Florida Senate - 2025 SB 600
By Senator Truenow
13-00614A-25 2025600__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to manufacturing; creating s. 14.37,
3 F.S.; creating the Statewide Office of Manufacturing
4 within the Department of Commerce for a certain
5 purpose; requiring that the office be headed by a
6 Chief Manufacturing Officer appointed by and serving
7 at the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce;
8 providing responsibilities for the Chief Manufacturing
9 Officer; directing all state and local governmental
10 entities to assist the Chief Manufacturing Officer;
11 requiring the department to biennially prepare a
12 report regarding manufacturing efforts in this state;
13 requiring the department to submit its report on a
14 specified date and biennially thereafter to the
15 Governor and the Legislature; requiring that the
16 report include certain information; creating s.
17 288.103, F.S.; creating the Florida Manufacturers’
18 Workforce Development Grant Program; providing that
19 the grant program is created within the Department of
20 Commerce and under the direction of the Chief
21 Manufacturing Officer; providing a specified purpose
22 for the grant program; requiring the department, the
23 Chief Manufacturing Officer, and the state
24 Manufacturing Extension Partnership to review
25 applications submitted and to select specified
26 projects; requiring that priority be given to projects
27 that meet certain criteria; authorizing applicants to
28 seek funding for a specified purpose; requiring the
29 department to administer the grant awards from the
30 Economic Development Trust Fund; requiring the
31 department to include certain information in its
32 annual incentives report; authorizing the department
33 to adopt rules; creating part XIV of ch. 559, F.S., to
34 be entitled “Florida Manufacturing Promotional
35 Campaign”; creating s. 559.971, F.S.; providing
36 legislative findings; creating s. 559.972, F.S.;
37 defining terms; creating s. 559.973, F.S.; creating
38 the Florida Manufacturing Promotional Campaign within
39 the Department of Commerce; providing the purpose of
40 the campaign; requiring the department to take certain
41 actions in promoting the campaign; creating s.
42 559.974, F.S.; requiring persons that participate in
43 the campaign to register annually with the department;
44 creating s. 559.976, F.S.; authorizing the department
45 to adopt rules; authorizing the department to
46 establish, by rule, the logos or product identifiers
47 to be depicted for use in the campaign; providing an
48 effective date.
49
50 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
51
52 Section 1. Section 14.37, Florida Statutes, is created to
53 read:
54 14.37 Statewide Office of Manufacturing.—
55 (1) The Statewide Office of Manufacturing is established
56 within the Department of Commerce for the purpose of supporting
57 the manufacturing ecosystem statewide. The office shall be
58 headed by a Chief Manufacturing Officer, who is appointed by and
59 serves at the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce.
60 (2) The Chief Manufacturing Officer shall:
61 (a) Serve as a subject-matter expert for the state on
62 issues related to manufacturing.
63 (b) Be responsible for promoting and coordinating
64 manufacturing efforts in this state and identifying gaps across
65 state-supported activities.
66 (c) Provide strategic direction for interagency and cross
67 disciplinary initiatives to promote and support manufacturing in
68 this state.
69 (d) Work with federal, state, regional, and local
70 governmental entities and nongovernmental entities to align
71 manufacturing priorities.
72 (e) Engage with state agencies and water management
73 districts to innovate processes, programs, decision frameworks,
74 and reporting mechanisms intended to support manufacturing in
75 this state.
76 (3) All state and local governmental entities shall assist
77 the Chief Manufacturing Officer to the extent such assistance is
78 consistent with law and with budgetary constraints.
79 (4) The department shall prepare a report, in consultation
80 with the Chief Manufacturing Officer and the state Manufacturing
81 Extension Partnership, regarding manufacturing efforts in this
82 state. The department shall submit the report to the Governor,
83 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
84 Representatives by December 15, 2026, and every 2 years
85 thereafter. The report must include information regarding the
86 strength and economic importance of the manufacturing industry
87 in this state.
88 Section 2. Section 288.103, Florida Statutes, is created to
89 read:
90 288.103 Florida Manufacturers’ Workforce Development Grant
91 Program.—
92 (1) The Florida Manufacturers’ Workforce Development Grant
93 Program is created within the Department of Commerce, under the
94 direction of the Chief Manufacturing Officer and in consultation
95 with the state Manufacturing Extension Partnership, to fund
96 proposed projects, subject to appropriation by the Legislature,
97 which support small manufacturers in this state with the
98 deployment of new technologies or cybersecurity infrastructure
99 and to provide training support to the workforce.
