Florida Senate - 2023 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT Bill No. CS for SB 724 Ì431188>Î431188 LEGISLATIVE ACTION Senate . House Comm: RCS . 04/13/2023 . . . . ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government (Grall) recommended the following: 1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 2 3 Delete lines 46 - 110 4 and insert: 5 and expedite the development of cost-efficient innovative 6 technologies and approaches that are critically needed to 7 restore coastal seagrass ecosystems by building upon research 8 and restoration efforts in the public and private sectors. 9 (b) The goal of the initiative is to develop, test, and 10 implement innovative, effective, cost-efficient, and 11 environmentally sustainable technologies and approaches for 12 restoring coastal seagrass ecosystems. 13 (c) The department shall award funds specifically 14 appropriated by the Legislature for the initiative to Mote 15 Marine Laboratory, which shall function as the lead 16 administrative component to achieve the goals of the initiative. 17 1. Mote Marine Laboratory may, with the concurrence of the 18 department, use a portion of the awarded funds to facilitate 19 additional engagement with other pertinent marine science and 20 technology development organizations in this state and around 21 the world to pursue applied research and technology for the 22 successful restoration of seagrass ecosystems. 23 2. Mote Marine Laboratory may not use more than 5 percent 24 of its awarded funds for direct annual initiative administration 25 and coordination costs. 26 3. The initiative shall leverage state-appropriated funds 27 with additional funds from private and federal sources. 28 (d) In collaboration with the program, Mote Marine 29 Laboratory and the University of Florida shall create a 10-year 30 Florida Seagrass Restoration Plan to implement tools and 31 technologies developed under the initiative. 32 (e) Beginning January 15, 2024, and each January 15 33 thereafter until its expiration, the initiative shall submit a 34 report that contains an overview of its accomplishments to date 35 and priorities for subsequent years to the Governor, the 36 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 37 Representatives, the Secretary of Environmental Protection, and 38 the executive director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation 39 Commission. 40 (4) The Initiative Technology Advisory Council, an advisory 41 council as defined in s. 20.03, is established as part of the 42 initiative. The advisory council’s membership must include 43 marine science, technology development, and natural resource 44 management representatives from this state’s aquatic preserves, 45 private organizations, and public or private research 46 institutions. The council shall meet at least twice annually. 47 (a) The council shall be co-chaired by the president and 48 chief executive officer of Mote Marine Laboratory and a 49 representative from the University of Florida and shall be 50 composed of the following members: 51 1. One member from a private commercial enterprise, 52 appointed by the Governor. 53 2. One member from a public or private university in this 54 state, appointed by the President of the Senate. 55 3. One member from a non-university public or private 56 marine environmental organization, appointed by the Speaker of 57 the House of Representatives. 58 4. One member from the program who has expertise in 59 seagrass ecosystems, appointed by the Secretary of Environmental 60 Protection. 61 5. One member from the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 62 who has expertise in seagrass, appointed by the executive 63 director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 64 (b) Council members shall serve staggered 2-year terms and 65 may be reappointed. 66 (c) Council members shall serve without compensation, and 67 each organization represented shall cover all expenses of its 68 respective representative. 69 (5) Pending the completion of the research conducted 70 pursuant to this section and any recommendations of the council, 71 the department shall, subject to legislative appropriation, 72 implement seagrass restoration projects that are procured on a 73 payment-for-performance basis to protect the investment made by 74 this state in seagrass restoration efforts. 75 (6) This section expires June 30, 2028. 76 77 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================ 78 And the title is amended as follows: 79 Delete line 19 80 and insert: 81 council; requiring the department to implement 82 seagrass restoration projects, subject to legislative 83 appropriation, that are procured on a specified basis; 84 providing for the expiration of the