| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to trust funds of the Department of |
| 3 | Veterans' Affairs; creating s. 20.375, F.S.; providing for |
| 4 | the administration of the Federal Grants Trust Fund, the |
| 5 | Grants and Donations Trust Fund, the Operations and |
| 6 | Maintenance Trust Fund, and the State Homes for Veterans |
| 7 | Trust Fund by the Department of Veterans' Affairs; |
| 8 | providing for sources of funds and purposes; providing for |
| 9 | annual carryforward of funds; amending ss. 296.11 and |
| 10 | 296.38, F.S.; specifying an additional use of moneys in |
| 11 | the Grants and Donations Trust Fund of the department for |
| 12 | the benefit of veterans who are residents of the Veterans' |
| 13 | Domiciliary Home of Florida or a veterans' nursing home; |
| 14 | providing an effective date. |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 17 |
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| 18 | Section 1. Section 20.375, Florida Statutes, is created to |
| 19 | read: |
| 20 | 20.375 Department of Veterans' Affairs; trust funds.--The |
| 21 | following trust funds shall be administered by the Department of |
| 22 | Veterans' Affairs: |
| 23 | (1) Federal Grants Trust Fund. |
| 24 | (a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund |
| 25 | shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of s. |
| 26 | 215.32. |
| 27 | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and |
| 28 | pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end |
| 29 | of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of |
| 30 | the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of |
| 31 | the trust fund. |
| 32 | (2) Grants and Donations Trust Fund. |
| 33 | (a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund |
| 34 | shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of ss. |
| 35 | 215.32, 296.11, 296.38, and 320.089. |
| 36 | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and |
| 37 | pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end |
| 38 | of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of |
| 39 | the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of |
| 40 | the trust fund. |
| 41 | (3) Operations and Maintenance Trust Fund. |
| 42 | (a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund |
| 43 | shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of ss. |
| 44 | 215.32, 296.11, and 296.38. |
| 45 | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and |
| 46 | pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end |
| 47 | of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of |
| 48 | the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of |
| 49 | the trust fund. |
| 50 | (4) State Homes for Veterans Trust Fund. |
| 51 | (a) Funds to be credited to and uses of the trust fund |
| 52 | shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of ss. |
| 53 | 320.08058 and 320.0891. |
| 54 | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 216.301 and |
| 55 | pursuant to s. 216.351, any balance in the trust fund at the end |
| 56 | of any fiscal year shall remain in the trust fund at the end of |
| 57 | the year and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of |
| 58 | the trust fund. |
| 59 | Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 296.11, Florida |
| 60 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 61 | 296.11 Funds of home and disposition of moneys.-- |
| 62 | (2) The home shall deposit all moneys received pursuant to |
| 63 | s. 296.15 into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund. Moneys in |
| 64 | the Grants and Donations Trust Fund must be expended for the |
| 65 | common benefit of the residents of the home, such as improved |
| 66 | facilities, recreational equipment, and recreational supplies, |
| 67 | and goods and services offered or available to all residents, |
| 68 | subject to the requirements of chapter 216. |
| 69 | Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 296.38, Florida |
| 70 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 71 | 296.38 Funds of home and disposition of moneys.-- |
| 72 | (2) The home shall be empowered to receive and accept |
| 73 | gifts, grants, and endowments in the name of the home. All such |
| 74 | gifts, grants, and endowments are to be used for the benefit of |
| 75 | the home and its residents. The administrator, together with the |
| 76 | director, shall have the authority to determine how these gifts, |
| 77 | grants, and endowments could best benefit the home and its |
| 78 | residents unless the benefactor requests or instructs that the |
| 79 | gift, grant, or endowment be used for a specific purpose. The |
| 80 | home shall deposit all moneys received pursuant to this |
| 81 | subsection into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund. Moneys in |
| 82 | the Grants and Donations Trust Fund shall be expended for the |
| 83 | common benefit of the residents of the home, such as |
| 84 | recreational equipment, improved facilities, and recreational |
| 85 | supplies, and goods and services offered or available to all |
| 86 | residents. |
| 87 | Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008. |