Florida Senate - 2011                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 770
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 434018                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/14/2011           .                                
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       The Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation
       (Dean) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Section 717.108, Florida Statutes, is amended to
    6  read:
    7         717.108 Deposits held by utilities.—
    8         (1) Any deposit, including any interest thereon, made by a
    9  subscriber with a utility to secure payment or any sum paid in
   10  advance for utility services to be furnished, less any lawful
   11  charges, that remains unclaimed by the owner for more than 1
   12  year after termination of the services for which the deposit or
   13  advance payment was made is presumed unclaimed.
   14         (2)(a)Distribution of the unclaimed deposits: $500,000
   15  shall be transferred from the Department of Community Affairs,
   16  or the Department of Community Affairs' successor agency, to the
   17  Department of Environmental Protection, Ecosystem Management and
   18  Restoration Trust Fund, for the purpose of improving water
   19  quality in Silver Springs.
   20         (b) The remaining balance of the unclaimed deposits/funds
   21  shall be transferred to the Grants and Donations Trust Fund
   22  within the Department of Community Affairs, or the Department of
   23  Community Affairs' successor agency, to be used to supplement
   24  the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for the purpose of
   25  assisting low income households in meeting the costs of home
   26  heating and cooling bills. These funds will be administered
   27  through the same local provider agencies that presently
   28  administer the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
   29         Section 2. Appropriation
   30         (1)The Department of Environmental Protection is hereby
   31  appropriated $500,000 from the Ecosystem Management and
   32  Restoration Trust Fund for the purpose of improving water
   33  quality in Silver Springs. These funds are to be directed to the
   34  implementation of remediation actions that have the effect of
   35  reducing nitrate loads to the spring. The department shall
   36  coordinate with Marion County in identifying and selecting which
   37  project has the greatest benefit based on estimated nitrate
   38  reductions and consistency with the long-term plans of Marion
   39  County.
   40         (2) The Department of Community Affairs, or its successor
   41  agency, is hereby appropriated $3.5 million from the Grants and
   42  Donations Trust Fund and shall be used by local Low-Income Home
   43  Energy Assistance Program provider agencies to meet the energy
   44  needs of eligible applicants.
   45         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.
   46  
   47  
   48  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   49         And the title is amended as follows:
   50         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   51  and insert:
   52                        A bill to be entitled                      
   53         An act relating to unclaimed deposits held by utilities;
   54  amending s. 717.108, F.S.; requiring that any unclaimed deposits
   55  held by a utility be deposited into the Grants and Donations
   56  Trust Fund located in the Department of Community Affairs, or
   57  its successor agency, to supplement the Low Income Home Energy
   58  Assistance Program; and the Ecosystem Management and Restoration
   59  Trust Fund located in the Department of Environmental Protection
   60  to improve the water quality in Silver Springs; providing
   61  appropriations; providing an effective date.