the development of a business plan.
373	Section 2.  The sum of $3.6 million in nonrecurring general
374	revenue funds and $28,362 in nonrecurring tobacco settlement
375	funds is appropriated to the Department of Children and Family
376	Services for Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, Inc., during
377	the 2007-2008 fiscal year as a grant for a 3-year period for the
378	purpose of implementing the provisions of this act, to include
379	contracting for the development of a business plan and for
380	evaluation and fiscal management and oversight of the pilot
381	project.
382	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

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