1

Senator Lynn moved the following amendment to amendment (223482):

2

3

     Senate Amendment (with title amendment)

4

     Between line(s) 1722 and 1723

5

insert:

6

     Section 23.  Section 288.0656, Florida Statutes, is amended

7

to read:

8

     288.0656  Rural Economic Development Initiative.--

9

     (1)(a) Recognizing that rural communities and regions

10

continue to face extraordinary challenges in their efforts to

11

achieve significant improvements to their economies, specifically

12

in terms of personal income, job creation, average wages, and

13

strong tax bases, it is the intent of the Legislature to

14

encourage and facilitate the location and expansion in such rural

15

communities of major economic development projects of significant

16

scale.

17

     (b) The Rural Economic Development Initiative, known as

18

"REDI," is created within the Office of Tourism, Trade, and

19

Economic Development, and the participation of state and regional

20

agencies in this initiative is authorized.

21

     (2)  As used in this section, the term:

22

     (a) "Catalyst project" means a business locating or

23

expanding in a rural area of critical economic concern which is

24

likely to serve as an economic growth opportunity of regional

25

significance for the growth of a regional target industry

26

cluster. The project shall provide capital investment of

27

significant scale which will affect the entire region and will

28

facilitate the development of high-wage and high-skill jobs.

29

     (b) "Catalyst site" means a parcel or parcels of land

30

within a rural area of critical economic concern that has been

31

prioritized by representatives of the jurisdictions within the

32

rural area of critical economic concern, reviewed by REDI, and

33

approved by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

34

Development for purposes of locating a catalyst project.

35

     (c)(a) "Economic distress" means conditions affecting the

36

fiscal and economic viability of a rural community, including

37

such factors as low per capita income, low per capita taxable

38

values, high unemployment, high underemployment, low weekly

39

earned wages compared to the state average, low housing values

40

compared to the state average, high percentages of the population

41

receiving public assistance, high poverty levels compared to the

42

state average, and a lack of year-round stable employment

43

opportunities.

44

     (d) "Rural area of critical economic concern" means a rural

45

community, or a region composed of rural communities, designated

46

by the Governor, which has been adversely affected by an

47

extraordinary economic event, severe or chronic distress, or a

48

natural disaster or which presents a unique economic development

49

opportunity of regional impact.

50

     (e)(b) "Rural community" means:

51

     1.  A county with a population of 75,000 or less.

52

     2. A county with a population of 120,000 100,000 or less

53

that is contiguous to a county with a population of 75,000 or

54

less.

55

     3.  A municipality within a county described in subparagraph

56

1. or subparagraph 2.

57

     4.  An unincorporated federal enterprise community or an

58

incorporated rural city with a population of 25,000 or less and

59

an employment base focused on traditional agricultural or

60

resource-based industries, located in a county not defined as

61

rural, which has at least three or more of the economic distress

62

factors identified in paragraph (a) and verified by the Office of

63

Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development.

64

65

For purposes of this paragraph, population shall be determined in

66

accordance with the most recent official estimate pursuant to s.

67

186.901.

68

     (3)  REDI shall be responsible for coordinating and focusing

69

the efforts and resources of state and regional agencies on the

70

problems which affect the fiscal, economic, and community

71

viability of Florida's economically distressed rural communities,

72

working with local governments, community-based organizations,

73

and private organizations that have an interest in the growth and

74

development of these communities to find ways to balance

75

environmental and growth management issues with local needs.

76

     (4) REDI shall review and evaluate the impact of laws

77

statutes and rules on rural communities and shall work to

78

minimize any adverse impact and shall undertake outreach and

79

capacity-building efforts.

80

     (5)  REDI shall facilitate better access to state resources

81

by promoting direct access and referrals to appropriate state and

82

regional agencies and statewide organizations. REDI may undertake

83

outreach, capacity-building, and other advocacy efforts to

84

improve conditions in rural communities. These activities may

85

include sponsorship of conferences and achievement awards.

