Florida Senate - 2017 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 10
Ì616632"Î616632
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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Floor: 2/F/2R .
04/12/2017 01:39 PM .
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Senator Clemens moved the following:
1 Senate Substitute for Amendment (318228) (with title
2 amendment)
3
4 Delete everything after the enacting clause
5 and insert:
6 Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 215.618, Florida
7 Statutes, is amended to read:
8 215.618 Bonds for acquisition and improvement of land,
9 water areas, and related property interests and resources.—
10 (5) The proceeds from the sale of bonds issued pursuant to
11 this section, less the costs of issuance, the costs of funding
12 reserve accounts, and other costs with respect to the bonds,
13 shall be deposited into the Florida Forever Trust Fund. The bond
14 proceeds deposited into the Florida Forever Trust Fund shall be
15 distributed by the Department of Environmental Protection as
16 provided in s. 259.105. This subsection does not apply to
17 proceeds from the sale of bonds issued for the purposes of s.
18 373.45927.
19 Section 2. Section 373.45927, Florida Statutes, is created
20 to read:
21 373.45927 Florida Forever bonding for the Comprehensive
22 Everglades Restoration Plan.—
23 (1) As used in this section, the term:
24 (a) “Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan” or “CERP”
25 has the same meaning as the term “comprehensive plan” as defined
26 in s. 373.470.
27 (b) “District” means the South Florida Water Management
28 District.
29 (2) The Legislature finds that the current progress and
30 schedules for restoration of the Everglades pursuant to the
31 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan are inadequate to
32 timely restore the ecological system of the Everglades and
33 timely address adverse changes in water quality and in the
34 quantity, distribution, and timing of water flows in the
35 Everglades.
36 (3) Pursuant to s. 11(e), Art. VII of the State
37 Constitution, state bonds are authorized to accelerate the
38 district’s current restoration efforts relating to CERP.
39 (4) Any CERP-related cost may be funded using proceeds from
40 Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618, as authorized
41 under that section. The Legislature determines that the
42 authorization and issuance of such bonds is in the best interest
43 of the state and determines that the CERP projects should be
44 accelerated. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
45 proceeds from the sale of such bonds, less the costs of
46 issuance, the costs of funding reserve accounts, and other costs
47 with respect to the bonds, shall be deposited in a total amount
48 of up to $1.2 billion in bond proceeds over the course of the
49 2017-2018 through 2022-2023 fiscal years to the Florida Forever
50 Trust Fund to implement CERP projects.
51 Section 3. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
52 Statutes, is amended to read:
53 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
54 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
55 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
56 (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
57 reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
58 respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
59 pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
60 and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
61 bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
62 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
63 under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
64 pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
65 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
66 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
67 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
68 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
69 Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
70 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
71 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
72 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
73 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
74 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
75 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
76 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
77 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
78 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
79 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
80 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
81 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project; the
82 Everglades Agricultural Area storage reservoir, known as
83 Component G of CERP; the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project; the
84 C-43 West Basin Storage Reservoir Project; the Indian River
85 Lagoon-South Project; the Western Everglades Restoration
86 Project; the C-111 South-Dade Project; and the Picayune Strand
87 Restoration Project subject to Congressional authorization. The
88 Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida
89 Water Management District shall give preference to those
90 Everglades restoration projects that reduce harmful discharges
91 of water from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee
92 estuaries in a timely manner. For the purpose of performing the
93 calculation provided in this subparagraph, the amount of debt
94 service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after
95 July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b)
96 shall be added to the amount remaining after the payments
97 required under paragraph (a). The amount of the distribution
98 calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal to the debt
99 service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued after
100 July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
101 subparagraph.
102 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
103 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
104 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
105 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
106 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
107 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
108 paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
109 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
110 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
111 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
112 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
113 subparagraph.
114 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
115 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
116 Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
117 the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
118 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
119 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
120 purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
121 4. The sum of $100 million is appropriated and shall be
122 transferred to the Everglades Trust Fund for the 2018-2019
123 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, for the Everglades
124 Agricultural Area storage reservoir, known as Component G of
125 CERP. Any funds remaining in any fiscal year shall be made
126 available only for projects identified in subparagraph 1. and
127 must be used in accordance with laws relating to such projects.
