Bill Text: FL S0232 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [S0232 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-S0232-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2011                                     SB 232
       
       
       
       By Senator Bennett
       
       
       
       
       21-00252-11                                            2011232__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Century Commission for a
    3         Sustainable Florida; amending s. 163.3247, F.S.;
    4         revising provisions relating to the Century Commission
    5         for a Sustainable Florida; revising the findings and
    6         intent to include the necessity for a specific
    7         strategic plan addressing the state’s growth
    8         management system; revising the planning timeframes to
    9         include a 10-year horizon; revising membership of the
   10         commission; deleting obsolete provisions regarding
   11         initial appointments; providing for the election of a
   12         chair and excluding certain members from serving as
   13         chair during a specified period; requiring that the
   14         commission meet at least six times per fiscal year;
   15         deleting a provision that requires the commission to
   16         meet in different regions in the state; requiring that
   17         the executive director establish a meeting calendar
   18         with the commission’s approval; authorizing the
   19         commission to form subcommittees by vote; providing
   20         for a majority vote of members on commission actions;
   21         providing for reimbursement for per diem and travel
   22         expenses; revising provisions relating to the
   23         commission’s powers and duties; requiring that the
   24         commission, in cooperation with interested state
   25         agencies, local governments, and nongovernmental
   26         stakeholders, develop a strategic plan and submit the
   27         plan to the Governor and the Legislature by a
   28         specified date; requiring that the commission also
   29         submit progress reports by specified dates; requiring
   30         that the commission make presentations to the Governor
   31         and the Legislature; providing that an executive
   32         director be appointed by the Secretary of Community
   33         Affairs and ratified by the commission; requiring that
   34         the Department of Community Affairs provide a specific
   35         line item in its annual legislative budget request to
   36         fund the commission during a specified period;
   37         authorizing the department to obtain additional
   38         funding through external grants; requiring that the
   39         department provide sufficient funding and staff
   40         support to assist the commission in its duties;
   41         providing for future expiration and the abolishment of
   42         the commission; providing an effective date.
   43  
   44  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   45  
   46         Section 1. Section 163.3247, Florida Statutes, as amended
   47  by section 42 of chapter 2010-153, Laws of Florida, is amended,
   48  and subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:
   49         163.3247 Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida.—
   50         (1) POPULAR NAME.—This section may be cited as the “Century
   51  Commission for a Sustainable Florida Act.”
   52         (2) FINDINGS AND INTENT.—The Legislature finds and declares
   53  that the population of this state is expected to more than
   54  double over the next 100 years, with commensurate impacts to the
   55  state’s natural resources and public infrastructure.
   56  Consequently, it is in the best interests of the people of the
   57  state to ensure sound planning for the proper placement of this
   58  growth and protection of the state’s land, water, and other
   59  natural resources since such resources are essential to our
   60  collective quality of life and a strong economy. The state’s
   61  growth management system should foster economic stability
   62  through regional solutions and strategies, urban renewal and
   63  infill, and the continued viability of agricultural economies,
   64  while allowing for rural economic development and protecting the
   65  unique characteristics of rural areas, and should reduce the
   66  complexity of the regulatory process while carrying out the
   67  intent of the laws and encouraging greater citizen
   68  participation. The Legislature further finds that it is
   69  imperative that the state have a specific strategic plan
   70  addressing its growth management system.
   71         (3) CENTURY COMMISSION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FLORIDA; CREATION;
   72  ORGANIZATION.—The Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida
   73  is created as a standing body to help the citizens of this state
   74  envision and plan their collective future with an eye towards
   75  10-year, both 25-year, and 50-year horizons.
   76         (a) The commission shall consist of 18 15 members appointed
   77  as follows:,
   78         1. Two members 5 appointed by the Governor;,
   79         2. Five members 5 appointed by the President of the
   80  Senate;, and
   81         3. Five members 5 appointed by the Speaker of the House of
   82  Representatives;
   83         4. The chairs of the legislative growth management
   84  committees;
   85         5. The Secretary of Community Affairs;
   86         6. The Secretary of Environmental Protection;
   87         7. The Secretary of Transportation; and
   88         8. The director of the Office of Tourism, Trade, and
   89  Economic Development.
   90         (b)Appointments shall be made no later than October 1,
   91  2005. Members of the commission The membership must represent
   92  local governments, school boards, developers and homebuilders,
   93  the business community, the agriculture community, the
   94  environmental community, and other appropriate stakeholders.
   95  Beginning July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2013, one member shall
   96  be elected to serve as chair by a vote of the commission
   97  membership. However, the chairs of the legislative growth
   98  management committees, the Secretary of Community Affairs, the
   99  Secretary of Environmental Protection, the Secretary of
  100  Transportation, and the director of the Office of Tourism,
  101  Trade, and Economic Development may not serve as chair during
  102  this period designated by the Governor as chair of the
  103  commission. Any vacancy that occurs on the commission must be
  104  filled in the same manner as the original appointment and shall
  105  be for the unexpired term of that commission seat. Members shall
  106  serve 4-year terms, except that, initially, to provide for
  107  staggered terms, the Governor, the President of the Senate, and
  108  the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint
  109  one member to serve a 2-year term, two members to serve 3-year