86

     (6)(a)  By August 1 of each year, the head of each of the

87

following agencies and organizations shall designate a high-level

88

staff person from within the agency or organization to serve as

89

the REDI representative for the agency or organization:

90

     1.  The Department of Community Affairs.

91

     2.  The Department of Transportation.

92

     3.  The Department of Environmental Protection.

93

     4.  The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

94

     5.  The Department of State.

95

     6.  The Department of Health.

96

     7.  The Department of Children and Family Services.

97

     8.  The Department of Corrections.

98

     9.  The Agency for Workforce Innovation.

99

     10.  The Department of Education.

100

     11.  The Department of Juvenile Justice.

101

     12.  The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

102

     13.  Each water management district.

103

     14.  Enterprise Florida, Inc.

104

     15.  Workforce Florida, Inc.

105

     16.  The Florida Commission on Tourism or VISIT Florida.

106

     17.  The Florida Regional Planning Council Association.

107

     18. The Agency for Health Care Administration Florida State

108

Rural Development Council.

109

     19.  The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS).

110

111

An alternate for each designee shall also be chosen, and the

112

names of the designees and alternates shall be sent to the

113

director of the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

114

Development.

115

     (b)  Each REDI representative must have comprehensive

116

knowledge of his or her agency's functions, both regulatory and

117

service in nature, and of the state's economic goals, policies,

118

and programs. This person shall be the primary point of contact

119

for his or her agency with REDI on issues and projects relating

120

to economically distressed rural communities and with regard to

121

expediting project review, shall ensure a prompt effective

122

response to problems arising with regard to rural issues, and

123

shall work closely with the other REDI representatives in the

124

identification of opportunities for preferential awards of

125

program funds and allowances and waiver of program requirements

126

when necessary to encourage and facilitate long-term private

127

capital investment and job creation.

128

     (c)  The REDI representatives shall work with REDI in the

129

review and evaluation of statutes and rules for adverse impact on

130

rural communities and the development of alternative proposals to

131

mitigate that impact.

132

     (d)  Each REDI representative shall be responsible for

133

ensuring that each district office or facility of his or her

134

agency is informed about the Rural Economic Development

135

Initiative and for providing assistance throughout the agency in

136

the implementation of REDI activities.

137

     (7)(a) REDI may recommend to the Governor up to three rural

138

areas of critical economic concern. A rural area of critical

139

economic concern must be a rural community, or a region composed

140

of such, that has been adversely affected by an extraordinary

141

economic event or a natural disaster or that presents a unique

142

economic development opportunity of regional impact that will

143

create more than 1,000 jobs over a 5-year period. The Governor

144

may by executive order designate up to three rural areas of

145

critical economic concern which will establish these areas as

146

priority assignments for REDI as well as to allow the Governor,

147

acting through REDI, to waive criteria, requirements, or similar

148

provisions of any economic development incentive. Such incentives

149

shall include, but not be limited to: the Qualified Target

150

Industry Tax Refund Program under s. 288.106, the Quick Response

151

Training Program under s. 288.047, the Quick Response Training

152

Program for participants in the welfare transition program under

153

s. 288.047(8), transportation projects under s. 288.063, the

154

brownfield redevelopment bonus refund under s. 288.107, and the

155

rural job tax credit program under ss. 212.098 and 220.1895.

156

     (b) Designation as a rural area of critical economic

157

concern under this subsection shall be contingent upon the

158

execution of a memorandum of agreement among the Office of

159

Tourism, Trade, and Economic Development; the governing body of

160

the county; and the governing bodies of any municipalities to be

161

included within a rural area of critical economic concern. Such

162

agreement shall specify the terms and conditions of the

163

designation, including, but not limited to, the duties and

164

responsibilities of the county and any participating

165

municipalities to take actions designed to facilitate the

166

retention and expansion of existing businesses in the area, as

167

well as the recruitment of new businesses to the area.

