| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to public works projects; providing a |
| 3 | short title; requiring certain state agencies and private |
| 4 | sector contractors utilizing state funds or federal funds |
| 5 | administered by the state for certain purposes to employ a |
| 6 | specified number of Florida residents as onsite employees; |
| 7 | providing application; providing for retroactive effect |
| 8 | and a period for compliance for projects begun before the |
| 9 | enactment of this act; providing a fine for noncompliance |
| 10 | or bad faith circumvention; defining the term "Florida |
| 11 | resident"; providing an effective date. |
| 12 |
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| 13 | WHEREAS, the State of Florida has suffered unemployment |
| 14 | levels that have exceeded 10 percent, and |
| 15 | WHEREAS, the state has an interest in reemploying |
| 16 | unemployed residents to lessen the state's unemployment |
| 17 | compensation burden to employers, and |
| 18 | WHEREAS, the state has a compelling interest in reemploying |
| 19 | its residents to lessen the need for government services, NOW, |
| 20 | THEREFORE, |
| 21 |
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| 22 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 23 |
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| 24 | Section 1. (1) This act may be cited as the "Florida |
| 25 | Reemployment Investment Act." |
| 26 | (2) State agencies and private sector contractors |
| 27 | performing services directly or indirectly related to public |
| 28 | works projects that utilize any state funds or federal funds |
| 29 | administered by the state shall be required to have 66 percent |
| 30 | of their onsite employees, independent contractors, or other |
| 31 | individuals providing onsite services be Florida residents. |
| 32 | (3) This act applies to all public works projects that |
| 33 | have a commencement date of July 1, 2009, through July 1, 2012. |
| 34 | Commencement of a project shall be deemed the first date of |
| 35 | physical construction at a worksite. |
| 36 | (4) State agencies and private sector contractors subject |
| 37 | to the provisions of this act who provide services to public |
| 38 | works projects commencing prior to July 1, 2010, shall have 60 |
| 39 | days to comply with the provisions of this act. |
| 40 | (5) A private sector contractor who fails to comply with |
| 41 | the provisions of this act, or attempts in bad faith to |
| 42 | circumvent the provisions of this act, commits a noncriminal |
| 43 | infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed $5,000 for each |
| 44 | day in noncompliance. |
| 45 | (6) For purposes of this act, "Florida resident" means a |
| 46 | person who has had a valid Florida driver's license or Florida |
| 47 | identification card or has declared his or her homestead |
| 48 | property in this state for at least 1 year prior to July 1, |
| 49 | 2009, or the date of commencement of the project, whichever |
| 50 | occurs later. |
| 51 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010. |