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The Committee on Communications and Public Utilities (Bennett)

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recommended the following amendment:

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     Senate Amendment (with title amendment)

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     Between line(s) 2408 and 2409

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insert:

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     Section 33.  Section 377.808, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     377.808 Florida Green Government Grants Act.--

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     (1) This section may be cited as the "Florida Green

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Government Grants Act."

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     (2) The Florida Energy and Climate Commission within the

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Executive Office of the Governor shall use funds specifically

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appropriated to award grants under this section to assist local

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governments, including municipalities, counties, and school

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districts in the development of programs that achieve green

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standards. Those standards are to be determined by the commission

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and must provide for cost-efficient solutions, reducing

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greenhouse gas emissions, improving quality of life, and

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strengthening this state's economy.

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     (3)(a) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter

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120 to administer the grants provided for in this section. In

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accordance with the rules adopted by the commission under this

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section, the commission may provide grants from funds

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specifically appropriated for this purpose to local governments

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for the costs of achieving green standards, including necessary

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administrative expenses.

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     (b) The rules of the commission must:

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     1. Designate one or more suitable green government

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standards framework from which local governments may develop a

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greening government initiative, and from which projects may be

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eligible for funding pursuant to this statute.

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     2. Require projects that plan, design, construct, upgrade,

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or replace facilities be cost-effective, environmentally sound,

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reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and be permittable and

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implementable.

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     3. Require local governments to match state funds with

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direct project cost share or in-kind services.

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     4. Provide for a scale of matching requirements for local

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governments on the basis of population in order to assist rural

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and undeveloped areas of the state with any financial burden of

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addressing climate change impacts.

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     5. Require grant applications to be submitted on

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appropriate forms developed and adopted by the commission with

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appropriate supporting documentation and require records to be

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maintained.

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     6. Establish a system to determine the relative priority of

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grant applications. The system must consider greenhouse gas

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reductions, energy savings and efficiencies, and proven

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technologies.

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     7. Establish requirements for competitive procurement of

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engineering and construction services, materials, and equipment.

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     8. Provide for termination of grants when program

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requirements are not met.

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     9. Each local government is limited to not more than two

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grant applications during each application period announced by

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the commission. However, a local government may not have more

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than three active projects expending grant funds during any state

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fiscal year.

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     (c) The commission shall perform adequate overview of each

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grant, which may include technical review, site inspections,

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disbursement approvals, and auditing to successfully implement

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this section.

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================ T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================

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And the title is amended as follows:

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     On line(s) 188, after the semicolon,

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insert:

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creating s. 377.808, F.S.; creating the Florida Green

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Government Grants Act; providing a short title; requiring

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the Florida Energy and Climate Commission within the

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Executive Office of the Governor to award grants to assist

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local governments in the development of programs that

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achieve green standards; requiring the commission to adopt

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rules; providing requirements for the rules; limiting a

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certain number of grant applications made by a local

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government; limiting the number of active projects

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expending grant funds by a local government; requiring the

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commission to perform an overview of each grant;

3/26/2008  7:05:00 PM     579-05870A-08