  110  terms, and two members to serve 4-year terms. Members shall be
  111  appointed to serve All subsequent appointments shall be for 4
  112  year terms. An appointee may not serve more than 6 years.
  113  However, members who are appointed on or before January 1, 2011,
  114  shall have their terms automatically extended to June 30, 2013,
  115  to ensure continuity during the development of the strategic
  116  plan.
  117         (c)(b)The fiscal year of the commission begins July 1 each
  118  year and ends June 30 of the following year. The first meeting
  119  of The commission shall be held no later than December 1, 2005,
  120  and shall meet at the call of the chair but not less frequently
  121  than six three times per fiscal year in different regions of the
  122  state to solicit input from the public or any other individuals
  123  offering testimony relevant to the issues to be considered. The
  124  executive director shall establish a meeting calendar for the
  125  fiscal year which considers the availability of members. The
  126  commission must vote to approve the meeting calendar before the
  127  beginning of the fiscal year. The commission may vote to form
  128  subcommittees and schedule meetings as necessary.
  129         (d)(c) Each member of the commission is entitled to one
  130  vote, and the actions of the commission are not binding unless
  131  taken by a majority three-fifths vote of the members present. A
  132  majority of the members is required to constitute a quorum, and
  133  the affirmative vote of a quorum is required for a binding vote.
  134         (e)(d) Members of the commission shall serve without
  135  compensation, but are shall be entitled to receive reimbursement
  136  for per diem and travel expenses as provided in accordance with
  137  s. 112.061 while in the performance of their duties.
  138         (4) POWERS AND DUTIES.—(a) The commission shall:
  139         (a) Annually conduct a process through which the commission
  140  envisions the future for the state and then develops and
  141  recommends policies, plans, action steps, or strategies to
  142  assist in achieving the vision.
  143         (b) Continuously review and consider statutory and
  144  regulatory provisions, governmental processes, and societal and
  145  economic trends in its inquiry of how state, regional, and local
  146  governments and entities and citizens of this state can best
  147  accommodate projected increased populations while maintaining
  148  the natural, historical, cultural, and manmade life qualities
  149  that best represent the state.
  150         (c) bring together people representing varied interests to
  151  develop a shared image of the state and its developed and
  152  natural areas. The process should involve exploring the impact
  153  of the estimated population increase and other emerging trends
  154  and issues; creating a vision for the future; and developing a
  155  strategic action plan to achieve that vision using 10-year, 25
  156  year, and 50-year intermediate planning timeframes. The plan
  157  must:
  158         1.(d) Focus on essential state interests, defined as those
  159  interests that transcend local or regional boundaries and are
  160  most appropriately conserved, protected, and promoted at the
  161  state level;.
  162         2. Accommodate the projections for an increase in
  163  population while maintaining the state’s natural, historical,
  164  cultural, and manmade life qualities; and
  165         3. Be developed through a coordinated, integrated, and
  166  comprehensive effort across agencies, local governments, and
  167  nongovernmental stakeholders.
  168         (b) The commission shall submit the strategic plan to the
  169  Governor and the Legislature by November 15, 2012, along with
  170  progress reports by November 15, 2011, and March 15, 2012. The
  171  commission shall also make presentations, at least annually, to
  172  the Governor and the Legislature.
  173         (e) Serve as an objective, nonpartisan repository of
  174  exemplary community-building ideas and as a source to recommend
  175  strategies and practices to assist others in working
  176  collaboratively to problem solve on issues relating to growth
  177  management.
  178         (f) Annually, beginning January 16, 2007, and every year
  179  thereafter on the same date, provide to the Governor, the
  180  President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
  181  Representatives a written report containing specific
  182  recommendations for addressing growth management in the state,
  183  including executive and legislative recommendations. Further,
  184  the report shall contain discussions regarding the need for
  185  intergovernmental cooperation and the balancing of environmental
  186  protection and future development and recommendations on issues,
  187  including, but not limited to, recommendations regarding
  188  dedicated sources of funding for sewer facilities, water supply
  189  and quality, transportation facilities that are not adequately
  190  addressed by the Strategic Intermodal System, and educational
  191  infrastructure to support existing development and projected
  192  population growth.
  193         (c)(g) Beginning with the 2007 Regular Session of the
  194  Legislature, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
  195  House of Representatives shall create a joint select committee,
  196  the task of which shall be to review the findings and
  197  recommendations of the Century Commission for a Sustainable
  198  Florida for potential action.
  199         (5) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; STAFF AND OTHER ASSISTANCE.—
  200         (a) The Secretary of Community Affairs shall select An
  201  executive director shall be appointed by the Secretary of
  202  Community Affairs and ratified by the commission and of the
  203  commission, and the executive director shall serve at the
  204  pleasure of the secretary under the supervision and control of
  205  the commission under the direction of the chair.
  206         (b) The Department of Community Affairs shall provide a
  207  specific line item in its annual legislative budget request to
  208  fund the commission for the period beginning July 1, 2011,
  209  through June 30, 2013. The department may obtain additional
  210  funding through external grants. The department shall provide
  211  sufficient funds and staff support for the purpose of assisting
  212  the commission in completing the strategic plan staff and other
  213  resources necessary to accomplish the goals of the commission
  214  based upon recommendations of the Governor.
  215         (c) All agencies under the control of the Governor are
  216  directed, and all other agencies are requested, to render
  217  assistance to, and cooperate with, the commission.
  218         (6) EXPIRATION.—This section expires and the commission is
  219  abolished June 30, 2013.
  220         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

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