ENROLLED 2019 Legislature SB 1552 20191552er 1 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.