Senate Bill sb0318

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 318

    By Senator Bennett





    21-355-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Century Commission for a

  3         Sustainable Florida; amending s. 163.3247,

  4         F.S.; increasing the membership of the

  5         commission; revising provisions governing

  6         appointments to the commission by the Governor,

  7         the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of

  8         the House of Representatives; prohibiting a

  9         member of the commission from having certain

10         interests in contracts or benefits awarded by

11         the commission; providing for additional powers

12         and duties of the commission; revising

13         provisions concerning appointment and oversight

14         of the executive director of the commission;

15         exempting the commission's executive director

16         and employees of the commission from certain

17         requirements concerning state employment;

18         providing an appropriation; providing an

19         effective date.

20  

21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

22  

23         Section 1.  Subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section

24  163.3247, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

25         163.3247  Century Commission for a Sustainable

26  Florida.--

27         (3)  CENTURY COMMISSION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FLORIDA;

28  CREATION; ORGANIZATION.--The Century Commission for a

29  Sustainable Florida is created as a standing body to help the

30  citizens of this state envision and plan their collective

31  future with an eye towards both 25-year and 50-year horizons.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 318
    21-355-07




 1         (a)  The commission shall consist of 18 15 members, 6 5

 2  appointed by the Governor, 6 5 appointed by the President of

 3  the Senate, and 6 5 appointed by the Speaker of the House of

 4  Representatives. Appointments shall be made no later than

 5  October 1, 2005. The membership must represent local

 6  governments, school boards, developers and homebuilders, the

 7  business community, the agriculture community, the

 8  environmental community, and other appropriate stakeholders.

 9  In making the appointments, the Governor, the President of the

10  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall

11  ensure that the membership of the commission reflects the

12  racial, ethnic, and gender diversity, as well as the

13  geographic distribution, of the state's population. One member

14  shall be designated by the Governor as chair of the

15  commission. Any vacancy that occurs on the commission must be

16  filled in the same manner as the original appointment and

17  shall be for the unexpired term of that commission seat.

18  Members shall be appointed to serve 4-year terms, except that,

19  initially, to provide for staggered terms, the Governor, the

20  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

21  Representatives shall each appoint one member to serve a

22  2-year term, two members to serve 3-year terms, and two

23  members to serve 4-year terms. All subsequent appointments

24  shall be for 4-year terms. An appointee may not serve more

25  than 6 years.

26         (b)  The first meeting of the commission shall be held

27  no later than December 1, 2005, and shall meet at the call of

28  the chair but not less frequently than three times per year in

29  different regions of the state to solicit input from the

30  public or any other individuals offering testimony relevant to

31  the issues to be considered.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 318
    21-355-07




 1         (c)  Each member of the commission is entitled to one

 2  vote, and actions of the commission are not binding unless

 3  taken by a three-fifths vote of the members present. A

 4  majority of the members is required to constitute a quorum,

 5  and the affirmative vote of a quorum is required for a binding

 6  vote.

 7         (d)  Members of the commission shall serve without

 8  compensation but are shall be entitled to receive per diem and

 9  travel expenses in accordance with s. 112.061 while in

10  performance of their duties.

11         (e)  A member of the commission may not, in the period

12  commencing with his or her appointment to the commission and

13  continuing for 2 years after termination of such appointment,

14  have an interest, direct or indirect, in any contract or other

15  benefit granted or awarded by the commission.

16         (4)  POWERS AND DUTIES.--The commission shall:

17         (a)  Annually Conduct a process through which the

18  commission envisions the future for the state and then

19  develops and recommends policies, plans, action steps, or

20  strategies to assist in achieving the vision.

21         (b)  Continuously review and consider statutory and

22  regulatory provisions, governmental processes, and societal

23  and economic trends in its inquiry of how state, regional, and

24  local governments and entities and citizens of this state can

25  best accommodate projected increased populations while

26  maintaining the natural, historical, cultural, and manmade

27  life qualities that best represent the state.

