| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to Go Green Florida; creating s. 377.811, |
| 3 | F.S.; directing the Florida Energy and Climate Commission |
| 4 | to develop a Go Green Florida grants and recognition |
| 5 | awards program; providing program funding and |
| 6 | requirements; establishing an advisory panel; providing |
| 7 | for panel membership and duties; requiring the commission |
| 8 | to adopt specified rules for the program; authorizing the |
| 9 | commission to seek assistance from the Volunteer Florida |
| 10 | Foundation; authorizing the commission to adopt rules; |
| 11 | amending ss. 320.08056 and 320.08058, F.S.; creating a Go |
| 12 | Green Florida specialty license plate; providing for the |
| 13 | collection, distribution, and use of annual fees received |
| 14 | from the sale of such plates; 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 377.811, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 19 | to read: |
| 20 | 377.811 Go Green Florida grants and recognition awards |
| 21 | program.-- |
| 22 | (1) The Florida Energy and Climate Commission is directed |
| 23 | to develop a Go Green Florida grants and recognition awards |
| 24 | program to promote the development and implementation of |
| 25 | innovative programs and projects that inform citizens how to |
| 26 | achieve green standards and implement responsible energy- |
| 27 | efficient practices and to recognize innovative efforts to |
| 28 | reduce energy consumption and raise awareness of alternative |
| 29 | energy-efficient practices. |
| 30 | (2) The commission may use funds generated from the Go |
| 31 | Green Florida specialty license tag fee imposed under s. |
| 32 | 320.08056(4)(qqq) or funds provided in any specific |
| 33 | appropriation in the General Appropriations Act to provide |
| 34 | grants and recognition awards to students, schools, citizens, |
| 35 | community organizations, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, |
| 36 | businesses, and local governments under this section. |
| 37 | (3)(a) By December 1, 2009, an advisory panel shall be |
| 38 | established to provide recommendations to the commission for the |
| 39 | development and implementation of the grants and awards program. |
| 40 | The panel shall consist of nine members, including one member of |
| 41 | the commission, two representatives of the Coalition for |
| 42 | Renewable Energy Resources, Inc., and six representatives of the |
| 43 | public who are involved in green practices and responsible |
| 44 | energy-efficient practices, two of whom are appointed by the |
| 45 | Governor, two of whom are appointed by the President of the |
| 46 | Senate, and two of whom are appointed by the Speaker of the |
| 47 | House of Representatives. |
| 48 | (b) The panel shall meet at the request of the commission |
| 49 | and perform duties as determined by the commission. Meetings of |
| 50 | the panel may be conducted via teleconference. |
| 51 | (c) Panel members shall serve without compensation but may |
| 52 | be reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses as provided in s. |
| 53 | 112.061 while carrying out the official business of the panel. |
| 54 | (4) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter |
| 55 | 120 to develop and administer the grants and recognition awards |
| 56 | program. The rules shall: |
| 57 | (a) Identify funding criteria, categories, limits, |
| 58 | amounts, and evaluation procedures for project grants and |
| 59 | recognition awards. |
| 60 | (b) Require that projects receiving funding or recognition |
| 61 | accomplish the goals of achieving green standards and |
| 62 | responsible energy-efficient practices as established by the |
| 63 | commission, including, but not limited to, reducing energy |
| 64 | consumption, raising awareness of alternative energy-efficient |
| 65 | practices, rewarding efforts that encourage alternative energy |
| 66 | use and reduce the state's carbon footprint and are capable of |
| 67 | being shared and replicated with other organizations and |
| 68 | communities throughout the state. |
| 69 | (c) Determine if grant recipients shall be required to |
| 70 | provide any level of matching funds with direct project cost |
| 71 | sharing or in-kind services. |
| 72 | (d) Provide for the creation of a Go Green Florida program |
| 73 | emblem, decal, or logo that the commission and the Governor may |
| 74 | use to recognize citizen and community efforts and achievements. |
| 75 | (e) Require grant applications and award recommendations |
| 76 | to be submitted on appropriate forms developed and adopted by |
| 77 | the commission with appropriate supporting documentation. |
| 78 | (f) Require records to be maintained. |
| 79 | (g) Establish a system to determine the relative priority |
| 80 | of grant applications. The system shall consider factors such as |
| 81 | greenhouse gas reductions, energy savings and efficiencies, |
| 82 | alternative energy usage, proven technologies, educational |
| 83 | impact, and ability to replicate the project. |
| 84 | (h) Provide for the termination of grants when program |
| 85 | requirements are not met. |
| 86 | (i) Provide for the distribution of information to the |
| 87 | public on successful innovative programs and projects throughout |
| 88 | the state. |
| 89 | (5) The commission shall coordinate the Go Green Florida |
| 90 | program with the other programs of the commission as necessary. |
| 91 | (6) The commission may request assistance coordinating the |
| 92 | activities and implementation of this program with the Volunteer |
| 93 | Florida Foundation. |
| 94 | Section 2. Paragraph (qqq) is added to subsection (4) of |
| 95 | section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 96 | 320.08056 Specialty license plates.-- |
| 97 | (4) The following license plate annual use fees shall be |
| 98 | collected for the appropriate specialty license plates: |
| 99 | (qqq) Go Green Florida license plate: conventional gas and |
| 100 | diesel fuel vehicles, $25; alternative fuel and electric |
| 101 | vehicles, $20; fleet and government vehicles, $10. |
| 102 | Section 3. Subsection (69) is added to section 320.08058, |
| 103 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 104 | 320.08058 Specialty license plates.-- |
| 105 | (69) GO GREEN FLORIDA LICENSE PLATES.-- |
| 106 | (a) The department shall develop a Go Green Florida |
| 107 | license plate as provided in this section. However, the |
| 108 | requirements of s. 320.08053 must be met prior to the issuance |
| 109 | of the plate. Go Green Florida license plates must bear the |
| 110 | colors and design approved by the department. The word "Florida" |
| 111 | must appear at the top of the plate, the words "Go Green" must |
| 112 | appear on the bottom of the plate, and the "Go Green Florida" |
| 113 | emblem or logo must appear on the plate. |
| 114 | (b) The annual use fees shall be distributed to the |
| 115 | Coalition for Renewable Energy Solutions, Inc. After |
| 116 | reimbursement for documented costs expended to establish the |
| 117 | plates, the proceeds of the annual use fees shall be used in the |
| 118 | following manner: |
| 119 | 1. Five percent shall be used by the Coalition for |
| 120 | Renewable Energy Solutions, Inc., for administrative costs |
| 121 | directly associated with the management and distribution of the |
| 122 | proceeds. |
| 123 | 2. Up to 25 percent shall be used by the Coalition for |
| 124 | Renewable Energy Solutions, Inc., for the continuing promotion |
| 125 | and marketing of the license plate. |
| 126 | 3. Seventy percent shall be used to fund the grants and |
| 127 | awards program pursuant to s. 377.809, as directed by the |
| 128 | Florida Energy and Climate Commission. |
| 129 | (c) The Coalition for Renewable Energy Solutions, Inc., |
| 130 | shall submit audited financial statements to the Office of |
| 131 | Auditor General for all expenditures related to the Go Green |
| 132 | Florida grants and awards program no later than 60 days after |
| 133 | the end of each fiscal year. |
| 134 | (d) The Go Green Florida emblem or logo may be authorized |
| 135 | for use by the department in recognition of energy-efficient |
| 136 | vehicle usage and practices. The display of the decal for |
| 137 | energy-efficient practices may not be considered a substitute |
| 138 | for a legal license tag. |
| 139 | Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |