Florida Senate - 2015 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 1246
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LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
03/10/2015 .
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The Committee on Commerce and Tourism (Detert) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete lines 65 - 138
4 and insert:
5 (3) As an alternative to application by a business entity,
6 the Department of Economic Opportunity must consider nominations
7 from members of the community in which the business entity is
8 located. The nomination must identify the business entity’s
9 achievements in one or both of the categories as provided in
10 paragraph (2) of this section.
11 (4) The Department of Economic Opportunity shall adopt
12 procedures for the application and designation processes for the
13 Florida Unique Abilities Partner program. Designation as a
14 Florida Unique Abilities Partner does not establish or involve
15 licensure, does not affect the substantial interests of a party,
16 and does not constitute a final agency action. The Florida
17 Unique Abilities Partner program and designation are not subject
18 to chapter 120, Florida Statutes.
19 (5) In determining the eligibility for the designation of a
20 business entity as a Florida Unique Abilities Partner, the
21 Department of Economic Opportunity must consider, at a minimum,
22 the following criteria:
23 (a) For a designation based on an application by a
24 business:
25 1. A business entity must certify that it employs at least
26 one individual who has a disability. Such employees must be
27 residents of this state and must have been employed by the
28 business entity for at least 9 months before the business
29 entity’s application for the designation. The department may not
30 require the employer to provide personally identifiable
31 information about its employees;
32 2. A business entity must certify that it has made
33 contributions to local and national disability organizations or
34 contributions in support of individuals who have a disability.
35 Contributions may be accomplished through financial or in-kind
36 contributions, including employee volunteer hours, or
37 accomplished through the establishment of a program that
38 contributes to the independence of individuals who have a
39 disability. Contributions must be documented by providing copies
40 of written receipts or letters of acknowledgment from recipients
41 or donees. A business entity with 100 or fewer employees must
42 make a financial or in-kind contribution of at least $1,000, and
43 a business entity with more than 100 employees must make a
44 financial or in-kind contribution of at least $5,000; or
45 (b) For a designation based upon receipt of a nomination of
46 a business entity, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall
47 determine whether the nominee, based on the information provided
48 by the nominating person or entity, meets the requirements of
49 subsection (5)(a). If the designee appears to meet the
50 requirements, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall
51 provide notice to the nominee, including the qualification
52 criteria asserted in the nomination. The nominee shall be
53 provided 30 days from the receipt of the notice to decline the
54 nomination. After 30 days, if the nomination has not been
55 declined, the business must be awarded the designation.
56 (6) After an initial designation as a Florida Unique
57 Abilities Partner, a business entity must certify each year that
58 it continues to meet the criteria for the designation. If a
59 business entity does not submit yearly certification of
60 continued eligibility, the Department of Economic Opportunity
61 shall remove the designation. A business entity may elect to
62 discontinue its use of the designation at any time by notifying
63 the department of such decision.
64 (7) The Department of Economic Opportunity, in consultation
65 with members of the disability community, must develop a logo
66 that identifies a business entity that is designated as a
67 Florida Unique Abilities Partner.
68 (8) The Department of Economic Opportunity must adopt
69 guidelines and requirements for use of the logo, including how
70 the logo may be used in advertising. The department may allow a
71 business entity to display a Florida Unique Abilities Partner
72 logo upon designation. A business entity that has not been
73 designated as a Florida Unique Abilities Partner or has elected
74 to discontinue its designated status may not display the logo.
75 (9) The Department of Economic Opportunity must maintain a
76 website that provides the public with a list of business
77 entities, by county, that currently have the Florida Unique
78 Abilities Partner designation and that provides information
79 regarding the eligibilities for the designation. At least once a
80 year, the department must publish on its website the best ways
81 for business entities to facilitate the inclusion of individuals
82 who have a disability. The Agency for Persons with Disabilities
83 must provide a link on their websites to the department’s
84 website that makes available the information on the Florida
85 Unique Abilities Partner program and designation.
86 (10) On a quarterly basis, the Department of Economic
87 Opportunity must provide the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing
88 Corporation with a current list of all businesses that are
89 designated as a Florida Unique Abilities Partner. The Florida
90 Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation must consider the Florida
91 Unique Abilities Partner program in the development of marketing
92 campaigns, and specifically in any targeted marketing campaign
93 for individuals who have a disability, or their families.
94
95 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
96 And the title is amended as follows:
97 Delete lines 25 - 31
98 and insert:
99 Agency for Persons with Disabilities to provide a link
100 on its website to the department's website for the
101 Florida Unique Abilities Partner program; requiring
102 the department to provide the Florida Tourism Industry
103 Marketing Corporation with certain information;
104 requiring the