28         (c)  Bring together people representing varied

29  interests to develop a shared image of the state and its

30  developed and natural areas. The process should involve

31  exploring the impact of the estimated population increase and

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 318
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 1  other emerging trends and issues; creating a vision for the

 2  future; and developing a strategic action plan to achieve that

 3  vision using 25-year and 50-year intermediate planning

 4  timeframes.

 5         (d)  Focus on essential state interests, defined as

 6  those interests that transcend local or regional boundaries

 7  and are most appropriately conserved, protected, and promoted

 8  at the state level.

 9         (e)  Serve as an objective, nonpartisan repository of

10  exemplary community-building ideas and as a source to

11  recommend strategies and practices to assist others in working

12  collaboratively to problem solve on issues relating to growth

13  management.

14         (f)  Annually, on beginning January 16, 2007, and every

15  year thereafter on the same date, provide to the Governor, the

16  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

17  Representatives a written report containing specific

18  recommendations for addressing growth management in the state,

19  including executive and legislative recommendations. Further,

20  the report must shall contain discussions regarding the need

21  for intergovernmental cooperation and the balancing of

22  environmental protection and future development and

23  recommendations on issues, including, but not limited to,

24  recommendations regarding dedicated sources of funding for

25  sewer facilities, water supply and quality, transportation

26  facilities that are not adequately addressed by the Strategic

27  Intermodal System, and educational infrastructure to support

28  existing development and projected population growth.

29         (g)  Create and dissolve advisory committees or similar

30  organizations as necessary in order to carry out the mission

31  of the commission.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 318
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 1         (h)  Receive and accept contributions from any source,

 2  which shall be used to further the mission of the commission.

 3         (i)  Prepare and submit a budget under chapter 216.

 4         (g)

 5  

 6  Beginning with the 2007 Regular Session of the Legislature,

 7  the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of

 8  Representatives shall create a joint select committee, the

 9  task of which shall be to review the findings and

10  recommendations of the Century Commission for a Sustainable

11  Florida for potential action.

12         (5)  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; STAFF AND OTHER ASSISTANCE.--

13         (a)  The commission shall appoint an executive director

14  who shall serve under the direction, supervision, and control

15  of the commission. The commission shall have complete

16  authority for fixing the salary of the executive director. The

17  commission is assigned to the Executive Office of the Governor

18  for purposes of administration and fiscal accountability, but

19  the commission shall otherwise function independently of the

20  control and direction of the Governor. The executive director,

21  with the consent of the commission and within budgetary

22  limitations, shall employ staff as necessary to adequately

23  perform the functions of the commission. Each employee of the

24  commission, including the executive director, is exempt from

25  chapter 110 and serves at the pleasure of the commission. The

26  Secretary of Community Affairs shall select an executive

27  director of the commission, and the executive director shall

28  serve at the pleasure of the secretary under the supervision

29  and control of the commission.

30  

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                   SB 318
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 1         (b)  The Department of Community Affairs shall provide

 2  staff and other resources necessary to accomplish the goals of

 3  the commission based upon recommendations of the Governor.

 4         (c)  All agencies under the control of the Governor are

 5  directed, and all other agencies are requested, to render

 6  assistance to, and cooperate with, the commission.

 7         Section 2.  The three additional appointments to the

 8  Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida required by

 9  section 1 of this act shall be made by October 1, 2007.

10         Section 3.  The sum of $550,000 in recurring funds is

11  appropriated from the Grants and Donations Trust Fund in the

12  Department of Community Affairs to the Century Commission for

13  a Sustainable Florida for the purpose of paying salaries and

14  other administrative expenses of the commission which are

15  necessary to carry out the provisions of s. 163.3247, Florida

16  Statutes, during the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

17         Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

18  

19            *****************************************

20                          SENATE SUMMARY

21    Revises provisions governing appointments to the Century
      Commission for a Sustainable Florida. Bars commission
22    members from having certain interests in contracts or
      benefits awarded by the commission. Specifies additional
23    powers and duties of the commission. Revises provisions
      concerning appointment and oversight of the commission's
24    executive director. Exempts commission employees from
      certain state employment requirements. Provides an
25    appropriation.

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