| 1 | Representative Attkisson offered the following: |
| 2 |
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| 3 | Amendment (with title amendment) |
| 4 | Remove lines 174-268 and insert: |
| 5 | Section 2. Section 288.7002, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 6 | to read: |
| 7 | 288.7002 Small business advocate.-- |
| 8 | (1) DEFINITIONS.-- |
| 9 | (a) "Advocate" means the Florida Small Business Advocate, |
| 10 | who is also the Director of the Office of Small Business |
| 11 | Advocate. |
| 12 | (b) "Director" means the Director of the Office of Small |
| 13 | Business Advocate. |
| 14 | (c) "Office" means the Office of Small Business Advocate. |
| 15 | (2) OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE.--The Office of |
| 16 | Small Business Advocate is established, assigned to, and |
| 17 | administratively housed within the Florida Small Business |
| 18 | Development Center Network. The director shall be the Florida |
| 19 | Small Business Advocate. |
| 20 | (3) DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE; |
| 21 | APPOINTMENT; DUTIES.-- |
| 22 | (a) The advocate shall be selected by the director of the |
| 23 | Florida Small Business Development Center Network and shall be |
| 24 | an employee of or under contract with the Florida Small Business |
| 25 | Development Center Network. Preferred qualifications for the |
| 26 | advocate include at least 5 years' experience in small business, |
| 27 | extensive knowledge of the issues and challenges of importance |
| 28 | to small business, and actual experience in small business |
| 29 | advocacy and assistance. |
| 30 | (b) The duties and functions of the advocate shall include |
| 31 | the following: |
| 32 | 1. Act as staff for the Small Business Regulatory Advisory |
| 33 | Council. |
| 34 | 2. Serve as principal advocate in the state on behalf of |
| 35 | small businesses, including, but not limited to, advisory |
| 36 | participation in the consideration of all legislation and |
| 37 | administrative rules that affect small businesses and advocacy |
| 38 | on state policy and programs related to small businesses on |
| 39 | disaster preparedness and recovery, including providing |
| 40 | technical assistance. |
| 41 | 3. Represent the views and interests of small businesses |
| 42 | before agencies whose policies and activities may affect small |
| 43 | businesses. Among other activities, the advocate may encourage |
| 44 | standardized applications and information packages that would |
| 45 | include all the information needed by each agency that a |
| 46 | business has to deal with to prevent an applicant from having to |
| 47 | fill out duplicative information on forms from various agencies. |
| 48 | 4. Enlist the cooperation and assistance of public and |
| 49 | private agencies, businesses, and other organizations in |
| 50 | disseminating information about the programs and services |
| 51 | provided by all levels of government that are of benefit to |
| 52 | small businesses and information on how small businesses can |
| 53 | participate in, or make use of, those programs and services. |
| 54 | 5. Issue a report every 2 years evaluating the efforts of |
| 55 | agencies that significantly regulate small businesses, to assist |
| 56 | minority and other small business enterprises and to make |
| 57 | recommendations that may be appropriate to assist the |
| 58 | development and strengthening of minority and other small |
| 59 | business enterprises. |
| 60 | 6. Consult with experts and authorities in the fields of |
| 61 | small business investment, venture capital investment, and |
| 62 | commercial banking and other comparable financial institutions |
| 63 | involved in the financing of business; with individuals with |
| 64 | regulatory, legal, economic, or financial expertise, including |
| 65 | members of the academic community; and with individuals who |
| 66 | generally represent the public interest. |
| 67 | 7. Seek the assistance and cooperation of all agencies and |
| 68 | departments providing services to, or affecting, small business, |
| 69 | to ensure coordination of state efforts. |
| 70 | 8. Receive and respond to complaints from small businesses |
| 71 | concerning the actions of agencies and the operative effects of |
| 72 | state laws and regulations adversely affecting those businesses. |
| 73 | The advocate shall establish an annual process for small |
| 74 | businesses to nominate agency rules or programs for reform. The |
| 75 | advocate shall publish those nominations online and update the |
| 76 | status of agency action on the proposed reforms twice yearly. |
| 77 | 9. Counsel small businesses on how to resolve questions |
| 78 | and problems concerning the relationship of small business to |
| 79 | state government. |
| 80 | 10. Maintain, publicize, and distribute an annual list of |
| 81 | persons serving as small business ombudsmen throughout state |
| 82 | government. |
| 83 | 11. Coordinate a statewide conference on small business |
| 84 | with public and private organizations and entities impacting |
| 85 | small business in the state. |
| 86 | 12. Coordinate annual public meetings to share best |
| 87 | practices for small business disaster preparedness. The meetings |
| 88 | shall be held in consultation with regional and statewide small |
| 89 | business organizations and shall take place in different |
| 90 | locations throughout the state. |
| 91 | (4) REPORTS, DOCUMENTS, AND INFORMATION FURNISHED TO THE |
| 92 |
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| 93 |
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| 94 | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| 95 | T I T L E A M E N D M E N T |
| 96 | Remove lines 12-13 and insert: |
| 97 | for the council to issue a report; creating s. 288.7002, F.S.; |
| 98 | providing |