Florida Senate - 2009 SB 2326
By Senator Ring
32-00366-09 20092326__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to renewable energy and technologies;
3 creating s. 377.809, F.S.; authorizing the Florida
4 Energy and Climate Commission to create the Go Green
5 Florida Program to issue monetary grants and
6 recognition awards recognizing innovative local and
7 statewide efforts to reduce energy consumption, raise
8 awareness of alternative energy-efficient practices,
9 reward efforts that encourage alternative energy use,
10 and reduce the carbon footprint of this state;
11 authorizing the commission to use certain funds for
12 specified objectives; requiring the commission to
13 establish an advisory panel; providing for membership
14 on the advisory panel; providing that nongovernmental
15 members of the advisory panel are entitled to
16 reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses
17 incurred in the performance of their duties; requiring
18 the advisory panel to prepare recommendations for the
19 Florida Energy and Climate Commission regarding grants
20 and recognition awards; requiring the commission to
21 create criteria for grants and recognition awards;
22 providing for the requirements of the criteria;
23 authorizing the commission to coordinate its other
24 programs with the Go Green Florida Program;
25 authorizing the commission to request assistance
26 coordinating the activities and implementations of the
27 Go Green Florida Program from the Volunteer Florida
28 Foundation; requiring the commission to adopt rules;
29 amending ss. 320.08056 and 320.08058, F.S.; creating
30 the Go Green Florida license plate; establishing an
31 annual fee for the plate; providing for the
32 distribution of use fees received from the annual sale
33 of such plates; providing an effective date.
34
35 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
36
37 Section 1. Section 377.809, Florida Statutes, is created to
38 read:
39 377.809 Go Green Florida Grants and Awards Program.—
40 (1) This section may be cited as the “Go Green Florida
41 Program.”
42 (2) The Florida Energy and Climate Commission is authorized
43 to create the Go Green Florida Grants and Awards Program. The
44 program includes monetary grants and recognition awards to
45 provide incentives for and recognition to students, schools,
46 members of the public, community organizations, not-for-profit
47 organizations, businesses, and local governments that recognize
48 innovative local and statewide efforts to reduce energy
49 consumption, raise awareness of alternative energy-efficient
50 practices, reward efforts that encourage alternative energy use,
51 and reduce the carbon footprint in this state. The commission
52 shall ensure that the Go Green Florida Program is integrated
53 with other efforts to reduce energy consumption and climate
54 change.
55 (3) The commission may use funds received from the annual
56 proceeds of the Go Green Florida specialty license plate and
57 from funds specifically appropriated for this program to award
58 grants to assist persons and entities to develop and implement
59 innovative programs and projects that educate and inform the
60 residents of this state on how to achieve green standards and
61 how to engage in responsible energy-efficient practices. The
62 commission may fund cost-efficient programs and innovative
63 solutions to energy usage and environmental protection which
64 reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage the use of
65 alternative energy sources, improve the quality of life, and
66 strengthen the economy of this state.
67 (4)(a) The commission shall appoint a Go Green Florida
68 advisory panel that will assist the commission in selecting
69 programs and initiatives for monetary grants or recognition
70 awards. The appointment of the panel members shall be made by
71 October 1, 2009.
72 (b) The advisory panel consists of nine members, appointed
73 to terms that do not exceed 4 years. The advisory panel must
74 include two members of the Coalition for Renewable Energy
75 Solutions, Inc., one member of the commission, and six members
76 of the public who are involved in promoting responsible energy
77 efficient practices. The six public members shall be appointed
78 as follows:
79 1. Two members by the Governor.
80 2. Two members by the President of the Senate.
81 3. Two members by the Speaker of the House of
82 Representatives.
83 (c) The purpose of the advisory panel is to submit to the
84 commission, for approval, recommendations for monetary grants
85 and recognition awards for innovative programs and objectives.
86 (d) Members of the panel do not receive any compensation
87 for their services, but nongovernmental members are entitled to
88 receive reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses incurred
89 in the performance of their duties, as provided in s. 112.061.
90 (5) The commission may approve monetary grants and issue
91 recognition awards to recognize individuals and groups for
92 innovative programs and objectives. By rule, the commission
93 shall create the criteria for selecting worthy projects for
94 funding or recognition. The criteria shall:
95 (a) Identify funding categories, limits, funding amounts,
96 and evaluation of projects that may be eligible for funding, and
97 standards and categories for the recognition awards.
