Amendment
Bill No. 1952
Amendment No. 528133
CHAMBER ACTION
Senate House
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1Representative(s) Seiler offered the following:
2
3     Amendment (with title amendment)
4     On page 5, between line(s) 20 and 21,
5insert:  
6Section 5.  Section 501.973, Florida Statutes, is
7created to read:
8     501.973  Chambers of commerce.--
9     (1)  For the purposes of this section:
10     (a)  "Business entity" means any corporation, partnership,
11limited partnership, proprietorship, firm, enterprise,
12franchise, association, self-employed individual, or trust,
13whether fictitiously named or not, doing business in this state.
14     (b)  "Chamber of commerce" means a voluntary membership,
15dues-paying organization of business and professional persons
16dedicated, as stated in the articles of incorporation or bylaws
17of the organization, to improving the economic climate and
18business development of the community, area, or region in which
19the organization is located and which:
20     1.  Operates as an approved not-for-profit corporation
21under chapter 617 and as a corporation or association qualified
22for tax exempt status under s. 501(c)(3) or s. 501(c)(6) of the
23Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
24     2.  Files any required corporation annual reports with the
25Secretary of State and, if applicable, required annual
26information returns with the United States Internal Revenue
27Service.
28     3.  Is governed by a volunteer board of directors of at
29least seven members who are elected from among the membership of
30the organization and who serve without compensation.
31     (2)  A business entity, other than a chamber of commerce,
32shall not use the term "chamber of commerce" in its name or to
33describe itself, except for binational chambers of commerce
34recognized by the Office of International Affairs of the
35Department of State or chambers of commerce in existence on or
36before October 1, 1992. Any business entity which violates this
37subsection commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable
38as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
39     (3)  This section imposes no requirement for oversight or
40regulation of a business entity name, trademark, trade name, or
41other requirement for filing or registration under any provision
42of law.
43     (4)  Subject to the provisions of s. 495.151, a chamber of
44commerce may sue any business entity that is not a chamber of
45commerce as defined in this section to enjoin such entity from
46using the term "chamber of commerce" in its name or to describe
47itself as a chamber of commerce in any business or commerce.
48
49========= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T =========
50     On page 1, line(s) 21,
51remove:  All of said line
52
53and insert:  
54formulation of antifreeze; creating s. 501.973, F.S.; providing
55definitions; prohibiting certain business entities from using
56the term "chamber of commerce" under certain circumstances;
57providing exceptions; providing a penalty; specifying
58nonimposition of certain requirements; authorizing chambers of
59commerce to sue certain business entities to enjoin use of
60certain terms; amending s. 525.07,


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