Florida Senate - 2011                          SENATOR AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 898
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 806474                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
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                  Floor: WD            .                                
             05/02/2011 08:19 AM       .                                
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       Senator Bennett moved the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Between lines 11 and 12
    4  insert:
    5         Section 2. Section 14.23, Florida Statutes, is amended to
    6  read:
    7         14.23 State-Federal relations.—
    8         (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature
    9  to establish mechanisms through which the legislative and
   10  executive branches of state government can work together in a
   11  cooperative alliance, to strengthen the state’s relationship
   12  with our Congressional Delegation and with federal executive
   13  branch agencies, to improve our position in relation to federal
   14  legislative initiatives which have a fiscal impact or
   15  substantive policy impact on the state, and to establish and
   16  maintain a viable network and communications structure to
   17  facilitate the transmittal of essential information between
   18  state and federal officials, and to take all necessary steps to
   19  maximize the receipt of various federal funds by the State of
   20  Florida. Florida’s Congressional Delegation is, in this regard,
   21  the most important linkage in representing Florida’s interests
   22  in the nation’s capital. Therefore, the mechanisms and resources
   23  created herein, for the furtherance of the state’s
   24  intergovernmental efforts, shall include the Congressional
   25  Delegation and be available to meet its needs.
   26         (2) CREATION OF THE OFFICE OF STATE-FEDERAL RELATIONS.—
   27         (a) There is created, within the Executive Office of the
   28  Governor, the Office of State-Federal Relations for the State of
   29  Florida, hereinafter referred to as the “office,” to be located
   30  in Washington, D.C. The office shall represent both the
   31  legislative and executive branches of state government. The
   32  Legislature shall have direct access to the staff of the office.
   33         (b) The duties of the office shall be determined by the
   34  Governor, in consultation with the President of the Senate and
   35  the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and shall include,
   36  but not be limited to, the following:
   37         1. To provide legislative and administrative liaison
   38  between state and federal officials and agencies and with
   39  Congress.
   40         2. To provide grants assistance and advice to state
   41  agencies.
   42         3. To assist in the development and implementation of
   43  strategies for the evaluation and management of the state’s
   44  federal legislative program and intergovernmental efforts.
   45         4. To facilitate the activities of Florida officials
   46  traveling to Washington, D.C., in the performance of their
   47  official duties.
   48         (c) The head of the office shall be the director, who shall
   49  be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
   50         (3) COOPERATION.—For the purpose of centralizing the state
   51  federal relations efforts of the state, state agencies and their
   52  representatives shall cooperate and coordinate their state
   53  federal efforts and activities with the office. State agencies
   54  which have representatives headquartered in Washington, D.C.,
   55  are encouraged to station their representatives in the office.
   56         (4)ANNUAL REPORT.—By January 1 of each year, the office
   57  shall submit a report to the Governor, the President of the
   58  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
   59  detailing the office’s budget, personnel, and activities.
   60         (5)(4)(a) NOMINATIONS TO FEDERAL REGIONAL FISHERIES
   61  MANAGEMENT COUNCILS.—The Governor is prohibited from nominating
   62  for appointment to any one of the federal fisheries management
   63  councils established under 16 U.S.C. ss. 1801 et seq., as
   64  amended, the name of any person who is, or who has been at any
   65  time during the 24 months preceding such nomination, a lobbyist
   66  for any entity of any kind whatsoever whose interests are or
   67  could be affected by actions or decisions of such fisheries
   68  management councils.
   69         (b) For purposes of this section, the term “lobbyist” means
   70  any natural person who is required to register pursuant to s.
   71  11.045 or the equivalent federal statute and who, for
   72  compensation, seeks, or sought during the preceding 24 months,
   73  to influence the governmental decisionmaking of a reporting
   74  individual or procurement employee, as those terms are defined
   75  under s. 112.3148, or his or her agency, to encourage the
   76  passage, defeat, or modification of any proposal or
   77  recommendation by such reporting individual or procurement
   78  employee or his or her agency.
   79  
   80  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   81         And the title is amended as follows:
   82         Delete line 6
   83  and insert:
   84         Advisory Council; amending s. 14.23, F.S.; requiring
   85         the Office of State-Federal Relations to submit an
   86         annual report to the Governor and Legislature
   87         detailing its budget, personnel, and activities;
   88         providing an effective date.