168

     (c) Each rural area of critical economic concern may

169

designate catalyst projects provided that each catalyst project

170

is specifically recommended by REDI, identified as a catalyst

171

project by Enterprise Florida, Inc., and confirmed as a catalyst

172

project by the Office of Tourism, Trade, and Economic

173

Development. All state agencies and departments shall use all

174

available tools and resources to the extent permissible by law to

175

promote the creation and development of each catalyst project and

176

the development of catalyst sites.

177

     (8) REDI shall assist local governments within rural areas

178

of critical economic concern with comprehensive planning needs

179

pursuant to s. 163.3184(20) and which implement the provisions of

180

this section. Such assistance shall reflect a multidisciplinary

181

approach among all agencies and shall include economic

182

development and planning objectives.

183

     (a) A local government may request assistance in the

184

preparation of plan amendments that will stimulate economic

185

activity.

186

     1. The local government must contact the Office of Tourism,

187

Trade, and Economic Development to request assistance.

188

     2. REDI representatives shall meet with the local

189

government within 15 days after such request to develop the scope

190

of assistance that will be provided to assist the development,

191

transmittal, and adoption of the proposed comprehensive plan

192

amendment.

193

     3. As part of the assistance provided, REDI representatives

194

shall also identify other needed local and developer actions for

195

approval of the project and recommend a timeline for the local

196

government and developer which will minimize project delays.

197

     (b) In addition, REDI shall solicit requests each year for

198

assistance from local governments within a rural area of critical

199

economic concern to update the future land use element and other

200

associated elements of the local government's comprehensive plan

201

to better position the community to respond to economic

202

development potential within the county or municipality. REDI

203

shall provide direct assistance to such local governments to

204

update their comprehensive plans pursuant to this paragraph. At

205

least one comprehensive planning technical assistance effort

206

shall be selected each year.

207

     (c) REDI shall develop and annually update a technical

208

assistance manual based upon experiences learned in providing

209

direct assistance under this subsection.

210

     (9) As further incentive for development of jobs and

211

advancement of health care in areas that are both a fiscally

212

constrained county pursuant to s. 218.67 and a rural area of

213

critical economic concern as designated by the Governor pursuant

214

to s. 288.0656, the provisions of Rule 9J-5.006(5), Florida

215

Administrative Code, regulating sprawl shall not be applicable to

216

a development of regional impact governed by s. 380.06 if such

217

development is a multiuse development containing at least three

218

distinct uses and such development provides a hospital with a

219

minimum of 70 beds, both of which criteria shall be met within 10

220

years after receipt of a final development order.

221

     (10)(8) REDI shall submit a report to the Governor, the

222

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

223

Representatives each year on or before September February 1 on

224

all REDI activities for the prior fiscal year. This report shall

225

include a status report on all projects currently being

226

coordinated through REDI, the number of preferential awards and

227

allowances made pursuant to this section, the dollar amount of

228

such awards, and the names of the recipients. The report shall

229

also include a description of all waivers of program requirements

230

granted. The report shall also include information as to the

231

economic impact of the projects coordinated by REDI.

232

233

234

235

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

236

And the title is amended as follows:

237

     On line 1834 after the semicolon,

238

insert:

239

amending s. 288.0656, F.S.; providing legislative intent;

240

revising definitions; providing certain additional review

241

and action requirements for REDI relating to rural

242

communities; revising representation on REDI; deleting a

243

limitation on characterization as a rural area of critical

244

economic concern; authorizing rural areas of critical

245

economic concern to designate certain catalyst projects

246

for certain purposes; providing project requirements;

247

requiring the initiative to assist local governments with

248

certain comprehensive planning needs; providing procedures

249

and requirements for such assistance; revising certain

250

reporting requirements for REDI; providing for

251

nonapplication of certain administrative rules to certain

252

developments of regional impact under certain

253

circumstances;

4/30/2008  7:14:00 PM     CA.7.09295