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The Committee on General Government Appropriations (Baker)

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recommended the following amendment:

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     Senate Amendment

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     Delete line(s) 1916 through 1943

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and insert:

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     (i) Five percent to the Department of Agriculture and

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Consumer Services for the acquisition of agricultural lands,

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through perpetual conservation easements and other perpetual

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less-than-fee techniques, that will achieve the objectives of

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Florida Forever and s.570.71. Rules concerning the application,

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acquisition, and priority ranking process for such easements

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shall be developed pursuant to s. 570.71 (10) and as provided by

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this paragraph. The board shall ensure that such rules are

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consistent with the acquisition process provided for in s.

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259.041. Provisions of the rules developed pursuant to s. 570.71

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(10), shall also provide for the following:

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1. An annual priority list shall be developed pursuant to

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s. 570.71 (10), submitted to the Acquisition and Restoration

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Council for review, and approved by the board pursuant to s.

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259.04.

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2. Terms of easements and acquisitions proposed pursuant to

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this paragraph shall be approved by the board and shall not be

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delegated by the board to any other entity receiving funds under

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this section.

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3. All acquisitions pursuant to this paragraph shall

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contain a clear statement that they are subject to legislative

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appropriation.

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No funds provided under this paragraph shall be expended until

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final adoption of rules by the board pursuant to 570.71.

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     (j)(i) It is the intent of the Legislature that cash

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payments or proceeds of Florida Forever bonds distributed under

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this section shall be expended in an efficient and fiscally

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responsible manner. An agency that receives proceeds from Florida

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Forever bonds under this section may not maintain a balance of

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unencumbered funds in its Florida Forever subaccount beyond 3

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fiscal years from the date of deposit of funds from each bond

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issue. Any funds that have not been expended or encumbered after

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3 fiscal years from the date of deposit shall be distributed by

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the Legislature at its next regular session for use in the

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Florida Forever program.

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     (k)(j) For the purposes of paragraphs (d), (e), (f), and

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(g), and (h) the agencies that which receive the funds shall

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develop their individual acquisition or restoration lists in

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accordance with specific criteria and numeric performance

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measures developed pursuant to s. 259.035 (4). Proposed additions

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may be acquired if they are identified within the original

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project boundary, the management plan required pursuant to s.

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253.034(5), or the management prospectus required pursuant to s.

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259.032(9)(d). Proposed additions not meeting the requirements of

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this paragraph shall be submitted to the Acquisition and

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Restoration Council for approval. The council may only approve

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the proposed addition if it meets two or more of the following

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criteria: serves as a link or corridor to other publicly owned

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property; enhances the protection or management of the property;

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would add a desirable resource to the property; would create a

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more manageable boundary configuration; has a high resource value

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that otherwise would be unprotected; or can be acquired at less

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than fair market value.

4/9/2008  2:04:00 PM     EP.20.07149