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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to economic development; amending s.

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125.0104, F.S., relating to the local option tourist

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development tax; allowing a county that levies the tax

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authorized under s. 125.0104(3)(n), F.S., to use the tax

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proceeds to participate with the state in an economic-

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development project to attract specified types of high-

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technology industries to the county; providing an

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effective date.

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     WHEREAS, the commercialization of technologies developed in

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academic laboratories and research centers through the

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application of recent innovations is critical for Florida to

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maintain a competitive economy, and

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WHEREAS, the development of high-technology industries in

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Florida, including artificial intelligence, human-centered

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computing, information technology and communications,

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biotechnology, bioinformation, biomedical research, electro-

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optics, life science, nanotechnology, and computer simulation is

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critical to the long-term economic vitality of this state, and

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     WHEREAS, high-technology industries will further diversify

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and strengthen the state's economy and complement industries that

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are already recognized as being critical to Florida's economic

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health, and

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     WHEREAS, attracting leading scholars and researchers in

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advanced and emerging technology disciplines to Florida's

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universities is critical to building the state's knowledge base

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and will serve a paramount public purpose, NOW, THEREFORE,

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

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     Section 1.  Paragraph (n) of subsection (3) of section

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125.0104, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

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     125.0104  Tourist development tax; procedure for levying;

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authorized uses; referendum; enforcement.--

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     (3)  TAXABLE PRIVILEGES; EXEMPTIONS; LEVY; RATE.--

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     (n)  In addition to any other tax that is imposed under this

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section, a county that has imposed the tax under paragraph (l)

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may impose an additional tax that is no greater than 1 percent on

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the exercise of the privilege described in paragraph (a) by a

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majority plus one vote of the membership of the board of county

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commissioners in order to:

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     1.  Pay the debt service on bonds issued to finance:

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     a.  The construction, reconstruction, or renovation of a

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facility either publicly owned and operated, or publicly owned

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and operated by the owner of a professional sports franchise or

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other lessee with sufficient expertise or financial capability to

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operate such facility, and to pay the planning and design costs

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incurred prior to the issuance of such bonds for a new

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professional sports franchise as defined in s. 288.1162.

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     b.  The acquisition, construction, reconstruction, or

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renovation of a facility either publicly owned and operated, or

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publicly owned and operated by the owner of a professional sports

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franchise or other lessee with sufficient expertise or financial

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capability to operate such facility, and to pay the planning and

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design costs incurred prior to the issuance of such bonds for a

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retained spring training franchise.

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     2.  Promote and advertise tourism in the State of Florida

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and nationally and internationally; however, if tax revenues are

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expended for an activity, service, venue, or event, the activity,

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service, venue, or event shall have as one of its main purposes

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the attraction of tourists as evidenced by the promotion of the

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activity, service, venue, or event to tourists.

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     3. Participate with the state in an economic-development

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project for which additional revenues are needed to attract to

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the county high-technology industries, including information

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technology and communications, biotechnology, bioinformation,

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biomedical research, electro-optics, life science,

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nanotechnology, and computer simulation.

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A county that imposes the tax authorized in this paragraph may

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not expend any ad valorem tax revenues for the acquisition,

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construction, reconstruction, or renovation of a facility for

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which tax revenues are used pursuant to subparagraph 1. The

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provision of paragraph (b) which prohibits any county authorized

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to levy a convention development tax pursuant to s. 212.0305 from

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levying more than the 2-percent tax authorized by this section

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shall not apply to the additional tax authorized by this

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paragraph in counties which levy convention development taxes

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pursuant to s. 212.0305(4)(a). Subsection (4) does not apply to

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the adoption of the additional tax authorized in this paragraph.

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The effective date of the levy and imposition of the tax

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authorized under this paragraph is the first day of the second

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month following approval of the ordinance by the board of county

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commissioners or the first day of any subsequent month specified

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in the ordinance. A certified copy of such ordinance shall be

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furnished by the county to the Department of Revenue within 10

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days after approval of the ordinance.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.