HB 667

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Florida Poet Laureate; amending s.
3	265.285, F.S.; specifying that duties of the Florida Arts
4	Council include the promotion of poetry literature by
5	recommending nominations for the Florida Poet Laureate;
6	creating s. 265.2863, F.S.; creating the honorary position
7	of Florida Poet Laureate; providing for appointment;
8	providing that the Florida Poet Laureate does not receive
9	compensation; providing for the nomination process;
10	providing responsibilities of the Florida Arts Council;
11	providing criteria for the Florida Poet Laureate position;
12	providing term of service; providing for the filling of a
13	vacancy; requiring the Division of Cultural Affairs of the
14	Department of State to adopt rules; requiring the
15	Secretary of State to annually request an appropriation to
16	carry out the purposes of the section if certain other
17	sources of funding are not available; providing for
18	designation of Florida Poet Laureate Emeritus; providing
19	an effective date.
20
21	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23	Section 1.  Paragraph (j) is added to subsection (2) of
24	section 265.285, Florida Statutes, to read:
25	265.285  Florida Arts Council; membership, duties.--
26	(2)  The duties of the council shall be to:
27	(j)  Promote reading, writing, and appreciation of poetry
28	throughout the state by recommending nominations for the Florida
29	Poet Laureate to the Secretary of State for selection by the
30	Governor.
31	Section 2.  Section 265.2863, Florida Statutes, is created
32	to read:
33	265.2863  Florida Poet Laureate.--
34	(1)(a)  The honorary position of Florida Poet Laureate is
35	hereby created.
36	(b)1.  The Florida Poet Laureate shall be appointed by the
37	Governor from a list of no more than three nominees provided by
38	the Secretary of State and recommended by the Florida Arts
39	Council pursuant to s. 265.285 and this section.
40	2.  The Florida Poet Laureate shall not receive
41	compensation.
42	(c)  The Florida Arts Council shall solicit nominations
43	from a broad array of literary sources and individuals,
44	including, but not limited to:
45	1.  University and college literature departments.
46	2.  Literary organizations, societies, and centers.
47	3.  Poetry book publishers and poetry editors.
48	4.  Other state poets laureate.
49	(2)  Each nominee for Florida Poet Laureate submitted to
50	the Governor by the Secretary of State and recommended by the
51	Florida Arts Council must be a permanent Florida resident and a
52	published literary poet of significant standing in Florida and
53	elsewhere, must be willing and physically able to engage in
54	outreach and mentoring for the benefit of schools and
55	communities throughout the state, and must perform such other
56	duties as required. The Florida Poet Laureate may give readings
57	of his or her own poetry as requested.
58	(3)(a)  The term of service of the Florida Poet Laureate
59	shall be 4 years, beginning with the third year of a
60	gubernatorial term of office and ending at the conclusion of the
61	second year of the following gubernatorial term of office. The
62	Florida Poet Laureate must serve until a new Florida Poet
63	Laureate is appointed.
64	(b)  Any vacancy in the appointment of the Florida Poet
65	Laureate shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term
66	in the same manner as the original appointment.
67	(4)  The Division of Cultural Affairs of the Department of
68	State shall adopt rules necessary to carry out the purposes of
69	this section, including, but not limited to, procedures for
70	accepting nominations, making recommendations for appointments
71	of the Florida Poet Laureate, and providing travel expenses for
72	such appointment.
73	(5)  The Secretary of State shall annually request an
74	appropriation sufficient to carry out the purposes of this
75	section, if such resources are not available through the citizen
76	support organization created in s. 265.703 or through other
77	public or private funding sources.
78	Section 3.  The Poet Laureate for the State of Florida
79	serving on the effective date of this act shall, upon the
80	appointment of the Florida Poet Laureate pursuant to s.
81	265.2863, Florida Statutes, as created by this act, be
82	designated the Florida Poet Laureate Emeritus in recognition of
83	his service to the state.
84	Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.