Florida Senate - 2019 SB 1552
By Senator Gruters
23-00549B-19 20191552__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and
3 Technology Development Initiative; creating s.
4 379.2273, F.S.; providing legislative intent;
5 establishing the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and
6 Technology Development Initiative; providing the
7 purpose and goal of the initiative; providing for
8 funding; requiring the initiative to submit an annual
9 report by a specified date to the Governor, the
10 Legislature, the Secretary of Environmental
11 Protection, and the executive director of the Fish and
12 Wildlife Conservation Commission; establishing the
13 Initiative Technology Advisory Council; providing for
14 the meetings, membership, terms of office, and
15 compensation of the council; providing for expiration
16 of the initiative; providing appropriations; providing
17 an effective date.
18
19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
20
21 Section 1. Section 379.2273, Florida Statutes, is created
22 to read:
23 379.2273 Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology
24 Development Initiative; Initiative Technology Advisory Council.—
25 (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish an
26 independent and coordinated effort among public and private
27 research entities to develop prevention, control, and mitigation
28 technologies and approaches to address the impacts of red tide
29 on coastal environments and communities in this state.
30 (2) The Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology
31 Development Initiative is established as a partnership between
32 the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute within the commission
33 and Mote Marine Laboratory.
34 (a) The purpose of the initiative is to lead the
35 development of innovative technologies and approaches that are
36 critically needed to address the control and mitigation of red
37 tide and its impacts by building upon the ongoing cooperative
38 red tide research and monitoring program between the Fish and
39 Wildlife Research Institute and Mote Marine Laboratory.
40 (b) The goal of the initiative is to develop, test, and
41 implement innovative, effective, and environmentally sustainable
42 technologies and approaches for controlling and mitigating the
43 impacts of red tide.
44 (c) Funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature for
45 red tide mitigation technology development projects shall be
46 awarded by the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute to Mote
47 Marine Laboratory to achieve the goals of the initiative.
48 1. Mote Marine Laboratory may, with the concurrence of the
49 Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, use a portion of the
50 awarded funds to facilitate additional engagement with other
51 pertinent marine science and technology development
52 organizations in this state and around the world to pursue
53 applied research and technology for the control and mitigation
54 of the impacts of red tide.
55 2. Mote Marine Laboratory may not use more than 5 percent
56 of its awarded funds for direct annual initiative administration
57 coordination costs.
58 3. The initiative shall leverage state-appropriated funds
59 with additional funds from private and federal sources.
60 (d) Beginning January 15, 2021, and each January 15
61 thereafter until its expiration, the initiative shall submit a
62 report that contains an overview of its accomplishments to date
63 and priorities for subsequent years to the Governor, the
64 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
65 Representatives, the Secretary of Environmental Protection, and
66 the executive director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
67 Commission.
68 (3) There is established within the initiative the
69 Initiative Technology Advisory Council, an advisory council as
70 defined in s. 20.03(7), that includes marine science, technology
71 development, and natural resource management representatives
72 from governmental entities, private organizations, and public or
73 private research institutions. The council shall meet at least
74 twice annually.
75 (a) The council shall be chaired by the president and chief
76 executive officer of Mote Marine Laboratory and shall consist of
77 the following:
78 1. One member from a private commercial enterprise,
79 appointed by the Governor.
80 2. One member from a public or private university in this
81 state, appointed by the President of the Senate.
82 3. One member from a nonuniversity public or private marine
83 environmental organization, appointed by the Speaker of the
84 House of Representatives.
85 4. One member from the Department of Environmental
86 Protection who has expertise in red tide, appointed by the
87 Secretary of Environmental Protection.
88 5. One member from the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
89 who has expertise in red tide, appointed by the executive
90 director of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
91 (b) Council members shall serve staggered 2-year terms and
92 may be reappointed.
93 (c) Council members shall serve without compensation, and
94 each organization represented shall cover all expenses of its
95 respective representative.
96 (4) This section expires June 30, 2025.
97 Section 2. Beginning in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, and for
98 each fiscal year thereafter through the 2024-2025 fiscal year,
99 there is appropriated the sum of $3 million from the General
100 Revenue Fund to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
101 for the purpose of implementing s. 379.2273, Florida Statutes.
102 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.