100 (2) The department, in coordination with the Chief
101 Manufacturing Officer and the state Manufacturing Extension
102 Partnership, shall review applications submitted and select
103 projects for awards which create strategic investments in
104 workforce training to facilitate the deployment of new
105 technologies or cybersecurity infrastructure.
106 (3) Priority must be given to projects with innovative
107 plans, advanced technologies, and development strategies that
108 focus on workforce development for small manufacturers across
109 this state.
110 (4) Applicants may seek funding for workforce development
111 and operations, but grant funding awarded under this section may
112 not be used to pay salary and benefits or general business or
113 office expenses. Grants awarded under the program shall be
114 administered by the department from the Economic Development
115 Trust Fund established in s. 288.095.
116 (5) The department shall annually provide a list available
117 to the public of each project awarded, the benefit of each
118 project in meeting the goals and objectives of the program, and
119 the current status of each project. The department must include
120 such information in its annual incentives report required under
121 s. 288.0065.
122 (6) The department may adopt rules to implement this
123 section.
124 Section 3. Part XIV of chapter 559, Florida Statutes,
125 consisting of ss. 559.971-559.976, Florida Statutes, is created
126 and entitled “Florida Manufacturing Promotional Campaign.”
127 Section 4. Section 559.971, Florida Statutes, is created to
128 read:
129 559.971 Legislative findings.—The Legislature finds that
130 there is a need for the Florida Manufacturing Promotional
131 Campaign to increase consumer awareness of manufacturing
132 activities in this state, to expand market exposure for
133 manufactured products and goods in this state, and to inspire
134 future generations of entrepreneurs, fabricators, and skilled
135 workers to build and grow domestic businesses and manufacturing
136 operations in this state. The Legislature further finds that the
137 campaign is a partnership between industry and the state to
138 promote and advertise such products efficiently.
139 Section 5. Section 559.972, Florida Statutes, is created to
140 read:
141 559.972 Definitions.—As used in this part, the term:
142 (1) “Campaign” means the Florida Manufacturing Promotional
143 Campaign.
144 (2) “Department” means the Department of Commerce.
145 (3) “Manufactured product” means any tangible personal
146 property that has been fabricated or produced, often through
147 industrial or mechanical processes. The term includes items sold
148 or leased to consumers.
149 (4) “Person” means an individual, a firm, a partnership, a
150 corporation, an association, a business, a trust, a legal
151 representative, or any other business unit.
152 Section 6. Section 559.973, Florida Statutes, is created to
153 read:
154 559.973 Florida Manufacturing Promotional Campaign;
155 purpose; duties of the department.—There is created within the
156 department, under the supervision of the Chief Manufacturing
157 Officer and in coordination with the state Manufacturing
158 Extension Partnership, the Florida Manufacturing Promotional
159 Campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to serve as a marketing
160 program to promote manufacturing products and businesses in this
161 state. In promoting the campaign, the department shall do all of
162 the following:
163 (1) Develop logos for the campaign and authorize the use of
164 such logos as provided by rule.
165 (2) Register campaign participants.
166 (3) Collect rental receipts for industry promotions.
167 (4) Develop in-kind advertising programs.
168 (5) Contract with media representatives for the purpose of
169 dispersing promotional materials.
170 Section 7. Section 559.974, Florida Statutes, is created to
171 read:
172 559.974 Registration.—A person that participates in the
173 campaign must register annually with the department in a form
174 and manner as prescribed by the department.
175 Section 8. Section 559.976, Florida Statutes, is created to
176 read:
177 559.976 Rulemaking authority.—The department may adopt
178 rules that implement and administer this part. By rule, the
179 department may establish the logos or product identifiers to be
180 depicted for use in the campaign for advertising, publicizing,
181 and promoting the sale of manufactured products in this state.
182 The department may also adopt any other rules as deemed
183 necessary to ensure compliance with this part, including, but
184 not limited to, rules governing participant registration,
185 renewal of registration, classes of membership, application
186 forms, and other forms and enforcement measures.
187 Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.