98 (b) Require that projects receiving funding or recognition
99 awards accomplish the goals of achieving green standards,
100 reducing energy consumption and the carbon footprint of the
101 state, raising awareness of alternative energy-efficient
102 practices, and encouraging alternative energy use. Priority for
103 funding shall be given to programs that can be shared and
104 replicated with other organizations and communities throughout
105 the state.
106 (c) Determine if grant recipients are required to provide
107 funds to match some portion of state funds by direct project
108 cost-sharing or in-kind services.
109 (d) Allow for the creation of a Go Green Florida Program
110 emblem, decal, or logo that the commission and Governor may use
111 to recognize individual or community efforts and achievements
112 that accomplish the goals of the Go Green Florida Program.
113 (e) Require grant applications and award recommendations to
114 be submitted on appropriate forms that are developed and adopted
115 by the commission, along with appropriate supporting
116 documentation.
117 (f) Establish a system to determine the relative priority
118 for choosing particular projects from among the many grant
119 applications received. The priority system must consider factors
120 such as greenhouse gas reductions, energy savings and
121 efficiencies, alternative energy usage, proven technologies, the
122 educational effect of the project, and the project's possible
123 replication throughout the state.
124 (g) Provide for the termination of grants when program
125 requirements are not being met.
126 (h) Provide for disseminating information concerning
127 successful innovative programs and projects throughout the state
128 through electronic and conventional channels or other means of
129 informing the public.
130 (6) The commission shall ensure that the Go Green Florida
131 Program is coordinated, to the extent necessary, with the other
132 programs and grants programs it operates.
133 (7) The commission may request assistance in coordinating
134 the activities and implementation of this program from the
135 Volunteer Florida Foundation.
136 (8) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter
137 120 to administer the monetary grants and recognition awards
138 program.
139 Section 2. Paragraph (qqq) is added to subsection (4) of
140 section 320.08056, Florida Statutes, to read:
141 320.08056 Specialty license plates.—
142 (4) The following license plate annual use fees shall be
143 collected for the appropriate specialty license plates:
144 (qqq) Go Green Florida license plate, $25, except that for
145 alternative fuel vehicles and electric vehicles, the annual use
146 fee shall be $20 per plate; and for fleet vehicles, $10 per
147 plate.
148 Section 3. Subsection (69) is added to section 320.08058,
149 Florida Statutes, to read:
150 320.08058 Specialty license plates.—
151 (69) GO GREEN FLORIDA LICENSE PLATES.—
152 (a) The department shall develop a Go Green Florida license
153 plate as provided in this section. The Go Green Florida license
154 plate must bear the colors and design approved by the
155 department. The word “Florida” must appear at the top of the
156 plate, and the words “Go Green Florida” must appear at the
157 bottom of the plate. The Go Green Florida emblem or logo must
158 appear on the plate.
159 (b) The Go Green Florida license plate must be made
160 available at a reduced fee for fleet license plates, government
161 license plates, and electric vehicle and alternative fuel
162 vehicle license plates.
163 (c) The Go Green Florida emblem may be authorized for use
164 by the department in recognition of energy-efficient vehicle
165 usage and practices. The display of the decal for energy
166 efficient practices is not a substitute for a legal license tag.
167 (d) The requirements of s. 320.08053 must be met before the
168 issuance of the specialty license plate.
169 (e) The proceeds from the sale of the plate shall be
170 distributed to the Coalition for Renewable Energy Solutions,
171 Inc., a not-for-profit corporation. The Coalition for Renewable
172 Energy Solutions shall retain the first $60,000 in proceeds from
173 the annual use fees as reimbursement for administrative costs,
174 startup costs, and costs incurred in the approval process.
175 Thereafter, up to 25 percent shall be used for continuing
176 promotion and marketing of the license plate and concept. The
177 remaining funds shall be used in the following manner:
178 1. Five percent of the proceeds shall be used by the
179 coalition for administrative costs directly associated with the
180 operations as they relate to the management and distribution of
181 the proceeds.
182 2. The remainder of the proceeds shall be distributed for
183 Go Green Florida grants, as approved by the Florida Energy and
184 Climate Commission, to promote the goals and objectives set
185 forth in s. 377.809. In addition, funds may be spent to defray
186 costs associated with recognition awards approved by the Florida
187 Energy and Climate Commission.
188
189 The coalition shall submit financial statements on all
190 expenditures related to the grants and awards program to the
191 Office of the Auditor General each year within 60 days after the
192 close of the coalition's fiscal year.
193 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.