128 Any funds made available for such purposes in a fiscal year is
129 in addition to the amount appropriated under that subparagraph.
130 This distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal to the
131 debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued
132 after July 1, 2017, for the purposes set forth in this
133 subparagraph.
134 Section 4. Section 446.71, Florida Statutes, is created to
135 read:
136 446.71 Everglades Restoration Agricultural Community
137 Employment Training Program.—
138 (1) The Department of Economic Opportunity, in cooperation
139 with CareerSource Florida, Inc., shall establish the Everglades
140 Restoration Agricultural Community Employment Training Program
141 within the Department of Economic Opportunity. The Department of
142 Economic Opportunity shall use funds appropriated to the program
143 by the Legislature to provide grants to stimulate and support
144 training and employment programs that seek to match persons who
145 complete such training programs with nonagricultural employment
146 opportunities in areas of high agricultural unemployment, and to
147 provide other training, educational, and information services
148 necessary to stimulate the creation of jobs in the areas of high
149 agricultural unemployment.
150 (2) The Legislature supports projects that improve the
151 economy in the Everglades Agricultural Area. In recognition of
152 the employment opportunities and economic development generated
153 by new and expanding industries in the area, such as the
154 Airglades Airport in Hendry County and the development of an
155 inland port in Palm Beach County, the Legislature finds that
156 training the citizens of the state to fill the needs of these
157 industries significantly enhances the economic viability of the
158 region.
159 (3) Funds may be used for grants for tuition for public or
160 private technical or vocational programs and matching grants to
161 employers to conduct employer-based training programs, or for
162 the purchase of equipment to be used for training purposes, the
163 hiring of instructors, or any other purpose directly associated
164 with the program.
165 (4) The Department of Economic Opportunity may not award a
166 grant to any given training program which exceeds 50 percent of
167 the total cost of the program. Matching contributions may
168 include in-kind services, including, but not limited to, the
169 provision of training instructors, equipment, and training
170 facilities.
171 (5) The Department of Economic Opportunity may grant up to
172 100 percent of the tuition for a training program participant
173 primarily employed during 36 of the previous 60 months in the
174 Everglades Agricultural Area.
175 (6) Programs established in the Everglades Agricultural
176 Area must include opportunities to obtain the qualifications and
177 skills necessary for jobs related to federal and state
178 restoration projects, the Airglades Airport in Hendry County, or
179 an inland port in Palm Beach County.
180 (7) The Department of Economic Opportunity shall adopt
181 rules to implement this section.
182 Section 5. The South Florida Water Management District, in
183 coordination with the United States Army Corps of Engineers,
184 must begin a planning study of the Everglades Agricultural Area
185 storage reservoir, known as Component G of CERP, by October 31,
186 2018.
187 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.
188
189 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
190 And the title is amended as follows:
191 Delete everything before the enacting clause
192 and insert:
193 A bill to be entitled
194 An act relating to water resources; amending s.
195 215.618, F.S.; providing an exception to the
196 requirement that bonds issued for acquisition and
197 improvement of land, water areas, and related property
198 interests and resources be deposited into the Florida
199 Forever Trust Fund and distributed in a specified
200 manner; creating s. 373.45927, F.S.; defining terms;
201 providing legislative findings; authorizing the
202 issuance of state bonds to accelerate certain
203 restoration efforts of the South Florida Water
204 Management District; providing that the proceeds from
205 the sale of Florida Forever bonds authorized under the
206 section may fund any costs associated with the
207 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan; providing
208 for the annual deposit of the proceeds, less certain
209 costs, up to a maximum amount for a specified
210 timeframe; amending s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring
211 certain distributions to be made from the Land
212 Acquisition Trust Fund; creating s. 446.71, F.S.;
213 requiring the Department of Economic Opportunity, in
214 cooperation with CareerSource Florida, Inc., to
215 establish the Everglades Restoration Agricultural
216 Community Employment Training Program within the
217 department; providing requirements for the program;
218 providing a legislative finding; specifying award
219 restrictions; requiring the department to adopt rules;
220 requiring the department, in coordination with the
221 United States Army Corps of Engineers, to begin a
222 planning study of the Everglades Agricultural Area
223 storage reservoir by a specified date; providing an
224 effective date.