Florida Senate - 2012                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 1416
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 519408                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: FAV            .                                
                  03/01/2012           .                                
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       The Committee on Budget Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism,
       and Economic Development Appropriations (Gaetz) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Between lines 3584 and 3585
    4  insert:
    5         Section 92. The Department of Economic Opportunity shall
    6  convene a work group to study Florida's reemployment assistance
    7  contribution calculation as specified in s. 443.131 and other
    8  related law.
    9         (1) The work group shall consist of ten members as follows:
   10         (a) The executive director of the Department of Economic
   11  Opportunity, or his or her designee, who shall serve as the
   12  chair of the work group.
   13         (b) The executive director of the Department of Revenue, or
   14  his or her designee.
   15         (c) Four representatives of the business community, two of
   16  which shall represent small businesses, to be appointed by joint
   17  agreement of the executive directors of the departments.
   18         (d) The director of the Division of Workforce Services
   19  within the Department of Economic Opportunity, or his or her
   20  designee.
   21         (e) The program director of the General Tax Administration
   22  Program Office within the Department of Revenue, or his or her
   23  designee.
   24         (f) A member of the Senate designated by the President of
   25  the Senate.
   26         (g) A member of the House of Representatives designated by
   27  the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
   28         (2) The work group shall convene its first meeting by July
   29  15, 2012. Thereafter, the chair of the work group shall call a
   30  meeting as often as necessary to carry out the provisions of
   31  this section. The Department of Economic Opportunity shall keep
   32  a complete record of the proceedings of each meeting, which
   33  includes the names of the members present at each meeting and
   34  the actions taken. The records shall be public records pursuant
   35  to chapter 119. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the
   36  group members. Members of the group shall not receive
   37  compensation.
   38         (3) The purpose of the work group is to study Florida's
   39  reemployment assistance contribution calculation and provide
   40  recommendations to the Legislature for changes to the
   41  calculation designed to ensure the long-term solvency of the
   42  reemployment assistance program while promoting equitable,
   43  minimal tax burdens on Florida employers. The recommendations
   44  shall be limited to changes to the calculation and related law
   45  and shall not include changes to eligibility for benefits or any
   46  other portion of the reemployment assistance program. The work
   47  group may review the laws of other states to develop
   48  recommendations appropriate to Florida.
   49         (4) Relevant staff from the Department of Economic
   50  Opportunity and the Department of Revenue knowledgeable in the
   51  subject area may be assigned to assist the work group. The
   52  President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
   53  Representatives may also assign their respective staff to
   54  provide technical guidance and assistance to the work group in
   55  the development of alternative proposals.
   56         (5) Members of the work group are entitled to reimbursement
   57  for travel and per diem expenses, as provided in s. 112.061
   58  while performing their duties under this section. Travel and per
   59  diem expenses of work group members and other staff who are
   60  state employees shall be reimbursed by the respective state
   61  agency employing the member or staff. The Department of Economic
   62  Opportunity and the Department of Revenue shall jointly provide
   63  administrative support for the work group, shall pay equally for
   64  travel and per diem expenses of work group members who are not
   65  state employees, and shall pay equally any other operational
   66  expenses of the work group as deemed reasonable and appropriate
   67  by joint agreement of the executive directors of the
   68  departments.
   69         (6) The findings and recommendations of the work group
   70  shall be submitted to the Legislature by December 31, 2012.
   71         (7) This section is repealed January 31, 2013.
   72  
   73  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   74         And the title is amended as follows:
   75         Between lines 73 and 74
   76  insert:
   77         creating a work group to study Florida's reemployment
   78         assistance contribution calculation and provide
   79         recommendations; providing for membership; providing
   80         for reimbursement; providing for repeal;